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Mastermind of the Akatsuki 346
🕑 Added 2025-03-06 16:00:04 +0000 UTCChapter 346: The Bond Between Senju and Uchiha
Byakuya's identity was that of an orphan from the Uzumaki clan, wandering in the Land of Rain. After joining Akatsuki, he quickly became the organization's second-in-command and, in the battle against Hanzō of the Salamander, rose to the position of Akatsuki's leader.
All along, Byakuya had identified himself as a descendant of the Uzumaki clan.
His vast chakra reserves and natural talent in both ninjutsu and genjutsu further confirmed his Uzumaki heritage. Aside from lacking red hair, Byakuya possessed all the traits of an Uzumaki ninja, making him a true descendant of the clan.
However, just now, Obito had begun to suspect him. He doubted whether Byakuya was truly an Uzumaki.
It was true that the Uzumaki clan was known for their immense chakra reserves. However, another clan in the ninja world also shared this trait, the Senju, who had been entangled with the Uchiha for a thousand years.
The Senju were distant relatives of the Uzumaki, also possessing vast chakra reserves. Moreover, compared to the Uzumaki, the Senju had even greater talent in ninjutsu and taijutsu, otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to suppress the Uchiha for nearly a millennium.
The reason Obito began to doubt Byakuya’s identity was simple.
Byakuya’s talent in Wood Release was far too extraordinary. He had surpassed even Obito, a Uchiha, and had even outperformed most White Zetsu. Such talent was beyond the capability of an Uzumaki, it was a power only a Senju could possess.
Once the seed of doubt was planted, Obito couldn’t stop questioning whether Byakuya had been telling the truth. His mind was filled with countless possibilities. According to Madara’s accounts from the past, Tobirama Senju had always plotted against the Uchiha, keeping a close watch on the happenings of the ninja world.
With Tobirama’s abilities, he must have noticed that Madara had faked his death and was still lurking in the ninja world. However, before Tobirama could take action, he was taken down by Kinkaku and Ginkaku of Kumogakure.
Of course, Tobirama might not have actually died at the hands of Kinkaku and Ginkaku. It was also possible that Madara himself had eliminated this formidable enemy of the Uchiha.
Yet, even Madara had not foreseen that after Tobirama’s death, another cunning Senju would inherit his will, continuing to oppress the Uchiha in the ninja world, repeatedly interfering with his plans, and even infiltrating the Eye of the Moon Plan.
That person was none other than the dark-hearted and enigmatic Byakuya Senju.
Shaking off his scattered thoughts, Obito continued watching Byakuya, ready to flee at a moment’s notice. He knew he wasn’t Byakuya’s match, but with Kamui at his disposal, no one in the ninja world could stop him from escaping.
As Obito stared at Byakuya, Byakuya also fixed his gaze on him.
When Obito remained motionless and directly questioned whether he was truly an Uzumaki, Byakuya furrowed his brows and responded, "Masked man, why do you doubt that I am an Uzumaki? Do you think I am a Senju? I, too, have had such doubts. The Senju and Uzumaki have intermarried for generations, so it’s possible that I carry Senju blood as well.
However, whether Senju or Uzumaki, both clans have already perished. The only way to avoid extinction is to wield the strongest power in the ninja world. Let’s continue executing our plan, I don’t want to waste any more time."
Hearing this, Obito did not completely set aside his suspicions, but he still nodded.
He didn’t want to lose Byakuya as an ally, nor did he particularly care whether Byakuya was Senju or Uzumaki. To him, as long as a ninja could hunt Tailed Beasts, they were a useful ninja.
---
After some simple medical treatment, the Kirigakure ninjas were not fully recovered but could at least walk. They raised their heads and looked toward the battlefield where Byakuya and Obito were fighting.
When they saw the massive forest that had risen from the ground, their eyes filled with shock.
As ninjas from Kirigakure, they were naturally familiar with the Wood Release Bloodline Limit, once wielded by the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama. However, Wood Release had supposedly been lost for decades. How had it suddenly reappeared? And not just with one user, there were two.
One was the masked man who had manipulated the Mizukage. Judging from his Sharingan, he was likely an Uchiha.
The other was Byakuya, a high-ranking figure from Amegakure. How had he also mastered Wood Release? From what Byakuya had said, it seemed he had been hunting the masked man for years.
Unable to make sense of the situation, Mei Terumi turned to Zabuza and Jūzō Biwa. Her instincts told her that they knew the truth but had been hiding it. She asked, "Zabuza, Jūzō, you don’t seem surprised by Byakuya’s appearance at all. Do you know something? Have you been keeping secrets from us?"
Jūzō Biwa remained silent, but Zabuza sighed lightly and said, "This has nothing to do with you. It’s a deal between me and Byakuya-sama. In the end, it comes down to my own weakness, that’s why Byakuya-sama had to intervene."
"Byakuya-sama? It seems your deal with him is quite extraordinary."
Narrowing her eyes, Mei looked toward the distant battlefield where Byakuya and Obito were fighting. With a casual tone, she said, "Tell me about this deal. At this point, there’s no reason to hide it anymore."
Zabuza took a deep breath before explaining, "I gambled the entire Kirigakure on a bet with Byakuya. If we managed to rescue the Fourth Mizukage and defeat the mastermind behind the scenes, he would form an alliance with the new Mizukage. But if I failed, he would take action against the masked man, and all of Kirigakure would become his subordinates."
Upon hearing this, Mei took a sharp breath. "Zabuza, are you an idiot for betting the entire village? Do you even have the authority to make that decision for Kirigakure?"
Zabuza glanced at her and replied, "I had no choice. If Byakuya hadn’t informed me about the Fourth Mizukage being under genjutsu control, I never would have known. Besides, even if I lost the bet, Kirigakure would only be swapping one master for another. From being ruled by a masked man hiding in the shadows to being under the command of Akatsuki’s leader, Byakuya."
Mei fell silent for a few seconds. She could understand Zabuza’s reasoning and wondered if he even had another option, perhaps he had no choice but to make this deal with Byakuya. And looking at the current situation, if Byakuya hadn’t intervened, they all would have died.
Kirigakure alone was no match for the masked man.
At that moment, Mei suddenly thought of something. She turned to Haku and Kimimaro, then asked, "So their power isn’t their own either? That’s why you were so surprised."
Zabuza smiled bitterly and nodded.
"You guessed right. Haku and Kimimaro’s strength also came from Byakuya. Just days ago, they were only at chunin level…"
After hearing Zabuza’s explanation, not only Mei but even Ao fell silent.
One man controlled the Mizukage with genjutsu, while another could temporarily grant chunin the strength of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. How had such powerful figures emerged in the ninja world, treating even the Five Kage as mere pawns?
Mei and Ao exchanged glances and sighed simultaneously, feeling a deep sense of unease. A few minutes later, as the ground trembled violently, Byakuya and Obito emerged from the Wood Release forest, appearing in an open space.
Obito's clothing was in disarray, and his movements seemed frantic. He glared at Byakuya with murderous intent, as if he wouldn't rest until he tore him apart.
Compared to Obito, Byakuya was in much better condition. He held his sword and pointed it at Obito, speaking righteously,
"Evil masked man, your scheme in Kirigakure has already been foiled by me. If you still refuse to surrender, are you planning to be completely cut down by my blade?"
Obito’s expression flickered, and he let out a cold snort.
"Easy for you to say, but if you really could kill me, would you have waited until now? With my space-time abilities, I stand in an invincible position. I will never lose!" Obito grinned, "But you are different. If you fail even once, you lose completely. You have no chance to escape."
Byakuya's expression changed slightly, but he soon smiled.
"Unfortunately for you, you don't have the strength to defeat me. In all our clashes, you've never won even once. Every time, you've been forced to flee in embarrassment."
Hearing this, Obito’s face twitched.
He knew that he and Byakuya were playing a game of wits, but the truth was, he really had never won against Byakuya. Every single time, he had been defeated, this time was no different.
Cursing Byakuya in his mind, Obito gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I lost to you this time. But do you really think you've won? Aside from defeating me, what else have you gained?"
Byakuya looked at him calmly.
"Thwarting your plans is my greatest victory."
Obito sneered. "Is that so? Do you really think you've won? Guess what, I knew about Kirigakure's movements these past few days. Do you think I didn't notice those ridiculous little insects sneaking around? Do you know why I didn’t stop them?"
Byakuya's face darkened.
"You knew I was hiding nearby?!"
Obito smirked, his gaze filled with meaning.
"While you were busy in Kirigakure, I took a little trip. I attacked Utakata, the Jinchūriki of the Six-Tails. Of the two Tailed Beasts in Kirigakure, I've already secured one… and as for the other, don’t think you can protect it either."
With that, Obito's figure flickered as he rushed toward the Fourth Mizukage.
Haku and Kimimaro, who were guarding the Fourth Mizukage, immediately moved to stop him, but Obito simply phased through their attacks with Kamui and reached the Mizukage's side. He swiftly struck a few pressure points near the heart.
The already weakened Fourth Mizukage's vision darkened, and he completely lost consciousness. Just as Obito was about to take him away, Byakuya appeared in front of him, blocking his path.
Obito glanced at Byakuya, let out a cold snort, and sank into the lake’s waters, leaving behind a final remark before disappearing into the dark depths.
"Oi Senju scum, our battle has only just begun. I have plenty more surprises in store for you."
Byakuya watched Obito's retreating figure, his face dark and unreadable. A storm of emotions swirled within him, and an ominous pressure radiated from his body, as if he could explode at any moment.
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Zabuza and Mei quickly approached him, speaking carefully.
"Byakuya-sama, did the masked man escape? What about the Fourth Mizukage’s condition?"
"The masked man was severely injured by me and fled. He won’t be able to cause any trouble in the ninja world for a while…"
After a brief pause, Byakuya looked at the Fourth Mizukage and let out a soft sigh.
"As for the Mizukage, his condition is dire. Not only was he under genjutsu control, but Obito also left several hidden effects within his body. These effects will be difficult to remove. Even if he regains consciousness, his strength and lifespan will be greatly reduced. He likely only has a few months left to live."
"A few months…"
Hearing this, Zabuza and Mei were momentarily stunned. The Fourth Mizukage had only just broken free from Obito’s control, yet now he was nearing the end of his life.
However, for them, this outcome was not entirely unacceptable.
Given the severity of his injuries, even if he fully recovered, he would never return to his peak strength. And during his rule, the chaos of the Bloody Mist policy had wreaked havoc, someone had to take responsibility for it.
It couldn't be Obito, so the burden would have to fall on the Fourth Mizukage himself.
During the next Mizukage election, they would have to ensure that Lord Genji established a new rule. Even Kirigakure’s leader, the Mizukage, would be required to undergo regular inspections by sensory-type jonin to prevent such incidents from happening again.
As her thoughts settled, Mei sighed with emotion.
"We really owe Byakuya-sama for his help this time. If not for you, who knows how much longer the Fourth Mizukage would have remained under control? We will make sure this never happens again."
Zabuza also nodded.
"I will be more cautious from now on. I won’t let something like this happen again."
Byakuya looked at the two of them with a half-smile.
"Zabuza, Mei, do you really think the Fourth Mizukage was the only puppet in Kirigakure?"
This question made both Zabuza and Mei freeze, their expressions shifting to alarm.
"What do you mean? Are you saying there are other ninja in the village who are still under control?"
Byakuya shook his head.
"You two are still too slow-witted. Let me ask you, while the Fourth Mizukage continued the Bloody Mist policy, who was the one that first implemented it?"
"The one who first started the Bloody Mist policy was the Third Mizukage… right?"
Before Zabuza and Mei could fully process the implications, an aged voice answered the question first. Upon hearing the voice, the assembled Kiri-nin turned to look behind them.
An elderly man, leaning on a cane and accompanied by a dozen Kirigakure shinobi, stepped onto the battlefield.
It was none other than Genji, the second most powerful figure in Kirigakure and one of the village elders.
At his arrival, Mei and the others immediately bowed in respect. Even Zabuza, usually defiant, inclined his head slightly as a gesture of acknowledgment.
Genji walked up to Byakuya and studied him before speaking.
"So the rumors don’t do you justice. You’re much younger than I expected, heir of the Senju Clan."
"Heir of the Senju Clan?"
The surrounding shinobi were visibly shocked.
In the ninja world, the name Senju carried immense weight. Even the highest-ranking officials of the great ninja villages would react cautiously upon hearing it.
But wasn’t Tsunade supposed to be the last surviving Senju?
The rest of the Senju Clan had either died on the battlefield or erased their identities. While some still carried Senju blood, none had the strength or influence to uphold the clan’s legacy.
Zabuza and Jūzō were equally stunned. They knew Byakuya possessed Wood Release, but they hadn’t expected him to be connected to the Senju Clan, and even more surprising was that Genji acknowledged him as such.
Byakuya looked at Genji and chuckled.
"Age doesn’t mean much. I was simply fortunate to attain my current strength. Compared to you, Genji-sama I still have a long way to go. But since you’ve shown yourself, I assume you’ve made up your mind about our cooperation?"
