Chapter 270: Old Geezer

A long time passed.

Cough! Cough! Cough!

A heart‑rending, lung‑tearing cough sounded.

A figure in tattered clothes half‑emerged from the ground at that moment, lying directly on the ground and coughing heavily.

To dodge the opponent's explosive tag, he had gone underground—this was his idea of the best way to avoid the blast's aftermath.

"MMP! This time I've been really screwed over by Orochimaru, I'm badly hurt……"

He wiped the blood from his mouth, felt his burning chest, and Dong Shilang painfully pulled himself out of the soil, found a nearby spot to rest properly.

Just thinking about it now makes him break out in a cold sweat on his back!

If it weren't for his outstanding genjutsu, having earlier given a 'suggestion' to that Mist Ninja leader, the opponent might not have been able to tell his earth clone apart.

It's all Orochimaru's fault, that idiot; since I didn't want to come save Minato's disciple, he just shoved me out to deal with the Third Hokage.

He really deserves to die!

Looking at his ninja sword broken into three pieces in his hand, Dong Shilang wanted to cry but had no tears; this ancestral chakra weapon that had followed him for nearly six years finally met its end.

But he couldn't worry about that now; he hastily gathered the broken sword fragments, not even having time for the usual corpse‑searching routine.

Dong Shilang trudged with slightly heavy steps toward the direction where Kakashi had disappeared.

He currently had no spare chakra to draw a flying creature to carry himself.

When Dong Shilang finally found Kakashi, there was already an extra figure beside him at that moment.

"Er~ Obito, you bastard, you're still not dead—are you faking death?"

Looking at that figure clad in a black robe and wearing Zetsu, Dong Shilang spoke with a slight tease.

"No way! I was saved by someone who called himself……"

He opened his mouth, and Obito realized he simply couldn't speak.

Just as he was about to speak the truth, he suddenly discovered he couldn't make any sound.

Before he could figure out the cause, Lin beside him interjected: "Senior Dong Shilang, are you okay? Let me check you out!"

Senior Dong Shilang's clothes were in tatters, and his complexion was deathly pale.

As a medical ninja, Lin noticed Dong Shilang's abnormality, rushed to his side, and began examining his injuries.

"How could it be this serious~"

After a thorough check, Lin found his condition poor: his lungs and eardrums suffered severe trauma, and even his internal organs had minor damage.

If it were an ordinary ninja, he would already have collapsed by now.

"Thanks a lot! Lin……"

Enveloped in green medical ninjutsu, Dong Shilang let out a long breath; with Lin's treatment, his body felt much better.

He himself knew medical ninjutsu, but spending a large amount of chakra on treatment right now wasn't a wise choice.

"I should be the one thanking you; if it weren't for saving me, senior, you wouldn't……"

"By the way, what's up with Obito?"

Seeing Yeyuan Lin's guilty face, Dong Shilang couldn't stand it and immediately changed the subject.

Although he knew why, he still pretended to be clueless. Zetsu was right there on him, so he had to keep up the act.

Not only Lin, who was treating Dong Shilang, but Kakashi also turned his gaze toward Obito beside them.

The two of them had been so excited just now that they forgot to ask Obito about his specific situation.

"I… I…"

After trying several times in a row, his face turned red from holding his breath, and Obito realized he couldn't get Madara's information out!

"I was saved by a strange old geezer!"

Not knowing how to put it, Obito could only give that vague answer, hoping to brush the matter aside.

At the same time, he inwardly understood that all this was Madara's doing, likely intending to keep him from leaking Madara's information.

Being a natural genius, however, he didn't dwell on it.

"Ha……"

Hearing Obito's answer, Dong Shilang was fine, but Kakashi and Lin were both full of question marks!

"What do you mean by a strange old geezer?"

Such a evasive answer—even a brat from the ninja academy wouldn't believe it!

You yourself suffered multiple injuries last time; you should know that! Where would a strange old geezer come from who could save you?

"Anyway! That's how it is~"

Seeing his comrades not believe him, Obito also felt helpless! He wanted to say something, but he just couldn't get it out!

"Then! What is that white layer on your body?"

While saying that, Dong Shilang reached out and tapped the other's head, looking puzzled.

Moreover, taking advantage of Obito's inattention, he flicked his finger, a blade of wind clinging to his fingertip, which grazed Obito's forehead and flew past.

"Big Brother Dong Shilang……"

Seeing Dong Shilang attack the Zetsu on his body, Obito originally wanted to stop him; without that companion's company during this period, he would have suffered terribly on his own!

Moreover, the other party had taken great care of him; this time, it had attached itself to his body specifically to help him.

However, seeing that Dong Shilang Senior had sliced off a piece of it, there was no reaction, so he didn't take it to heart.

"It seems to be some kind of plant‑like thing!"

Ignoring Kakashi's and Lin's strange looks.

Feigning casualness, Dong Shilang held the white tissue he had cut off in his hand and examined it carefully.

"Obito! What… exactly is this? Why are you wearing it on your body?"

At the same time, to conceal his strange behavior, Dong Shilang turned the tables and began asking Dai Tu what this thing was.

This is… this is…

Facing Dong Shilang's piercing gaze, Dai Tu hadn't expected that he still hadn't asked Older Brother Dong Shilang how he suddenly sliced off a piece of the White Absolute from his own body.

He was left speechless by Dong Shilang's question.

Speaking of which, this thing is somewhat like bamboo armor or something~

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Just as Older Brother Dong Shilang said, it's something like bamboo armor!

Not knowing how to answer, anxiously scratching his head and cheek, he hadn't expected Older Brother Dong Shilang to just make up an answer, so Dai Tu hurriedly nodded and said yes.

Hmm!

Looking at the three people opposite who were staring at him, cold sweat dripped from Dai Tu's forehead. Because whether it was Older Brother Dong Shilang, Kakashi, or Lin, they all looked at him with a strange gaze.

The meaning conveyed in their gazes clearly said: 'Are we three-year-old children?'

Ha! Ha! The matter… roughly…

Just as Dai Tu racked his brains, thinking about how to respond, his good older brother came to his rescue.

It couldn't be another weird thing your strange old man came up with, could it?

……