Chapter 71: The Masked Confrontation

More than half a month had passed.

At the heart of the Land of Rain, a new set of Six Paths of Pain had been created. Despite that, it is still the original Deva Path who is guarding this place.

A swirling black vortex appeared behind him, and moments later, Uchiha Obito stepped out.

"Long time no see, Madara. I assume you didn't track down that shinobi again," Deva Path said, looking at Obito. His eyes, devoid of emotion, made it impossible to gauge his thoughts.

Perhaps that was one of the advantages of puppets.

However, Obito wasn't one to be outdone when it came to maintaining a mysterious facade. Deva Path might have his lifeless, impassive face, but Obito had his swirling vortex mask—each concealing their thoughts equally well.

"He can't hide forever. Sooner or later, I'll make him join the organization," Obito replied coldly. "I'm not giving up that piece so easily."

"Too late. I encountered him half a month ago," Deva Path replied without a hint of emotion.

Obito's eye widened. "What? He came to Amegakure?"

Since Nagato rarely left the village due to his condition, it was only natural that if the shinobi had confronted him, he must have traveled to the Land of Rain himself.

"Did you kill him?" Obito asked his tone low.

"Of course not. He has considerable strength, and the Akatsuki could use more capable members. He's a bounty-seeking shinobi with a grudge against Konoha, so recruiting him was the best choice," Deva Path explained.

Obito went silent, a twinge of irritation surfacing. He had been watching that shinobi for some time but had failed to pinpoint his location. Now, Nagato had managed to secure him first.

Although both served in the Akatsuki, Nagato and Obito had a subtle rivalry, each keeping a watchful eye on the other. As a result, the Akatsuki organization had split into two factions beneath the surface.

Since the shinobi had joined at Nagato's invitation, he clearly aligned with Nagato's faction.

In terms of accomplishments, the record of this mysterious shinobi in Konoha nearly matched Obito's. Obito's ability to release the Nine-Tails had been primarily due to Uchiha Madara's summoning contract with the tailed beast; without it, the formidable Uchiha clan head with the Mangekyō Sharingan would have posed a significant threat to him. Obito's single Mangekyō eye could hardly match Madara's power, and in that event, the Nine-Tails might easily have slipped from his control.

Obito's impact on Konoha had been partially successful, a series of favorable circumstances stacking up in his favor. However, his battle against the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had ended in defeat.

Had it not been for the Nine-Tails' rampage, Obito might not have survived that night.

This mysterious shinobi, however, infiltrated Konoha amidst the chaos, taking on and defeating every high-ranking ninja available. Unlike Obito's, his achievements were indisputably solid.

To Obito's greater unease, Zetsu's reconnaissance had revealed that the shinobi's Dark Release technique included spatial attributes, an unsettling discovery for someone as dependent on spatial manipulation as Obito.

Perhaps most worrying was that Kakashi's Kamui Sharingan was in this shinobi's possession. It could mean serious trouble for Obito if he discovers the eye's significance.

Yet the damage was done, and Obito resigned himself to the situation. On the bright side, at least he would no longer need to confront this shinobi to evaluate his strength directly.

Obito's Kamui was one of the most formidable Mangekyō techniques. It was incredibly elusive to ordinary shinobi, but those with spatial abilities could more readily discern its secrets.

If the mystery behind Kamui were uncovered, its potency would diminish considerably. Despite the aura of fear it generated, Obito's actual power level was average among the Kage-level ninjas. If this shinobi exposed him, Obito's "Madara" persona would be stripped of its mystique.

"The last time you went to Konoha, the attempt to subdue the Nine-Tails failed. Clearly, the Five Great Shinobi Villages are well-prepared," Deva Path continued, his tone unchanging. "In light of that, I intend to focus on developing the Akatsuki. Have any of your White Zetsu spies gathered information on other S-rank missing-nin?"

Obito frowned, instinctively wary of Nagato expanding his influence. "Leave the recruitment of those S-rank defectors to me. Your condition makes extensive travel difficult."

Deva Path looked coldly at Obito as though peering straight through him. "What are you afraid of, Uchiha Madara? It seems age has truly caught up with you."

Obito almost muttered a curse, his patience waning. Dealing with Nagato's inflated ego was exhausting. Fortunately, Deva Path dismissed him with a wave, ending the conversation and signaling Obito to leave.

"Do you genuinely believe you're a god? Am I supposed to act like your subordinate?" Obito muttered under his breath as he walked out.

Still, he couldn't deny the reality. Without Nagato's physical limitations, Obito knew that a direct fight would only result in him being thoroughly defeated by the power of the Rinnegan. This strength was the reason why Uzumaki Nagato could control the Akatsuki.

Kamui might be a rare, versatile technique, but its threat diminished once its limitations were exposed. Hence, Obito had no choice but to operate from the shadows.

However, as he neared the exit, he noticed a tall shinobi waiting just outside. The man stood with arms crossed, dressed in black with a dark mask obscuring his face, leaning casually against the wall as though expecting him.

The masked man's gaze was sharp, sweeping over Obito before he spoke coldly, "You're Uchiha Madara, right? Were you the one responsible for Konoha's Nine-Tails Incident?"

Recognizing the attire, Obito quickly realized who this shinobi was. The attitude and indifferent tone was a taunt; Obito could feel it. His irritation simmered.

What frustrated him further was that he wasn't Uchiha Madara and the shinobi's words had landed all too close to home.

"Hmph, what's the matter, child? You don't believe me?" Swallowing his frustration, Obito donned an enigmatic tone, still keeping up the Madara act.

"Honestly, no. I find it hard to believe someone who hides behind a mask would be Uchiha Madara."

Without warning, the shinobi lunged forward, his punch slicing through the air like a lightning bolt aimed at Obito.

Obito phased in time, letting the punch pass harmlessly through him, though it left a sizable crater in the wall behind him.

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