As soon as Obito and Madara's figures disappeared from sight, Kabuto began laughing, his shoulders trembling. "Truly Madara Uchiha! I'm getting more and more excited about this partnership!"
Seeing Madara free himself from the Impure World Reincarnation control, Itachi's thoughts drifted. "If Shisui's eyes haven't already been used, maybe they could still work on me!"
At this moment, Deidara continued the previous conversation. "By the way, Pain, who exactly was the one that defeated you so thoroughly?"
Nagato's expression turned serious. "I don't recognize him at all, and he's never appeared in Akatsuki's intelligence network. He appeared out of nowhere, like a savior sent to save Konoha!"
Though slightly surprised, after witnessing Obito's transformation, the group wasn't overly shocked.
After all, if their own Akatsuki organization could suddenly have a hidden mastermind, then it wasn't hard to believe that a few more mysterious strong individuals could emerge in the ninja world.
However, what Kabuto said next made their expressions shift completely.
"I don't recognize that man, but someone standing at his side—someone who even possesses three Kekkei Genkai and Wood Release—bears some resemblance to someone in my memory."
"The man I remember was a discarded pawn of Orochimaru, used as a test subject for Cursed Seals and drugs. After the experiments began, his body quickly withered and aged until death!"
"Since I was the one conducting those experiments, I remember him clearly."
"That man's power is indeed strong!" Nagato recalled and added, then asked, "But maybe just their faces are similar?"
Kabuto licked his lips and smiled. "If it were only facial similarity, I wouldn't have specifically mentioned it. The key point is, their names are exactly the same!"
Everyone's pupils shrank. No one spoke again, each lost in their own suspicions.
...
Standing in front of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, Madara folded his arms, his expression cold. "It seems many things have changed since my death. You will explain each of these changes to me in detail!"
Obito spoke, "The biggest change before this was the unpredictable Uzumaki Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki of this era!"
"Multiple Akatsuki operations were sabotaged by him or people connected to him, causing our plans to fall behind and forcing us to achieve our goals through war!"
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?" Madara sneered. "Hmph, just a little fox. Not a big issue."
Obito continued, "Then there's the recently emerged man named Seiki Shimaseki, mysteriously powerful—like a ghost emerging from the fog!"
"He easily defeated Nagato, and somehow learned about Rinnegan, forcing Nagato to use [Gedo: Saibaiman] to resurrect the ninja killed during the invasion of Konoha!"
"Defeated Nagato?" Madara asked, frowning. "Did he take the Rinnegan?"
Obito slightly shook his head. "No, he had Konan carry away Nagato's complete corpse."
Hearing the Rinnegan was safe, Madara relaxed. "Not a big issue. What else?"
Obito smiled slightly. "And...I exchanged eyes with a mysterious existence..."
"Trading eyes isn't a big deal... Wait, what did you say? Whose eyes?" Madara asked, chasing after the information.
"I wish I could offer my own eyes, but unfortunately, that being isn't interested!"
Obito calmly removed his mask. The strange Rinnegan in his left eye, resembling a wheel, unsettled Madara.
Where did I get my eyes?
Obito, under Aizen's Genjutsu, felt no sense of alarm, while Madara's will remained crystal clear.
The sudden emergence of the Rinnegan sent a chill down his spine—as if some colossal, unseen force was pulling the strings from the shadows!
"This is a huge problem!" Madara growled through clenched teeth. "What exactly is going on?"
Obito calmly met his gaze. "Your eyes have a hidden backdoor. The space where the Conjuration took place is actually under the control of a mysterious entity. I accidentally discovered his presence and reached a cooperative agreement with him to exchange Rinnegans."
Madara fell silent, absorbing the massive information contained in Obito's words. After a long pause, he finally asked, "Given your strength, how could you possibly strike a deal with someone who wields the Rinnegan?"
Obito hesitated slightly before answering, "His condition wasn't good. It seemed like he was hiding from something and didn't want to provoke me."
Madara narrowed his eyes, for the first time sensing that the waters of the ninja world ran deeper than he had imagined.
Obito continued, "The Rinnegan is just part of the plan. Once I become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, even if he does have ulterior motives, nothing will be able to change the final outcome!"
Madara's pupils constricted slightly—Obito seemed to be implying that he intended to make Madara himself the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki!
"Hmph, trying to break free from my control?" Madara's lips curled upward slightly. "You're absolutely right—I'll help you capture the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails!"
Obito nodded. "It's even better that you're willing to get personally involved!"
With that, he turned and walked away.
Madara stood staring in the direction Obito had vanished, silent for a long moment before stepping into a shadowed corner. "Black Zetsu!"
Black Zetsu emerged from the ground. "Lord Madara, welcome back!"
Madara asked gravely, "What do you know about Obito's eyes?"
Lowering his voice, Black Zetsu responded, "Because the negotiations took place within the space controlled by that mysterious entity, I couldn't enter. But judging from Obito's subsequent behavior, it seems he wasn't lying."
After a moment of silence, Madara suddenly laughed. "At first, I thought this revival would only bring the thrill of battling Hashirama. Now it seems I'll finally be able to feel that exhilaration again!"
"Alright then, let's see who gets the last laugh?"
...
With the joint support of the Five Great Hidden Villages, the entire shinobi world began operating like a high-speed war machine!
The news of the Fourth Great Ninja War spread rapidly throughout the shinobi world, and nearly every ninja began preparing for war with a sense of urgency.
Suddenly, prices for Explosive Tags, Military Rations Pills, and Blood Increasing Pills skyrocketed—yet still couldn't meet demand!
In front of Tenten's Supply Shop in Konoha, many ninjas gathered, protesting and complaining.
"Where are the Explosive Tags? I've searched high and low, and I can't find a single one for sale!"
"Just who the hell is hoarding all the Explosive Tags like that?!"
Just as the shop assistants were trying to calm everyone down, Tenten rushed in carrying a huge scroll.
"Everyone, stop arguing! Although we've run out of Explosive Tags, I've just gotten my hands on something even better!"
Hearing that, the crowd finally quieted down, though everyone started talking at once.
"Something better than Explosive Tags? Could it be a Super Explosive Tag?"
"I heard that the bomb-crazy guy from the Akatsuki organization used to be from Iwagakure. Could this be one of his creations?"
"Everyone, just listen to what Tenten the shop owner has to say!"
Tenten laid the scroll on the ground, formed a mudra, and instantly countless small scrolls appeared, filling up the entire general store.
"Ding ding ding! And the answer is... the Ultimate Deluxe Honor Edition Medical Scroll!"
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