I Suspect Someone Else Is Behind This

Within the cold, damp underground cavern, purple chakra light cast the rock walls in an eerie, sinister glow.

The enormous Demonic Statue of the Outer Path stood in the center of the cavern like a silent demon god.

Its shriveled maw gaped wide, and nine translucent phantom dragons formed from chakra roared out of it.

The phantom dragons' fangs were clamped tightly around a red-haired old man on the altar below.

He was Rōshi, Iwagakure's Four-Tails jinchūriki.

His agonized screams echoed through the empty cavern.

Dark-red Four-Tails chakra was being forcibly stripped from Rōshi's body by the phantom dragons and continuously dragged into the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path's mouth.

Translucent projections of Akatsuki members stood quietly upon the statue's ten rough fingers, each maintaining a hand seal.

"The chakra extraction has entered its final stage."

Standing on the thumb, the Deva Path of Pain spoke coldly, his emotionless voice drowning out Rōshi's screams.

"Focus. Do not slacken."

As Pain finished speaking, the nine phantom dragons suddenly pulled back.

Rōshi let out a despairing howl as the last trace of dark-red chakra was completely ripped from his body.

His withered body crashed heavily to the ground like a ruined sack, utterly devoid of life.

The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path released a dull rumble.

Of the nine tightly shut eyes on its face, the one representing the Four-Tails slowly opened.

"The sealing is complete."

The Deva Path of Pain lowered his hands.

The projections on the statue's fingers began to distort one after another, dissolving into specks of chakra that vanished into the air.

In the blink of an eye, only Obito Uchiha remained in the cavern, standing in the shadows.

The orange spiral mask on his face looked especially grim beneath the dim light.

The Mangekyō Sharingan