Obito knew very well that if these three masked figures in hooded Red Cloud outfits really belonged to Nagato's faction, then his position within the Akatsuki Organization would become awkward.
His cooperation with Nagato was fundamentally based on the condition that he could help Nagato collect the Tailed Beasts and revive the Ten-Tails. If Nagato could collect all Nine Tailed Beasts without his help, then the basis of their partnership would be undermined.
"What exactly is Nagato thinking? Why does he keep sending people to interfere with my plans?"
As his thoughts wandered, Obito's expression gradually turned grave beneath his mask.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
Just then, Itachi and Juzo Biwa appeared on the battlefield and took their place beside Obito.
Obito glanced sideways at Itachi, then withdrew his gaze with satisfaction.
In his eyes, this attempt to lure Sasuke away from Konoha had not been fruitless.
Though things had gone somewhat differently than he'd expected, he had confirmed how important Sasuke was to Itachi. He'd discovered that as long as he had Sasuke as leverage, Itachi would have no choice but to obediently stand on his side.
With Itachi and Juzo Biwa joining them, Obito's side had gone from three people to five.
On Shinji's side.
He studied the five people lined up opposite him—Juzo Biwa, Itachi, Obito, Moryo, and Shinnō—while analyzing the situation.
"Sasuke was lured out of the village by Shinnō, and Shinnō and Moryo are clearly extra help Obito recruited. That means Obito must have orchestrated Sasuke's departure from the village. But why did he do it? And why is Itachi standing with him?"
In the original timeline, Obito and Itachi had been partners who both cooperated with and kept watch over each other.
Shinji believed that hadn't changed much in this timeline, so he could guess why