Zeldris’s smug smile stretched wider, almost daring the man behind the swirling mask to react.
Obito stared at him, the rage in his chest surging like steam in a boiler about to burst. His hands trembled slightly, clenched into fists, and his breath ca short, harsh. The eye behind the mask glead with fury.
"You... Zeldris... YOU BASTARD!!"
He was seething. He’d only left for a short while to collect a few Sharingan—standard errand, really—and returned to this?
Uchiha Itachi... his most valuable pawn... defected? Just like that?
Was he under a genjutsu right now?
He blinked rapidly, heart pounding. Nope, still the sa smug face in front of him. Unfortunately, very real.
Originally, having Itachi under his thumb had been one of the keystones in his Eye of the Moon Plan. He was irreplaceable—skilled, rational, and with an inside track into Konoha’s most classified intel.
And now...
Not only had Zeldris robbed him blind and charged him for it—he even stole his people?
"This is highway robbery," Obito thought darkly. "No—this is shinobi-level robbery."
Seeing the expression under the mask twist with frustration, Zeldris cocked an eyebrow, still grinning.
"What’s wrong, Boss Madara?" he asked innocently. "Got a problem with the service?"
Obito’s fist twitched. He knew it was a bad idea to let this guy live. Even now, he wanted nothing more than to drive a Kamui-sharpened kunai through that smug face.
But reality hit him like a Rasengan to the gut—he couldn’t do a damn thing.
Not with Itachi standing on that side now.
He didn’t just lose a pawn. He lost the entire board.
His teeth ground behind the mask. Rage boiled. Blood pressure soared.
But all he could do... was sneer.
"Hmph. You’ll regret this soday, Zeldris. Mark my words."
He turned, locking eyes with Itachi one last ti—though the younger Uchiha’s face remained unreadable—and began walking away.
Then ca the voice behind him again:
"Oh, and don’t forget—you still owe for this mission."
Obito paused mid-step. He didn’t breathe for a second.
This bastard just had to twist the knife.
A low hum of chakra buzzed around Obito’s eye. A familiar vortex swirled open, and without another word, his figure disappeared into the void of Kamui.
Zeldris chuckled, watching the space ripple close.
"Man," he said aloud, "why do all these old schers act the sa when they lose? Danzo pouted the sa way."
He stretched casually, clearly pleased with himself. The gloating practically radiated off him in waves.
"Two birds down," he thought. "Danzo, and now Obito. Looks like I’m on a winning streak."
He turned toward the quiet Uchiha beside him.
"Let’s go, Itachi."
The older boy gave a slight nod.
Originally, Itachi had planned to join the Akatsuki as a spy, to protect Konoha from within the shadows.
But this man—Zeldris—was different.
Dangerous, unpredictable... but sohow, more transparent than the others. Maybe even more honest in his own crooked way.
Itachi didn’t trust him, not entirely—but he understood him. And for now, that was enough.
"I’ll play along," Itachi thought. "Until I know what ga he’s truly playing."
As they walked side by side, Zeldris rubbed his chin, already deep in thought.
"One Itachi recruited. What if... I recruit the entire Akatsuki?"
His eyes sparkled with the kind of dangerous ambition that could get a man stabbed—or worshipped.
"Think about it. Kisa, Deidara, Sasori, Hidan... Those guys are walking war machines. And if they work under instead of Madara? That’s a full discount Akatsuki package... except I get paid."
He grinned.
"World’s first evil ninja union. Now that’s capitalism."
He glanced sideways at Itachi, who walked silently, unreadable as always.
"Though let’s be real... this guy probably joined just to keep in check. He’s got that ’I’ll kill you if you step out of line’ vibe."
But Zeldris didn’t mind. He liked the challenge.
Besides, Itachi was the type who’d massacre his own clan if it ant protecting the village. That level of commitnt wasn’t just rare—it was terrifying.
And useful.
Still, Zeldris reminded himself not to get too comfortable. After all, Obito and Itachi weren’t exactly the kind of people you played poker with unless you were ready to lose your kidneys.
Thanks to his interference, Obito’s entire original plan was now teetering off a cliff. The dominoes had started to fall.
The only question now was: what would Obito do next?
As that thought passed, Itachi’s voice cut through the silence behind him:
"You can tell now... what is Uchiha Madara’s plan?"
Zeldris blinked, a little caught off guard.
"Wow," he thought. "No foreplay?"
But seeing Itachi’s serious expression, he shrugged.
"Alright. No point hiding it."
And so, he told him. Everything.
The Eye of the Moon plan.
The gathering of the tailed beasts.
The illusion of peace built atop a world-sized genjutsu.
The mont Itachi heard it all, his composure cracked for just a second.
"The Eye of the Moon... Plan?" he murmured. "He wants to gather all nine...?"
Zeldris nodded slowly.
"And the Akatsuki? Just pawns. Tools to get him there."
Itachi stood frozen for a few seconds. Even for soone who had orchestrated his own clan’s fall, this was on another level of madness.
And Zeldris... how did he even know all of this?
Itachi’s eyes narrowed slightly. The mystery around this man only deepened.
He was no fool. Whatever Zeldris’s endga was—it wasn’t money. Not just money.
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