Kapitel 20: Obito's Recruitment

In the forests of the Land of Fire.

The footsteps echoed as over a hundred Uchiha clan members moved through the woods.

Leading the group was the Third Elder, Uchiha Taku. Ever since witnessing the "future" within Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, he had wholeheartedly devoted himself to Natsu's cause, voluntarily aiding the Uchiha who chose to leave the village.

Though Itachi possessed formidable combat skills, his youth left him inexperienced in many matters, making Taku's support crucial.

Most of these Uchiha were hawkish members, and others possessed unique talents. All had been identified by Natsu, and the Kotoamatsukami altered their thinking. Now, their sole loyalty was to Itachi, who was dedicated to striving for the future of the Uchiha.

These Uchiha were all ninjas, mostly Chuunin, with a few Jounin and Genin among them. This group represented half of the clan's combat strength.

The remaining nearly thousand civilians and their families had not left with them, needing to establish a foundation outside before slowly relocating their families.

Whether remaining in the village or leaving, both groups of Uchiha faced their challenges.

A figure leaped next to Itachi, handing him a skewer of dango.

Itachi accepted it expressionlessly: "You didn't have to come."

Despite his cold tone, he ate the dango.

Uchiha Izumi smiled faintly.

"If you left, no one would join me by the river to eat dango."

Ever since That Night when Itachi invited Izumi, she had understood his intentions. Unaware of the truth behind his actions, she chose to abandon everything to stay by his side.

The Uchiha around them seemed deaf, even spreading out to give them space to talk.

Itachi was silent for a long time but finally chuckled lightly, "Natsu's business plan includes many new delicacies. I'll treat you when they're ready."

Izumi smiled sweetly, her eyes only for Itachi.

The journey was challenging, and their destination was a small country near Konoha, the Land of Rice Fields, which housed a minor village, the Sound Village.

The other individuals selected by Natsu didn't have their agility and had to take different routes.

Suddenly, Itachi sensed something.

"Stop!" Uchiha Itachi held up his fist.

The clan members halted.

In the clearing ahead, space twisted, and a vortex appeared, revealing a masked ninja.

Itachi watched him warily.

"You're the one who lingered around the shrine, aren't you?"

Obito smiled lightly, "Didn't expect you to be so sharp. Did you notice me back then?"

Itachi's tone was cold, neither warm nor panicked, distant and aloof.

He gestured for the others to continue without him, and they passed by without a word, leaving only Itachi and Obito behind. Obito did not stop them; he aimed to recruit Itachi to make his plans easier.

"The incident with Shisui… I've heard about it. Konoha has long been decaying. Staying there isn't a good choice for you."

Itachi remained silent, showing no desire to speak.

Obito found Itachi's reaction peculiar but continued, "Join our organization, the future of the shinobi world..."

"Uchiha Madara!" Itachi shouted.

Obito was startled. Why would Itachi shout suddenly? When Obito looked at Itachi again.

"Tsukuyomi!"

Without hesitation, Itachi unleashed his full power, and the overwhelming might of his Mangekyo Sharingan enveloped Obito.

Caught off guard, Obito found himself in Tsukuyomi's black, white, and red world.

"How do you know about me?"

Bound, Obito asked coldly, seemingly unfazed by the genjutsu but curious why Itachi mistook him for Madara.

Itachi stood before him, silent, his sword poised to strike.

Obito scoffed.

His Mangekyo Sharingan erupted in full force.

However, the illusion merely wavered before stabilizing again. Obito was shocked.

A sword pierced his body, causing intense pain. Yet, the environment did not break.

He opened his eyes back on the wooden post. Another sword strike came down...

Was this the power of Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan?

It was undeniable that Obito's spirit was strong. He endured three days of torment in the illusion but could still stand firmly.

But just as he emerged from Tsukuyomi, not yet recovered, a shuriken lodged itself in his throat.

"Ambitious man…" Itachi looked at Obito's vanishing corpse without surprise.

But he still checked his surroundings.

Natsu had informed Itachi of Obito's entire background.

Itachi knew this man was behind controlling the Nine-Tails, causing persistent suspicion towards the Uchiha. Hence, his hatred for Obito was profound.

Since Obito liked to pose as Uchiha Madara, Itachi let him.

While it was difficult to kill Obito outright, Itachi still delivered a significant lesson.

At least, this would keep Obito from fixating on him. Itachi was not alone; he had over a hundred followers and Izumi.

...

In the Kamui dimension.

With a flicker, Obito stood up, clutching his face.

"You seem to have had a rough time," remarked a figure as aloof as an aloe leaf unfolding. Black Zetsu slowly spoke.

Obito removed his mask, revealing a grayed, lifeless left eye.

Black Zetsu was shocked, "You even used Izanagi? Was Itachi that strong?"

Izanagi!

Uchiha's power to alter fate, rewriting all misfortunes at the cost of the light of the Sharingan.

Typically, Obito's space-time ninjutsu, Kamui, provided him a significant advantage in most battles. But it had a major flaw against genjutsu.

This is why, in the original timeline, Obito cautiously avoided making himself known until after the Uchiha massacre when there were no more Mangekyo Sharingan threats.

Sasuke, primarily a ninjutsu user, needed to improve in genjutsu, posing little threat to Obito.

Today, however, after just meeting Itachi, Itachi hit him hard before he could even finish his recruitment pitch.

Although there was an element of surprise, Itachi's genjutsu was overwhelmingly effective against him.

"Just a momentary lapse," Obito stood up.

"Luckily, Itachi doesn't know about Izanagi, or it would have been dangerous," Obito removed the blinded Sharingan from his eye.

"Did he reject your recruitment?" Black Zetsu asked curiously.

"I don't know. I thought Itachi was special, but he's just like any other Uchiha, a madman, attacking me on sight."

Obito was annoyed; without the events of the massacre, he didn't have many Sharingan to spare. Now, each loss was significant.

...Aren't you a madman too? Black Zetsu remained silent for a moment.

"Will you continue to target Itachi?"

Obito shook his head, "Let him go. It's better for us if such a powerful force as Uchiha Itachi leaves Konoha. It will be easier to capture the Nine-Tails later."

Obito should be grateful. If it weren't for Shisui's exhaustion from previous use of his power without recovery, he wouldn't have had to deploy Kotoamatsukami this time.