Chapter 72: Identity Exposed
Because Ayaan attacked too quickly, Obito almost didn't have time to fully phase. Uchiha Obito, frightened and sweating, calmed his heartbeat and forced a confident tone:
"How about it, junior? Can I be called Uchiha Madara now?"
"It's just a space-time ninjutsu. You talk like it's something unknown. If you were really Uchiha Madara, why not take off your mask?" Ayaan replied, glancing at his hand shrouded in black energy with mild disappointment. Clearly, even the Yami Yami no Mi, despite its spatial properties, had no effect on Obito's Kamui.
Of course, Ayaan had already prepared a countermeasure: another Kamui Sharingan.
Obito had always harbored a delusion that Ayaan might not realize Kakashi's Sharingan was Mangekyō level, or even if he did, he wouldn't guess it was once part of a pair with Obito's own.
But Obito didn't know Ayaan had already read the future spoilers. He knew Obito's weaknesses intimately. The only reason he hadn't killed him yet was because he still had some value.
"Everyone has their own secrets. It's not good to pry," Obito said in a low voice. "Aren't you wearing a mask as well?"
Ayaan smirked, then casually pulled off his mask, revealing his youthful face. "Mine's just a habit from my time in the black market. I don't wear a mask to hide my identity like someone else."
Obito: "…"
So irritating! Why is this guy so damn annoying?!
Ayaan's action backed Obito into a corner. If he took off his mask, his identity would be exposed. If he didn't, it would make him look guilty.
Ultimately, Obito chose silence. He activated his intangibility and vanished into the ground.
"He retreated pretty fast," Ayaan muttered with a smile.
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In an underground base, Obito reappeared. Moments later, a strange plant creature emerged—Black and White Zetsu.
"What the hell is this shadow ninja's origin?" Obito growled, turning to Zetsu.
Even Black and White Zetsu—one of the most connected intelligence agents in the ninja world—had nothing.
"We've searched multiple times. There's no trace of this guy before his appearance. It's like he didn't exist in the ninja world until recently."
"That's impossible!" Obito's brow furrowed. "Everyone comes from somewhere. Especially someone of Kage-level strength. Without a village's support and training, you don't reach that level."
And he was right. Obito himself was a product of Konoha's legacy and Madara's tutoring. Even with Mangekyō Sharingan, he would've been just another unstable powerhouse without strong foundational training—an easy target.
But Ayaan was able to massacre the entire Konoha elite force and still escape unscathed. That wasn't the skill set of someone with glaring weaknesses.
"True," Black Zetsu nodded. "But remember, there are many hidden training facilities scattered across the ninja world. It's possible he was raised in one of them."
Ninjas are like underground rats—they can dig a base in mere minutes. Intelligence is sacred, and secrecy is common. Even White Zetsu, while tunneling beneath enemy villages, would frequently encounter other hidden bases.
"But still…" Obito murmured. "Unless they're born with bloodline limits like the Sharingan, it's always possible to trace a ninja's growth path. Yet this shadow ninja never seemed weak—not once."
"The ninja world is vast," Black Zetsu replied. "Some sacred and spiritual places still lie beyond even our reach. Fortunately, this shadow ninja has joined the Akatsuki. That should reduce the threat..."
Obito clenched his fists. "I was hoping to use the Madara identity to retrieve my Sharingan. Not to mention Uchiha Fugaku's Mangekyō... But even Hatake Kakashi's Kamui eye is a huge liability!"
"I didn't expect this guy to be so headstrong. Maybe Nagato is backing him. I'll need a new plan."
"Maybe it's time we recruit more real powerhouses. Akatsuki can't remain Nagato's personal army forever."
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