Starting as the mastermind behind Naruto

Chapter 231 Congratulations on passing the test, Sasuke! (Third update delivered! More to come!)

Uehara Naraku was unaware of Terumi Mei's thoughts.

Uehara, Deidara, and Sasori have now arrived at the site of Isobu's rebirth. Sasuke Uchiha is still engaged in a fierce battle with Isobu, while Orianna is overseeing the fight.

Deidara curled his lip in displeasure, looking at Sasuke Uchiha, whose eyes were bloodshot. Clearly, Sasuke dared not be careless in this battle and had already activated his Sharingan.

This angered Deidara.

After all, when Deidara joined Akatsuki, it was Itachi Uchiha who used genjutsu to control Deidara, almost causing Deidara to blow himself up with a clay bomb.

"Those Uchiha guys are really annoying..."

Deidara proudly raised his head and shouted, "Hey, Uehara, can't you really just let me blow that brat and the Three-Tails Isobu up together? I even prepared a very unique art piece specifically for these Uchiha!"

After saying that, Deidara added, "Look at these Uchiha, none of them are good people! I suspect that our Uchiha brothers are plotting something, trying to use Akatsuki to achieve their ambitions..."

"no…"

Uehara Naraku's face darkened, and he slowly shook his head. Which member of the Akatsuki organization didn't want to use Akatsuki to realize their ambitions?

Deidara was right about one thing…

The Uchiha clan really isn't a good thing...

They are too proud, always judging others by their own petty standards, and have a bit of paranoia, believing that someone is always trying to harm them.

Well, they might be right.

Uchiha Sasuke was Uehara Naraku's favorite pawn. With a little manipulation, he could make this self-proclaimed clever man think more deeply and thus be used by him.

Sasori glanced at Deidara, whose face was full of displeasure, and gently soothed him, "When we get back to base, we'll see the Uchiha brothers fighting each other. Isn't that more interesting than killing them?"

"But I still want to kill them and get revenge!"

Deidara pouting and turned away on his own, acting like a spoiled brat. As Deidara's peer, Uehara Naraku felt a little embarrassed.

Fortunately, Sasuke's battle with the Three-Tails caught Uehara Naraku's attention, and he immediately began to comment: "It seems that Sasuke has figured out the Three-Tails' information..."

Deidara glanced at Sasuke's battle and scoffed disdainfully, "Hmph, I don't need intelligence to take down the Three-Tails!"

"..."

Sasori of the Red Sand glanced at Deidara speechlessly. After the issue of the Uchiha was brought up, it seemed that Deidara had become a complete jerk!

The battle on the lake intensified.

Sasuke Uchiha finally realized a problem: even though he knew information about the Three-Tails, unless he used wide-range attack ninjutsu, his weak and ineffective techniques would hardly be able to completely defeat the Three-Tails.

"Fortunately, the weather in the Land of Water is always nice..."

Sasuke Uchiha looked up at the sky, a smile spreading across his face: "If I use that technique, it shouldn't waste too much chakra, probably just one chakra point... Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

A fireball shaped like a dragon's head hurtled towards the clouds!

Deidara glanced at it and couldn't help but curse, "Idiot! Using Fire Release ninjutsu to attack the Three-Tails is one thing, but shooting it into the sky? Isn't that just wasting your chakra?"

Sasori shook his head and said softly, "Don't rush, keep watching... Even if his IQ is low, he can't possibly know how to use Fire Release for no reason."

"Heh, I guess they're planning to use that trick!"

Uehara Naraku watched for a while, then chuckled softly, "So he did develop that technique after all? It seems Sasuke is quite lucky; the weather in the Land of Water is the perfect place to unleash that ninjutsu."

Sasuke Uchiha undoubtedly wanted to use Lightning Release: Kirin.

This S-rank ninjutsu was once the strongest ordinary lightning release ninjutsu. The only problem is that it requires the advantage of the weather and can only be released with the help of natural lightning.

The Land of Water is near the sea and somewhat humid, which contributes to the country's rainy environment, so dark clouds can be seen drifting in from almost anywhere in the sky.

This is an environment highly conducive to releasing the Lightning Release Kirin.

As Sasuke Uchiha's Fire Release ninjutsu ascended into the sky, clusters of dark clouds gradually gathered above the battlefield. Sasuke stared intently at the lightning flashes within the dark clouds, slowly closing his palms together.

"Lightning Release: Kirin!"

Lightning bolts rapidly gathered in the dark clouds above, and in the blink of an eye, they formed the shape of a giant thunder beast, roaring as it charged toward the three-tailed Isobu on the lake!

The Three-Tails, Isobu, glanced at the lightning beast rushing through the air and immediately wanted to begin condensing its Tailed Beast Ball. However, a red light flashed in Sasuke Uchiha's Sharingan, and the next second, the Three-Tails felt its body being bound by countless giant iron spikes!

Clearly, Sasuke Uchiha had anticipated this. Whenever the Three-Tails attempted to use the Tailed Beast Ball, he would use his genjutsu to force the Three-Tails into a few seconds of slumber, interrupting its process of condensing the Tailed Beast Ball.

Deidara's expression changed, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "That brat Uchiha Sasuke is really not to be underestimated!"

The power of this Lightning Release Kirin was so great that even he felt it posed a threat!

"After all, they're from the Uchiha clan..."

Sasori shook his head, sighed softly, and then turned to look at Naraku Uehara: "Having withstood such a powerful Lightning Release ninjutsu, won't the Three-Tails be killed by him?"

"Probably not."

Uehara Naraku shook his head, still a little uneasy. He suddenly raised his finger, pointing it at the thunder beast in the air, and whispered, "Fine, let's just consider it a pass! The Three-Tails can't have any mishaps! Wind Release: Tornado!"

A small hurricane shot from Uehara Naraku's finger toward the Thunder Beast's location. The hurricane grew larger and larger, and when it met the Thunder Beast, it completely enveloped the terrifying beast!

As the hurricane spun, the thunder beast was instantly broken down into countless tiny bolts of lightning, which vanished into nothingness in the blink of an eye, and the dark clouds in the sky were also blown away by the hurricane.

Wind-style ninjutsu is inherently very effective against lightning-style ninjutsu, not to mention that Uehara Naraku's wind power is the most extreme form of wind-style chakra.

Sasuke Uchiha's all-out S-rank Lightning Release technique was directly destroyed by Naraku Uehara's Wind Release ninjutsu released with a single finger...

"You're really not being polite!"

Sasori looked at Naraku Uehara and couldn't help but shake his head: "A little guy painstakingly researched and trained his Lightning Release ninjutsu, and you broke it in one move... It'll make the little guy lose confidence, won't it!"

Deidara didn't care about anything else. Seeing the bewildered Uchiha Sasuke on the lake, he couldn't help but give Uehara Naraku a thumbs up: "Uehara, well done!"

Uehara Naraku's move was far superior to the lightning ninjutsu that Uchiha Sasuke had prepared with even more care!

After the Lightning Release: Kirin disappeared from the sky, the Three-Tails Isobu seemed to have found an opportunity and suddenly rushed towards Uchiha Sasuke!

Although I don't know why someone managed to break the spell that was threatening it, now is the chance to kill this brat!

Sasuke Uchiha was quite exhausted of his chakra, and could only tread on the lake water to evade the Three-Tails' pursuit. His face was full of displeasure and confusion, as well as a hint of fear suppressed in his eyes.

Is Uehara Naraku trying to kill him using the Three-Tails?

Just how strong is this guy? His lightning ninjutsu, unleashed with all his might, was easily neutralized by Uehara...

"Well done."

Uehara Naraku suddenly appeared beside Uchiha Sasuke, chuckling as he praised, "If I hadn't been worried about you killing the Three-Tails, I wouldn't have intervened to break your technique. I must say, you've become much stronger than before, Sasuke..."

Sasuke Uchiha stiffened, his expression turning cold: "Hmph, the Three-Tails' defense is astonishing; it might not be unable to withstand this attack. In that case, you can't say I failed to capture the Three-Tails, can you?"

After hearing Sasuke's words, Uehara Naraku chuckled and said, "Alright, you've passed the test. I'll tell Lord Pain that you're qualified to become a full member of Akatsuki and challenge Uchiha Itachi."

Sasuke is gambling with the Three-Tails' life!

However, as the most honest and docile of the tailed beasts, the Three-Tails Isobu neither bullies ninjas nor seeks trouble. It prefers to quietly hide in a comfortable place and sleep soundly.

Unfortunately, the Three-Tails is the tailed beast that has died the most times.

More than a decade ago, it was inexplicably sealed into Nohara Rin's body, and was subsequently killed along with Nohara Rin; a few years ago, it was inexplicably sealed into Karatachi Yagura's body, and Karatachi Yagura was subsequently killed by Uehara Naraku.

It's ridiculous to think about it. A harmless tailed beast has been killed the most by ninjas, and now it's being used as a test tool by Uchiha Sasuke.

This is probably what it means to bully an honest tailed beast!

Now, the Three-Tails Isobu has also been enraged by Uchiha Sasuke. It charged forward recklessly, but when it saw Uehara Naraku after it rushed over, its massive body suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

Uehara Naraku glanced at the three-tailed Isobu charging towards him, and greeted it with narrowed eyes: "Long time no see, Isobu."

"..."

The Three-Tailed Isobu looked at Uehara Naraku, and the memory of its last encounter with Uehara Naraku seemed to gradually surface in its mind, as if it had been badly beaten.

This person is no match for it.

"It's you!"

The Three-Tails' voice carried a hint of fear, and its entire body instantly coiled up, ready to quickly sink to the bottom of the water to escape.

Uehara Naraku chuckled, his figure instantly appearing beneath the Three-Tails' head. He bent down and kicked the massive tailed beast out of the water!

Then he kicked the Three-Tails in the abdomen, sending it flying backwards onto the shore!

The Three-Tailed Isobu is like a turtle with its lid flipped over; it can't even turn itself over...

"..."

Sasuke Uchiha's eyes narrowed sharply at the sight.

Is Uehara Naraku really that powerful?

Having personally fought the Three-Tails Isobu, Sasuke Uchiha knew very well just how strong the Three-Tails was and how tough its defenses were.

Unexpectedly, Uehara Naraku kicked this enormous monster away with just two kicks, leaving it powerless to resist!

That's a little scary...

No, I should say that Uehara has always been terrifying!

"Alright, don't worry, the Three-Tails has been captured."

Uehara Naraku patted Sasuke on the shoulder, looking very optimistic about him: "After we seal the Three-Tails, I'll give you some pointers and teach you how to defeat Uchiha Itachi. I believe you'll definitely win."

"..."

Having witnessed the violent way Uehara Naraku captured the Three-Tails, Uchiha Sasuke suddenly became worried that he wouldn't be able to hold out long enough to fight Uchiha Itachi.

Uehara Naraku seemed to see through Sasuke's thoughts and chuckled, "Don't worry, as I said, I will try my best to simulate Uchiha Itachi's fighting style... Except for his eye techniques, I can simulate almost everything else."

Looking at the smile on Uehara Naraku's face, Uchiha Sasuke suddenly lowered his head and said, "Thank you, Uehara."

"It's okay!"

Uehara Naraku patted him on the shoulder, narrowed his eyes, and gave him a kind and friendly smile: "Keep it up, Sasuke, surpass Uchiha Itachi! I'm really looking forward to your growth!"

This is the third update, and there will be four more to come...

Each chapter is three or four thousand words long, and there are even four chapters...

I'm actually quite impressed with myself.

(End of this chapter)