Rotating the grilled fish in his hand, Diarmuid looked at the two of them with a grin. "Want a skewer?"
Obito's expression had been solemn, his heart even felt a bit heavy. Although he had mentally prepared himself to walk the path of a beast, the pressure of reality was still weighing on him as the moment approached.
But with a single sentence, Diarmuid had shattered that somber atmosphere, leaving Obito somewhat bewildered.
As for White Zetsu, he maintained his usual air of mental instability. He stared at the grilled fish and giggled. "Can I? I really want to eat it, but I can't. You see, I don't have an eye down there, so I can't poop... By the way, Diarmuid-sama, do you know what pooping feels like?"
Upon hearing White Zetsu's words, Black Zetsu nearly jumped up to kick him. Damn it! I spent four days here bonding with Diarmuid, finally narrowing the distance between us, and you come out with this? You're going to make Diarmuid's impression of us hit rock bottom!
Are my four days of work going to go down the drain?
But just as Black Zetsu was about to silence White Zetsu, Diarmuid rubbed his chin, seemingly considering the question with genuine gravity. "Refreshing? A great relief?"
After a brief pause, he continued, "Then you really are unlucky, being unable to poop..."
Black Zetsu: ???
Obito: ???
Is this the poise of a true powerhouse? Facing a brain-dead fool like White Zetsu, he responds calmly without a hint of embarrassment? Over... poop?
I can't match this. Truly, I cannot match this.
White Zetsu looked at Diarmuid as if he had found a soulmate. "I feel it's a great regret and misfortune too, not being able to poop."
The lowbrow exchange about bodily functions didn't last long. Black Zetsu shot a look at Obito, who finally snapped out of the logic-defying moment and spoke up. "Stop discussing such pointless things. That non-pooping idiot and I have cleared the situation inside. Kushin—no, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is going into labor today. I've found their secret delivery site. I'm preparing to infiltrate now to seize her. Diarmuid... sama, you should begin your move as well. We'll be counting on your assistance afterward."
It appeared that at this moment, Obito hadn't yet formulated the plan to summon the Nine-Tails to destroy Konoha. This further proved that his eventual rampage was a sudden, heat-of-the-moment decision. Perhaps after being dealt a harsh blow by Minato, his spite got the better of him and he snapped.
Black Zetsu grew excited. The Nine-Tails... finally within reach! Obito, it's all up to you!
He stood up. "Then let the operation begin. White Zetsu and I lack combat power, so we won't go in and get in your way. We will stay here as backup and wait for your return."
Diarmuid looked at the grilled fish in his hand. It was perfectly done, but it seemed there was no time to eat it. Throwing it away felt like a waste after all the effort he'd put into it.
He gritted his teeth, stood up holding the fish, and said, "Fine. Let's move."
"I'll take you in," Obito offered, glancing doubtfully at the grilled fish. What kind of bizarre behavior is this?
Diarmuid was about to agree, but then he remembered that having this guy use Kamui to transport him would leave Obito significantly weakened. If Obito's state was poor and he got killed by Minato inside, it would severely derail Diarmuid's long-term plans.
Diarmuid waved it off. "Forget it. You go first. I'll make my own way in."
Obito gave Diarmuid a strange look but ultimately didn't object. He nodded. "Then I'll start the operation."
With those words, he activated Kamui once more to enter Konoha.
Then, he froze for a second. Why the hell does the consumption feel like it's increased again?
I didn't feel this when I came out of the village. Is it my condition? Or is it the influence of Konoha's barrier?
There was no time for questions. Harboring a stomach full of doubt, Obito submerged himself back into the village.
Once Obito was gone, Black Zetsu asked, "Diarmuid, how do you plan to get in? Konoha's detection barrier is quite formidable. If you force your way in, you'll be discovered instantly."
"I'll try out a newly developed technique," Diarmuid smirked.
He stepped forward, his hands weaving a series of signs. "Ninjutsu: Rain Tiger at Will!"
As his Chakra surged, the sky over Konoha began to darken. It wasn't particularly noticeable since the sun had already set, and the sky was naturally dimming. It just looked like a change in the weather.
Within a few breaths, a light drizzle began to fall, quickly turning into a steady downpour that enveloped the entire village.
Black Zetsu watched from behind, surprised. "Is this the technique you used in the Hidden Rain?"
"Something like that," Diarmuid replied nonchalantly.
"But isn't this a sensory ninjutsu?" Black Zetsu was still puzzled.
"I'm just looking for the right spot," Diarmuid explained with a smile.
Konoha's barrier was indeed strong, blocking most sensory jutsus from outside, but the Rain Tiger at Will was superior. Through the raindrops, Diarmuid quickly mapped out the interior.
Then, under the astonished gazes of Black and White Zetsu, Diarmuid clapped his hands together into the 'Snake' seal. "Wood Release: Awakening Tree Technique."
Diarmuid's body rapidly sank into the soil beneath him, vanishing completely.
Inside Konoha, in the woods near the Memorial Stone, a human face slowly manifested on the trunk of an old tree. The eyes opened, scanning the surroundings. "As expected, no one is here."
The trunk began to ripple, and a figure stepped out from the wood. It was indeed Diarmuid.
Outside the village, Black Zetsu turned to look at White Zetsu. This... the technique Diarmuid just used, why does it look so much like White Zetsu's? He definitely got the inspiration from him, didn't he?
"Water Release: Flowing Water Technique." Diarmuid formed another seal, and his body dissolved into the falling rain with a splash, merging with the puddles on the ground.
Like ordinary running water, he moved toward the Hokage Building without attracting a shred of attention. As the rain intensified, Diarmuid's "flow rate" increased.
The stealth of this technique was undeniably high. Along the way, Diarmuid brushed past several shinobi and even entered the courtyard of the Hokage Residence. Neither the ninja nor the guards noticed a thing.
Not bad for a technique of Hanzo the Salamander, Diarmuid thought. He had found this in Hanzo's ninjutsu scrolls; its practical value was immense.
By now, it was late, and the staff of the Hokage Residence had clocked out. Today, Minato had been the fastest to leave because of his wife's labor. Consequently, the building was largely empty, and the Anbu who usually patrolled here had been diverted to guard Kushina.
In the dark first-floor corridor of the building, water began to seep up through the gaps in the wooden floorboards. Before long, it gathered into a puddle, and Diarmuid's figure emerged from it.
"Infiltration successful," Diarmuid smiled. I'm not just a brawler anymore; I can officially call myself a true ninja!
As he spoke, he took a bite of the grilled fish, which was still perfectly preserved, finished it in three bites, and casually tossed the skewer onto the corridor floor.
This was his second time in the Hokage Residence. Last time, Hiruzen was still the Hokage, and they had played a game of Shogi together. Thus, he was no stranger to the office; he knew the way.
According to Orochimaru, the Scroll of Seals was kept in a hidden chamber within the Hokage's office, guarded by every generation of Hokage. Normally, it was impossible to steal because of the protective barriers. You could only take it by force.
But today, there was an opportunity. Once Obito started his chaos, all of Konoha's attention would be diverted. That's when Diarmuid would strike.
Besides, whether it was "stealing" or "seizing" didn't matter. As long as he got it.
Thinking of this, Diarmuid pulled out a scroll, released the seal, and took out a set of black clothes. He changed into the outfit he hadn't worn in a long time; at a glance, he shared the exact same silhouette as Obito.
Then, he carefully pulled on a swirl-patterned mask.
"Even if I'm discovered, it'll be a 'Masked Man' seizing the Scroll of Seals. It has nothing to do with me, Diarmuid," he chuckled.
The fact that Naruto could steal the Scroll of Seals in the original story was frankly ridiculous. Even more absurd was that a nobody like Mizuki knew of its existence and where it was hidden.
According to Orochimaru, ordinary Jonin didn't even know the scroll existed. Only the Hokage's inner circle knew the details, like how Minato had learned the Flying Raijin Technique from it. Could a guy like Mizuki compare to Minato? Obviously not.
Diarmuid was inclined to believe that the scroll theft was originally a setup by Hiruzen, perhaps to secretly compensate Naruto and provide a justification to purge a bottom-feeder like Mizuki from the Academy.
"Calculating old fox," Diarmuid clicked his tongue.
Regardless, the Scroll of Seals was about to truly go missing. He hoped Hiruzen's heart was strong enough to take the shock.
Diarmuid turned and headed for the stairs.
Tonight in Konoha, the drizzle and the wind were a bit restless. But for the vast majority of villagers and ninja, it was no different from any other day – peaceful and ordinary. They didn't know that a massive conspiracy and attack were about to unfold.
They didn't know that the wife of their beloved Fourth Hokage was currently in labor.
And they didn't know that the Child of Prophecy from the Great Toad Sage's prediction, the one who would change the fate of the world, was about to be born.
In the top-floor corridor of the Hokage Residence, Diarmuid's gaze naturally drifted toward a certain direction. His eyes held a mix of surprise and wonder.
If Obito were here, he would realize that Diarmuid was looking exactly at Kushina's secret delivery site. But the problem was, Obito hadn't told Diarmuid that location!
"Is that... Asura's Chakra?" Diarmuid whispered.
Relying on his powerful perception through the Rain Tiger at Will, he could see a massive, ancient aura of Chakra gathering in the air above his line of sight. That Chakra seemed to be waiting... waiting for its new master.