Chapter 21 - 21: Let the World Know
As the masked man vanished into the swirling void, Konan's gaze lingered on the space he left behind. The silence that followed felt heavier than the rain.
Her eyes narrowed slightly before she turned to Pain, her voice soft, unreadable.
"So... we're just letting him handle it?"
Pain didn't respond right away. He stood there like a statue, watching the spot as if it still held echoes of the masked man's presence. Finally, his voice broke the quiet.
"For now," he said. "His objectives align with ours. We don't have the luxury of suspicion—not yet."
Konan gave a subtle nod, expression unreadable. "Fine. I'll start digging into Zeldris."
"Good," Pain said, his voice low but firm. "Let Zetsu handle the information leak. I want whispers, not alarms."
Without another word, Konan stepped back. Her paper wings unfolded in a rustle like dry leaves in wind. With one graceful leap, she vanished into the rainy sky—nothing left but faint petals of paper trailing behind.
Pain was alone once more, his gaze lost in the horizon.
Zeldris...
The name echoed in his mind like a rogue bell. A boy who could kill a Kage with one punch? The implications gnawed at his logic.
Then, a familiar voice crashed through the quiet like an uninvited party guest.
"Yo! You rang, boss? Something explode or what?"
Zetsu slithered out of the shadows, plant-like form splitting as the black and white halves blinked in unison.
Pain didn't even flinch. "Drop everything."
Zetsu's smile faltered. "Everything? I was in the middle of watching two Jōnin duel over rice wine. It was getting spicy."
"The Third Kazekage is dead," Pain said flatly.
Zetsu blinked once. Then twice. "Wait—the Third Kazekage? Mister Magnet Hands? The guy who used to toss armies around like confetti?"
Pain nodded once.
"...Damn," Zetsu muttered. "Who did it?Did Sasori finally snap and take him out for not appreciating his art?"
Pain's tone didn't change. "No. It wasn't Sasori. Konan witnessed it herself. The one who killed him was... a boy. Zeldris."
Zetsu froze. "Who?"
"Exactly."
There was a long pause.
Pain continued, "He used a single punch. Crushed him—and space itself. Konan called it... wrong."
Zetsu's jaw unhinged slightly. "Wait, wait, wait. Space? What kind of jutsu breaks reality? Is that even allowed?"
"He has an unknown ability," Pain replied. "And now, he's not only alive—he's recruiting. Sasori's already with him."
Zetsu groaned. "Oh great, now he's collecting S-Class rogues like trading cards."
Pain's voice sharpened. "Which is why I need you to spread the news."
"Got it. Scare the nations, but don't say who's behind the curtain."
"Exactly. No mention of Zeldris. Not yet."
Zetsu gave a low chuckle. "Mysterious death of a Kage. Yeah, the villages are gonna eat each other alive trying to pin the blame."
"Good," Pain murmured. "Chaos is fertilizer for our cause."
Zetsu smirked, then sank into the earth like an eerie weed retreating from sunlight.
Now alone, Pain stood still in the rain. The droplets clung to his skin like cold needles, but he didn't move.
Let the world react, he thought.
Let them panic.
Because in panic... truth reveals itself.
Meanwhile – Border of the Wind Country
Inside a hidden lair carved into the desert cliffs, Sasori was practically buzzing with excitement. Which, for him, meant his eyebrows moved a whole quarter of an inch.
He stood before his newest masterpiece—the puppet of the freshly deceased Third Kazekage. His eyes gleamed with something unholy as he admired the glossy sheen of the puppet's joints.
"Look at this," he whispered. "Beautiful. Efficient. Deadly. He's even better as a puppet."
Zeldris stood nearby, arms folded, watching. His face unreadable. His tone casual.
"You've got issues, man. But... that's impressive."
Sasori grinned like a craftsman showing off a war crime. "I've turned an entire Kage into a weapon. If that's not art, I don't know what is."
Zeldris smirked faintly. He wasn't here to debate art. He was here for power. And this puppet? This was Kage-level firepower on strings.
Things were finally moving.
But not fast enough.
He opened his system menu again, eyes narrowing slightly.
[Current Wealth Points: 50000]
[Lottery Draw Requirement: 100000]
Still halfway there. Even with Sasori recruited, the system was stingy. Apparently, world domination required microtransactions.
He needed another five million ryō.
Translation: Time to rob someone important.
Just as he turned to leave, a ripple in the air made his eyes snap back.
A distortion in the space behind him began to spin, slow at first—then rapidly twisting like a whirlpool caught in a mirror.
Zeldris's hand hovered near his weapon.
Then he saw it.
A swirling vortex snapped open—and from it stepped a figure cloaked in black, a swirl-patterned mask hiding his face.
Zeldris straightened, calm but alert.
Obito looked around the dim lair, then let his single eye rest on Zeldris.
"You're younger than I expected."
Zeldris didn't blink. "You're weirder than I imagined."
Obito tilted his head.
This was going to be interesting.
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