112 Chapter 112

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Without a doubt, Kyomu, also known as Kakashi and others' esteemed elder brother, never forgets his comrades in good or bad times.

As for his sister-in-law, Rin, Kyomu is not yet willing to involve her. It's not out of disdain or dissatisfaction towards her, but rather because Rin's abilities are average, and she would be a burden if brought along.

Currently operating deep behind enemy lines, Kyomu must maintain undivided focus, and more importantly, he does not wish for Obito to be distracted because of Rin.

"Come in," Kyomu called out towards the door.

Ren and others entered in succession, and when they saw Kakashi and Obito, their expressions clearly showed surprise.

When did Captain bring these two here?

Ren's Byakugan swept over the white snake shed skin placed on the ground, and he understood.

"Captain is incredible…" Ren sighed inwardly, "To have the hermit of the Ryuchi Cave bother to come and go like this is truly unheard of."

Holding the title of a hermit naturally implies a proud and aloof character.

Big matters they might help with, but such minor, troublesome tasks like using Reverse Summoning Technique to ferry people back and forth—if you don't have enough clout, it's simply impossible.

And even if you do have the clout, it's not something to be used lightly. Just like asking for favors, if you do it too often, even the best of relationships can sour.

But Kyomu did it anyway, making Ren envious of Kakashi and Obito.

Despite being thousands of miles away, he never forgets them, truly…

If it weren't for so many people around, Ren would even consider acknowledging Kyomu as a sworn father.

While that might be an exaggeration, the deeds of Kyomu have thoroughly convinced Ren.

In fact, it wasn't just Ren who felt this way; the other team members felt similarly and bore no resentment towards Kyomu.

Seeing him prioritizing those he was closest with first was something no one could fault. They only blamed themselves for not getting to know Kyomu sooner and reflected on why their bond with him wasn't as strong.

"Line up," Kyomu instructed again.

The team members quickly fell into line, and Kyomu then pointed to the snake shed on the ground, "This is a treasure, and all who see it share in its fortune. Moreover, since the beginning of the war, you have followed me through life and death. Both morally and logically, you deserve a share."

Kyomu was straightforward, and everyone's face lit up with joy. No one hesitated, nor did they need to engage in superficial social exchanges.

They bowed in unison at 90 degrees, offering Kyomu their highest gratitude, and at this moment, they became utterly devoted to him.

Previously, some of Kyomu's orders might have caused hesitation, but not anymore.

Even if Kyomu were to lead them now to assassinate the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, or Danzo, they would probably not second-guess him.

However, such actions might later plunge these team members into a moral dilemma, leading to some tragic choices.

But for now, Kyomu was not in a hurry; the war was still years from ending, and there was plenty of time.

"Alright, you are all aware of the specific uses of the snake shed," Kyomu drew Yoei and tossed it to Ren, who was at the front, "Ren, you start. Take as much as you need."

Ren nodded, cutting two pieces from the shed with the blade, perfectly sized for a set of inner armor.

With Ren setting an example, the rest of the team members also stepped forward in turn. No one took more than needed, but none took less than they deserved either.

The shed skin of the snake from Ichikishimahime was definitely a treasure. Being made into inner armor was akin to having a second life; no one would gamble with their own life.

After everyone had taken their share, there was still plenty of snake shed left, more than enough for Kyomu and his five-person team's needs.

"If nobody minds, I think I can help," Obito then stepped forward, "The Shinobi Cats Clan, who cooperates with our Uchiha clan, excels in crafting weapons and armor."

Everyone's gaze simultaneously shifted to Obito and then back to Kyomu.

"Are you trying to win people over?!" Kyomu joked, "Since that's the case, I'll give you this chance. And are you guys dumb? Why not take advantage of a good thing?"

He pointed at Ren and the other team members, "Remember, while it's fine to eat the sugar-coated bullet, you also have to fire back."

Laughter erupted among the team members.

This act effectively introduced Obito to Kyomu's team members without any awkwardness.

Wrapping an arm around Obito, Kyomu cheerfully said, "Let's make it clear, we don't have money, so you figure it out."

"It's a gift for friends and comrades."

Hmm?

Kyomu couldn't help but take a closer look at Obito. How did awakening the Sharingan suddenly make him so smart?

"Thank you, Obito," the team members expressed their gratitude, and then asked, "Do we do this now, or wait until we return to the village?"

"Now is fine," Obito glanced at Kyomu, "Besides, Kyomu is planning to take us to confront the Hidden Sand Village with some frustration in his heart. Having some reliable armor will make us feel more at ease."

Once Obito mentioned this, Kyomu naturally opened up about his plans.

"My friends, I indeed have this intention," Kyomu pointed in the direction of the Hidden Sand Village, "Being pursued by the Sand ninjas for a month, if we don't cause them some losses, it would indeed be a waste of their persistence.

What irritates me the most is Orochimaru's decision.

He is the commander, true, and his decisions are for the greater good, but in my opinion, with the strength of our squad, we should be among the elite of the elite. We should be valued more, not simply abandoned.

Of course, I can't do anything to Orochimaru, but we can show him through our actions:

He was wrong, terribly wrong!

And it's not to prove how powerful we are, but to slap Orochimaru's face, telling him to respect us more in the future!

We should be protected, not abandoned!"

As Aragami Kyomu's impassioned speech concluded, the team members became stirred up. It wasn't a sudden surge of reckless courage, but a spark of unwillingness to be manipulated and undervalued had been ignited.

Besides, when they first learned of Orochimaru's decision, it was impossible for them not to have grievances.

Now, with Kyomu as their core, the team naturally looked up to him, and their suppressed emotions were unleashed.

"Yes, we shouldn't be underestimated!"

"Our value is much greater than they imagined!"

"Make Orochimaru regret his decision!"

"Let him apologize to us!"

Their shouts grew louder and louder. After venting, Kyomu raised his hand to signal silence.

"Alright, the hallucinogenic mist left by Ichikishimahime in Roran still lingers, so let's take this opportunity to rest," he said, then turned to Obito, "Our mighty team's wielder of the Sharingan, when will your Shinobi Cat be ready?"

"How did you know I awakened the Sharingan?" Obito suddenly blurted out.

"Cut it out!" Kyomu jokingly kicked at him, which Obito dodged with a laugh.

Then, speaking seriously, "It's ready now, and with the Shinobi Cats Clan's forging skills, everything will be ready by this time tomorrow."

After Obito formed hand seals and summoned the Shinobi Cat, a robust cat wielding a large hammer appeared, looking somewhat impatient despite its cute appearance.

"The disgrace of the Uchiha?" it arrogantly said, not knowing the meaning of respect, "What do you want with me? I don't have time to waste on small talk."

Obito's face flushed. The longstanding cooperation between the Shinobi Cats Clan and the Uchiha Clan was partly due to their similarly proud natures.

"Hey, see what this is?" Obito pointed to a piece of the snake shed on the ground, the finest piece left after everyone else had taken their share, containing the hardest part of the snake, the reverse scale.

"It's just a snake shed, nothing special…" the Shinobi Cat suddenly stopped talking, drooling at the sight, "The legendary Dragon Shed! Obito, where did you get this?"

"You sure changed your tune quickly," Obito couldn't help but feel smug, "Let's not worry about where it came from. Can you forge it or not?"

"Obito, I can't promise anything else, but when it comes to forging, our Shinobi Cats Clan dares to claim the top spot, and no one dares to claim second!

Did you forget? Several of the Uchiha clan's artifacts were forged by our clan!"

Knowing about the Uchiha clan's artifacts, regardless of how much the clan undervalued Obito before, he was aware of some things.

He nodded, shaking a finger, "Can you forge 72 pieces of inner armor within a day?"

"Of course!" the Shinobi Cat promptly agreed, "That piece with the reverse scale, may I personally forge it?

If you agree, Obito, I'm confident I can forge a defensive inner armor on par with artifacts!"

Obito looked at Kyomu before making a decision.

"Do as you see fit, Obito," Kyomu generously said.

"Then it's in your hands, don't disappoint me," Obito stated, "Get to work quickly, but I have no payment to offer."

"No need for payment, no need!" the Shinobi Cat hastily collected the remaining Dragon Shed, "With such a treasure as material, what more could I ask for? If I can keep some scraps, my clan will be overjoyed."

"Just don't cut corners," Obito warned.

"We won't, we always have surplus, and we won't tarnish our reputation."

With that, Obito then turned to the team members, "Do you need measurements for the armor?"

"No need, I can tell just by looking. Plus, this Dragon Shed's armor has a magical quality; it can automatically adjust to the wearer's body shape."

After a glance around, the Shinobi Cat's gaze settled on Obito again, "Who will use the piece with the reverse scale for their armor?"

Obito pointed at Kyomu, "Him."

"Do you have any specific design requests for the armor?" the Shinobi Cat asked Kyomu, very interested in the piece with the reverse scale, "Please feel free to tell me, and I will do my best to accommodate."

After Kyomu shared his request, the Shinobi Cat nodded, indicating it understood.

After ensuring everything was in order, the Shinobi Cat took the Dragon Shed pieces from each team member and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Kyomu, you really do have a lot of good stuff," Kakashi playfully punched him, "And about that white phosphorus snake crest you mentioned, the more I think about it, the more it reminds me of that lady from before."

"It's her," Aragami Kyomu didn't hide it, "It's something she gave us, remembering her kindness isn't a problem, right?"

"But I always feel there's something special between Captain and her," Ebisu joined in, always interested in such stories, "Actually, it's not bad, 'A woman three years older brings gold,' 'A woman a thousand..."

"Enough of that," Kyomu quickly dismissed Ebisu, not ready to think about such matters, "Everyone, rest up. We've all gained some strength recently; use this time to get used to it. There's a tough battle ahead of us."

Turning to Ren, "But I need to trouble you a bit more, to scout the surroundings."

"Don't worry, Captain, I won't make a mistake."

Ren left to carry out his task, while the rest of the team focused on resting and adapting to their newly enhanced abilities. Meanwhile, Kyomu took Kakashi and Obito aside to catch up.

"How about considering to follow me?"

Kakashi was somewhat tempted but had his reservations, "Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves here?"

"What, they're allowed to abandon my ninja squad, but I'm not allowed to seek help on my own?"

"I agree with Kyomu and support him, but if Rin isn't here…" Obito added, "I really want to tell her about my Sharingan."

"Having her stay in the village is for the best; at least she's safe," Kakashi reassured Obito, making up his mind.

During the war, what's wrong with establishing our own faction?

(End of Chapter)