Chapter 451 — Now They're Yours
Looking at Jiraiya lying unconscious from a single punch, Uchiha Kei showed no change in expression.
He didn't think Jiraiya had been weak—or that he had performed poorly.
Rather, Jiraiya had been holding back.
Whether it was out of caution toward Kei's teammates, or concern that going all out would destroy the entire town, his actions had been restrained from the start.
Under such limitations, he could only fight at an average level.
He couldn't unleash large-scale or high-destruction techniques, nor could he lure Kei away from the town to fight freely.
His frustration was inevitable.
But for Kei—
that restraint was an overwhelming advantage.
If he could end the fight easily, why waste time and effort?
Kei realized that his fighting style hadn't changed much, even as his strength had grown.
At his core, he still preferred the same approach—
use the three-tomoe Sharingan to read his opponent's weaknesses, combine it with genjutsu or pure speed, and finish the fight in a single decisive move.
If faced with overwhelming danger, he would evade using Body Flicker or raw speed.
And if he couldn't avoid it—
then he simply wouldn't.
Susanoo's defensive power wasn't something to joke about.
Even without using its higher stages, it could still withstand most techniques.
"Finished?"
As Kei observed Jiraiya, Kenta, Kakashi, and Obito quickly approached from the side. None of them had chosen to retreat during the fight.
"It's over," Kei nodded. "Jiraiya-sama held back, so the battle never escalated. I didn't go all out either. Let's leave this town—we can't stay here any longer."
"Holding back, huh…" Kenta rubbed his chin, understanding immediately. "Yeah, we definitely can't remain here."
The scale of the fight might not have been massive, but the destruction was obvious.
Collapsed buildings. Cratered ground.
And that was without either of them truly going all out.
If they had fought in an open field…
no one could say how far it would have gone.
"Oh, right—Kakashi, check if he has a wallet or anything on him."
Kei suddenly pointed at the unconscious Jiraiya.
Jiraiya had already reverted to his normal state, the two toads on his shoulders long gone.
"Money?" Kakashi blinked, then hesitated. "Are we… using Jiraiya-sama's money to compensate for the damages? Isn't that a bit…"
"Should I pay for him instead?" Kei sighed faintly. "He picked the fight, after all. Rin, once Kakashi finds the money, you carry him. Hand the money to the Konoha garrison here, and then we'll move on."
"…You really are something," Obito muttered, though he still nodded.
He didn't dare complain.
After Jiraiya's earlier outburst, he probably understood the situation better than anyone.
Complaining wouldn't change anything—better to just follow orders.
Kakashi rubbed his forehead, then, with a resigned expression, began searching Jiraiya's pockets.
By now, the Konoha shinobi had gathered around them.
They hadn't dared interfere during the fight—but now that it was over, and the participants were high-ranking figures, they had to step in.
Kakashi handled it smoothly.
He briefly explained that it had been a misunderstanding and told them to report everything truthfully back to the village.
At the same time, he handed over the money he found on Jiraiya, asking them to assess the damages.
It wasn't enough—but it was something.
Jiraiya wasn't exactly poor. Even without his future best-selling novels, a shinobi of his rank could easily earn more through missions.
Kakashi had no intention of covering the costs himself.
Still, he reminded the Konoha ninja to include everything in their report.
Once everything was settled, the group quickly left the town.
This time, they didn't move at a leisurely pace like before.
Though they weren't rushing either.
Kei was waiting.
Waiting for Orochimaru.
Especially after the terms he had laid out—there was no way Orochimaru wouldn't come to meet him again.
And Kei wasn't worried about finding him.
Even after leaving, that snake was undoubtedly watching from the shadows.
"Let's rest here for now."
By nightfall, they reached another town closer to Konoha.
After renting a room, Kei stood up again.
"You three watch him. Seal his chakra for now—no need for unnecessary trouble later. I'm heading out."
"To meet Orochimaru?" Kenta tilted his head. "He's been following us this whole time. I could feel his presence."
"Yeah. There are things that need to be settled," Kei nodded. "Jiraiya's in your hands."
"I'll come with you, Head," Obito suddenly said, standing up. "Orochimaru won't be a problem for you, but… I have things to report as well."
Kei glanced at him, then nodded after a moment's thought.
Since returning, Obito hadn't had the chance to report anything. He'd been sticking close to Kakashi the whole time.
Kei hadn't bothered to interrupt him.
After all, now that he was back, there was no way he'd avoid reporting.
And Kei wouldn't allow it anyway.
___
"Alright," Kei said calmly as they stepped out. "You've had your time. Let's hear it."
In a forest just outside the town Kei and Obito walked side by side in silence. Silver moonlight filtered through the dense canopy, scattering across their shoulders.
Kei glanced at him calmly, his tone turning more serious.
They still had some distance before reaching Orochimaru—just enough time for a proper conversation.
Even if that snake was lurking nearby, eavesdropping—
Kei didn't care.
If Orochimaru overheard something he shouldn't, the one in danger would be himself.
Orochimaru was a pragmatic man. While he was deeply interested in secrets, his curiosity was usually reserved for jutsu, forbidden techniques, and bloodlines.
As for sensitive matters within a village?
Even if he learned them, he would decide whether to remember or discard them based on the risks involved.
And what Kei and Obito were about to discuss—
was exactly the kind of thing he'd choose to forget.
"It's nothing too complicated," Obito said quietly. "You've probably already guessed. Your recent actions have been… excessive. At least, from his perspective. And you've drawn too much attention—he's started to suspect your eyes."
"That 'him'… Black Zetsu?" Kei asked.
Obito nodded.
"So he's noticed that my eyes haven't gone blind yet?" Kei said, almost amused.
"Yes." Obito glanced at him. "But that's your secret. If you don't want to explain it, I can make something up for him."
Kei thought for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"Tell him I forced Uchiha Shuu and Uchiha Yuu to awaken the Mangekyō through special means, and then used certain records to develop the Eternal Mangekyō."
"That should be believable enough."
Those two had long since disappeared—their bodies never even found.
And, rather conveniently, Orochimaru had taken the blame for it all.
Even though many sharp-minded individuals suspected Kei's involvement, no one dared say it aloud.
Obito, of course, knew the truth.
Using those two as cover wasn't a bad move.
"…Shuu and Yuu, huh?" Obito murmured, then nodded. "That works. But I wouldn't recommend relying on transplanted eyes long-term. They're not yours, and that always comes with risks. I can help you with that."
Kei chuckled softly.
"My eyes are still my own. The 'other pair' does exist—but they're currently in Uchiha Fugaku's possession."
He paused, then looked at Obito with a faint smile.
"As for your 'help'… you mean that white substance, right?"
Obito's expression instantly changed.
"You… know about that?"
"Of course," Kei said calmly. "I've already used it."
He leaned slightly closer, voice low and deliberate.
"When I tracked you to that cave and forced you to retreat—you left quite a few things behind."
Obito froze for a moment—then it clicked.
That cave.
The one Kei had burned down.
There had been valuable materials inside—
including multiple White Zetsu test subjects.
At the time, Obito had been furious about their destruction.
But now…
"You took them?" Obito's voice dropped. "Then be careful. That damned Black Zetsu is already suspicious—you might have used those cells."
"In truth, I did," Kei admitted, though he left out the crucial details.
"Funny coincidence, really. I found a severed arm in that cave but didn't think much of it at the time."
"Later, when you attacked Konoha, Captain Minato told me he had defeated you—and that you lost an arm. But when I encountered you again, you were perfectly intact…"
Obito let out a quiet sigh and finished the thought for him.
"So you concluded I used some special method—and then you experimented with White Zetsu cells to reach this point. But your eyes…"
"I have my secrets too, Obito," Kei interrupted lightly, patting his shoulder.
"The Eternal Mangekyō doesn't necessarily require a brother. It just needs the right method of guidance."
"…Though that method might very well get you killed. I just happened to get lucky."
Obito didn't press further.
Everyone had their secrets—that much, he fully understood.
And no matter how you looked at it, Kei growing stronger was a good thing.
With greater power, he could face whatever lay ahead.
After all—
Obito had not forgotten that old man.
Uchiha Madara.
Nor the level his eyes had reached in the end.
The Rinnegan.
The legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths.
The ultimate evolution of the Sharingan.
Even though Madara himself was dead—
Black Zetsu was still working tirelessly to bring him back.
How many contingencies had been left behind…
Even Obito didn't know.
And that uncertainty—
was terrifying.
In the end, he chose not to tell Kei.
Some truths were too dangerous.
"I understand," Obito said at last, a faint smile appearing. "Keep going, Head. The future is wide open—and I'll help you."
"Save the nonsense," Kei scoffed. "Just do your job. That's the biggest help you can give me."
"The future may be vast… but your ambitions aren't something I can guess, are they?"
"Maybe not," Obito admitted with a shrug. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be where I am now—and you wouldn't be standing at the top."
He paused, then added:
"Oh, right. I have something for you."
Kei raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Obito looked at him steadily.
"Everything I've learned recently."
"…It's all yours now."