She Is Already Different

"This hurts, damn it!"

Hidan was pinned in place by several wooden spikes, unable to move as he glared viciously at Obito, who had raised his hand.

The others were all shocked.

"Wood Release?" Kakuzu raised the Kunai in his hand and stared intently at the masked man. "I knew there was something strange about you. Who are you?"

Upon closer inspection, beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead.

Everyone here had only heard of Wood Release.

Only Kakuzu had truly witnessed it with his own eyes.

He knew just how terrifying Wood Release was. But after that man died, there should no longer be anyone in this world capable of using Wood Release!

"He claims to be…" Konan looked at the masked man and still uttered that name. "Uchiha Madara!"

"What!?"

Everyone cried out almost in unison.

"Impossible!" Kakuzu swung his hand heavily and gritted his teeth. "Uchiha Madara died long ago. Everyone knows that!"

"That’s right. He actually claims to be Uchiha Madara…" Sasori also assumed a defensive stance.

Of the six people, Kisame Hoshigaki was probably the only one whose expression did not change much, because he had known this from the start.

The others were more or less wary.

Including Itachi Uchiha.

Regardless of this person’s true identity, anyone who dared to appear under that name was certainly no ordinary person.

"You’ve managed to live until now, so why are you so certain that I died?" Obito looked at Kakuzu, his tone calm. "Still, I truly didn’t expect that there would be any ninjas from my era left alive to this day."

"Cut the crap!" Kakuzu gripped the Kunai in his hand tightly. "No one in this era understands the strength of those two better than I do. I’m the man who assassinated the First Hokage and survived! If you really are Uchiha Madara, there’s no one in this world who can stop you! Why would you need to live behind a mask!?"

Kakuzu was speaking these words less for the others than for himself.

Though he had dared to attack Orochimaru, when he heard the name Uchiha Madara, he became almost hysterical.

He could not hide his fear.

Because he understood the power of that level.

It was practically divine!

"That battle with Hashirama Senju left me severely injured. Compared to before, I’m nothing more than a remnant now. But because of it, I also obtained some things that are different." Obito raised his hand.

A sapling continuously grew from his palm.

There was almost no doubt.

This was the legendary Wood Release!

Kakuzu gritted his teeth.

He viciously hurled the Kunai in his hand at Obito, then ran outside without looking back.

Even after all these years, he still could not escape the shadow Wood Release had cast over him.

"Ignorant," Obito said coldly.

With a wave of his hand, countless thorn-covered branches spread wildly at incredible speed. In an instant, they bound Kakuzu, and one of the thorns pierced straight through his heart.

In no more than a few minutes, the immortal duo had become a pair of fellow sufferers.

Konan merely watched coldly.

Part of her heart had ultimately grown cold.

"Although I’m only a remnant, I’m still not someone you can resist." Obito clasped his hands behind his back. The eye hidden beneath his mask seemed to sweep over everyone. "Without my permission, you’d better not try to leave the Akatsuki Organization."

He was preparing to take over the Akatsuki Organization.

He had originally watched Nagato die solely to retrieve the Rinnegan.

But at this moment—

"Are you mistaken about something?" Konan’s cold voice rang out. "The Akatsuki Organization was founded by Yahiko, Nagato, and me together. Even though they have both sacrificed themselves, I should be the leader of the Akatsuki Organization."

Everyone looked toward Konan.

The kunoichi who had always stayed by the leader’s side.

"Big Sis, this guy clearly isn’t someone to mess with," Deidara could not help saying.

"Deidara!" Sasori called out from the side, then looked at Konan with some regret.

Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki, however, both wore solemn expressions.

From the moment Konan entered.

They had already understood her identity.

—Chamber Member!

This identity seemed to possess some kind of magic. No matter who it was—even an ordinary person, or even an ordinary child—as long as they bore those four words, they became impossible to fathom and impossible to ignore.

A trace of worry already showed in Kisame Hoshigaki’s eyes.

Madara might be in trouble!

Obito clearly did not think so at this moment.

He looked at Konan with his hands still behind his back and said calmly, "The one who’s mistaken is you, little girl. Yahiko formed the Akatsuki Organization under my arrangements. Even Nagato’s Rinnegan is my eye. The Rinnegan was originally the ultimate form of my Uchiha Clan’s Sharingan."

Itachi Uchiha’s pupils contracted slightly.

The Rinnegan was actually the ultimate form of the Sharingan?

Konan was also somewhat surprised to hear this.

But what followed was anger.

"The Akatsuki Organization was founded by Yahiko according to his own will, for the sake of peace in the village. The Rinnegan was also a treasure Nagato left to the village. As for you, you’re nothing more than a despicable person who doesn’t dare show his true face and only dares to scheme in the shadows." Konan’s eyes grew colder.

She had already realized it.

If what this person said was true.

Then Yahiko’s death and Nagato’s extremism might both have been caused by this person working behind the scenes.

Thinking about it carefully.

Wasn’t the information that the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path was the Ten-Tails something he had told Nagato?

"Heh heh. It seems you have no intention of returning the Rinnegan to its rightful owner." Obito chuckled faintly and raised his hand. "It doesn’t matter. You’re just an ignorant, naive, and foolish little girl. I’ll ask you myself."

From beginning to end, Obito had never really taken Konan seriously.

Konan could not possibly be his opponent.

Now, he merely continued using Wood Release ninjutsu. Countless thorns shot toward Konan in an instant.

He was starting to like using Wood Release more and more.

It was powerful and convenient.

However, Konan’s face also held a faint look of disdain.

"Fire Talisman."

She coldly uttered two words.

Boom—!

Flames suddenly erupted and swept across the surroundings. All the thorns burned in the fierce fire and turned to ash.

This was only a first-level talisman.

But its advantage was its simplicity.

It required no special preparation. She only needed to take out a few sheets of talisman paper to make them quickly.

Obito’s expression became somewhat astonished.

He had never known that Konan had mastered such powerful Fire Release.

A bad feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.

"Mr. Madara, she’s already different!" Kisame Hoshigaki could not help shouting.