"Is it a White Zetsu clone?"
Uchiha Fugaku glanced subtly in the direction of the faint chakra he sensed. Using his Sharingan, he scanned the area. Yet, all he could see was an ordinary tree—no sign of a person or creature.
His perception was rarely wrong, but his eyes could not pierce through the solid wood. It became clear that someone, or something, was hiding within the tree.
"White Zetsu's Mayfly Technique," Fugaku thought to himself. White Zetsu clones were known for their ability to merge with natural terrain, making them nearly undetectable.
Without making a sound, he adjusted his trajectory, moving closer to the tree while maintaining the appearance of a casual pace.
When he was directly beside the tree, he acted decisively.
"Susanoo!"
His Mangekyō Sharingan activated, and with a surge of chakra, a skeletal arm materialized, reaching out from his body. The massive hand of Susanoo gripped the tree tightly and, with a single powerful pull, uprooted it from the ground.
"What?!"
Caught off guard, the White Zetsu clone hiding inside was forced to abandon its cover. It attempted to dive into the ground to escape, but before it could move, a hand caught its neck mid-air.
Fugaku's grip was unyielding. The White Zetsu clone flailed desperately, swinging its arms to break free, but its efforts froze the moment its gaze met Fugaku's crimson eyes.
The Sharingan worked its magic. The White Zetsu clone's expression slackened, and its movements stilled. A dazed, hypnotized look overtook its face.
"Someone is watching us!"
Uchiha Asami and the others were startled. They turned their attention to Fugaku, who now held a pale, humanoid figure in his grasp. Its strange, plant-like appearance and ghastly features made it look far from human.
"Captain, what kind of creature is this?" Asami asked, eyeing the captive with a mixture of curiosity and revulsion.
"This is likely a creature used by the organization tied to the two I killed earlier. It was probably sent to spy on us," Fugaku explained vaguely, intentionally withholding specific details about Akatsuki and White Zetsu's origins.
His words made Uchiha Asami frown. "What should we do now?"
Fugaku didn't respond to her directly. Instead, he focused his attention on the hypnotized White Zetsu clone.
"Is someone from your organization on their way?" he asked.
"Yes," the White Zetsu clone replied in a monotone voice.
"Who is it?"
"Pain."
Fugaku's pupils narrowed slightly.
Nagato's alias, Pain, immediately heightened his caution. If the leader of Akatsuki had decided to pursue him personally, it was no small matter. While Fugaku was confident in his abilities, facing Pain—especially a Deva Path clone—would be challenging, especially with his team in tow.
"This is going to be troublesome," he murmured.
He considered the situation carefully. If it were an ordinary Akatsuki member, he could handle it. But against Pain, particularly the Deva Path, his chances of ensuring his team's safety were slim.
Suddenly, an idea struck him as he stared at the hypnotized White Zetsu clone. If Akatsuki was using this creature to track his movements, then perhaps he could turn the tables and feed false information to his pursuers.
Channeling more chakra into his Sharingan, Fugaku strengthened the hypnotic hold over the White Zetsu clone. He issued a set of commands.
"Send a message saying you've found the target and are tracking him. Lead Pain straight to the Land of Fire. When you encounter him, commit suicide."
"Yes," the White Zetsu clone replied woodenly before slipping into the ground to carry out the instructions.
"Let's take a detour back to the Land of Fire," Fugaku instructed, turning to his team.
Asami and the others had been silently observing the entire interaction. Understanding Fugaku's intent, they nodded in agreement. Without further delay, the group altered their route to avoid being followed.
More than an hour later, Nagato's Deva Path clone arrived at a barren, rocky wasteland near the Land of Fire, guided by the White Zetsu clone.
Floating in midair, Nagato surveyed the area. But the target he sought was nowhere to be seen. The White Zetsu clone that had been leading him had also gone silent.
Suspicious, Nagato extended his hand and activated his ability.
"Universal Pull."
A powerful gravitational force emanated from his body. Rocks and soil from the wasteland were torn from the ground and pulled into the air. As the debris cleared, a massive crater appeared below.
Among the swirling rocks and dirt, Nagato's sharp eyes spotted a pale figure.
"You..."
He extended his hand, drawing the figure closer. It was a White Zetsu clone. But to his shock, it was already dead. Its hands were wrapped tightly around its own throat as if it had strangled itself.
"It committed suicide?" Nagato muttered, his expression darkening.
There was no mistaking it—the White Zetsu clone had crushed its own windpipe. But why?
Nagato's eyes narrowed as the realization dawned.
"Hypnosis," he hissed.
The Uchiha clan's Sharingan had the power to hypnotize its targets. It was clear now: the White Zetsu clone had been under Uchiha Fugaku's control, feeding him false information and leading him on a wild chase before taking its own life.
At that moment, a voice echoed in Nagato's mind through the Akatsuki communication ring.
"Pain," White Zetsu called.
"What is it?" Nagato responded.
"Several of my clones have gone dark," White Zetsu reported. "They all disappeared simultaneously."
Nagato's expression soured further. The implications were clear. If one White Zetsu clone had been hypnotized, the others that had vanished were likely victims of the same technique.
He released his Universal Pull, allowing the suspended debris to crash back to the ground with a deafening roar. The rocky wasteland returned to silence.
Nagato hovered for a moment longer before turning and flying away, his face a mask of grim determination.
(End of this chapter)
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