Near the border between the Fire Country and the Land of Earth lay a region known as Arakawa.
As its name suggested, it was a barren land surrounded by mountains.
It was said that during the era of Ninshu, Arakawa had once been a land of exceptional feng shui, even nurturing a Dragon Vein. But an unprecedented war had permanently robbed this land of life.
Present-day Arakawa was covered in gnarled trees, their roots tangled together like gourd vines crawling over cliffs and precipices!
For this was Uchiha Obito's training ground.
Though tonight marked the end of his one-year agreement with Nagato, Obito still tirelessly darted through the dappled shadows of the trees...!!!
His body and mind were focused to the utmost!
The "air" battered by his fists and feet was, in truth, his imagined enemy—"Nagato"!!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Every collision of fist, foot, and earth was accompanied by savage wooden spikes erupting from the ground...
He had already fused taijutsu and Wood Release to perfection.
Black Zetsu and Haku Zetsu bore witness to this training.
Haku Zetsu said, "It seems Obito knows full well that two months aren't enough to fully develop Hashirama Senju's power. So instead of choosing Hashirama's broad, overwhelming school of Wood Release, he combined it with his own fighting style. After Flower Tree Realm, he took an unconventional path and formed his own school. That isn't simple, though if Hashirama wanted to, he could easily do everything Obito has done."
Black Zetsu said, "Back then, with only limited Hashirama Cells, he was already able to use Cutting Sprigs Jutsu and Hell's Chaos—attacks that balanced efficiency and lethality. That showed his talent in this regard. It was also why Madara chose him."
Haku Zetsu said, "This is bad. If Obito really kills Nagato, then Madara's plan