After the domain vanished, everyone gathered back in the reception room.
"Hiss—" A collective gasp escaped the crowd. All eyes were glued to Obito's headless body sprawled on the ground.
"Dead... that's it?"
"A member of the Akatsuki... taken down that easily?"
"My God..."
Dead.
Dead!
Obito, the elusive Akatsuki member with those bizarre abilities, was defeated so effortlessly?
Unreal.
The man, Gojo... was outrageous!
The Kages looked awkward. As leaders of their respective villages, they had struggled to deal with Obito. And here was Gojo, defeating him in a matter of seconds.
The gap in ability was painfully clear.
Embarrassing didn't even begin to describe it.
Actually, it wasn't that the Five Kages were weak—it was just that Obito's abilities countered theirs. They didn't have as much intel as Gojo. Facing Obito for the first time, it was natural to struggle.
Gojo, on the other hand, casually dismissed their efforts. "Don't beat yourselves up. You've done your best. After all, you're just ordinary ninjas. You can't compare to someone like me."
His words were meant to be comforting, but the smirk tugging at his lips was anything but.
The room went silent. A few Kages clenched their fists, their faces twitching with barely suppressed rage.
Taunt people with a "pep talk"?
Infuriating.
Terumi Mei, wearing her signature smile, retorted sarcastically, "Of course. We ordinary ninjas could never compare to someone as extraordinary as you."
Gojo, never one to back down, pointed his lollipop at her bust and said with a grin, "Exactly. You may have big breasts and no brains, but at least you're self-aware."
The room froze.
"You... you perverted jerk!" Terumi Mei stumbled back, crossing her arms over her chest. Her face turned a deep shade of red, and her glare promised a painful revenge.
"Big breasts and no brains," she muttered under her breath, seething.
In that moment, she swore that one day, she'd pin Gojo down and smack him so hard his smugness would evaporate.
Onoki broke the tension by stepping forward, his gaze flicking between Obito's headless body and Gojo. "Good job, boy," he said gruffly.
Gojo gave him a lazy smile. With one hand, he steadied Tsunade, who was unconscious and leaning against him. She'd been on the verge of an emotional breakdown earlier, so he had casually knocked her out.
"As my trophy," Gojo announced, "I'll take the Sharingan." He crouched beside Obito's severed head, preparing to pluck out the prized eyes.
Suddenly, Obito's body flickered and turned transparent before vanishing completely, leaving no trace behind—not even the bloodstains.
"What just happened?"
Everyone stared at the empty spot where Obito's body had been. Even Gojo raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued.
With an amused smirk, he muttered, "Izanagi? Well, that's interesting."
Obito had used Izanagi to rewrite his death.
It seemed Gojo had underestimated him.
Izanagi, an advanced Sharingan technique, allowed its user to transform reality itself, rewriting fleeting events. It was a double-edged sword that came at the cost of the Sharingan's power.
When used well, it could turn the tide of battle. When used poorly... it was just an expensive bluff.
Kurotsuchi tilted her head in confusion. "Gojo, what's going on with Obito? What is Izanagi?"
Kurenai Yuhi chimed in, equally puzzled. "Is it some kind of Sharingan ability?"
Gojo let out a dramatic sigh. "Do I really have to explain everything? The facts are right in front of you. If you don't understand, it's probably because your brains are just for decoration."
The sharp jab left the two kunoichi fuming.
"Anyway," Gojo continued, "Izanagi can rewrite facts. So no, Obito isn't dead. But don't worry—he'll be out of commission for the next three months. Vegetable mode."
The crowd was left reeling.
Though Obito's survival was unsettling, Gojo's assurance that he'd be incapacitated for months offered some relief. Still, the threat of the Akatsuki loomed large.
Temari frowned. "But why did he pretend to be Uchiha Madara? Who is he really?"
Gojo waved dismissively. "Ugh, so many questions. Can't you just use your heads for once?"
Before anyone could respond, he scooped up the unconscious Tsunade like she was a sleepy kitten. "Come on, Red."
"Red?" Kurenai blinked in surprise, dangling limply in his grasp.
With a snap of his fingers, Gojo teleported away, leaving the room in stunned silence.
Onoki groaned, rubbing his lower back. "This old body can't handle this stress..."
The Five Kages pondered the Akatsuki's motives. The organization sought the Tailed Beasts to create Infinite Tsukuyomi, a world-altering genjutsu. But why Obito had masqueraded as Madara remained unclear.
Terumi Mei bit her lip, her chest tight with frustration. She couldn't shake the image of Gojo carrying Tsunade.
"That smug bastard..." she muttered, clenching her fists.
For the first time, she felt an unfamiliar pang in her chest—a mix of irritation and something she couldn't quite name.
"What's wrong?" Onoki asked, noticing her discomfort.
"Nothing!" she blurted, her face flushing.
Meanwhile, Kurotsuchi sulked in disappointment. "I forgot to ask for a autograph with him..."
Onoki raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"
"Nothing, Grandpa!" she said quickly, forcing an awkward laugh.
If Onoki knew she wanted an autograph with Gojo, he'd probably have a heart attack on the spot.