Chapter 10 – Refusing the face I offer? Then I'll send you to Hell!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!
Paper senbon filled the sky like a rainstorm, yet the instant they touched that black cloak they passed through a ghost, thudding into the wall behind.
Not a scratch.
'Naïve—and stupid.'
Obito stood in place; not even a fold of his cloak had stirred. Behind the mask, his single eye brimmed with mockery: 'Nagato, with the Rinnegan, you're content to play house with this trash? You're wasting your life.'
Konan ground her teeth, paper folding again at her fingertips: 'Damn it… why can't I hit him?!'
'Useless.' Obito spread his arms, voice dripping arrogance. 'In this world, no one can touch me. I am Uchiha Madara, I am—'
'Too many words.'
A frigid voice cut him off mid-sentence.
Obito's brow twitched: 'What did you say?'
Yahiko stood three meters away, hands in his pockets; within his amber eyes a crimson light suddenly flared.
'If you think you're untouchable, let me show you what real "unbeatable" looks like.'
Boom!
Behind him the red-and-white lattice horror—King Crimson—materialized in an instant!
The small face on its forehead glimmered with an eerie green light.
Epitaph—activate!
In a flash, the film of the future fast-forwarded inside Yahiko's mind.
Time itself could be edited; any process could be erased!
'Erase time—and leap!'
Bzzt—!
The world collapsed, discolored, reassembled in that single second.
Obito, in mid-boast, felt his thoughts skip a frame.
When he blinked again, the Yahiko who had been facing him… was gone!
Where?!
A deathly chill he had never known shot up his spine.
'Right here.'
A death-god's whisper brushed the shell of his ear.
Splurt—!!!
The sound of flesh tearing exploded through the silent storehouse like thunder.
Obito looked down in disbelief.
A gaping, bloody hole had opened in his chest.
A bright-red, gently pulsing heart hung suspended in the air.
It was his heart!!
'Hrk… hrk…'
Blood flooded his windpipe, dripping from the edge of the swirl mask.
He tried to trigger Kamui, but strength fled with that heart.
'Impossible… I'm Uchiha Madara… I'm the one who'll forge heaven in Hell… How can I die here?!'
'Is this the extent of your capacity?'
Yahiko stood behind him, expression as cold as if discarding trash.
King Crimson's fingers clenched.
Pop!
The floating heart burst like an overripe tomato, reduced to shredded pulp!
Blood spattered, dyeing Nagato and Konan's stunned faces.
Not far off, Black Zetsu's half-mask twitched, voice shrill: 'H-How?! Lord Madara—one-shotted?!'
This is Akatsuki's leader?
What kind of monstrous ability is this?!
The corpse slid off Yahiko's arm like a torn sack, crashing into the pool of blood.
Yahiko flicked the gore from his hand, gaze shifting past the body toward a shadowy corner of the warehouse.
His eyes mocked, as though watching a frightened rat.
'How does death feel?'
Calmly he asked the empty air: 'How long do you plan to hide there, Uchiha… Madara?'
The instant the words left his mouth.
The corpse, the blood, the scraps of meat warped and vanished like a hologram projection.
It was as if nothing had ever happened.
From the corner's shadows, a black-cloaked figure staggered out.
It was Obito.
Now, not a trace of his former arrogance remained.
The wide cloak was soaked with cold sweat; behind the mask his single eye locked on Yahiko, pupil trembling, filled with dread—and fear!
That hadn't been genjutsu.
Epitaph had forcibly shown him the 'future' where he died!
If Yahiko had truly struck, he would already be a corpse!
'Who… are you?' Obito croaked.
'Who I am doesn't matter.'
Yahiko advanced step by step, pressure crashing like an avalanche: 'What matters is—you were very rude just now.'
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Each footfall made Obito's heart spasm. Instinct screamed at him to retreat, but the pride of being 'Madara' nailed his feet to the floor.
He couldn't step back; one step back and everything would be over!
'W-wait!'
Suppressing the storm inside, Obito spoke fast: 'I was careless, didn't dodge. I admit—I underestimated you!'
'Oh?' Yahiko halted, tilting his head.'So?'
Obito drew a breath, fighting to regain control: 'We aren't enemies. Nagato's Rinnegan needs guidance, and you want revenge. We can cooperate.'
Seeing Yahiko didn't strike at once, Obito pushed on, voice urgent and cajoling:
'Let's make a wager!'
'Ten days! Just ten!'
He raised a finger, eyes locked on the trio: 'If you three can kill Hanzou and take Hidden Rain Village without any outside help, I'll acknowledge your strength!'
'Then I'll freely teach Nagato how to create a world of peace, even tell him the true way to use the Rinnegan!'
'If you can't…' Obito's gaze darkened, 'then you follow my plan. Nagato's body can't endure the Gedo Statue's drain; without me, he won't live three more years!'
It was an open scheme.
A step for Obito to retreat without losing face.
He was betting that this greenhorn Yahiko couldn't outfox the cunning half-god Hanzou and would have to beg for his aid.
The air seemed to freeze.
Nagato and Konan looked worriedly at Yahiko.
Ten days?
In this chaotic Land of Rain, killing that turtle-cautious demigod sounded like a fantasy!
However—
'Hahahahahaha!'
A wild laugh burst from Yahiko, shaking dust from the warehouse rafters.
'What are you laughing at?' Obito frowned, unease crawling through him.
Yahiko doubled over, as if he'd heard the funniest joke on earth.
A moment later the laughter snapped off.
He jerked his head up, eyes blazing with predatory ambition and madness.
'A bet?'
'And you think you're worthy of gambling with me?'