"Th-this... how is this possible?"
As the enemy appeared inside the Kamui Dimension, Obito's face beneath his mask took on an expression of disbelief for the first time.
Throughout the Ninja World, ninjas who could use Space-Time Ninjutsu had always been exceedingly rare.
Aside from him, the records of the Ninja World mentioned only two others who could use Space-Time Ninjutsu: Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, who died in the First Shinobi World War, and Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze.
Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze had earned the title of Yellow Flash thanks to the Flying Thunder God Technique, a Space-Time Ninjutsu.
Only Space-Time Ninjutsu could counter Space-Time Ninjutsu. That was why Obito, after awakening a Space-Time Dōjutsu, had dared to turn on his former master.
He had thought that with Minato Namikaze, the only other person capable of using Space-Time Ninjutsu, gone, he could finally rest easy.
Even if there were enemies he couldn't defeat, there was no one who could stop him.
In the original timeline, Obito had dared to use a single Mangekyō Sharingan to impersonate Madara Uchiha and wreak havoc throughout the Ninja World, facing anyone with a smile and even declaring the start of the Fourth Shinobi World War in front of the Five Kage. It was all because he possessed the Space-Time Dōjutsu Kamui. The Kamui Dimension was his greatest trump card.
But now, faced with someone who could freely enter and leave the Kamui Dimension, Obito panicked. This was something he had never anticipated.
Even when facing his master, Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, who wielded the Flying Thunder God Technique, he had never felt such fear and helplessness.
Though he had lost to Minato Namikaze on the Night of the Nine-Tails, it was because Minato's tactical experience had completely outclassed his, and his ability to read the timing of a fight was beyond ordinary. That was how Minato had won their clash of Space-Time Ninjutsu.
But that meant Minato Namikaze had beaten him, Obito. It didn't mean the Flying Thunder God Technique was superior to Kamui. Obito had always believed his Dōjutsu was the strongest Space-Time Ninjutsu of the age.
But now, that had changed. The enemy before him clearly possessed Space-Time Ninjutsu too, and his ability was a perfect counter to Obito's.
This masked stranger might possess the Sage's Eye, and he also wielded Space-Time Ninjutsu. He was the most impossible enemy Obito had ever faced. When had such a terrifying figure appeared in the Ninja World?
At that moment, Obito's understanding of the Ninja World felt utterly unfamiliar.
*
*
The mysterious figure who had entered the Kamui Dimension through the space tunnel was, of course, Lan. Behind him, the Third Kazekage Human Puppet also passed through the tunnel and entered the dimension.
"I told you. You can't escape."
Lan's voice was colder than before, as if Obito's taunts had offended him and made him angry.
As soon as he finished speaking, the Third Kazekage Human Puppet beside him rose into the air and summoned a vast quantity of Iron Sand.
The Iron Sand formed a huge black mass of iron, its surface rippling. It looked as if, with a single command from Lan, it would unleash a devastating attack on Obito and the others.
As its creator, Sasori knew that this was the Third Kazekage Human Puppet preparing to unleash its strongest Magnet Release technique, the Iron Sand World Method.
Knowing how powerful the Iron Sand World Method was, he couldn't help but feel his brow twitch. Facing that technique in this space would be very bad indeed.
Just as battle was about to break out, Pakura suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood. Her already pale complexion grew even worse—a clear sign of severe poisoning.
The Kaguya Clan Head, who had been poisoned alongside Pakura, was no better off. Signs of death spread across his body, and he looked close to death.
Both Pakura and the Kaguya Clan Head were valuable to him, so rescuing them was urgent.
"Hand over the antidote!"
Obito and Sasori didn't immediately agree to Lan's demand. They seemed to be weighing their options.
"I'll say it one last time. Hand over the antidote now.
"Or die!"
As he spoke, he poured chakra into his Tenseigan, its Dōjutsu Power growing stronger. The golden light in his eyes seemed almost to warp the space before him.
The terrifying force of his gaze shocked Obito and Sasori. Both turned their eyes away, not daring to look directly at the source of that power.
The chakra fluctuations around the Third Kazekage Human Puppet in the air also grew stronger. It seemed ready to begin the battle without a word.
Obito had already been wary of Lan, and the sight only made him more tense. Inside the Kamui Dimension, he couldn't use his intangibility. Even with the forbidden technique Izanagi at his disposal, he had no confidence that he could defeat Lan.
And the Third Kazekage Human Puppet's ability to control Magnet Release: Iron Sand was a powerful counter to puppeteers. A master puppeteer like Sasori knew that better than anyone.
They had no confidence in winning against Lan's side in a two-on-two fight. So when Lan pressed them and was about to attack, they backed down.
"Sasori, give him the antidote."
Obito gritted his teeth as he spoke. The decision seemed to be a difficult one for him.
*
*
*
In that stretch of dense woods.
A space-time vortex appeared, and Obito and Sasori emerged from it. The moment they left the Kamui Dimension, they hurried away, heading toward Pain.
Not long after the two had left, a golden vortex suddenly appeared in midair. It opened into a sturdy space tunnel.
The Third Kazekage Human Puppet came out first. Two clumps of black sand flew from its body and quickly formed a pair of wings on its back.
As the Third Kazekage Human Puppet, its back burdened by black-sand wings, stopped at the exit of the space tunnel, Hyuga Lan emerged with Pakura over his shoulder and stepped onto the puppet's back. He held the unconscious Kaguya Clan Head in his other hand.
As Hyuga Lan looked around, his gaze met those of Obito and Sasori, who were looking back at him.
Seeing that Hyuga Lan had left the Kamui Dimension so quickly, the two hurried away even faster. Lan's gaze on them made them feel as if thorns were pricking their backs, and they didn't dare stop for a moment.
Watching Obito and Sasori flee like a pair of clowns, Lan didn't pursue them. His chakra was nearly depleted from the strain, and he was only pretending to be strong by sheer force of will.
After taking a deep breath, Hyuga Lan fought through his weakness and ordered the Third Kazekage Human Puppet to carry him in the opposite direction from Obito and Sasori.
Seeing that Hyuga Lan wasn't coming after them, Obito and Sasori felt relieved.
It seemed that, in his eyes, Pakura and the Kaguya Clan Head mattered more than eliminating the two of them.
Still, being spared because they were looked down on left them bitter. The two of them had never suffered such a humiliating setback, despite their strength.
At that moment, Obito had already marked Lan as a mortal enemy—one he would eliminate at all costs.
He didn't know Lan's exact identity, but since Pakura was his subordinate, Obito could trace the connection back through her. Sooner or later, he would uncover Lan's secrets.
When Pain saw Sasori and Obito return looking rather worse for wear, he couldn't help but look surprised.
Had the two of them taken a beating?
When Pain learned from Sasori that they had been defeated because they encountered a mysterious powerhouse who might possess the Rinnegan, he was deeply shaken.
How could anyone else have the Rinnegan?
Nagato had always been able to regard himself as a god because he possessed the same Rinnegan as the Sage of Six Paths.
He was convinced that he was the Sage of Six Paths' reincarnation, destined to shoulder the burden of saving the Ninja World.
Now, hearing all at once that his Rinnegan wasn't unique was something he found impossible to accept.
Where had the other Rinnegan come from?
Couldn't have been that the Sage of Six Paths had a brother, could it?