"Why did I lose?"
Obito didn't understand. The heavens had clearly given him a second chance at life, allowing him to escape the heavily guarded Research Institute even after losing his eyes and having his body sealed.
After that, he had hacked his way through obstacles, awakening the Rinnegan, obtaining the Six-Tomoe Rinnegan, and even smoothly becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki within a mere month!
He couldn't fathom how someone so favored by destiny could still lose!
Shinji, who had sent Obito flying, did not stop. He walked slowly toward him. Hearing the approaching footsteps, Obito struggled to prop himself up. "Is it because my will isn't firm enough? Why was my Amenonuhoko snapped! This is impossible! Impossible!"
Shinji remained expressionless.
A "Sword of the Soul" like Amenonuhoko, much like the "Reflector of the Soul" that is the Mangekyo Sharingan, can often exert unexpected miracles in the hands of certain individuals. But spiritual power manifested from one's will still has an upper limit, just as the pupil power of a Mangekyo has its boundaries.
The reason Obito's Amenonuhoko was snapped by Shinji's Golden Wheel Rebirth Blast wasn't that his willpower was lacking; it was simply that Shinji was far, far stronger than him.
Seeing Shinji close in, Obito's fighting spirit finally shattered. He began to realize he wasn't even close to being Shinji's match—they were simply not on the same level. He immediately attempted to activate Kamui to flee.
However, the distorting vortex had barely begun to form when it vanished without a trace.
Undoubtedly, this was the effect of Shinji's Amenoiwatoyado. He had to capture Obito alive, but Kamui was too troublesome. Thus, before setting out, he had found Hikari and had her transmit Amenoiwatoyado—which could briefly fix space—to him via a chakra impact from Yachihoko. This was the reason for his slight delay earlier.
As for why he didn't bring Hikari to participate in the battle, Shinji had his reservations. After all, planting a God Tree and sacrificing an Otsutsuki were acts of naked plunder. Even if it was a last resort, Shinji didn't want it to be common knowledge. He chose to handle it alone and bear the weight alone!
Realizing his Kamui had failed, Obito's last sense of security evaporated. He looked up in terror. "What... what did you do?"
Shinji replied casually, "You don't know? Oh, right. When I dealt with Otsutsuki Isshiki, you ran away early."
Obito continued to try, but no matter how hard he struggled, Kamui could not breach the space to help him escape. This was only natural; the Amenoiwatoyado Hikari had launched previously was enough to briefly stop Isshiki from using a spatial gate. Considering Shinji was far stronger than Obito, there was no chance for Obito to break through.
"Dammit!"
As Shinji arrived in front of him, Obito threw a punch out of pure instinct.
Slap.
Shinji caught the fist with his right hand, then drove his left fist deep into Obito's abdomen, sending him flying. Before he could hit the ground, Shinji stepped forward and bound him with a sealing jutsu.
Obito's face was a mask of agony. He couldn't win, and he couldn't run. He had become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, standing at the peak of the shinobi world, yet he was losing more pathetically than when he had no eyes and no beast. It was as if all his recent efforts were meaningless.
"Why is it like this!" he roared in indignation.
After sealing him, Shinji thrust over a dozen black receivers into Obito's body, pinning his joints and locking his chakra. Currently, his God Tree had not yet completely absorbed enough planetary energy to nurture the next Chakra Fruit, so he couldn't reclaim the small Ten-Tails yet. He had to keep Obito in custody first.
Flash.
In the next instant, Shinji precisely gouged out the Six-Tomoe Rinnegan from Obito's sockets. While the Ten-Tails couldn't be reclaimed yet, these eyes containing Kamui could be.
Obito, now eyeless, stared blankly with hollow sockets. "Are you going to kill me? Figures. You won't let me go this time. If I don't die, you probably wouldn't even be able to sleep peacefully."
Shinji placed the eyes into a small nutrient jar and said calmly, "Your escape was not an accident."
"What!?" Obito felt as if he'd been struck by lightning.
Shinji stowed the jar away and sighed. "I arranged everything. Including you becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki."
Obito's despair was replaced by overwhelming confusion. "Why? Why would you do that!?"
Shinji replied, "As for the reason, you'll find out later."
"Impossible!" Obito shook his head frantically, roaring, "How could you possibly control all of this!?"
His confidence had been rooted in the belief that he was favored by fate—his miraculous escape, his miraculous awakening of the Rinnegan, his miraculous success with the Ten-Tails. He refused to believe a mere Uchiha could manipulate destiny itself.
Shinji didn't care to argue. He said flatly, "There was never a Group 2 or Group 3. The researchers conducting the trials on you were all actors I arranged. Every word of their 'private chatter' was a line from a pre-written script."
Obito choked out, "And White Zetsu?"
Shinji admitted frankly, "Also arranged by me. I needed him to guide you every step of the way to ensure you became the Jinchuriki according to plan."
Obito looked utterly soul-crushed. "So, my Sharingan... you deliberately put it in my hands? And the White Zetsu cells with Sasuke's chakra in the storage room... you left those for me to find so I would awaken the Rinnegan?"
"Mm," Shinji grunted.
"And my Six-Tomoe Rinnegan?" Obito reached up to touch his face, but his fingers only found hollow sockets.
Shinji said casually, "Turning a Rinnegan into a Six-Tomoe version isn't a difficult task for me."
Hearing that even his greatest power was merely a prop provided by Shinji, Obito finally broke. He collapsed onto the ground, his spirit completely drained.
"So there was no favor from fate at all," he whispered. "It was all your arrangement. You can even manipulate destiny..."
Shinji showed no pride. He looked at Obito with cold indifference. "I didn't manipulate destiny. I only manipulated you."