At that moment, Tobi suddenly sensed something. He stopped talking with Kakashi and Mei Terumi, turning his head toward the stretch of land that had been swallowed by the mudflow created by Nagato's Shinra Tensei.
He murmured, "So… still alive, huh."
Kakashi blinked, momentarily stunned. Because of his long acquaintance with Obito, he didn't bother to hide his curiosity and asked directly, "What's still alive?"
Tobi replied, "A person. Still alive. I'll go take care of it first. You two lovebirds can keep being all cozy here."
Kakashi instantly froze in embarrassment. If it were under normal circumstances, he would've long since greeted Obito with a Chidori to the face.
But right now, Obito was Tobi of the Akatsuki, he couldn't risk revealing that identity in front of Mei Terumi.
All he could do was grunt and mutter under his breath, "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"
Mei Terumi, on the other hand, seemed quite fond of the "lovebirds" comment. Her eyes curved in amusement as she said to Tobi, "You may act all mysterious sometimes, but after spending some time with you, I've realized you're actually quite an interesting man."
Tobi turned his back to them, waved lightly, and then started walking toward the area that had been buried beneath the earth and stone.
When he arrived, a hand suddenly broke through the muddy surface with great effort, followed by a leg, a body, and a shark-like blade clenched tightly in that same hand.
The one who crawled out, covered in dirt and scars, was none other than Fuguki Suikazan.
He had barely managed to climb free and was just about to complain about his terrible luck when he suddenly noticed someone standing in front of him. Looking up, he recognized the masked man from Akatsuki, the one who had been unusually active lately.
His heart instantly sank. The memory of Shinra Tensei's destructive force was still fresh in his mind. He had no desire to experience it again.
Tobi waved casually and said, "Yo. Took a Shinra Tensei head-on and still managed to survive, huh? You've got a tough life. Can't tell if that's good luck or bad luck."
Though Suikazan had made it out alive, his condition was terrible. He was severely injured, completely incapable of putting up a fight.
He stammered in fear, "W-What are you going to do to me?"
Tobi looked him over with genuine curiosity, his tone slightly mocking.
"What's wrong? Scared of dying?"
Ninjas from Kirigakure usually weren't afraid of death. Those who were tended to be the scheming, double-dealing, selfish kind.
Tobi had spent a long time in Kirigakure in his past life, he knew the type well.
Suikazan's pupils tightened. He stuttered, "M-Me? Afraid of dying? Don't be ridiculous! I'm one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, the wielder of Samehada!"
But Tobi ignored his bluster entirely.
"If you weren't afraid of death, then why did you do so many disgusting things before? You always acted like other people's lives meant nothing, but now that your own's on the line, suddenly you value it so much."
Under the heavy, crushing pressure radiating from Tobi, Suikazan's whole body began to tremble uncontrollably. Finally, he broke.
"Please, sir," he pleaded, "I don't know exactly what Akatsuki's plans are, but believe me, if you spare my life, I can be of great use to you! I know all kinds of Kirigakure's classified information. I can use my status to make things easier for Akatsuki! Just… please… spare me."
Tobi couldn't help but clap his hands together in mock applause.
"Oh, I see. So you'd sell out your own village's secrets and invite wolves into your home, all just to save your own skin. You really have no shame, huh?"
Suikazan felt a bitter sting in his chest. Of course he could tell that Tobi was mocking him.
But what choice did he have? To stay alive, he really was willing to do anything, even if it meant becoming a dog for Akatsuki.