Ryūjin immediately understood the scene Obito had orchestrated. After the initial chaos, everything clicked in his mind. Obito's plan was clear: provoke Nagato, break his faith, and bring him completely under control.
In the original Naruto storyline, Nagato's descent into darkness was triggered by Hanzo and Danzo teaming up to kill Yahiko. Yet the true mastermind was Danzo. Hanzo, initially wary of Akatsuki, had never taken them seriously. The turning point came when Danzo, the crafty old schemer, accidentally saw Nagato summon the Gedo Statue with his Rinnegan. Shocked and greedy, Danzo plotted to obtain the Rinnegan, slowly manipulating Hanzo to team up and attack Akatsuki. Obito, meanwhile, watched from the shadows, fanning the flames without direct interference.
But now?
Danzo had been eliminated early by Ryūjin, leaving Nagato untouched and free from the intended corruption. Obito's personal intervention had been forced by circumstance. The Akatsuki, idealists at heart, had always believed in peace. By exploiting this negotiation, Obito hoped to shatter their worldview, showing them the harsh, cruel truth of the ninja world. And if Yahiko and Konan died in the process, the psychological impact would be even greater. It was a meticulous scheme, yet Obito's luck ran out when he encountered Ryūjin.
"Capture him!"
Obito's voice was cold and commanding, echoing with lethal intent.
Swish, swish, swish!
Leaf and Mist ANBU surged forward. One after another, they charged at Ryūjin with deadly precision.
Ryūjin, unfazed, flicked his hand. An enormous shuriken appeared, spinning rapidly in his palm. Simultaneously, he formed a series of hand seals.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Bang!
The massive shuriken exploded mid-air into countless smaller ones, raining down like a hailstorm.
Whiz, whiz, whiz!
The charging ninjas were swept away, dropping like dumplings into a boiling pot. Most of them, once hitting the ground, morphed into white-bodied creatures. White Zetsu.
No wonder there had been so many shinobi from Konoha and Kirigakure. Most were mere transformations, illusions controlled by the enemy.
"These small fries aren't even worth my time," Ryūjin said lightly, a hint of disdain in his voice.
Obito's face darkened. He knew Ryūjin was no ordinary shinobi, but seeing the sheer skill displayed by the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu drove home how much he had underestimated him.
"Everyone else, retreat. Minato Namikaze, capture him!" Obito ordered again, his voice merciless.
Without hesitation, Minato advanced toward Ryūjin, leaving no room for words.
Swish, swish, swish!
Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan moved at the same time, appearing in front of Ryūjin through Body Flicker. They hadn't fully understood who he was yet, but it was clear: this peace negotiation was a trap. The person before them had exposed it. This person had shown kindness.
Seeing Ryūjin now being targeted, Yahiko and the others instinctively moved to assist.
"We'll cover you. Find an opening to retreat!" Yahiko said with determination. Nagato and Konan nodded, silent but resolute.
Ryūjin gave a small, inward sigh. How kind and naive… good people, for sure.
Yet he remained calm, shrugging. "What about you guys? You can't handle this lineup yourselves, can you?"
"It's fine," Yahiko replied. "This person went through all this trouble to stage a scene. Killing us isn't his goal. If he wanted that, he could've sent an ambush. He wants something else."
Yahiko's eyes flicked toward Obito, analyzing the situation calmly. "I already have a good idea of his objective. I'm sure he won't kill us. You can leave safely. We'll cover your retreat."
"Thanks for your concern, but this guy isn't qualified to make me run," Ryūjin said casually, stepping in front of them, blocking any potential attack.
Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan exchanged glances. They didn't stop him, choosing instead to observe. If anything went wrong, they could intervene.
Tap, tap, tap.
Ryūjin advanced. Minato rushed in, a glowing Rasengan forming in his hand. The spinning sphere of chakra shone brilliantly, exuding destructive energy.
Boom!
The Rasengan collided with Ryūjin, carrying immense force.
"Hiss!" Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan's hearts skipped a beat.
They had assumed Ryūjin was skilled, but even so, being hit by the combined assault of the Hokage and Mizukage could easily be fatal. Severe injury seemed inevitable.
Yet the next moment stunned everyone.
Minato's Rasengan passed directly through Ryūjin as if he weren't there, untouched and impervious.
"Kamui? How is this possible?"
Obito staggered, almost falling to the ground, stunned beyond belief. His unique Mangekyō Sharingan ability—Kamui—was considered exclusive to him. And yet, Ryūjin was wielding it with ease.
No one in the ninja world should have been able to pull this off. Yet here he was.