Obito had a vast army of White Zetsu on his side, along with powerful figures from the past. Kabuto Yakushi had even dug up the graves of several former Kage.
The Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, Third Raikage, and Fourth Kazekage were among them.
There were also former tailed beast jinchūriki and deceased members of the Akatsuki.
The rest were powerful shinobi from various villages, such as Asuma Sarutobi, Hizashi Hyuga, Tsunade's sweetheart Dan Katō, Kumogakure's notorious Kinkaku and Ginkaku, and so on...
Obito, meanwhile, had transplanted one of Nagato's Rinnegan, changed into a new outfit, and even gotten himself a rather nice mask.
A white mask, one scarlet Sharingan, and another eye that shone with an even more eerie light.
Then Obito set off with several former tailed beast jinchūriki brought back through Impure World Reincarnation. Meanwhile, on the Allied Shinobi Forces' side, the troops led by Gaara and Ōnoki had already begun advancing toward the Akatsuki's hideout.
As the saying went, the best defense was a good offense.
Once Obito felt the time was right, he had the reincarnated former jinchūriki scatter, each taking charge of an area and clearing out the shinobi within it.
The reincarnated Akatsuki members were practically on a killing spree by then. They had already been among the strongest fighters around, and now they had immortal bodies too. Someone like Deidara, who could blow himself up, was having the time of his life.
"Art is an Explosion! Ha!"
With a boom, another explosion rocked the forest, blasting a large number of Allied Shinobi Forces troops away. Cries of pain and explosions echoed through the woods.
As luck would have it, Itachi and Sasuke ran into Deidara on their way to find Kabuto Yakushi. Enemies meeting face-to-face-there was no better recipe for fury.
*These two