Beneath rippling spirals of space.
A figure wearing a Swirl Mask stepped out.
Orochimaru's expression darkened. This guy... a space-time ninjutsu user?
Since when? Had he been lurking nearby the entire time?
Kakuzu was somewhat dumbfounded as well.
A suspected ally suddenly appeared and ambushed Uchiha Yao. Did that count as a good thing?
"Haha! Die, brat!"
With intense killing intent, Obito drove his short blade straight toward Uchiha Yao's seemingly defenseless back.
The timing was perfect.
It was precisely the instant when Uchiha Yao had exhausted his Chakra, driven back the Great Snake, and was at his weakest physically and most relaxed mentally.
Obito dared to guarantee that no one could evade this strike.
But clearly, Uchiha Yao was the exception.
First, Uchiha Yao had long been on guard against Obito. Second, Uchiha Yao's weakened appearance had been an act.
Just as Obito's blade was about to hit.
Uchiha Yao's swaying body suddenly erupted with blinding blue-white lightning.
Crackle—!
Violent lightning formed a crackling, flowing suit of armor across Uchiha Yao's body.
At the same instant, Uchiha Yao transformed into an electric afterimage too fast for the naked eye to follow, darting sideways.
Obito's short blade pierced straight through the fading afterimage without resistance.
His strike missed.
"So you finally crawled out of your rat hole?"
Uchiha Yao reappeared ten meters away.
At that moment, there was no trace of weakness left on Uchiha Yao's handsome face. All that remained was undisguised mockery toward Obito.
Obito, who had been watching from the shadows from the very beginning, had finally been unable to hold back.
Everything had gone according to plan.
Obito slowly withdrew his short blade.
"Uchiha Yao..."
"You shouldn't exist in this world."
Orochimaru stuck out his long tongue and teased, "Hehehe... another interesting fellow has appeared."
"This