Chapter 70: Nagato About to Kick the Bucket?
Inside the quiet underground stronghold, Su Xiao sat on a wooden crate in the corner, half his body hidden in the shadows.
He was considering whether to join Obito's faction, weighing the gains and losses of doing so.
Joining Obito's faction was an opportunity to participate in capturing the Eight-Tails, but if he did that, Nagato wouldn't say anything outright, yet it would inevitably breed resentment, which would affect the execution of the final main mission.
Between capturing the Eight-Tails and completing the main mission, Su Xiao would naturally choose the latter.
However, capturing the Eight-Tails was an excellent chance to upgrade his Azure Steel Shadow ability, and Su Xiao didn't intend to use Soul Crystals to enhance it—that would be a waste of resources.
The value of Soul Crystals was beyond doubt. Raising Blade Mastery to Lv.30 required 90 Soul Crystals, a massive number.
You gain something, you lose something. On one side was the chance to capture the Eight-Tails, on the other was the opportunity to participate in the final main mission.
But judging by how things were developing, Obito would send Sasuke to capture the Eight-Tails, and ultimately, Sasuke would fail.
Fail? Su Xiao suddenly thought of something. Perhaps he didn't need to join Obito's faction to have a chance at capturing the Eight-Tails.
In other words, he didn't need to help the Akatsuki capture the Eight-Tails at all. He could just go fight the Eight-Tails on his own.
Earlier, Su Xiao had fallen into a thought trap—why did he have to capture the Eight-Tails under the Akatsuki's orders? With the Energy Shield, he could try to take on the Eight-Tails alone.
As for how to explain it, he just happened to pass by~
Just as Su Xiao was pondering, Sasuke walked into the secret stronghold, followed by Suigetsu, Karin, and the others.
When Karin saw Su Xiao, her first reaction was to step back two paces and hug her shoulders.
After Sasuke and the others left, Obito slowly walked over.
"Have you made your decision?"
"I've thought it over. Although you claim to be Uchiha Madara, that needs time to verify. Whether I join you is still to be observed."
Su Xiao neither refused nor agreed, only saying he would observe.
"Oh?"
Obito was clearly dissatisfied with this answer.
"What evidence do you want?"
"It's not about evidence. I know nothing about your goals."
Su Xiao's general meaning was that even if you really were Uchiha Madara, I'd still need to observe. Who knows if you're trustworthy?
"Is that so? What a shame. I was planning to entrust the Eight-Tails capture mission to you, but now it seems I'll have to let Sasuke handle it. Think it over carefully. Pain's situation isn't good right now—he was severely injured fighting a mysterious group earlier."
Hearing Obito's words, Su Xiao's heart tightened.
"Severely injured?"
"..."
Obito remained silent, no longer revealing any information.
After Obito left, Su Xiao's expression gradually turned serious. If it were just the six Pains getting injured, that wouldn't matter—they were already corpses. But if Nagato himself was severely injured, that would be bad. Who would help him attack Konoha?
Thinking this, Su Xiao stood up with a whoosh and walked deeper into the stronghold.
Inside a meeting room in the stronghold, Sasuke's newly formed Hawk Team was discussing something. Su Xiao pushed the door open.
"Sasuke, I need to talk to one of your subordinates."
Su Xiao looked at Karin, who stiffened. Though terrified, she didn't dare resist.
"Wait."
Sasuke stared at Su Xiao, then glanced at Karin, whose body was trembling.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt her. And Karin herself will agree, right, Karin?"
"Right... or wrong?"
Sasuke's brow furrowed. He felt that Karin was very afraid of this man.
"It's... it's fine, Sasuke."
Karin spoke, her expression calming a bit. If Su Xiao wanted to hurt her or covet her looks, he would have done so long ago, not waited until now.
Sasuke said nothing more and gave Suigetsu a meaningful look.
"What are you going to do? I'll come along for the fun."
Suigetsu grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp, shark-like teeth.
Seeing those teeth, Su Xiao thought of someone.
"Actually, there's something I need to tell you. Come along."
Su Xiao led Karin into the next room, and a puzzled Suigetsu followed closely behind.
Inside the room, Su Xiao sat opposite Karin, with Suigetsu standing to the side.
"I just need a small amount of your blood. No need to be nervous."
Su Xiao pulled up Karin's sleeve. Karin hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn't resist.
Taking out a syringe and a test tube, Su Xiao extracted about 100 CC of Karin's blood. Sensing the blood in the tube, it was brimming with vitality.
"You said earlier you had something to tell me? What is it?"
Suigetsu didn't stop Su Xiao from taking Karin's blood. Since Karin herself showed no resistance, he naturally wouldn't interfere.
"Do you remember the name Kigetsu Zangetsu?"
As soon as Su Xiao finished speaking, Suigetsu stood up with a whoosh, his chair flying backward and crashing to the floor with a bang.
"Where... is he!"
Suigetsu's sharp teeth ground together with a cracking sound, as if he wanted to tear Kigetsu Zangetsu apart alive.
"He's dead."
"Huh?"
Suigetsu thought he had misheard.
"He's dead. Before he died, he left a message for you: he's already dead, so don't bother seeking revenge."
"What the hell are you talking about!"
Suigetsu roared, then began breathing heavily.
"Dead? Impossible. That bastard wouldn't die so easily. He was..."
Su Xiao waved his hand.
"He and I were both imprisoned in the Mist Village's prison. He couldn't even perform Hydrification. I watched as several jonin escorted him away. A few minutes later, his aura rapidly weakened and then disappeared. Without a doubt, he was executed."
Su Xiao patted Karin on the shoulder. Karin was starting to feel drowsy.
"This tube of blood has been a huge help to me. I can do one thing for you in return."
This tube of blood wasn't ordinary blood—it was rich in life force. Su Xiao had specifically instructed Karin earlier to release her life force when he drew her blood.
Karin's body was overflowing with life force. That was why biting her could heal injuries. Moreover, while ordinary people would lose lifespan by losing life force, Karin could recover on her own. That was the power of the Uzumaki clan.
"Do one thing for me?"
Karin looked confused.
"Yes, something within my ability."
Su Xiao put away the tube of blood. He had something to do, something he had to do. Though the risk was considerable, this tube of blood would serve as a precaution.
"Even though you say that, I can't think of anything I need right now."
"Is that so."
Su Xiao stood up and walked out. This was a fair trade with Karin. Since she had no request, so be it.
Su Xiao left the underground stronghold. Not long after he left, Obito appeared at the entrance, looking in the direction Su Xiao had gone.
"So, your goal isn't just capturing tailed beasts. It has something to do with Nagato, doesn't it?"
Obito pulled a delicate cylindrical glass bottle from his pocket, inside which was a Sharingan.
Obito hesitated, wondering whether to transplant this eye. If he did, his dojutsu would recover, allowing him to use techniques like Susanoo.
Moreover, the combination of Obito's left and right eyes was extremely powerful—one for defense, one for offense.