"Is he with Nagato? Or should we wait until he's alone to strike?" Akira made his decision.
Yes, Akira had resolved to launch a sneak attack when Obito was isolated, aiming to finish him off in one decisive blow. According to Minato, Obito had already sustained severe injuries and was weakened. After such an intense battle, he would certainly let his guard down, creating the perfect opening Akira had been waiting for.
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rain, a heavily injured Obito emerged from the Kamui dimension with an equally wounded Nagato. Despite the fact that they had both transplanted cells from Hashirama Senju, greatly enhancing their healing abilities, their injuries were too severe to be fully mended, even with Hashirama's regenerative powers.
Most of the force behind Might Duy's kick had been blocked, but the remaining shock was still substantial. Moreover, Minato's attack had been a lethal strike aimed directly at Obito's life. Though Obito had meticulously prepared for the battle, he had still sustained near-fatal wounds. Nonetheless, his healing was stronger than Nagato's, thanks to the half of his body infused with Hashirama's cells, along with his unique biological armor, Zetsu.
So, not only were Obito and Nagato gravely injured, but even Zetsu, the special white being, was also badly damaged.
"Madara, are you all right?" Nagato asked, pale and concerned, as he looked at Obito. From Nagato's perspective, Obito had risked himself to save him. If not for that, Obito wouldn't have been so grievously injured.
Underneath his mask, Obito's face was slightly pale, but he felt oddly pleased. Judging by how things stood, Nagato had fully submitted to him, Minato was as good as dead, and their assault on Konoha had been a resounding success.
"My battle with Hashirama left me in a worse state than this. These injuries won't kill me. I'll recover after some rest," Obito said confidently.
Nagato sighed in relief and replied, "Thank you for saving my life."
"It's nothing," Obito replied, shaking his head slightly. "You're the reincarnation of the Sage of Six Paths, destined to be the savior who will bring peace to this world. Saving you was the right thing to do."
Seeing Nagato's look of gratitude, Obito smirked under his mask. He knew Nagato's trust in him was solidifying.
Nagato coughed, blood seeping from his mouth, and spoke weakly, "I still lack strength, or I wouldn't be in this condition."
"You're young, there's no need to rush. Once you've fully mastered the Rinnegan, you'll surpass even Hashirama, becoming a god walking the earth," Obito assured him.
"I'll strive toward that goal!" Nagato replied earnestly.
Obito then began coughing, which startled Nagato. Obito's wounds appeared severe—his body was split open in places, and Nagato suspected it was being held together by little more than sheer will.
"Nagato, I need to tend to my wounds. Your medics aren't quite up to the task, so I'll handle it myself. In the meantime, keep an eye on things here, and make sure Konan stays vigilant," Obito instructed.
"Understood." Nagato nodded solemnly.
A moment later, Obito vanished from Nagato's sight.
Not long after he left, Konan rushed in from the darkness of the cave, her face filled with shock at the sight of Nagato's condition.
"Nagato, what happened? Didn't Madara say this plan was foolproof?"
"Konan," Nagato responded, shaking his head weakly. "If Madara hadn't sacrificed himself to save me, I'd likely be dead by the Fourth Hokage's hand right now."
"He sacrificed himself for you?" Konan asked, skeptical, as though she hadn't heard him right.
"Madara might not be as heartless as we thought," Nagato said softly, recounting the events in Konoha to Konan.
After listening, Konan frowned, unconvinced. She couldn't easily believe Madara would act so selflessly.
Sensing her doubt, Nagato spoke gently, "Konan, maybe time will reveal Madara's true nature. We might understand him better as things unfold."
"Maybe," Konan replied, not wanting to argue. "For now, though, focus on healing. Your injuries are severe, you shouldn't delay any longer."
"I'll be fine," Nagato insisted, shaking his head. "With the cells of the First Hokage, my regeneration is vastly enhanced. These wounds aren't fatal."
Konan shot him a look of disapproval. "You call this fine? Look at yourself. Go let the medics tend to you."
Sighing in resignation, Nagato finally relented, "All right, all right, I'll go."
Elsewhere, Obito appeared in a dark cave. Now separated from Zetsu, both of them bore identical injuries. Unlike Obito, however, Zetsu showed no signs of discomfort and remained as lively as ever.
Zetsu cocked his head, allowing his torn shoulder to dangle loosely, and watched Obito as he tended to his wounds.
"Hey, Obito, does being hurt feel like… needing to go to the bathroom?"
Despite his lack of skill in medical ninjutsu, Obito had some knowledge, enough to treat his own injuries. Annoyed by Zetsu's chatter as he worked, Obito snapped,
"Shut up, Zetsu, or I'll turn you into… waste."
"Uh-oh, Obito's mad," Zetsu yelped, jumping back with a mock look of fear. "Scary! Fine, fine, I'll go bother little Black Zetsu instead."
"Good. Now get lost," Obito growled, clearly irritated.
Watching Zetsu leave, Obito didn't worry at all about his companion's survival. Zetsu was unique, a lifeform birthed by the God Tree itself, with a healing ability surpassing even Hashirama's. Within a few days, his wounds would heal on their own, without the need for any treatment.
"Whatever," Obito muttered, "I'll go to the Kamui dimension to finish healing, away from Zetsu's…"
Just as Obito activated Kamui, a faint, misty white glow caught his attention.
"Spirit Transformation Technique!"
The thought barely formed in his mind when the blurry white light penetrated his body with a speed too swift to react to!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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