Two clones maintained the Transparent Escape Technique on Kazuyama's behalf, gathering natural energy while his true body moved.
"The south, huh? Let's see how my dear disciples handle danger."
"Korin, I'll leave the rest to you. I'm off."
With his clones continuously supplying natural energy, Korin wouldn't dissipate from lack of chakra—attacking her would be pointless.
After ensuring everything was in place, Kazuyama activated the Transparent Escape Technique and vanished.
Then, with a powerful leap—
"Chōmei, wings."
A pair of wings sprouted, and he shot southward at an astonishing speed.
It didn't take long before he spotted Obito and Rin moving swiftly through the terrain.
"Rin, if we run into enemies, just leave it to me!"
"I'll handle them while you contact Sensei!"
Obito, thrilled to be alone with Rin, wasted no time trying to impress her. His strength had improved significantly—he was no longer just a Genin.
In his mind, he was more than ready!
"Have you already forgotten what Kazuyama-sensei said?"
"If we run into enemies, we signal first. No unnecessary risks."
Rin gave Obito a helpless look, trying to remind him of their orders.
But who was Obito?
A rebellious teen eager to show off his newfound strength. There was no way he'd just sit back.
"Relax, Rin! It's just some Kirigakure ninja! I got this!"
Seeing Obito's confident expression, Rin sighed and didn't argue further.
But in her heart, she made a firm decision—if they ran into any trouble, she would immediately contact Kazuyama first.
High above them, Kazuyama listened in on their conversation.
"Tch, I knew that brat wouldn't listen."
"Hmph. Let's see him struggle a little."
Chōmei chuckled and added, "Kazuyama, you're forgetting—Uchiha are all arrogant. Him ignoring you is normal."
"But I gotta admit, your disciple has improved. Look at how full of himself he is. Heh."
Kazuyama sighed, shaking his head.
There was no fixing an Uchiha's pride.
The only one who didn't have that problem was Itachi.
Speaking of which...
I wonder if Fugaku's handling things well. If not, that barrel of tonic wine I sent him was a complete waste.
The southern region of the Land of Fire was mostly plains, unlike the densely forested north. However, it was home to bustling trade towns, making it one of the wealthiest areas in the country.
As night approached, Obito and Rin arrived at one such town and decided to stay the night.
Unfortunately, Kirigakure shinobi were already there.
Kazuyama hovered above, scanning the town with his Hive Mind technique, trying to pinpoint their targets.
But with so many people around—and the enemy skilled at concealing themselves—finding them was proving difficult.
Even though Korin could sense their presence, she wasn't by his side. He needed to locate them on his own.
However, just because he hadn't found them yet…
Didn't mean the enemy hadn't already found them.
Obito and Rin's Konoha forehead protectors stood out the moment they entered town.
The Kiri ninja had spotted them immediately.
"Captain, two Konoha brats just entered the town. What should we do? Kill them or what?"
"Kill them. Do I even need to say it?"
From a hidden spot, a Kirigakure ninja reported the situation to his superior.
Receiving his orders, the ninja's expression turned vicious. With a firm nod, he immediately went to make arrangements.
At that moment, Obito and Rin had just stepped into an inn—unaware that two disguised Kirigakure shinobi had already positioned themselves behind them.
Simultaneously, more Kiri ninja began appearing around the inn, encircling the building.
From above, Kazuyama watched the scene unfold. Standing high in the sky, his vantage point gave him a clear view of the enemy's movements.
"Their patience ran out fast. Looks like they've done this before."
Chōmei, listening in, agreed.
"Yeah, way too smooth. Kazuyama, what's the plan?"
A cold glint flashed in Kazuyama's eyes. He hadn't expected Kirigakure to strike so boldly, right in the middle of town.
They clearly assumed Obito and Rin were easy prey.
If a fight broke out here, the inn would be completely destroyed.
"We need to lure them out."
With that thought, Kazuyama pulled a scale from his robe—one he had received from Korin, allowing him to send messages.
He infused it with chakra.
At that moment, far away in the inn, Korin reacted. Her tongue flicked, her tail shook rapidly, and the scales carried by Obito and Rin emitted a unique sound wave.
The two flinched slightly before hearing Rin's voice in their ears.
"You two brats are surrounded. Get out of town now—your sensei will cover you."
The color drained from their faces. Without hesitation, they bolted.
Instead of taking the front entrance, they leaped out the window—completely catching the Kirigakure ninja off guard.
The leader cursed, "Who the hell leaked the plan?!"
"Chase them! Kill them!"
In an instant, several figures sprang from the shadows, sprinting after the fleeing Konoha pair.
"Damn it! It really was an ambush!"
"Rin, run!"
Obito glanced back, spotting their pursuers. His expression turned serious.
Grabbing Rin's hand, he pulled her along, quickening their pace as they raced toward the outskirts of town.
Watching everything unfold, Kazuyama smirked before following at high speed.
Eight Kiri shinobi had set out in pursuit—not a small force.
Their ability to remain undetected meant they were all skilled, making this situation extremely dangerous for Obito and Rin.
However, Kazuyama wasn't worried.
After all, each of his students carried his marked kunai.
And he was watching the entire time.
If things got out of hand, he'd intervene immediately.
After all, as the saying goes—
A flower kept in a greenhouse won't grow strong without facing wind and rain.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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