The Man Who Hated Sealing Jutsu

There are no true secrets in this world. Before or after anything happens, there will always be some clues.

But more often than not, people are slow to realize things.

"Oh? So you've already discovered our presence..."

The pitcher plant in front of him slowly split open, revealing a strange entity that was half black and half white, half indifferent and half mocking, sizing up Kato Osamu.

The moment Kato Osamu saw Zetsu, many thoughts came to mind. Some of his thoughts even traced back to the first time he saw those ninjas who had died from being impaled on wooden branches during a mission.

That was the first time he vaguely sensed that something was amiss...

But then too many things happened, and I gradually stopped paying attention to it.

But today, when the matter fell on his own head, he belatedly realized that everything must be related to the person in front of him, or even the group behind him.

"Did you plant the Explosive Tag at the Water Shadow Building?"

His voice was lower, and although he was asking a question, his tone suggested he had already confirmed it. Kato Osamu narrowed his eyes slightly, carefully observing the strange person before him.

This person's stealth skills were extremely high; even with his current sensory abilities, he didn't detect anything at all...

"A small gift..."

"However, it seems you don't really like it..."

"I don't think anyone would like a gift like this..."

While stalling for time, Kato Osamu silently recovered his Chakra. Apart from the burns caused by the Tailed Beast Chakra, his injuries could not be healed in the short term.

Other superficial injuries weren't a big problem, but the key issue was that his Chakra hadn't even recovered one-tenth of its value in such a short time.

Are you stalling for time to recover your Chakra?

The shadow of the pitcher plant shrouded Zetsu's face, Kato Osamu couldn't see his expression; only a sinister voice could be heard.

Although there was no particular emotion in his tone, it instantly made Kato Osamu's eyes narrow. Before Zetsu could finish speaking, Kato Osamu's body suddenly sprang to the ground.

A cluster of jet-black runes suddenly appeared in his hand, and almost all of his recently restored Chakra was concentrated in it.

The pitcher plant snapped shut instantly, but it didn't seem to flinch or dodge at all...

Seeing this, Kato Osamu's heart sank, but he had no choice but to take the risk...

The jet-black runes landed on Jue's body, and countless chains extended from a single point in an instant, forming a large net-like cage over Jue's body.

He immediately turned around without looking back, leaping into the forest to escape for his life, his figure flashing to its limit as he frantically squeezed out the Chakra within his body.

Having retreated hundreds of meters, his senses suddenly reached their maximum. There was no trace of that strange person behind him. Considering that he neither dodged nor avoided him, Kato Osamu's heart remained uneasy.

"The Sealing Formula... it's quite ingenious..."

Still standing in place, Zetsu ignored the runes on his body. The pitcher plant slowly opened, revealing its eerie half-black and half-white body. He simply watched Kato Osamu's fleeting back and a slight smile appeared on his face.

Feeling the sealing power of the dark runes on his body, he couldn't hide the hatred in his eyes.

With a soft hum, its entire body suddenly transformed into a human-shaped, withered log...

He hates Sealing Jutsu... he hates them terribly...

"How cunning..."

Seeing the eerie smile on Zetsu's face, Kato Osamu's expression turned extremely ugly. Having exhausted all his chakra and used every trick in the Chakra, he still couldn't escape. This pitcher plant man seemed to be everywhere.

He struggled gently, but the wooden vines binding him were as hard as metal, holding him tightly.

The wooden vines, imbued with a suction force, relentlessly devoured his ever-recovering Chakra, leaving his body constantly empty and powerless, rendering all his methods futile.

"He does have some skill; no wonder he wanted to see you..."

Carried on Zetsu's back, Kato Osamu surveyed her surroundings without uttering a word. Hearing Zetsu's mutterings, she frowned slightly.

As they went deeper into the jungle, the dim light shone down, and withered branches were half-hidden in the thick fog. Kato Osamu suddenly sensed a strong aura of Chakra.

"Jue, you're too slow..."

As soon as the voice came, he was thrown to the ground by Jue. Sitting in front of him was an old man with white hair, who carried a death aura that was even visible to the naked eye, but his body contained strong Chakra fluctuations that he held back.

At first glance, Kato Osamu knew that he was the real person behind the scenes.

Kato Osamu now roughly understands that these two people must have other purposes. His life should be safe for the time being. Moreover, he can clearly feel an indescribable terrifying aura in their aged presence, which he cannot withstand in his current state.

He simply stopped struggling and quietly observed the old man in front of him.

The old man in red armor seemed to sense his gaze, and his eyes suddenly opened, his sharp gaze, like a blade, locking directly onto Kato Osamu.

As if being stared at by an ancient beast, Kato Osamu's pupils constricted slightly, and his scalp tingled.

"What a troublesome brat..."

Jue slowly plucked the last withered branch from above his head, his grin revealing a hint of ferocity.

"A genius from the Kato Clan...?"

Madara Uchiha Kato Osamu, seemingly talking to himself. His face was expressionless, but his eyes revealed a hint of scrutiny.

Kato Osamu remained silent, their eyes locked, and an inexplicable sense of oppression suddenly erupted from the forest, causing the thick fog to ripple in countless directions, and birds and insects to scatter in all directions.

"Who are you?"

Orochimaru, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato Namikaze, Shimura Danzō —no matter who they were, none of the people Kato Osamu had ever met gave him the same intense sense of oppression as the old man before him.

He found it hard to imagine that such a powerful figure could remain undetected and hidden behind the scenes.

Even for a rising star like Minato Namikaze Shinobi World, every faction would keep a close eye on his every move, let alone such an extraordinary powerhouse, it's impossible for him to remain completely unknown.

Kato Osamu stared at him, her mind racing as she searched for powerful figures in the Shinobi World, but none of them matched her description.

"Madara Uchiha!"

A powerful sense of self-confidence and an unwavering will seemed to erupt from the old man's eyes in an instant. Whether it was the even more intense and overwhelming aura, or the name from the legends of the Shinobi World, Kato Osamu's eyes widened suddenly.

"Madara Uchiha didn't die, and he's still alive today!"

Looking at Madara Uchiha's aged face and still sharp eyes, Kato Osamu slowly exhaled a breath of stale air. He realized that probably no one else could truly live up to that name...

This overwhelming aura, this old man, this name—it all seemed so natural.