The alternate dimension was a sea of grayish white, so quiet that only the two men's faint breathing could be heard.
Obito did not speak immediately.
He stood where he was, the Mangekyō Sharingan in both eyes slowly spinning, yet he could no longer activate any spatial power.
The shock of being forcibly dragged here still lingered in his heart, and Manji's measured analysis had pierced his once-unshakable plan like a series of fine needles.
(Cooperate... or resist?)
Obito rapidly weighed his options.
(If I resist, I can't even use Kamui right now. This man dragged me into an alternate dimension with a casual wave of his hand and suppressed my Dual Kamui outright. His strength is unfathomable. He's far beyond anything I can handle right now.)
(He took Black Zetsu away so easily, too. If he really wanted to kill me, he probably would have done it already.)
(But if I cooperate... that means forcing myself back into the framework of the original story, watching the tragedies that are supposed to happen unfold, watching myself slowly turn into that madman consumed by hatred...)
Obito's fingers tightened slightly.
(No, he just said the overall direction can't change, not that everything has to be exactly the same. I can be smarter, avoid unnecessary detours, and even protect the people I truly care about at certain points.)
(At least... I need to survive first and truly secure that power for myself. Once I'm strong enough that even he can't suppress me so easily, it won't be too late to reconsider.)
He drew a deep breath and buried the last trace of resentment in his heart.
Finally, he raised his head and looked at Manji, his voice calm but tinged with weary resignation.
"I'll cooperate."
In the end, Obito chose to cooperate.
Manji