Chapter 253: A Visitor from the Shadows
The Land of Iron was a bastion of enforced neutrality, its samurai-led government the only entity all five great shinobi nations could grudgingly trust. This made it the perfect, if tense, venue for a summit teetering on the brink of war. Within the capital city, a palpable air of vigilance hung heavier than the perpetual snowfall. Armored patrols marched with rhythmic precision, their eyes scanning every shadow, every cloaked figure, for a threat that felt inevitable.
After securing rooms in a modest, snow-dusted inn, the members of the Hebi team—all except the ever-solitary Sasuke—gathered in Ren's chamber. The air inside was warm, thick with the scent of old wood and damp wool from their cloaks.
Suigetsu, having scouted the area, was the first to break the silence. "Boss, the security here is no joke. Samurai are everywhere, and the meeting hall tomorrow will be a fortress. Unless we plan on carving a path straight through them, getting close is going to be a problem."
Ren stood by the window, watching a snowflake spiral down onto the icy pane. "Heh. Of course," he murmured, a faint, cold smile on his lips. "The entire shinobi world is watching. For the Iron Country, a single mishap during this summit wouldn't just be a failure; it would be an irredeemable loss of face. Their reputation for absolute security would shatter."
Karin pulled her thick cloak tighter around herself, shivering despite the room's warmth. "So, what's the plan? Do we really just... force our way in?" The thought of confronting the entire gathered might of the samurai, not to mention the Kage and their guards, sent a nervous thrill down her spine.
Ren turned from the window, his gaze sweeping over them. He seemed about to speak, to unveil some intricate strategy, but then he paused. A subtle, almost imperceptible shift occurred in his demeanor, as if he had just sensed a familiar, unwelcome presence on the wind.
"Don't worry about the details for now," he said, his tone suddenly dismissive. "The meeting isn't until tomorrow. For tonight, all of you should get some rest. We'll act when the time is right." He made a slight gesture of dismissal with his hand.
"Alright, alright! If you say so, Boss," Suigetsu chimed in, ever the pragmatist. He stretched lazily. "How tough can these samurai be, anyway? We've stormed the Cloud and the Leaf. This little iron fortress doesn't scare me. I'm actually looking forward to it!" With a final, confident grin, he led the way out, Jūgo and a slightly hesitant Karin following behind.
Once the door clicked shut, sealing Ren in solitude, the playful smirk vanished from his face, replaced by an expression of sharp, predatory interest. The room was silent, save for the muffled howl of the wind outside.
"Heh," he let out a soft, knowing chuckle, speaking to the empty room. "To think you'd come to see me in person. I'm flattered."
A distortion swirled in the air behind him, the space itself contorting like a mirage. From the center of this vortex, a figure emerged, his form solidifying without a sound. He wore the distinctive black and red clouds of the Akatsuki, and his face was obscured by a single, spiraling orange mask.
"Whoa," the masked man drawled, his voice a flat, almost bored monotone that belied the immense power he wielded. "You sensed me already, Uchiha Ren. You really are something else."
"Your flattery is noted," Ren replied coolly, slowly turning to face the intruder. His Sharingan was already active, its crimson glow piercing the dim light. "But I doubt you risked a personal visit just to pay me compliments. So, what should I call you? 'Tobi'? Or perhaps... Uchiha Madara?"
The air in the room grew several degrees colder. The name 'Madara' hung between them, a challenge and a test. Though Ren knew the truth—that this was Obito Uchiha, a ghost clinging to a dead man's legacy—he chose the facade the man himself presented. It was a move in their game, a way to assert that he was not an ignorant pawn.
There was a brief, heavy silence from the masked man. The revelation that Ren knew his claimed identity was a calculated risk confirmed. "Did Itachi tell you?" Obito finally asked, his voice losing its feigned lightness, becoming low and dangerous.
Ren ignored the question, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Get to the point. Why has the master of shadows emerged into the light? By all accounts, we are enemies. Have you come to try and kill me yourself? It would be a more direct approach than your usual manipulations."
He was right. The history between the Hebi and the Akatsuki was written in blood. Countless core members lay dead by Ren's hand, his actions throwing Obito's decades-long plans into chaos. Most critically, Ren held two of the precious Tailed Beasts, and rumors swirled of a third, a False Nine-Tails, under his control. Obito had every reason to see him erased from the board.
Yet, the masked man did not attack. The faint, manic light that had flickered in his single visible eye at the mention of his ruined plans slowly receded, banked by an even greater purpose.
"No," Obito stated, his voice now utterly calm and devoid of emotion. "I did not come with hostility today. I came to meet the man who has single-handedly reshaped the board. I came... to talk."
Ren's eyebrow arched in genuine curiosity. "Oh? Just talk? And what, pray tell, could we possibly have to discuss?"
Obito took a single step forward, the space around him seeming to waver. "A proposal," he said, the word laden with ominous weight. "A plan to reshape this entire wretched world."
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