"So... is that guy really gone?"
"He's not coming back, right?"
Five minutes later, the two remaining members of Itachi's team were still confirming in hushed, fearful tones.
"Barring any surprises, he probably won't be back," Qingchuan replied with a smile while using Healing Arts on Itachi.
Obito had indeed been ruthless. Five ordinary people, killed with a single blow. The kick Itachi had taken when he rushed in was not light, either. Coupled with the after-effects of awakening his Sharingan, his small face was now deathly pale.
Qingchuan's answer brought a wave of relief to the two boys. Her own mood, however, was not nearly as bright.
This battle had ended rather abruptly. Qingchuan attributed this to the fact that Obito had accomplished his goal.
However...
She really needed to step up her training in Zanpakutō, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kido.
Especially Hadō and Bakudō.
Qingchuan's training had previously been focused on preparing for her Shikai and, eventually, her Bankai. She had taken a significant shortcut by relying on the system, grinding proficiency by hacking and slashing, and then exhausting her spiritual power by casting Kido spells.
But the resulting drawbacks could not be ignored.
Her foundation was very unstable.
Even after sparring with Orochimaru for three months, which had significantly improved her combat experience, Qingchuan's abilities were now terribly unbalanced.
Minato Namikaze, who came from a common background, could take down Obito with just a single Rasengan and two uses of the Flying Thunder God technique. That was the result of true, all-round development.
Qingchuan had already made a secret resolution. She would slightly reduce the frequency of her daily spiritual power recovery for Shikai and focus more on hammering Orochimaru with Hadō and Bakudō...
"Are you feeling a little better, Itachi-kun?" Qingchuan asked, finishing the Healing Art and looking at Itachi's still-pale face.
"Ah... I'm fine now, Haruko." Itachi's gaze was somewhat evasive, his hoarse voice tinged with sadness.
The atmosphere of the entire team instantly plummeted.
That's right. They had survived a great disaster, lucky to be alive. But the mission's targets were dead. To encounter such an incident on their first C-rank mission was not only a failure, but the people who died were living, breathing human beings.
Qingchuan silently stopped her recovery buff, appropriately putting on a sad expression...
.....
Meanwhile, back in the Kamui dimension, Obito silently removed his mask and sat down casually.
A pool of white liquid flowed out from Obito's body, slowly coalescing into the form of Tobi.
"Oh my! Obito, you've had quite a harvest this time, haven't you?"
"Itachi Uchiha's future is already proceeding according to your plan!"
"And that little girl, Haruko Uchiha... will she be the answer to Itachi Uchiha's Mangekyō?"
"This is great!"
Tobi was clearly very excited.
Obito didn't answer, instead staring silently at his own arm. The girl's final technique had struck him just an instant before he entered the Kamui dimension. The few small wounds were the best proof.
A coincidence?
Obito didn't know.
The girl's combat talent astonished him. With just one probe, one exchange, she had quickly adopted a targeted combat strategy. And those two tomoe in her eyes...
No matter how he looked at it, the girl seemed to be a more suitable candidate than Itachi.
"Eh? Obito, are you hurt?" Tobi asked, surprised to see the wounds. "That's amazing... that Haruko Uchiha."
"Compared to her, Itachi is really lacking by more than just a little bit, huh?"
When Obito was leaving, Itachi and Qingchuan had attacked simultaneously. Itachi's Great Fireball hadn't harmed the half of the body where White Zetsu was, but Qingchuan, with her surge in spiritual power, had actually managed to injure Obito.
"Should we switch candidates?"
"Kill Itachi Uchiha in front of Haruko Uchiha?"
"I think that's a..."
"Shut up!"
The previously silent Obito suddenly cut Tobi off with a cold snort.
Tobi immediately put on an exaggerated expression, trembling all over and stuffing his fingers into his mouth.
"You don't need to worry about Itachi Uchiha's affairs!"
"You... just obediently have your clones monitor the Uchiha and Konoha."
As he spoke, Obito had already put his mask back on. The Sharingan visible beneath it was utterly cold.
.....
When the group returned to Konoha with the bodies of their escort targets, the two ninja guarding the village gate immediately called for the Anbu.
Several Anbu members arrived and sized up the four genin.
"What happened?"
"A mysterious person attacked us. If Haruko hadn't arrived... we might all be dead," Itachi answered in a low voice.
"A mysterious person? Can you remember any specific features?"
"It was a mysterious man wearing a mask, and... his eyes were Sharingan," Itachi added.
Beside him, Qingchuan's brow furrowed imperceptibly the moment Itachi mentioned the Sharingan.
The words "Sharingan"...
She had a feeling they would become a pretext for others to make trouble.
Especially Root, who had tried to take her away by force last time.
They were up to no good
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