Chapter 1057: High Risk X High Reward

"Join forces?" Obito was very puzzled, then asked: "What good does it do me to join forces with you?"

Although Orochimaru-Kabuto's intentions were unclear, the current situation was that the Akatsuki was empty inside and indeed urgently needed manpower. However, Obito did not welcome spies like Kabuto.

"Before long, you will go to war with the five great ninja villages, and I can provide you with combat power. These four are all experts; I presume you won't refuse them. And... I have other pawns."

Orochimaru-Kabuto's words somewhat moved Obito. This was indeed the case. Not to mention anything else, just by having these four people join the war, the landscape of the war would undergo significant changes.

"What is the reward you want."

"Uchiha... Sasuke."

Orochimaru-Kabuto answered almost without thinking.

"..."

"..."

Both sides fell silent. Su Xiao on the rock wall stretched. This matter was nine-tenths likely to succeed, and what was about to happen would make Obito unable to continue showing off in front of him.

"What is your purpose."

Obito's voice was low. Sasuke was also very important to him; the opponent's Sharingan could evolve into an Eternal Mangekyo.

"No special purpose. My interest is the truth within ninjutsu. Ninjas only care about whether ninjutsu is powerful, while I care about its composition, principle, origin, how it operates, why it has this way of operating, etc. For this, I need Sasuke, that young and emotionally sensitive Uchiha clan member, the only living Uchiha clan member."

Orochimaru-Kabuto was clearly coveting the secrets of the Uchiha clan—all the secrets.

"I refuse!"

Obito saw through Kabuto's thoughts, and he felt that Kabuto's tone was somewhat wrong. That sentence about the only living Uchiha clan member made him very bothered.

"Refuse?"

Orochimaru-Kabuto looked at Obito with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

"What a... pity."

Orochimaru-Kabuto put his hands together, and another coffin rose from the ground.

"Let me give you one last chance."

The snake-tongued man stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.

"Give me a chance?"

Killing intent surged in Obito's eye, but he vaguely felt something was wrong.

Just at this moment, the coffin that had just risen opened. This coffin stood upright on the ground, facing Obito perfectly.

With a bang, the coffin lid slammed onto the ground, dust rose, and a corpse stood inside the coffin, eyes closed.

Seeing this corpse, Obito's pupils constricted.

"So, Mr. 'Uchiha Madara', what is your answer this time?"

Orochimaru-Kabuto looked at Obito with a face full of smiles, then looked at Su Xiao high above.

"Mr. Bai Ye is not easy to get along with. You must have claimed to be Uchiha Madara to him, right."

Su Xiao, sitting on the rock wall, witnessed the scene below. Inside that coffin stood a man with a head of black hair. The man had light red armor tied to his shoulders and upper body. Although he stood there with his eyes closed, he gave off a powerful sense of oppression. This was... Uchiha Madara himself!

Su Xiao actually knew about this scene long ago; Orochimaru-Kabuto's defection was also within his expectations.

"This... this is."

Obito was so uncomposed for the first time.

"You think I came to see you without any preparation? That's right, you cannot refuse."

This move by Orochimaru-Kabuto could be said to have put Obito in check, hitting Obito's fatal weakness.

Obito was currently using Madara's identity to "bluff." If he didn't have this identity, even if he could complete his plan, it would be difficult to move an inch.

Not to mention anything else, just these people within the Akatsuki were enough to give him a headache. He wasn't Madara? Then who was he? You brat, explain clearly. If you don't explain clearly, I'll kill you.

Don't think this is absurd; this was a possibility that could occur.

"You bastard, where exactly did you get this."

Obito looked at Madara's corpse. Not to mention the threat this thing posed to his identity, if Kabuto really activated Edo Tensei, Uchiha Madara's combat power...

Thinking of this, Obito sighed in his heart.

"It's a long story. Rest assured, I won't leak this matter to the outside. However, what should you do about that one? That's not a person who is easy to talk to."

Orochimaru-Kabuto tilted his head.

"Heh, hehe."

Obito suddenly started laughing, and the smile on Kabuto's face gradually disappeared.

"Kabuto, you don't understand me, nor do you understand Bai Ye. I have cooperated with him too many times, far exceeding the number of times I have cooperated with other Akatsuki members. With his observational skills, he actually discovered long ago that I am not Uchiha Madara."

Obito looked at Orochimaru-Kabuto with eyes full of killing intent. Kabuto looked up at Su Xiao again. Su Xiao was still sitting there, his expression not changing much.

Obito signaled to Su Xiao, and Su Xiao tilted his head. This time Obito felt reassured. He actually had long thought that Su Xiao would suspect his identity, just as he said, the two sides had cooperated too many times.

Arranging the battle between the Sasuke and Itachi brothers, inducing Sasuke toward darkness, the Five Kage Summit, the subsequent pursuit of the Kage after the summit, the handling of Danzo's death, the attack on the village of Shu Yan, etc.

"Edo Tensei has a weakness. As long as you can kill the caster, this technique will collapse on its own. Although I might die holding off the six people including Uchiha Madara, Nagato, and Itachi, before that, you might have already died at Bai Ye's hands. Don't forget, I am skilled in space ninjutsu, and he is skilled in sword arts. I can help him quickly get close to you. When that time comes, the one who dies will definitely be you."

Obito's left arm lifted, grabbing his own mask.

Seeing this scene, Orochimaru-Kabuto frowned.

"If it's war, I have the ability to summon an Edo Tensei army."

Hearing Kabuto's words, Obito's hand paused in front of his mask.

"Yakushi Kabuto." Obito lowered his hand and continued: "I never thought you would grow to this extent. Fighting you now will only meaninglessly weaken our combat power..."

Speaking to this point, Obito paused for a moment.

"So that's why you chose to come here now, taking advantage of the empty power within the Akatsuki. What a well-prepared guy."

Obito's tone shifted directly.

"In other words?"

Orochimaru-Kabuto started to get confused about what these people in the Akatsuki were thinking.

"Fine, let's join forces with you."

Obito's attitude could be described as a 180-degree turn. Previously he wanted to kill Kabuto, but now he was cooperating with him.

"But Sasuke cannot be handed over to you now; it must wait until after the war ends."

"What a reasonable person."

Orochimaru-Kabuto readily agreed.

"As expected of Uchiha Madara, your capacity is indeed different."

This sentence, if it were before, would be nothing, but now it already carried a hint of mockery.

With this, Orochimaru-Kabuto successfully joined the Akatsuki. This meant that the Ninja World War was about to begin, much faster than imagined. It might take no more than ten days at most before the war would begin.

Orochimaru-Kabuto and Obito walked toward the underground base. A bat flew toward Su Xiao. Su Xiao grabbed the bat, and an alchemy formation flashed. The bat was quickly decomposed, turning into broken materials. A moment later, these materials turned into white powder, sliding down Su Xiao's fingertips.

"Finally lured Kabuto into joining. This can be considered adding wings to a tiger for you, Obito."

If it followed the timeline of the original plot, Kabuto would only find Obito at least a month later. Orochimaru-Kabuto was lured here by Su Xiao.

As for how to find Kabuto, that was too simple. Itachi's funeral was handled by Su Xiao and Obito. Su Xiao knew very well where the corpse was buried. By setting up surveillance equipment there, Kabuto, that grave robber, would take the initiative to find it.

Su Xiao was no longer worried about the main quest. Now, even if the five great ninja villages didn't want to go to war, Obito, having obtained Orochimaru-Kabuto's assistance, would not agree. Instead, he could catch the five great ninja villages off guard.

Konan's whereabouts had been found, which meant finding the Rinnegan was not far off. His side had sufficient troops. If they didn't go to war now, Obito could just go find a piece of tofu to smash his head against.

Moreover, Obito going to war with the five great ninja villages—whether he could win was really not important. He only needed to be able to confront the five great ninja villages head-on. The final Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was the key.

With the main quest resolved, Su Xiao now needed to focus his attention on the hunting mission. That outsider was simply too slippery.

As long as he completed the hunting mission, Su Xiao could act freely in the Naruto world, and even participate in the Ninja World War. That was a god-given opportunity to reap benefits.

Under the condition of completing the main quest and the hunting mission, as long as he was not in a combat state, Su Xiao could leave the Naruto world at any time.

Although the Ninja World War was something only Fourth Tier Qiyuezhe were qualified to participate in, if there was the insurance of returning to Reincarnation Paradise, the Ninja World War was not impossible to try.

On the battlefield, it could be said that Jonin were as common as dogs, Kage-level were everywhere, and only Super-Kage could shake things up. If they shook things up poorly, they would be killed by Six Paths-level characters.

Su Xiao had never thought about Six Paths-level, but if there was an opportunity to kill a Super-Kage level expert, then a Legendary Treasure Chest would be within reach. ===== CHAPTER 1058 =====

Su Xiao had never thought about the Six Paths level, but if there were a chance to kill a powerhouse at the Super Kage level, then a Legendary treasure chest would be within reach.