Chapter 57: The Day Chosen for Uchiha Obito's Awakening
Damp. Sticky. And unbearably foul.
Staying inside the mouth of a snake that had never once brushed its teeth was about as far removed from "comfort" as one could imagine.
Yet Ritsu endured it.
He sat cross-legged within the serpent's maw, activating his Byakugan. His vision pierced straight through layers of bone and flesh, through the thick soil above, monitoring the rapidly changing scenery on the surface.
Yes—
He was currently deep underground, riding a massive serpent summoned from Ryūchi Cave, a creature specialized in burrowing and subterranean stealth. It was carrying him at high speed along Route Seven, the supply corridor between the frontline camp and Kinkō Peak.
As for when he had "hooked up" with Orochimaru?
The answer was: half a month ago.
After returning to the frontline camp for rest and recuperation, Ritsu had discussed matters with his teacher, Hiruko. With Hiruko's assistance, he secretly sought out Orochimaru and proposed a deal—one that required a steep price, but in exchange granted him the opportunity to sign a summoning contract with Ryūchi Cave.
Two events had made things painfully clear to him:
First, Aburame Ryūma's appointment as deputy commander of the Eastern Front.
Second, the battle at Ishigoryu Defense Line.
Together, they told Ritsu one thing with chilling certainty—
He had become a thorn in someone's side. (Obviously that Lover Duo)
A target that certain people were eager to eliminate.
And so, to rapidly strengthen himself, to expand his hidden cards, and to prepare for the next assassination attempt—whenever it might come—
Ritsu set his sights on summoning techniques.
After all, summoning was one of the fastest ways to dramatically increase combat power in a short time. Forming a contract with a powerful summon could decisively alter the course of battle.
There was a reason the "Three Legendary Sannin" of Konoha were so famous.
It wasn't just their personal strength—each of them had signed a contract with one of the Three Great Sage Regions. In many cases, simply summoning their contracted beasts was enough to crush their enemies outright.
And beyond that—
Those sacred lands also held the inheritance of Senjutsu.
In short, after extensive negotiations and the payment of a heavy price, Hyūga Ritsu finally left his name and bloody handprint upon Ryūchi Cave's contract scroll.
Today—
The mission to intercept Kakashi's supply convoy reeked of a trap.
But if Ritsu were to openly defy orders, and Kakashi's team suffered as a result, Aburame Ryūma would have the perfect justification to punish him afterward.
So refusal was not an option.
Yet Ritsu also understood that simply going with the flow—following orders step by step—was the worst possible choice.
If danger was unavoidable, then the only solution was to turn passivity into initiative.
Fortunately, he now possessed a trump card known only to three people:
Himself.
Hiruko.
And Orochimaru.
After brief consideration, before leaving the barrier around Kinkō Peak, Ritsu quietly cast Shadow Clone Technique.
His clone raced across the surface at full speed.
Meanwhile, his true body summoned a serpent and advanced underground at an even greater pace.
Two routes—
One overt.
One concealed.
The surface clone would draw the attention of any ambushers specifically targeting him, while his true self tunneled beneath the earth to rendezvous with Kakashi's squad.
Of course—
He couldn't be certain how effective this tactic would be.
If Black Zetsu was involved, then it was entirely possible that even this maneuver was pointless. After all, White Zetsu's infiltration abilities surpassed even the Byakugan. For all he knew, every move he made was already under surveillance.
Let's just hope my luck isn't that bad.
Ritsu thought silently to himself.
Inside the snake's mouth, he didn't dare open his lips to speak. Just breathing was already tormenting his nose—if he were to take a deep breath through his mouth, he was certain he wouldn't be able to stop himself from vomiting.
Fortunately,
This ordeal was not in vain.
It was around eleven at night when Ritsu's Byakugan caught sight of Kakashi's squad, gathered beneath a large tree atop a hill roughly eleven kilometers away.
Hyūga Akiha and Nohara Rin were seated beneath the tree, leaning against the massive supply scrolls, apparently already asleep.
An Uchiha girl sat higher up on a branch, her gaze sharp and vigilant as it swept the surroundings at regular intervals.
Hatake Kakashi sat alone on a large rock, legs crossed—and at his feet lay a small dog, curled up and resting.
He had arrived fast enough.
So far, Kakashi's team remained undisturbed—no ambush, no—
…Hmm?
Ritsu's brows lifted slightly.
As the great snake continued its advance, his vision extended farther. About seven kilometers away, deep within a dense forest, he spotted figures moving in formation.
All of them were Mist ninja.
And not just ordinary ones—their chakra signatures were uniformly strong.
Among them was a familiar face.
Kirishima Shinya.
A powerful shinobi of Kirishima Clan, inheritor of the Boil Release bloodline, and one of the Mist's frontline commanders. He had slaughtered no small number of Konoha ninja in repeated engagements, and his profile had long since been circulated among all frontline personnel.
Even though Ritsu had never personally crossed blades with him, he recognized the man at a glance.
The appearance of these Mist ninja made Ritsu's heart quicken.
Perhaps tonight truly was the day—
The day Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu had chosen for Uchiha Obito's awakening.
Then—
In the very next moment—
Ritsu saw something that nearly made him stand up on instinct.
About one kilometer away from the Mist ninja, a figure suddenly rose from the ground.
There had been no warning.
Even under the scrutiny of the Byakugan, Ritsu had sensed absolutely nothing before it appeared. This could not be explained by space–time ninjutsu—those techniques manifested as an instantaneous insertion into one's field of vision.
This figure did not appear like that.
It slowly emerged, as if growing out of the earth itself.
Which meant—
If it hadn't arrived from beyond Ritsu's visual range using space–time techniques, then there was only one possibility.
That figure was White Zetsu.
Only White Zetsu's infiltration technique—unmatched in the entire shinobi world—could deceive even the Byakugan.
Calm down. Calm down.
White Zetsu's appearance allowed Ritsu to be almost one hundred percent certain—
Tonight was the night chosen by Madara and Black Zetsu for Uchiha Obito's awakening.
Kakashi's squad.
The Mist ninja.
And Obito himself—still confined within Madara's hidden base.
Everyone was a piece on the board.
Every one of them a puppet in a grand performance—
Manipulated by Madara and Black Zetsu, the true players and puppet masters behind the scenes.
And so, Ritsu began to think.
In this situation… what should he do?
What position should he take?
Should he ignore everything, sit back, and allow the ninja world to continue turning along the predetermined wheel of fate?
Or—
Should he disregard the butterfly effect entirely, seize this rare opportunity, and extract even greater benefits for himself?
He sank into deep contemplation.
But he did not hesitate for long.
Soon—
He made his decision.