Cooperation

Within the Ame-no-Iwato space, the ink-thick darkness was boundless, as if it hungered to swallow everything whole.

The silence here was terrifying, devoid of the slightest sound; time itself seemed to have lost all meaning.

It was unknown how much time had passed when a low, leisurely voice finally resonated through the dead, stagnant darkness:

"It seems your technique cannot harm me. Perhaps now we can have a proper talk."

The voice echoed through the void, carrying a faint, lingering reverberation.

Uchiha Shisui remained hidden deep within the gloom, his figure merged with the darkness, making him nearly impossible to track.

Previously, he had launched an assault against Obito.

However, Obito had kept his Kamui active the entire time; that spatial ability caused Shisui's attacks to miss again and again, as if striking at intangible air, failing to inflict any substantial damage whatsoever.

Hearing Obito's voice, Uchiha Shisui frowned slightly and replied in a steady tone: "I am well aware of your weakness, but since you do not wish to fight, we can talk."

Upon hearing this, a surge of disdain rose in Obito's heart. He mused to himself that, aside from Madara and Black Zetsu, it was impossible for anyone to know the secret behind his Kamui.

He curled his lip in the darkness, though he couldn't be bothered to argue the point with Uchiha Shisui.

He adjusted his state of mind and, addressing the unknown corner of the darkness, spoke in a tone dripping with seduction:

"The fact that you have awakened the Mangekyo means you, too, have lost someone important. This world is full of pain; reality is too cruel, filled with war and strife everywhere. People live in the depths of misery.

Therefore, I intend to create a world without pain or war. In that place, everyone will be able to live in peace and contentment, and smiles will return to every face.

Your power is formidable. Join me, and together we shall create a beautiful, peaceful world. What do you say?"

Obito's voice grew increasingly impassioned, as if he could already see the shape of that ideal world.

Uchiha Shisui knew clearly that the world Obito obsessed over creating was, in plain terms, a world of illusion constructed by casting the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Yet, since Obito had extended this olive branch, how could he let it go to waste? He calculated in his heart that he must make good use of this to achieve his own ends.

Thinking of this, Uchiha Shisui's lips curled into an imperceptible, cold smirk, and he immediately feigned a sincere expression:

"Very well. My dream has always been to bring peace to the Shinobi World. For so many years, I have been striving for this. Now that I have found a fellow traveler, I feel I am one step closer to the goal."

When Obito heard Uchiha Shisui's reply, the heart that had been hanging in his chest finally settled, and he felt a secret sense of relief.

He recalled back at the Ninja Academy hearing that Uchiha Shisui harbored a dream of bringing peace to the Shinobi World. At the time, he had only thought the idea too naive and childish.

Yet now, this dream he once dismissed as naive had become the key to winning Uchiha Shisui over.

Being able to persuade Uchiha Shisui to join him was within the scope of his plans; after all, Uchiha Shisui's strength was undeniable. With his help, he would have much more certainty in realizing his ambitions.

"In that case, we are comrades from now on."

Obito continued, his tone carrying a hint of joy, "Now, release your ocular technique. Once we are out, I will consolidate the Akatsuki, and we shall proceed according to my plan. As long as we are together, that world without pain or war will soon be realized."

Upon hearing Obito's voice, Uchiha Shisui did not hesitate in the slightest; he immediately channeled his chakra and released the ocular technique.

In an instant, the ink-thick darkness surrounding them receded like a receding tide, and everything previously obscured by the gloom returned to view.

Immediately following, the pitter-patter of rain became clearly audible once more. Raindrops struck the ground, splashing into layers of water that, mixed with the stench of blood permeating the air, made this world—which had just endured a fierce battle—appear even more dilapidated.

As the two stepped out of that mysterious space, the surroundings were in utter shambles.

The air was thick with the pungent scent of blood, and the rain washed over the ground, yet it could never cleanse the heavy crimson stains.

The moment Uchiha Shisui—no, Uchiha Obito—emerged, his expression turned instantly vigilant.

He knew well that Nagato was the most important piece in his plan. If it were discovered that he had appeared here, everything he had meticulously plotted would fall to ruin.

Without a moment's hesitation, the Sharingan in his eyes swirled, and he instantly activated Kamui.

Accompanied by a distortion in space, his figure gradually turned intangible, vanishing in the blink of an eye from this battlefield filled with slaughter, leaving behind only wisps of spatial ripples that had not yet fully dissipated to prove he had ever been there.

Uchiha Shisui gazed in the direction where Obito had departed, his face calm and unruffled; he said nothing.

He knew clearly that Obito only wanted to use his power to pave the way for his own desires.

But how could he be a pawn to be manipulated? In Uchiha Shisui's eyes, Obito was likewise a vital link in achieving his own goals. With both harboring their own secret agendas, this "cooperation" of mutual exploitation had quietly begun.

Uchiha Shisui turned slowly, his gaze sweeping over the corpses strewn about.

These bodies were either mangled or bore hideous expressions, and the rain flowed along their wounds, mixing with blood to gather into dark red streams on the ground.

He frowned slightly, gaining a deeper understanding of the brutality of this battle, while also unable to help but wonder what kind of heart-stopping slaughter had occurred here before he emerged.

When he raised his eyes to look into the distance, two figures came into view.

Although the distance was great, relying on his keen perception and unique eyesight, he recognized them at a glance as Nagato and Konan.

Watching Nagato, who appeared somewhat frail and increasingly gaunt, Uchiha Shisui couldn't help but feel a sense of realization, murmuring in a low voice: "Even with me, a variable, interfering, Nagato ultimately cannot escape the trajectory of this fate."

Uchiha Shisui walked with steady steps toward Nagato and Konan, each stride splashing through the murky water on the ground.

Nagato, who had been extremely weak and leaning against Konan, seemed to sense the approaching danger and instantly became alert. He braced his exhausted body, looking toward the newcomer with a vigilant gaze, the chakra within his body beginning to surge slightly, ready to respond to any potential attack.

However, when he saw clearly that the person approaching was Uchiha Shisui, the wariness in Nagato's eyes gradually faded, and he slowly let out a breath, his tense body relaxing as a result.

"Shisui..."

Nagato's voice was hoarse, tinged with a hint of exhaustion.

"Konan, let's go back."

As he spoke, he paused, a flicker of complex emotion crossing his eyes as he looked at Shisui and continued, "Perhaps Madara was right. Shisui, you won the wager. I will grant you one request unconditionally. No matter what it is, as long as it is within my power, I will not go back on my word."

Shisui listened to Nagato's words in silence and gave a slight nod, saying nothing more. In his view, words were already superfluous at this moment; he had his own calculations regarding what needed to be done and the goals that had to be achieved.

The three of them did not linger long on this blood-soaked battlefield, supporting one another as they quickly departed the scene.

Along the way, the rain continued to drizzle, pelting their scarred and blood-stained bodies as if mourning the tragic battle that had just unfolded.