[Minato Namikaze: “Wait…
the video isn’t over yet.”]
The video continued.
In the dimly lit cavern, countless White Zetsu bodies lay scattered across the ground.
An elderly man sat motionless in a stone chair, looking as though he were on his last breath.
The scene shifted again.
Obito lay on a crude bed.
His entire right arm was gone, replaced by a limb reconstructed from White Zetsu cells.
He slowly raised his head and looked at the two strange figures standing before him, lost in thought.
“How are you feeling?”
Tobi asked curiously.
“Terrible.”
Obito struggled to prop himself up with one arm and climbed out of bed.
“How long have I been here?”
“It feels like forever.”
He looked at the pair hesitantly.
To be more precise…
They could hardly be called human.
They were monsters.
“Relax, we won’t charge you rent,” Zetsu joked.
“We were born from the forbidden Statue.
We don’t need to eat, so there’s no food bill.
And we don’t even need to use the bathroom.”
Tobi chimed in with a raspy laugh that sent chills down Obito’s spine.
“Don’t compare me to you two.”
“I’m only stuck with this weird thing on the right side of my body.”
Obito gritted his teeth as he touched the reconstructed half of his body.
“You should be grateful.”
“If it weren’t for those cells, you’d have died without food or water long ago.”
Zetsu smirked.
“Exactly.”
“I don’t want to be compared to you either.”
“You’re an emotionless artificial lifeform.”
“We’re artificial humans.”
Tobi tapped his head proudly.
“We have feelings.”
“And I have a better sense of humor, a larger vocabulary, and I’m smarter than him.”
He struck several ridiculous poses as he spoke.
“Would you shut up already?!”
Obito shouted in frustration.
“Then tell me—how exactly are you two supposed to be superior to me?”
The two exchanged glances before answering in perfect unison.
“Because…”
“We’re here to keep an eye on you.”
[A (Third Raikage): “These two look like a pair of clowns…”]
[Tobirama Senju: “That’s not the important part.
The important part is that Obito is actually alive!!”]
[Hashirama Senju: “Then that means…”]
[Hatake Kakashi: “Obito…
you’re really alive?!”]
Konoha
Inside a messy room—
Kakashi stared at the chat.
His pupils shrank.
Then he began typing frantically, completely ignoring the deeper implications of Obito’s survival.
[Minato Namikaze: “Obito…
don’t you owe us an explanation?”]
[Uchiha Obito: “…”]
[Hatake Kakashi: “Sensei, what do you mean?
Isn’t it a good thing that Obito’s alive…?”]
[Minato Namikaze: “My thoughts are a mess right now.
Let’s keep watching.”]
[Mei Terumī: “I have a feeling Konoha’s about to gain another missing-nin…”]
[Nagato Uzumaki: “Hmph.
Such is the hypocrisy of the shinobi world.”]
[Deidara: “Whoa, who’s this scrawny guy upstairs?
Hmm!”]
[Konan: “Deidara, shut up!!”]
[Itachi Uchiha: “Let’s continue watching the video.”]
The video continued.
“You two actually answered at the same time.”
“You’re driving me crazy.”
Obito rolled his eyes.
“We’re helping you recover because Madara ordered us to restore your body before he wakes up.”
White Zetsu said teasingly.
Obito clicked his tongue and looked toward the elderly man seated in the distance.
“So he sends two loudmouthed puppets to watch me…”
“…while he sleeps all day.”
He glanced disdainfully at the motionless old man.
The cave was dark and oppressive.
Countless tunnels stretched into the darkness.
It was no place for a human being.
Everything about it felt eerie.
[Hashirama Senju: “That old man…
why does he look so familiar?”]
[Tobirama Senju: “Could he be another one of those damned Uchiha?”]
[Uchiha Izuna: “Tobirama, are you sick or something?
Stop blaming everything on the Uchiha.”]
[Tobirama Senju: “Hmph.
My instincts are never wrong.”]
The video continued.
“I have to escape.”
“I have to find Rin and Kakashi.”
Obito stared at his hand, determination filling his eyes.
“Where’s the exit?”
he demanded.
“There isn’t one.”
“After bringing you here, Madara ordered us to seal the entrance with a massive boulder.”
Tobi answered cheerfully.
“He sealed it completely?!”
Obito’s eyes widened as he looked at the gigantic rock blocking the only exit.
“By the way…”
“You kept mumbling ‘Rin, Rin, Rin’ in your sleep.”
“Were you dreaming about collecting bells?”
Zetsu asked curiously.
Obito’s face immediately turned bright red.
A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.
“You also kept saying ‘Idiot!
Idiot!
Idiot!'”
“And something about ‘Idiot Kakashi.'”
Zetsu muttered to himself.
“Yeah!”
“I remember hearing that too.”
Tobi nodded enthusiastically.
“‘Idiot Kakashi?'”
“What does that even mean?”
Zetsu asked in confusion.
“No idea.”
“Why don’t you ask him?”
Tobi pointed toward Obito.
Obito’s face grew even redder.
“…Did I really say that?”
The two continued chattering.
Rather than a conversation, it sounded like a series of bizarre noises.
“So…”
“Can I ask you something?”
Tobi raised his hand innocently.
“Go ahead.”
Obito looked at him curiously.
“I mean…”
“What’s it feel like to need to poop?”
“Can you describe it?”
Tobi leaned closer with genuine curiosity.
Obito froze.
“I thought you were going to ask about ‘Idiot Kakashi!'”
“Why are you so obsessed with that?!”
“Do you have to get so angry?”
“Fine.”
“Then next time I’ll ask about Rin…”
“…and Idiot Kakashi.”
Zetsu sighed helplessly.
“And especially you…”
“You spiral-headed weirdo.”
“I really don’t like you.”
Obito folded his arms.
“By the way…”
“Where did all the other white guys go?”
“They’re all outside gathering intelligence.”
Zetsu scratched his head with a grin.
“You can leave this place?”
Obito asked in surprise.
“Of course.”
“We can travel through the earth.”
Tobi answered matter-of-factly.
[Tobirama Senju: “Hmph.
I’ve figured it out.
There’s only one truth!
If I’m not mistaken…
that old man is Madara Uchiha!”]
[Hashirama Senju: “Madara?!
Little brother, you’ve got to be joking.
I remember it clearly—I pierced Madara straight through the chest.
There’s no way he could still be alive…”]
[Tobirama Senju: “Brother, you’re too naïve.
Madara must have survived.
My guess is that he used some kind of genjutsu to deceive you!”]
[Ōnoki: “What the hell?!
Madara Uchiha is still alive?!!”]
Iwagakure
Watching the video, Ōnoki couldn’t help blurting out a curse.