In a forest somewhere in Iwagakure.
Broken and burned trees stood all around,
with craters of every size scattered across the ground.
Roshi and Han lay on the ground, the Tailed Beast Chakra on their bodies fading bit by bit until they looked like ordinary people again.
Deva Path Pain stood there. Of the five Pains behind him, only two remained. Animal Path had also lost an arm, while Asura Path had only half his body left, sparks crackling from the machinery beside his exposed flesh.
Hiruko wasn't in much better shape.
The bandages covering him had almost all snapped, and his body was blackened all over.
Fortunately, his Steel Release had kept him from being crippled outright.
"We've got them. Let's get out of here."
Looking at Roshi and Han on the ground, Hiruko let out a relieved breath.
These two had been far harder to deal with than he'd imagined.
No wonder they had been willing to team up with him.
"All right."
Pain slung Roshi over his shoulder, turned, and left.
Hiruko hoisted Han onto his shoulder and followed.
"You're back?"
The masked Obito had been waiting for them in Amegakure all along.
When the two returned, he looked them up and down and teased,
"You really are a mess."
"Couldn't be helped. They're perfect jinchuriki, and two who know how to fight together at that."
Deva Path Pain didn't mind the Masked Man's disparaging remark.
After explaining, he turned to Hiruko.
Hiruko threw Han onto the ground.
"He's yours."
"Where's what I asked for?"
The Kamui Dimension warped through Obito's eye, and Kabuto was dumped onto the ground.
Hiruko watched in silence.
A space-time ability. He had to admit that if they ever became enemies, this Masked Man would be a troublesome opponent.
Still, most