Chapter 130: Shisui's Communication

One week later, in a certain underground base.

Obito lay on his bed. The wound on his chest had long since been bandaged, and his arm had been replaced with a new one. It didn't matter much to him; the previous limb had been taken from a White Zetsu anyway, so this was of no consequence. The real problem was his current state—the excessive blood loss left him feeling exhausted and completely drained of energy. Of course, the most significant burden wasn't the physical fatigue from his injuries, but a profound sense of mental exhaustion.

The recruitment mission had been an utter failure. Not only had he failed to meet his objectives, but he had also nearly died in Konoha. This was difficult to accept for someone who currently postured as "Uchiha Madara."

"Uchiha Yao... why does she possess a Mangekyo Sharingan, and her abilities..."

Obito’s brows were tightly knit, his thoughts a chaotic mess. Throughout the battle with Uchiha Yao, he had been suppressed almost entirely. While this was partly due to the sneak attack that had diminished his combat effectiveness, the primary reasons were her inexplicable ability to nullify damage and her means of instantaneous displacement during the fight. Those unique powers were clearly the techniques granted by her Mangekyo Sharingan. He was certain that the damage immunity was linked to the pale green radiance she emitted, but he still could not fathom the nature of her teleportation-like movements.

"And how did she know I was going to attack her?"

The more Obito thought about it since returning, the more suspicious it seemed. Only he and Zetsu had been present when the plan was formulated. As the mastermind, he certainly wouldn't have leaked the information to Uchiha Yao.

"Could it have been Zetsu? No, that can't be right. He shouldn't be betraying me at a time like this."

Obito had briefly suspected Zetsu, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He knew very well that Zetsu wouldn't do such a thing now, as their current goals were aligned. However, their future objectives might not be. After all, while the world Uchiha Madara had painted for him was appealing, he had no intention of becoming Madara's puppet, following the path laid out for him—especially the part about resurrecting Madara.

A mocking glint appeared in Obito’s eyes at the thought; he had never truly intended to go through with that. Even though a puppet seal had been placed upon his heart, so what? Accidents always happen in ways one least expects, don't they?

Taking a deep breath, Obito pulled his thoughts back. In any case, Zetsu had no reason to turn against him, so the secret likely wasn't leaked by him. This meant that Uchiha Yao must have discovered their plot through some unknown, special means.

"If that's the case, Uchiha Yao's Mangekyo is even more terrifying than I imagined. I must be careful in the future."

Unable to ascertain the details of her Mangekyo, Obito had no choice but to let it go for now. Just then, Zetsu approached and said, "Pain wants to see you."

Hearing this, an unnatural expression flickered across Obito's face. He paused before replying, "Understood."

Pain surely wanted to ask about the recruitment of Uchiha Li. But his mission had failed, and failed quite thoroughly at that. This was undoubtedly a blow to his self-proclaimed identity as "Uchiha Madara." Yet, Obito knew that some things could not be avoided. With that thought, he donned his swirl mask, steeled himself against his weakness, and stood up.

***

"Steady your hands! Why are you stalling? And what is that expression on your face?"

Uchiha Li had been on guard for a while following Obito's appearance. But when Obito suddenly vanished without a trace, it left Li feeling perplexed. Had he given up on the recruitment, or was he plotting something in the shadows? Li could not know, and he could not let this matter stall his progress. Thus, he returned to the task of training his cheap apprentice, Itachi.

Itachi was currently beneath a waterfall, his hands pressed against the ground as he edged toward the cascading torrent. This was a new exercise Li had devised after noticing Itachi had grown accustomed to the handstand training in the village.

"I... understand!" Itachi gritted his teeth in response to Li’s lecture. He had thought the handstand training around the village was excessive, but he hadn't expected Li to have even more tricks up his sleeve. Glancing at the crashing water ahead with the corner of his eye, Itachi felt his resolve tremble. *Helpless and alone—if I go in there, I’ll surely be swept away,* he thought. But when he saw Li standing to the side, watching with a leisurely, detached expression, he made up his mind.

Without further hesitation, Itachi bit his lip and pushed himself toward the waterfall.

*Boom!*

The immense pressure of the water slammed into Itachi’s body instantly. The sheer force scattered his posture, and he was sent tumbling into the pool below.

Li watched Itachi’s bedraggled state with indifference. While the "high attack, low defense" nature of ninjas was a common criticism, it was all relative. Compared to ordinary people, a ninja's physical constitution was far superior. Furthermore, the Uchiha clan gained enhancements in all aspects once they awakened their eyes. So, while this training appeared inhumane, it wasn't truly harmful to Itachi.

At least, not physically. As for his spirit? Li shook his head, looking at Itachi’s stubborn demeanor, and sighed inwardly. *Under these circumstances, this kid must have a terrible impression of me, right?*

Li didn't care. He had never sought Itachi's respect. All he wanted was to mold him into a obedient tool. Therefore, this training would not stop; it would only intensify based on his progress.

"Get out once you've had enough," Li called out to Itachi, who was still in the pool. "You can only go home once today's training quota is met."

Itachi’s body stiffened at the words. Gritting his teeth once more, he climbed out of the pool and resumed his training. Li nodded with satisfaction, but just then, his left eye felt a strange sensation.

A message was transmitted to his mind from Terra. After confirming that it was Shisui requesting a communication, Li spoke to Itachi in the distance: "Continue your training. I’m going to relieve myself."

With that, Li performed the Body Flicker Technique and left the waterfall. He soon found a secluded, abandoned shack and, after confirming no one was around, activated the portal to the world of Terra.

Donning the leader's mask, he tapped the glowing Bakal statue and spoke in a gravelly voice: "Bakal, what has happened?"

He had long since decreed that Terra's communication function was not to be used casually. He didn't want the mysterious organization he had built to be reduced to a mere chat room; that would be too degrading. Besides, as the only one who controlled Terra, all communications passed through him. It was fine while there were few members, but he feared being annoyed to death if the group grew too large.

Seeing that he had successfully contacted the leader, Shisui breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said: "Leader, I am in need of your assistance..."