Chapter 484: Manhunt for Kabuto


    A few minutester,


    "Hmm I expected him to have a little more intel." Tobi shakes his head in disappointment.


    "Still, it''s better than nothing." Kabuto recovers Yamato in the Zetsu Shell.


    "At least we got to know the location of the Daimyo''s hideout from him. I will lead a few hundred Zetsu to capture them." ck Zetsu proposes.


    "Alright! I will leave it to you." Tobi nods at ck Zetsu as thetter enters the ground and disappears.


    "I will also take my leave. Farewell!" Kabuto casts a nce outside the Akatsuki hideout. He uses the same technique as Zetsu to leave the hideout.


    "I can''t even track him with Zetsu spores." Tobi clicks his tongue in disappointment.


    He also nces outside the Akatsuki hideout and notices a group of shinobis rapidly approaching the hideout.


    "It''s time to vacate this ce."


    Swish swish


    Tobi makes a series of hand signs and uses his Rinnegan to relocate the Gedo Statue.


    Swirl


    Tobi teleports out of the headquarter using his Kamui.


    A few secondster,


    Whoosh


    A bunch of shinobis in ck anbu outfits arrive at the entrance of the Akatsuki hideout.


    Hmm


    One of the Anbu removes his mask to reveal Itachi''s face. He activates his Sharingan and nces at the entrance.


    "All of you search every corner of this hideout. This must be Akatsuki''s base from the intel. Form a group of three and be careful of traps!"


    "Yes, Captain!" The members of Team Rfollow hismand.


    Three teams guard the entrance of the enemy base while seven teams enter the headquarter with Itachi. Itachi takes the central most path and the rest of the team separates from him at every corner.


    Soon, Itachi and a few other teams arrive in front of the underground stairs.


    "Let''s go!" The group ventured deeper into the hideout and one by one each team separate from them on every floor.


    Soon, Itachi is the only person to reach the base of the hideout. He carefully walks forward while surveying the surrounding area.


    "Huh!"


    Itachi notices a giant dried flower tree located majestically in the center of the room.


    "This chakra! Looks like Kabuto and Obito were here a few moments ago." He frowns and stares at the marks left by the Gedo Statue.


    "Still, this ce"


    Itachi notices the trunk of the giant dried flower tree located in the center of ake.


    Itachi carefully steps onto theke and walks towards the trunk.


    "This is"


    Itachi notices the figure of Hashirama Senju jutting out from the trunk of the tree.


    "First Hokage Hashirama Senju!"


    Shiing


    Itachi activates his Eye of Insight and nces at the chakra flow of the tree.


    "Hmm he is a living entity, but he has no spirituality. So, could it be that the Akatsuki cultivated their Zetsu army from First Hokage''s cells?" Itachi frowns and ces his hand on the trunk of the giant tree.


    Swish swish


    Suddenly, several needles sprout from the giant tree''s branch and stab into Itachi''s hand.


    "What?"


    Itachi swiftly draws his sword and shes the needles.


    "This tree can absorb chakra in contact!" Itachi nces at the tree.


    "Could this tree be the legendary Chakra tree?" Itachi recalls the records of the Chakra tree from the Uchiha n''s library.


    ording to some old records, all chakra originated from the chakra tree. However, the chakra tree was destroyed a few thousand years ago and its chakra was distributed among all living beings.


    "If that''s the case, then I must seal this ce. The Hashirama cells and the chakra tree are too great of a weapon to fall in hands of some evil organization."


    Itachi retreats a bit and prepares to seal the ce.


    Suddenly,


    Swoosh


    A figure leaps out from theke and attacks Itachi from his blind spot.


    Shiing sh


    Itachi draws his katana and shes.


    Ssh


    A giant white arm falls into theke and disappears at its bottom.


    Hmm


    Itachi notices a giant white figure with multiple faces and Venus fly trap-like protrusion all over its body.


    "Is that a Zetsu?" Itachi recognizes the white Zetsu clone.


    "Hmm Its features are a bit different from what I remember."


    Zetsu regrows its arm and continues to attack Itachi in a frenzy.


    "High-speed regeneration, but its senses are a bitcking! Its attack pattern is predictable and there are multiple weak spots on its body."


    Swish


    Itachi gathers some lightning chakra between his fingertips and throws a lightning senbon in the gaps between various Venus fly trap-like protrusions.


    Bzzt Crackle


    A surge of lightning jolts and paralyzes Zetsu''s body.


    Aarghh


    The giant white Zetsu clone grimace in pain.


    "Hmm it''s slightly resistant to lightning. Next up"


    Itachi makes a series of hand signs and fires multiple fireballs toward him.


    AAARGHH AAAH


    This time the white Zetsu clone screams and frantically rushes and dives into the water to extinguish the fire. The Zetsu splits into multiple bodies to quickly douse the fire.


    "So, they are vulnerable to fire. Perhaps this is because of the Wood Release. Since that''s the case Amaterasu!"


    Itachi activates his Mangekyo ability and burns the white Zetsu clones to cinders.


    Huh


    Itachi nces at his body and notices multiple white spores.


    "Do you think you can escape my senses?"


    Itachi pats his shoulder and infuses lightning chakra throughout his body. The lightning jolts the Zetsu spores and ejects them from his body.


    sh sh sh


    Before the Zetsu spores could sprout, Itachi shes them all into pieces.


    "What a powerful concealment ability! I have to report this to the headquarter since this wasn''t a part of the intel."


    As for this ce, Itachi takes out a bunch of scrolls from his pocket. He makes a series of hand signs and activates the fuinjutsu seals on the scrolls.


    The seals on the scroll glow with a bright hue and several sealing rune floats in the air. Itachi covers the entrance of the current floor with a bunch of seals. He climbs higher and continues to ce more and more sealing formations. Finally, Itachi retreats to the ground and seals the underground entrance with yet another powerful sealing formation.


    ''I have to report this to Minato-san. This secret should be safe in the hands of In Y.''


    Itachi takes out a specialmunication scroll from his pocket and scribbles the information about the chakra tree and the Hashirama clone on it. He rolls the scroll and stores it.


    The rest of the members of the team Rgather at the entrance of the Akatsuki headquarter.


    "How was the investigation? Did you find something?" Itachi asks his vice-captain.


    "Nothing much! A few of our members encountered some Zetsu clones, but they made quick work of them. However, we did find someone in one of thebs."


    The Vice-captain points toward an unconscious Anko. A medic-nin of the anbu team is treating her wounds.


    "Looks like she is the only survivor." The Anbu adds.


    Hmm


    Itachi inspects every member of his anbu team and separates a few of them from the rest. The anbu members curiously nce at Itachi''s back and wait for further instructions.


    "All of you were infested with Zetsu spores during your battle with the Zetsu clones. These Zetsu spores will slowly drain your chakra and will manifest and attack you once you are exhausted." Itachi informs them.


    "Infuse some of your chakras and cycle it through your skin to activate the spores. The rest of you help them get rid of these Zetsu clones. Meanwhile, I will seal the entrance of this hideout and send a message to the headquarter." Itachi issues an order and walks in front of the entrance.


    "Did you find any other hidden entrances?" Itachi turns to his vice-captain.


    "Captain, there are two hidden exits located on either side of this mountain." The vice-captain informs him.


    "Very well!" Itachi performs the sealing jutsu with the aid of Fuinjutsu scrolls and seals all entrances.


    He makes amunication request with the headquarter and informs them of the situation.


    "So, Kabuto and Obito abandoned their headquarters. Looks like they were expecting us. Continue your search for Kabuto. We have to neutralize his threat as soon as possible." Minato cuts off his connection with Itachi.


    Hmm


    Itachi nces at themunication ring on his finger.


    ''A message from In-Ymembers.''


    Itachi flickers to some deste ce and opens themunication channel.


    "Pride here! I read your message about the Akatsuki headquarter. Wraith and I are in the vicinity. We will handle the matter."


    "Very well!" Itachi sends the coordinates of the ce to him.


    Soon, Itachi returns beside his anbu team and departs the ce while searching for Kabuto''s tracks.


    ''With Kabuto''s concealment skill, it will be an arduous task to find his tracks.'' Itachi shakes his head and focuses his attention on the clues at hand.


    ''Since Kabuto is sending lots of Edo Tensei soldiers into the war, he will require numerous living sacrifices to resurrect them. The sacrifices must be shinobis to maintain the quality of his soldiers. So, he must be hiding somewhere near the battlefield to collect bodies.'' Itachi narrows down the scope of his search.


    "Let''s search all the battle sectors in the vicinity."


    -------------------------


    A/N:- My new Naruto fan-fic, ''The Rogue Demon of the Shinobi World'' is out.


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