Chapter 121: Obito and Pain

"He said that he would only be interested if the Akatsuki were powerful enough, so he needs to verify the organization's strength first."

Orochimaru recounted the details of his meeting with Uchiha Li that day in great, exhaustive detail.

Listening to Orochimaru's description, Konan frowned and remarked, "This fellow sounds quite arrogant. I wonder if his strength lives up to it?"

In her heart, Nagato, who possessed the Rinnegan, was undoubtedly a being akin to a 'god,' and she saw herself as his angel. Consequently, her standards were exceptionally high; ordinary people rarely caught her eye. Yet, based on Orochimaru’s words, Uchiha Li’s temperament seemed even more arrogant than her own. This aligned with the reputation of the Uchiha that she was familiar with. Honestly, she was not very keen on having such a person join the Akatsuki.

Orochimaru’s expression turned serious upon hearing this. "You need not worry about his strength," he stated. "That man hides deeper than anyone."

As he spoke, a flicker of intensity crossed Orochimaru’s eyes. He still held a vivid memory of his battle against Uchiha Li years ago. Although he hadn't used his full power back then to avoid exposing his secrets, the problem was that Uchiha Li had likely not used his full strength either. During this recent meeting, Orochimaru had felt a subtle pressure emanating from Uchiha Li—a clear sign that the man was hiding more than anyone else.

Hearing Orochimaru’s praise and cautious tone, Konan fell silent. Kakuzu and Sasori also nodded to themselves, their initial skepticism largely dissipating. Orochimaru was, after all, one of the Sannin; a man of his stature would not speak without cause. Uchiha Li must possess something extraordinary, or Orochimaru would not have emphasized it so repeatedly.

Nagato, speaking through the body of Pain, gave Orochimaru a long, piercing look before making the final decision. "Personality is not an issue, as long as he possesses the strength you claim."

He paused, then added, "Very well. Arrange another meeting with him soon. Since he wants to witness the strength of the Akatsuki, I shall let him see it clearly."

Possessing the Eyes of the Sage, he had absolute confidence in his own power. As long as he held the Rinnegan, it mattered little if those who joined the Akatsuki had ulterior motives or wretched personalities. In the face of absolute power, none of these things were obstacles. Much like Orochimaru, he was well aware that the Sannin was not truly loyal to the organization. But what of it? Was Orochimaru not still obediently doing his bidding?

Without waiting for Orochimaru to respond, Nagato decided the meeting had served its purpose. Controlling Pain, he commanded, "Dismissed!"

With that order, everyone deactivated the 'Illusionary Dragon Nine Consuming Seals' technique.

Nagato then moved Pain outside the high tower. Amidst the drizzling rain, he looked out into the distance, deep in thought. The sudden appearance of 'Terra' two years ago had given him a sense of unease, prompting him to try and investigate the organization by spreading information. Unfortunately, after one incident, Terra had vanished without a trace, leaving him feeling as though he were striking at cotton—powerless to exert any influence.

Terra had debuted with two pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan; how much more strength did they truly possess? He could not be certain. Therefore, even with his absolute confidence, he was consciously accelerating the preparations for the Akatsuki’s plans. At this stage, the issue of organization members was paramount. They were severely understaffed, and he had to recruit individuals with sufficient strength.

As he pondered, a swirling vortex appeared. Behind Pain, a masked figure emerged. It was Obito, who had always claimed to be 'Uchiha Madara.'

Pain noticed Obito immediately but did not turn around. On the surface, Obito was a partner of the Akatsuki, but Nagato knew full well that this 'Uchiha Madara' definitely had his own ulterior motives. Still, he did not care; Nagato remained convinced that his Rinnegan was sufficient to suppress everything.

Still gazing into the distance, Nagato asked calmly through Pain, "The preparations are far from complete. Is there a reason you are here?"

Obito ignored the tone of Nagato's voice and replied calmly, "How is the recruitment of personnel going?"

"The same as always. Most of the wandering ninja do not meet our requirements," Nagato said, shaking his head through Pain. "Kakuzu goes through teammates too quickly; we simply cannot find suitable candidates."

Hearing this, a look of disappointment, mingled with helplessness, appeared in Obito's eyes. He had been trying his best to have Black Zetsu find suitable candidates, but to no avail.

"Perhaps we need to look into the major ninja villages," Obito said, his gaze turning cold as he thought of the Hidden Mist Village.

Nagato replied, "We have already found a suitable candidate. In fact, he should be your descendant, if you truly are 'Uchiha Madara'."

Hearing the insinuation in Nagato's voice, Obito let out a cold hum. "I am Uchiha Madara, naturally. But who is your candidate?"

"Uchiha Li," Nagato said with full confidence. "Orochimaru says he can be recruited, so I plan to meet him in a while."

"So it’s that fellow." Obito was not particularly surprised. He thought for a moment before saying, "Leave this matter to me."

Regardless of anything else, he was an Uchiha, and he had always been concerned with intelligence regarding the clan. Especially after Uchiha Fugaku had awakened his own Mangekyo, Obito’s attention toward the Uchiha had only intensified. Having awakened the Mangekyo himself, he was all too aware of its power. The strange and unpredictable abilities of the Mangekyo were such that even he could not guarantee the absolute invincibility of 'Kamui.'

While keeping an eye on Uchiha Fugaku, Obito had also noticed Uchiha Li. This man, nearly his own age, had effectively ruined his original plans. During the Nine-Tails incident, it was Uchiha Li who had persuaded Uchiha Fugaku to provide support to Minato Namikaze. Without that intervention, the Hidden Leaf would not be in its current state; it would have been significantly weakened.

Therefore, he was quite interested in Uchiha Li. This would be a perfect opportunity to see him in person. If he could be recruited, that would be for the best; if not...

At this thought, a flash of killing intent crossed Obito's eyes. He would show no mercy to anyone who threatened to prevent him from creating a world of peace where Rin existed—not even his mentor, nor his own kin.

Facing Obito’s request, Nagato said in a flat tone, "If you wish to go, then it is yours." He paused, then added, "This time, there shouldn't be any accidents, should there? Don't let yourself capsize in the gutter."

He was well aware that Obito had orchestrated the Nine-Tails incident. The problem was that Obito had undoubtedly failed, and the Leaf had suffered minimal losses.

Upon hearing this, Obito’s eyes turned cold. "Rest assured."

With that, Obito activated Kamui. A swirling vortex appeared, and his figure vanished into thin air. Nagato, controlling Pain, watched silently as Obito disappeared, his expression remaining completely unreadable.