"This man truly has too many abilities…"
"And every single one of them is terrifying."
Uchiha Obito pondered inwardly, yet his voice remained defiant.
"It's useless. I already told you. No matter how powerful your attacks are, they cannot affect my intangibility."
His tone was smug, filled with forced confidence.
But the moment his body fully materialized, before his footing even stabilized, a terrifying force descended once more.
What?
In an instant, Obito felt as if ten colossal mountains had crashed onto his body. His chest tightened, his breath was forcibly squeezed out, and even the air around him felt solid.
His limbs trembled violently.
Extreme compression wrapped around every part of his body.
Pain followed immediately.
Not the sharp pain of wounds, but a crushing agony that invaded flesh, bones, and nerves all at once.
An overwhelming pressure, mixed with raw fear, surged directly into Obito's heart, dragging him toward the edge of collapse.
It reminded him of Kakashi being trapped within Uchiha Itachi's Tsukuyomi, the endless cycle of stabbing torment that shattered the mind.
Fortunately, Obito was no stranger to hell.
He had personally watched the one he loved most die before his eyes.
His tolerance for pain and despair far exceeded that of ordinary people.
Under the unbearable pressure, Obito did not lose consciousness.
Instead, his knees slammed into the ground.
His eyes widened, reflecting memories soaked in regret and sorrow.
Physical pressure.
Mental suppression.
Both at once.
And more terrifying than that was the realization.
How did he get caught instantly?
If Ashveil had launched a true killing attack instead of suppressive pressure just now, Obito knew with certainty that he would already be dead.
Only now did he truly understand the despair felt by those who had previously faced Thorne Ashveil.
"What a terrifying man…"
Obito forced the words out, each syllable heavy.
"But it's a pity…"
He attempted to activate Kamui once more.
Yet the moment he tried, despair flooded his mind.
Under the crushing coverage of Ashveil's Conqueror's Haki, even though Obito could endure the pressure mentally, his body refused to respond.
No matter how fiercely he willed it, his limbs felt like they were cast from molten lead.
Immovable.
"What…?"
"You…"
Obito was completely stunned.
Facing this level of dominance, his scalp tingled violently.
All this time, the reason he had been able to act arrogantly before any enemy was simple.
His intangibility.
But now, that lifeline was gone.
And standing before him was a man whose every casual action carried destructive power beyond reason.
For the first time in years, Obito truly felt that his life was in danger.
He expected Ashveil to finish him off.
Instead, Ashveil walked over calmly and casually placed a hand on Obito's shoulder.
"I think we can have a proper conversation now, don't you?"
Ashveil's lips curved into a faint smile.
To be honest, even Ashveil was mildly impressed.
To immobilize Obito instantly, he had not used ordinary Conqueror's Haki.
What he released was Golden Conqueror's Haki, vastly faster than standard Conqueror's Haki and carrying suppression far beyond conventional limits.
More importantly, its pressure on the human body was several times greater.
Yet even under that overwhelming force, Obito was still able to speak.
That alone surpassed the presence of most Emperors in the Pirate World.
In the Shinobi World, pain truly was the catalyst for growth.
"Talk…"
Sweat rolled slowly down Obito's forehead.
Staring at Thorne Ashveil, he swallowed hard.
"Fine."
"In that case, let's talk."
He spoke honestly.
After all, his trump card had been dismantled in just a few exchanges.
Obito even felt that if Uchiha Madara were revived without possessing the power of all nine Tailed Beasts, he would still struggle against Ashveil.
Facing an opponent of this caliber, refusing to talk would be nothing short of suicide.
The Eye of the Moon Plan was not yet complete.
Rin had not yet been reunited with him in his dream world.
Obito had no intention of dying here.
Soon after, Ashveil calmly explained his proposal.
Obito was left speechless.
What?
Ashveil would not interfere with the Eye of the Moon Plan.
On the contrary, he would assist him.
More than that, Ashveil even urged him to boldly provoke the Five Kage and accelerate the declaration of war against the Shinobi World.
Obito stared at Ashveil, suspicion filling his gaze.
If this man wanted to accelerate a global war, then what was his true goal?
"I can accept your proposal," Obito said slowly.
"I can even allow you to kill Danzo Shimura."
"But answer me one thing. What is your true objective?"
"If your answer does not satisfy me, I would rather die than cooperate with you."
Ashveil felt a slight headache coming on.
The Shinobi World was far more troublesome to deal with than the Pirate World.
In the seas, a single declaration of alliance meant shared blades against a common enemy.
Here, nothing was ever simple.
Left with no choice, Ashveil explained calmly.
"My goal is simple."
"To become stronger, and to become stronger as quickly as possible."
"And the fastest way to grow stronger is to wage war against every ninja in this world."
"I believe that aligns with your desires as well."
Obito stared at him in silence, weighing every word.
In the end, he chose to believe Ashveil.
Another concern surfaced briefly.
When the Eye of the Moon Plan was completed, would Ashveil stop him?
That thought was quickly dismissed.
If Ashveil truly wanted to stop the plan, he could simply kill Obito now.
There was no need for such elaborate cooperation.
Besides, once all the Tailed Beasts were gathered, the Eye of the Moon would activate instantly.
At that point, even Ashveil would be pulled into the dream world.
Obito exhaled slowly and nodded.
"Our cooperation is sealed."
The following day, the Five Kage Summit convened as scheduled.
The meeting was held in the Land of Iron, a nation that had long maintained neutrality.
The Fourth Raikage, Mei Terumi, Danzo Shimura, Onoki, Gaara, and other influential figures all gathered.
The Fourth Raikage was the first to explode.
"This is absolutely unacceptable!"
"There is nothing left to discuss!"
"Especially Thorne Ashveil, who dared to target my brother."
"That brat must die!"
His roar echoed through the hall.
Onoki, however, remained uncharacteristically silent.
Unlike the others, he had personally fought Ashveil.
He knew better than anyone that Ashveil's power was beyond reason.
Even if every ninja in the Land of Earth attacked together, it would still not be enough.
Defeating Ashveil was not something that could be solved with words.
Only the combined strength of the Great Nations stood a chance.
Mei Terumi and Gaara voiced their agreement.
Danzo Shimura went further, demanding the complete eradication of Akatsuki.
Yet beneath his righteous words lay ambition.
He wanted unified command of the Five Great Nations.
Only through that could he secure long term control and benefit.
To that end, Danzo secretly used his Sharingan to manipulate Mifune of the Land of Iron.
"I have a suggestion," Mifune said calmly. "Why not elect a unified leader?"
As a neutral party, it was fitting for Mifune to raise such a proposal.
The room fell silent.
In truth, unified leadership would streamline decisions.
But a critical question remained.
Who would lead?
None of them were willing to submit to another.
Seeing the hesitation, Mifune spoke again.
"I recommend Danzo Shimura."
The reaction was immediate.
The Fourth Raikage's eyes narrowed with open disdain.
Most members of Akatsuki originated from Konoha.
The Fire Country being spared blame was already generous.
Now they were expected to accept Danzo as leader?
Unacceptable.
Onoki and Gaara exchanged silent glances.
Both sensed something was deeply wrong.
Mei Terumi's suspicion grew stronger.
She cast a subtle glance toward Ao.
Understanding instantly, Ao activated his Byakugan.
At that moment, Danzo smiled faintly, like an old fox.
"Since everyone wishes for me to lead," he said smoothly, "I have no objections."
Before the words fully settled, Ao's eyes widened.
"Lady Mei Terumi," he said sharply, "Mifune is under Uchiha genjutsu."
Silence fell.
Every gaze turned toward Danzo Shimura.
After all, only one faction still wielded the power of the Uchiha.
___
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