"Aww, what a cute little white creature... Naruto, is it trying to tell you where that beast Obito is?"
Kushina blinked, but her expression quickly darkened.
Minato sighed. "Yes. From what it said, it was about to reveal Obito's location. Unfortunately, there was an explosive tag embedded inside it."
"Obito… you're as paranoid as ever."
"It wasn't cautious enough—because now I've blown it up!"
Kushina declared viciously before shifting her gaze to Konan. "Did Nagato see this?"
Konan nodded slightly. "Yes. Uchiha Madara—Obito—just left the Hidden Rain Village."
"Good. Now, we just have to wait for him to take the bait."
Underground Cave Base
Black Zetsu returned, his expression grim.
"How did it go?"
Obito emerged from the swirling distortion of Kamui.
"Just as you suspected… As soon as White Zetsu encountered Naruto, it betrayed us."
"Tch. Always claiming they won't turn on me… damn traitors."
Obito fell silent for a moment before asking, "Why?"
Black Zetsu hesitated before answering.
"Uzumaki Naruto also possesses Wood Release… but his is different from Senju Hashirama's."
"That power… even I could sense an overwhelming force from it. Something… irresistible."
Obito clenched his fists, speechless.
"Obito, if you're going to send out White Zetsu in the future… you need to keep them away from Uzumaki Naruto."
After a long pause, Obito exhaled. "For now, that's our only option."
"Recall all White Zetsu near Konoha and the Hidden Rain Village. No more intelligence gathering—those things betray us the second they meet Naruto. We can't trust them anymore."
Black Zetsu nodded in agreement before asking, "Then… what about the plan to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?"
Obito leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes.
"We'll wait and see how Nagato responds first. We'll act when the time is right."
Black Zetsu nodded slightly but studied Obito's weary expression.
"Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame have been waiting for a long time."
"Do you want to meet them in person, or should I go?"
Obito opened his eyes, fatigue flickering within them.
He had been staying awake longer than usual—and he hated it.
"I'll go myself."
"It's been a while since I last moved. My body's getting rusty."
"And those two chess pieces… they're still useful for now."
"At least, until I retrieve the Rinnegan."
"Oh, and have White Zetsu investigate Uchiha Sasuke's activities in Konoha."
Black Zetsu shook his head. "That won't work. Konoha is… strange right now. It's too dangerous for White Zetsu to infiltrate anymore."
Obito let out a slow sigh. "Then we'll leave it alone for now."
"As long as Itachi is alive, Sasuke will leave Konoha eventually."
The Land of Rain
"Still waiting?"
"It's been almost a full day."
Hoshigaki Kisame sat beneath the eaves, watching the endless rain fall.
Uchiha Itachi kept his eyes closed. His battles with Hashira had left his body burning with exhaustion.
"The leader said we should rest for now."
Kisame smirked where Itachi couldn't see.
When he defected from the Hidden Mist, he had surrendered the moment the Fourth Mizukage appeared.
Though a rogue ninja, Kisame still harbored some sentiment for his old village.
He had been ready to throw everything away—until Obito, masquerading as Uchiha Madara, appeared.
Standing right behind the Fourth Mizukage.
What an ironic fate.
Just as Kisame was about to speak, a swirling distortion in space heralded Obito's arrival.
"You no longer need to remain in the Land of Rain. Head to the border between Konoha and the Sand Village."
Obito's Sharingan flickered as he glanced at Kisame before turning to Itachi.
"Why?"
"You don't need to know. Or are you questioning me?"
Obito's voice carried an edge of irritation. He was already in a bad mood—and the smallest provocation worsened it.
"Uchiha Itachi, what makes you think you can challenge me?"
A faint rustle.
Across from him, Itachi opened his Sharingan and slowly rose to his feet.
Beast number one faced beast number two.
"You seem to be mistaken, Uchiha Madara," Itachi said calmly.
He slowly unzipped his Akatsuki robe.
"I never pledged loyalty to anyone."
"Nor did I ever agree to obey unconditionally."
Behind his mask, Obito's Sharingan spun violently.
Both men gathered chakra at the same time.
"Heh…"
Obito's mood soured further.
"It seems I've been dormant for too long."
He raised a hand, killing intent flashing in his lone visible eye.
"You chess pieces are getting disobedient."
Kisame, who had planned to sit back and watch, sighed and stood up.
With a grin, he slung Samehada over his shoulder.
"If your confidence still rests on your Mangekyō Sharingan… then I'm truly disappointed."
—Shhh—
In the next instant, Obito's eye spun, activating his Mangekyō Sharingan first.
Itachi followed suit, his own Mangekyō whirling to life. But after just a moment, he closed it again.
His vision was worsening. Without proper rest, even maintaining the three-tomoe Sharingan was becoming difficult.
Seeing this, Kisame turned and walked away.
Who should he help?
Neither Uchiha Madara nor Uchiha Itachi had asked for his assistance.
Then, he might as well just enjoy the show.
—Whoosh whoosh whoosh—
The moment Kisame stepped aside, Itachi attacked first.
A barrage of shuriken shot toward Obito.
—Shhh—
Just as expected.
The projectiles phased right through him.
As if Obito were nothing but an illusion.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu."
The next second, Itachi exhaled a stream of small flames, controlling them to spread and engulf his opponent.
But again, the flames passed harmlessly through Obito's body.
Itachi narrowed his eyes slightly. "Fire Style is useless after all."
Without hesitation, he launched another volley of shuriken, using the moment to reposition himself.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
The instant his feet touched the ground, Itachi gathered chakra at his throat—then unleashed a massive fireball.
Obito stood still, his voice cold and indifferent.
"It's pointless. Before my eyes, all of your attacks are meaningless."
Itachi ignored him.
Kunai, shuriken, and Fire Style techniques rained down in relentless waves.
'If his ability allows him to become intangible, then there must be a time limit.'
With this in mind, Itachi intensified his attacks.
Obito, reading his thoughts, sneered. He spread his arms wide.
"Trying to find my limits?"
"Do as you please."
And so, he simply stood there—letting Itachi's attacks pass right through him.
Seconds ticked by.
A full minute passed.
Itachi's breath grew heavier.
Even so, he didn't stop.
He reached for more shuriken. "Fire Style: Phoenix Claw Red."
—Shhh—
Flames surged toward Obito once more, this time concealing razor-sharp projectiles within them.
And then—
Blood dripped from Itachi's right eye.
"Amaterasu!"
Black flames erupted at Obito's feet.
But he didn't flinch.
His lone eye remained calm—expressionless.
After his defeat at the hands of the Fourth Hokage, he had learned his lesson.
He had refined Kamui, extending its duration.
At this moment, he could maintain his intangibility for four and a half minutes.
The reason he wasn't attacking?
Because he didn't intend to kill Itachi.
His only goal was to make Itachi recognize the overwhelming difference in power—and submit.
Itachi understood this, too.
That's why, up until now, he hadn't used any illusions.
But after Amaterasu, his movements slowed.
His attacks grew weaker.
The difference between them…
Was becoming undeniable.
But even as exhaustion set in, Itachi clenched his teeth and pressed on.
"Two minutes… two minutes of invincibility… No, he has to have a limit."
Obito, watching the struggle, let out a bored sigh. His lone eye flickered with cold amusement.
"Surely, that's not all you've got?"
His tone darkened.
"Why don't you draw your blade? Just like before—when you slaughtered your own kin."
As he spoke, the other eye beneath his mask slowly opened.
A precaution.
If Itachi dared to use Tsukuyomi, Obito was prepared to activate Izanagi—sacrificing one of his Sharingan to rewrite reality and kill him on the spot.
Nagato and White Zetsu had already tested his patience.
If Itachi proved equally ungrateful, then he, too, would be discarded.
Another thirty seconds passed.
Yet unlike Obito, Itachi couldn't break through his defenses.
His attacks finally stopped. His chest rose and fell.
"I can't touch you right now."
The unspoken implication?
Neither can you touch me.
Obito smirked.
"Is it because your brother hasn't cemented his place as a hero yet? You're holding back, aren't you?"
His voice dripped with mockery.
The message was clear.
"I could kill you now and ruin your carefully laid-out plans. Or I could head straight for Konoha… and use my ability to kill Sasuke."
—Clang—
Chains slipped from Obito's cuffs, dragging against the ground.
"Of course, there's another option."
Obito took a step forward.
The chains rattled.
"I could just kill you right now and let your brother take your place. Training him would take a few extra years, but…"
He trailed off.
A few wasted years were nothing to him.
Itachi remained silent.
Watching.
Waiting.
Finally, Obito came to a halt and spoke in an icy tone.
"The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and the resurrected Fourth Hokage have arrived in the Land of Rain."
He let the words hang in the air before continuing.
"You're not needed there. Pain will handle it."
He turned slightly.
"Your orders: Go to the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire and capture Orochimaru. If you can't take him alive… kill him."
His voice grew sharp.
"I hope this defiance of yours was the last time. Next time, you won't be so lucky."
Then, as if finally acknowledging Kisame's presence, Obito shot him a brief glance.
Without another word, he activated Kamui and vanished into the swirling void.
At that moment—when Obito was at his closest, when his Kamui space was open—Itachi could have attacked.
Could have taken the gamble.
But he didn't.
There was no way out.
Kisame, finally breaking the silence, slung Samehada onto his back and grinned.
"Well then, Itachi-san. Shall we?"
Itachi said nothing.
He merely reached for the collar of his Akatsuki cloak and zipped it up.
—
Meanwhile, in Amegakure…
Nagato stared at the Rinnegan-infused puppet before him, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
"Naruto… you've really put me in a difficult position this time."
But then he exhaled slowly.
"Luckily, Konan already had Ajisai relocate the civilians in advance."
His gaze drifted toward the distance.
"So… Pain versus Minato-san?"
A pause.
"Uchiha Madara… or rather, Obito—he won't be able to resist stepping in, will he?"