Chapter 163: Vicious Scheme — A New Hope!
Seeing Oborotsuki vanish once again, Black Zetsu (combined form), Obito, the Deva Path, and the others immediately became highly vigilant.
Everyone's eyes scanned the surroundings intensely, on full guard—afraid that they would be the next target of attack.
"Cough cough…"
Kakuzu, who had been kicked flying and smashed into the cave wall, finally crawled out from the pile of rubble.
His body was covered in wounds, his chest caved in.
One of his hearts had also been shattered by Oborotsuki's earlier attack—fortunately, four remained.
"This kid's power… has indeed grown a lot again…"
"His speed is so fast I couldn't even react—cough! Cough…"
As he spoke, Kakuzu spat out two more mouthfuls of clotted blood. His expression was dejected, his heart filled with lingering fear.
"He seems to have escaped…"
Black Zetsu waited for a long time but saw no further sign of Oborotsuki attacking. He couldn't help but speculate.
"Escaped?"
Obito muttered to himself. Suddenly his pupils contracted sharply: "This is bad!"
He realized Oborotsuki hadn't escaped at all.
The mysterious, meaningful smile on Oborotsuki's face right before he disappeared flashed through Obito's mind. A very ominous thought appeared in his head.
Without another word, Obito activated Kamui and entered his own different dimension.
Once inside, Obito quickly scanned the area. He activated chakra sensing—but besides his own presence, he couldn't detect even a single hair from the Eight-Tails.
His heart shook violently. His whole body felt ice-cold—as though he were running naked down the street under countless staring eyes.
Furious and shocked, Obito suddenly raised his hand and unleashed Wood Release toward the massive sphere in front of him.
BOOM!
With a deafening roar, the gigantic Chibaku Tensei sphere shattered under his attack. Countless fragments flew everywhere—but sure enough, there was nothing inside.
Hōzuki Oborotsuki was not there at all!
"This guy…"
Obito completely believed his own judgment.
His Kamui had indeed been cracked by the opponent! Hōzuki Oborotsuki could now freely come and go between Obito's Kamui different dimension and the real world—without Obito even knowing!
Realizing this, Obito's hair stood on end once again. His scalp tightened.
"If that kid can really move freely inside my Kamui dimension… it means that from now on, I will have no secrets and no advantage in front of him…"
"Who exactly is that guy?"
Obito felt ice-cold all over, his back chilled repeatedly.
With a grim face, he activated Kamui and left the different dimension, returning outside.
The Deva Path and the others saw him reappear and immediately looked over with questioning eyes.
Obito spoke in a deep voice and explained:
"That guy cracked my technique and took the Eight-Tails away."
Hearing this news, every member present was stunned speechless.
"Even you… can no longer defeat that kid?"
There was a trace of astonishment in the Deva Path's tone.
Obito didn't respond. Instead, Black Zetsu beside him panicked first:
"What do we do now?"
"We only have two tailed beasts in hand right now. The rest are most likely all in Kirigakure's possession."
His words made his intention very clear.
He wanted Obito to make up his mind to attack Kirigakure.
However, the earlier incident still left Obito deeply shaken and extremely wary.
Hōzuki Oborotsuki had seen through his technique and cracked Kamui—he could now freely enter and exit Obito's different dimension.
And the Kamui dimension was Obito's greatest reliance.
When he used Kamui to make his body intangible, his real body was hidden inside that dimension.
If the opponent entered the dimension and attacked his real body during that time… the consequences would be unthinkable!
The next time he faced Hōzuki Oborotsuki, it would probably be a nine-deaths-and-one-life situation…
While Obito remained silent, the other half of the combined Black Zetsu—White Zetsu—suddenly spoke up.
"My spore spies deployed in various places have made new discoveries. You might be very interested in this information…"
White Zetsu looked playfully at everyone and smiled.
"What information?"
"Stop beating around the bush—just say it!"
Black Zetsu ordered impatiently.
"Ahh, don't be so fierce~ That's just how I talk, you know…"
"Here's the thing: Kumogakure mistakenly believes that Hōzuki Oborotsuki is the one who took the Eight-Tails. Right now, the Fourth Raikage is putting pressure on Kirigakure—threatening war if they don't hand over the Eight-Tails."
"Also… hehe…"
White Zetsu gave Obito a meaningful look: "Konoha has discovered that Hōzuki Oborotsuki possesses the Sharingan."
"Now Konoha and Sunagakure have joined forces and determined that this kid is the mastermind who used the Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha and the One-Tail to attack Sunagakure."
"These two ninja villages have already begun jointly holding Kirigakure accountable."
"Counting Kumogakure—that makes three ninja villages threatening war against Kirigakure…"
When White Zetsu said this, Black Zetsu's eyes lit up.
Obito's eyes also flashed with sharp light—he had thought of something.
"The Four-Tails and Five-Tails are also in Kirigakure's hands. If we pass this information to the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki, then four out of the five great ninja nations will join forces against the Land of Water's Kirigakure!"
"Hmph…"
"Hōzuki Oborotsuki, despite all your scheming, in the end you've only made yourself countless enemies!"
"This time I'd like to see what waves you can still stir up!"
Obito spoke, his tone suddenly relaxed and confident.
"Next—we guide those four ninja villages to attack Kirigakure at the same time!"
"By using their power to pin down Kirigakure, we can take the opportunity to reclaim the remaining tailed beasts!"
"The Gedo Statue must be kept safe—absolutely do not let that kid find it again!"
Obito looked up at the Deva Path and instructed.
"Don't worry."
"I've already returned it to its original location."
"That kid will never be able to find where the Gedo Statue is."
The Deva Path replied with absolute confidence.
Hearing this, Obito turned to Black Zetsu: "Take action. Leak the information to Iwagakure."
"Also—immediately begin intelligence operations targeting Kirigakure. I want to know every single thing that happens there!"
Black Zetsu's eyes also flickered. Hope reignited in his heart.
"Understood!"
Without another word, he and White Zetsu quickly sank into the earth and began intelligence reconnaissance operations.
"Then shall we also set off for Kirigakure?"
Kakuzu looked at the Deva Path and Obito and asked.
"On the way, maybe I can find some suitable candidates to replenish my hearts."
He spoke while glancing down at his own caved-in chest.
Deep wariness flickered in his eyes—along with extremely strong hatred.
Hōzuki Oborotsuki—this man had now been added to his personal kill list!
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