Chapter 101: The Calamity Begins
Time passed quickly, and over a month slipped by.
Though the climate of the Land of Fire was pleasant year-round, with the arrival of winter, the temperature began to drop noticeably. Along with it, the atmosphere in Konoha grew heavier, as if heralding an impending storm.
Anyone with even slightly heightened senses could feel the tense undercurrents in the village, though most lacked the clearance to understand the cause. All they could do was wait uneasily.
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Outside Konoha
In an underground chamber, Baishi's spirit floated above his physical body, carefully observing the situation within Konoha, some kilometers away.
Over the past month, Baishi had memorized the chakra signatures of almost all the significant figures in Konoha. Distance was no longer a barrier for him; on the contrary, it ensured his safety.
By all rights, Baishi should have been pleased. With the ability to monitor these individuals' movements in real time, he could easily deduce the unfolding situation and plan his move for the Nine-Tails.
Yet, despite this apparent advantage, Baishi felt unsettled.
Half a month ago, Jiraiya returned to Konoha after completing a mission and hadn't left since.
This deviation from Baishi's memory was troubling.
In the timeline he remembered, Jiraiya was not present in the village during the Nine-Tails Incident. Otherwise, Minato Namikaze would not have been overwhelmed fighting alone.
Now, with Jiraiya in Konoha, even if Danzo remained passive and Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived late, there would still be someone capable of handling the Nine-Tails.
Then again, Baishi thought, this could work to my advantage.
With Obito wielding two Mangekyō Sharingan in this timeline, he would be far more formidable than in Baishi's memories. If Jiraiya's presence ensured that Minato could focus on Obito, it might simplify things.
"Still..." Baishi murmured, his gaze shifting toward Konoha, where a particular figure stood silently.
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Inside Konoha
Orochimaru's yellow, snake-like eyes followed Kushina Uzumaki, her pregnant belly prominent, as she strolled down the street accompanied by Biwako Sarutobi.
A mocking smile briefly flashed across his lips.
Suddenly, Orochimaru's expression stiffened. He swept his gaze around cautiously but found nothing amiss. With a frown, he turned and left.
---
Outside Konoha
Baishi withdrew his spirit sense, his expression serious. He couldn't tell whether Orochimaru had noticed his presence.
What troubled Baishi more was Orochimaru's recent habit of lingering near Minato and Kushina. His intentions remained unclear.
Another variable, Baishi thought grimly.
Shaking his head, he muttered to himself, "Whatever. When the time comes, I'll grab the Nine-Tails and leave. Let's see if anyone can stop me."
"System, show my status," Baishi commanded.
A familiar translucent panel appeared before him:
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[Status Panel]
Host: Baishi
Age: 11 / 88
Basic Attributes:
Strength: 133
Agility: 135
Constitution: 131
Intelligence: 150 → 153 ↑
Chakra: 396 → 427 ↑
Special Enhancements:
Spatial Perception Enhancement: VIII (2.5%)
Wood Release: VII (93.5%) → VIII (0.2%) ↑
Heat Resistance: VII (85.6%)
Poison Resistance: VII (65.2%) → VII (65.8%) ↑
Self-Healing: VII (52.7%)
Mental Resistance: VII (45.5%) → VII (49.7%) ↑
Sensory Enhancement: VII (21.5%) → VII (26.2%) ↑
Energy-Absorbing Skin: VII (10.5%) → VII (17.1%) ↑
Chakra Affinity: Water: VI (7.8%), Earth: VI (8.5%), Lightning: V (0.1%)
Cell Adaptability: V (0.1%)
Cold Resistance: IV (43.2%)
Skin Reinforcement: IV (18.5%) ↑
Abnormal Conditions: None
---
Over the past month, Baishi's physical attributes—strength, agility, and constitution—had not improved.
The reason was simple: he had temporarily halted his physical training.
Being so close to Konoha, Baishi couldn't risk drawing attention with the commotion his training typically caused.
Instead, he had focused on upgrading his Energy-Absorbing Skin and Skin Reinforcement. The former saw a 7% improvement, while the latter reached Level IV.
Now, his skin was incredibly durable, capable of withstanding most sharp objects without so much as a scratch. Even Baishi himself needed to exert significant force to pierce his own skin.
This meant most thrown ninja tools were now useless against him unless they struck vulnerable areas like his eyes or ears.
Close-range combatants could still pose a threat, but the damage would be considerably reduced. Paired with his Self-Healing, Baishi's survivability had greatly increased.
Over the same period, Baishi had used up the last of his Hashirama cell extracts, pushing his Wood Release to Level VIII.
However, without Hashirama's cells as a "buff," further improvements would require significant time and effort.
This was the case for many of his abilities, which was why Baishi had set his sights on the Nine-Tails.
"The Nine-Tails... Soon," Baishi murmured as he closed the system panel.
---
Time flowed like water, passing by unnoticed.
Three days later, late at night...
Baishi's eyes snapped open. Without hesitation, he activated Flying Thunder God, instantly teleporting to the crown of a tree outside his underground hideout.
In the distance, under the pale moonlight, the enormous silhouette of the Nine-Tails loomed, its chakra a raging storm.
A smile crept across Baishi's face.
"At last," he whispered.
Returning to the underground chamber, Baishi cast Spirit Transformation Jutsu to observe the situation in Konoha.
"Now, let's see where Obito is..."
It didn't take long for him to locate Obito's distinctive chakra signature. As expected, he was with Minato.
"Good," Baishi mused. "That keeps Minato occupied."
He continued scanning the village.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen... Jiraiya... Both heading toward the Nine-Tails."
Then, something unexpected caught his attention.
"Orochimaru... Moving toward Minato? What's he planning?"
Despite racking his brain, Baishi couldn't discern Orochimaru's motives.
Shaking off his thoughts, he dismissed his spirit form and began donning his gear.
Before teleporting, Baishi reached for a green wooden mask, securing it over his face.
"Much better," he muttered, his voice low.
Locking onto a marker inside Konoha, Baishi activated Flying Thunder God and vanished without a trace.
(End of Chapter)
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