The sudden appearance of the black-robed figure didn't surprise the two present.
Neither flinched, as if they had been expecting it all along.
The masked man paused briefly when he saw Zeldris standing before him.
His gaze locked on Zeldris's glowing purple eyes—unfamiliar, ethereal, and clearly powerful.
What kind of eyes are those...?
He furrowed his brow slightly. Definitely not the Rinnegan.
Not recognizing the dojutsu gave him a brief moment of hesitation, but he quickly brushed it off.
No matter. No eye technique can threaten the power of the Sharingan.
Zeldris's presence didn't rattle him. He had no illusions that Danzo Shimura alone could keep someone like Zeldris tied down.
After a short pause, the masked man spoke in a low voice.
"So you're here, Zeldris. Did something happen in your area?"
Zeldris let out a faint chuckle, clearly amused. His voice was light but carried a hidden sharpness.
"Something happened? Oh, really..."
He narrowed his eyes, his tone turning colder.
"Don't tell me... you don't know, U·chi·ha Ma·da·ra."
The deliberate pronunciation of the name made Obito's eye twitch, though he didn't show it outwardly. He feigned confusion and replied in a neutral tone:
"What are you implying?"
Zeldris watched the performance with mild admiration. As expected of Uchiha Obito—'The King of Acting' in the ninja world. Not a single crack in that façade.
Obito continued with flawless delivery.
"There was a disturbance. Itachi and I thought your cover might've been blown, so we changed the meeting point. I went back to look for you, but you were already gone."
Zeldris offered a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Is that so?" he said flatly. You looking for me? More like hoping I wouldn't make it back.
Still, he wasn't about to expose Obito's collusion with Danzo—not yet. The deal was still incomplete, and Zeldris had no intention of losing the reward he was owed.
Seeing that Zeldris wasn't pushing further, Obito eased slightly. But the smile on Zeldris's face made his stomach twist.
Has he already figured out my arrangement with Danzo...?
He cast a quick glance at Itachi, who stood silently, his expression unreadable.
If I act now… will Itachi back me up?
Obito weighed his options quickly. He didn't know the full extent of Zeldris's power, especially not those new purple eyes. And judging from Itachi's distant demeanor, cooperation wasn't guaranteed.
Tch... not the time.
At least, he told himself, they had secured Itachi—and his Sharingan. That was a win.
Obito's voice dropped into its usual monotone.
"Fine. I'll send your payment once we return."
He turned to Itachi. "Let's go. We're heading back to the Akatsuki base."
He took a step forward but froze when he noticed something was off—Itachi hadn't moved. In fact, he was staring directly at him, calm and unblinking.
Obito's brow creased.
"What is it, Itachi?"
Zeldris stepped forward, amusement dancing in his voice.
"Shall I explain?"
He glanced at Itachi, then smirked.
"Itachi here just made a decision. He's joining me."
There was a long pause.
"…What?" Obito muttered, confused.
He looked at Itachi, who finally spoke.
"I've made up my mind. From this moment on, I'm no longer working with you."
There was no malice in Itachi's tone—only quiet finality.
Obito stared, stunned. "You… joined him?"
What the hell happened while I was gone?! How did this guy... steal my man?!
His gaze darted between the two of them. What did Zeldris say? What did he do?
Before his thoughts could spiral further, Zeldris's voice cut through again, slow and mocking.
"Sorry, 'Boss Madara'. Looks like I not only cost you money… but stole your man too."
He chuckled. "Can't help it. I've always had wanted an Uchiha Subordinate."
Obito clenched his fist.
Zeldris didn't stop there. His voice dropped into a more serious register.
"But really, thank you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had the chance to meet such a brilliant ninja like Itachi."
He gave one final smile, the kind that didn't need chakra to sting.
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