A short while later, Uchiha Itachi dispelled his Susanoo and regrouped with the three Snake Princesses.
"Senior Ryōta should be nearly finished up north, too. I just wonder how things went."
Itachi looked north, his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan flickering faintly.
Ichikishimahime chuckled. "Relax. Master's main body is with Ryōta. Black Zetsu won't escape."
Tashihime licked her lips. "A shame those two got away."
Hagoromo-hime said evenly, "White Tiger is Master's shadow clone, and Kisame is a pawn we can recruit. Letting them go was part of the plan."
Itachi nodded and said no more.
The four vanished from the coastline in a flash.
About another hour passed.
A twisting vortex appeared above the coastal cliffs.
Obito stepped out, his eyes beneath his mask sweeping over the battlefield.
The cliffs had collapsed, the seawater was tinged red, and puppet fragments littered the ground. Traces of chakra had yet to dissipate completely, but there was no sign of Sasori, Shinnō, White Tiger, or Kisame-or Uchiha Itachi's corpse.
Obito's heart sank.
"Something went wrong..."
He immediately turned intangible and searched every part of the battlefield carefully.
Soon, he discovered lingering traces of Ryūchi Cave senjutsu, as well as-two traces of life belonging to Sasori and Shinnō.
Beneath his mask, Obito's expression darkened.
The plan had gone awry.
Not only had Uchiha Itachi survived, he had killed Sasori and Shinnō instead. White Tiger and Kisame were missing, and the Snake Princesses of Ryūchi Cave had actually gotten involved!
"I have to head north immediately!"
Obito's body was swallowed by the vortex again. If something had gone wrong on the northern battlefield as well...
Black Zetsu and Nagato might be in danger!
One day later.
Ascension Island, in the underground laboratory.
On a cold metal surface stood a cylindrical container filled with pale