Chapter 99: Black Zetsu's Grievance, Izayoi's Bounty

Chapter 99: Black Zetsu’s Grievance, Izayoi’s Bounty

Rain Country, Amegakure.

“The Wood Release ninja… the mysterious figure with the second Rinnegan…”

Pain (Deva Path) stared at the intelligence report and photograph Konan handed him, his voice flat. “It seems even the divine path requires trials ordained by fate.”

“No matter who stands in my way, I will achieve peace!”

Unlike Pain’s dramatic proclamations, Obito Uchiha and White Zetsu’s side of the conversation carried a heavier tone.

“First that mysterious stranger, now an authentic Wood Release ninja? Why are these surprises piling up all of a sudden?” Obito scowled at Izayoi’s dossier, his frustration evident. “The Nine-Tails’ rampage didn’t kill him—fine. But at his age, wielding Wood Release with such power? He couldn’t have just awakened it recently. How has he kept this hidden for so long? Doesn’t he realize how critical Wood Release is? If he’d revealed it earlier, the Hidden Leaf would’ve groomed him as their ultimate asset!”

If Izayoi had exposed his Wood Release sooner, Obito would’ve eliminated him during the Uchiha Clan massacre. But now…

Wind, Water, Earth, Fire, Lightning—five nature transformations mastered. Plus Storm Release, Dust Release, and flight. Unless caught off guard, even Obito knew he’d struggle to defeat him. Flight, in particular, was the ability he hated most.

“Could he… be the mysterious stranger?” White Zetsu suddenly blurted.

Obito shot him a glare. “Can the Rinnegan revert to normal eyes?”

White Zetsu clamped his mouth shut. Of course it could—but only if the Rinnegan was self-evolved, not implanted.

Black Zetsu silently scoffed, already dismissing the idea. If Izayoi had the Rinnegan, he’d have achieved the “Two Poles’ Unification” long before Obito’s plan reached fruition. That feat had taken the Sage of Six Paths’ descendants—Asura or Indra’s reincarnations—centuries of refining chakra natures, then fusing Yin and Yang to birth the Ten Thousand Phenomena.

The conditions were near-impossible: a reincarnation body, mastery of the Sage’s Chakra or Sharingan, and the fusion of opposing forces. Even Black Zetsu had needed a millennium to create the second Rinnegan. A fresh genin achieving this? Absurd.

If Izayoi’s Rinnegan was transplanted, he’d resemble young Nagato—still unable to wield its power, with eyes permanently fixed in Rinnegan mode. And if he were a descendant of the Moon’s Line, hidden in the Leaf, his hair would be white, his eyes Byakugan. Izayoi fit none of these.

No—he was merely a lucky heir to Hashirama Senju’s bloodline, a rare Wood Release talent born after decades of diluted genetics. While his Wood Release might never rival Hashirama’s, his inheritance of Tobirama’s jutsu genius made him a threat. A genin mastering multiple natures, Storm Release, and Dust Release? If the Leaf poured resources into him, he might eclipse Tobirama entirely.

Another obstacle to the Moon’s Eye Plan.

Black Zetsu seethed inwardly.

Damn you, Hagoromo and Hamura. Even dead, you meddle in my plans!

His grievances went unheard.

When Izayoi’s bounty hit the black market—180 million ryō—it shattered records. Asuma Sarutobi, elite jonin, Guardian Ninja of the Twelve, and Third Hokage’s son, carried a mere 35 million ryō price. Izayoi’s meteoric rise to the top underscored the fear his Wood Release inspired.

He remained oblivious. Learning his bounty would’ve earned him a smirk identical to Sasuke’s.

Pathetic. That sum couldn’t buy my new house’s land. Who’s trying to insult me?

But the numbers spoke volumes: even bloodline-limit holders were disposable tools in this world.

---

For two days, Izayoi split his time—teaching Sasuke the Super Hurricane Barrage while using Storm Release to clear timber. The Uchiha Clan Grounds and Naka River’s colossal trees fell one by one.

Hinata and Karin shouldered most of the labor. Sasuke’s Chidori drained him after felling a single tree, his stamina crumbling. Meanwhile, Hinata and Karin, now grasping the Mighty Ultimate Fist, treated the trunks as training dummies. Their chakra reserves, vast and enduring, let them shatter dozens daily—a humbling sight for Sasuke.

Visitors swarmed the Uchiha compound. Izayoi’s fame eclipsed celebrities.

“Izayoi! Hiding your Senju bloodline all this time?”

“We thought we misheard your name at first—turns out it’s really you!”

“Legendary Wood Release, huh? You owe us a feast!”

Cornered, Izayoi hosted a banquet at Sasuke’s home. His “fox companions and dog friends” repaid him by helping—though aside from Naruto’s Multiple Shadow Clone Technique and Rasengan, their efforts were negligible.

Naruto, rewarded with a Wind Release scroll (Vacuum Great Ball), beamed. Though a basic technique—equivalent to the Uchiha’s Great Dragon Fire—it was a gift Hatake Kakashi had grudgingly withheld, claiming “one wind nature sufficed.” Without Jiraiya’s Rasengan, Naruto might’ve stagnated at that single jutsu.

Yet here was Izayoi, freely offering advanced knowledge.

Third person to recognize my potential—after the Third Hokage and Iruka-sensei. You’ve earned my respect, Izayoi.

Naruto Uzumaki bounded off like a child clutching their favorite toy.

...

"This is ridiculous. It took two whole days just to clear this little?"

Sitting on the porch, Karin dabbed her forehead with a handkerchief. "Hard to imagine how breathtaking Izayoi's Wood Release must look on a battlefield."

"Mm-hmm", Hinata Hyuga nodded earnestly.

Though she hadn't witnessed it herself, these two days of tree-felling had shown her why the Hyuga elders had suddenly grown so warm toward her - constantly prying about Izayoi while teasing hints about announcing their relationship.

Wood Release truly was incredible!

A quiet thrill stirred in Hinata's chest.

With the elders approving of Izayoi, her father wouldn't object either. Now she could finally confess without hesitation.

Yet after that interrupted moment before, she'd lost all courage to make the first move.

She really was too timid.

"Wood Release: Four Pillars House Technique!"

Meanwhile, Izayoi had just seen off the last of his visitors. With Triple Room One Hall Technique, he restored the Uchiha Clan Grounds ravaged by Tree Ascension.

The Hidden Leaf might expand this way someday, making this prime real estate worth fortunes. Izayoi wouldn't let his subordinates' assets crumble.

After reconstructing the compound, he told Sasuke Uchiha, who watched indifferently, "Go pack. We're leaving soon."

"Got it!" Sasuke's eyes lit up as he Body Flickered away to prepare.

Izayoi approached the two women next.

"Eh? Are you going out with Sasuke Uchiha?" Karin glanced around anxiously. "Should I stay at Hinata Hyuga's place temporarily? When will you be back?"

"Not sure. Fastest two or three days, slowest maybe over a week." Izayoi smiled, adding, "You two should train harder. When we return, Sasuke's strength might leave you both behind."

"...Right!"

The two women exchanged glances before nodding firmly.

"Hinata Hyuga, could you oversee the reconstruction? Without supervision, I'm worried something might go wrong", Izayoi requested.

"Leave it to me", Hinata smiled softly.

After chatting briefly with the women, Izayoi retrieved his belongings, first visiting the Naka River before heading to the village office with Sasuke to process their exit permits, then heading straight for the Rice Country.

Perfect. The person Izayoi had in mind for Sasuke's "inoculation" was none other than Orochimaru.

More precisely - Orochimaru's knowledge combined with Kabuto Yakushi's surgical expertise.

Though Izayoi possessed the "Medical Prodigy" trait, he'd never studied medical ninjutsu. While confident Hashirama Cells would integrate smoothly into Sasuke (and even if complications arose, his Wood Release could absorb any destructive energy), amateur efforts could never match professionals.

Besides, Orochimaru possessed the Ryuchi Cave's summoning scrolls. Izayoi could acquire those to boost Sasuke's power. If Tsunade and Lady Slug refused to let Hinata Hyuga sign the contract with the Sannin's lineage, Ryuchi Cave offered an alternative. Should Izayoi ever wish to master Sage Techniques, the three great sacred lands would provide options.

This trip was necessary.

Halfway through their journey, Sasuke suddenly widened his eyes at Izayoi. "Rice Country... You're not seriously taking me to Orochimaru?!"

"Correct."

"You're insane?" Sasuke gasped. "You know he wants my Sharingan, yet you're delivering me straight to him? What if we can't escape?"

"Relax", Izayoi reassured. "He's not the Orochimaru from the Forest of Death anymore. During the Chūnin Exams, the Third Hokage sealed the souls in both his arms. Now he can't perform ninjutsu at all, and his body's practically collapsing. This is his weakest moment."

"The village will extract this information from those corpses soon. Once they retaliate, finding Orochimaru later will be difficult."

Meeting Sasuke's gaze, Izayoi smirked. "And besides... you don't trust my strength? Would I bring you here without confidence?"

Sasuke exhaled deeply.

Not that he lacked courage - it had only been three months since that exam, the terror of Orochimaru's killing intent still vividly haunting him.

Little did he know, with his current Genjutsu Eye capabilities, even if Orochimaru still had functional arms, he couldn't easily subdue Sasuke anymore.

The Rice Country bordered Fire Country's northern edge.

Leaving the Hidden Leaf, one simply crossed dense forests and grasslands, passing through the Valley of the End - carved by the Sage of Six Paths' Wood Release technique - to reach it.

Even a genin at full speed required less than a day.

Using Lightning Release chakra to enhance speed, Izayoi and Sasuke arrived within half a day.

Izayoi already knew Orochimaru's location precisely.

Not discovered en route, but tracked after Orochimaru left Konoha. A Shadow Clone assigned to protect Ranmaru had secretly tailed him across half the country, witnessing his return to the underground base.

The initial delay in killing Danzō Shimura had been for Hashirama Cells. The latter - to boost Sasuke's power and increase Izayoi's own "drop rate."

Boom!

Izayoi's fist slammed the ground, chakra erupting to blast an entrance into the underground facility.

Without hesitation, he led Sasuke inside.

They hadn't gone far when Sound Ninja emerged in the corridors.

Izayoi grinned at Sasuke. "Test time - handle these guys, then find me."

Before finishing his sentence, his body vanished like teleportation.

The Sound Ninja felt only a gust of wind.

Sasuke, Sharingan tomoe spinning, stared in disbelief. "Lightning Nature Transformation internally... Wind Nature Transformation externally... Izayoi, you..."

The former accelerated his cells, the latter reduced air resistance. Sasuke hadn't considered combining high-speed movement this way.

But soon, a smirk tugged his lips. "I see it now. Once I master Wind Release, this technique will be mine!"

Becoming a gust himself, Izayoi zipped through corridors, soon reaching a dimly lit chamber.

"Yo... we meet again, Orochimaru-sama."

He waved casually at the snake sage - body wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, every pore oozing crimson, his form barely clinging to life.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end