Though he had taken a Rinnegan from Nagato, Richard had no intention of exposing that Pain was merely Nagato's puppet.
After hearing Richard's question, both Itachi and Kisame frowned.
Nagato had never told them about Richard claiming a Rinnegan from him.
Still, they could deduce the truth without being told.
Pain was missing his right Rinnegan, while Yugao Uzuki—Richard's partner—had recently acquired a right Rinnegan.
They'd need to be remarkably obtuse not to connect these facts.
Neither Itachi nor Kisame responded to Richard's question, instead contemplating why he had suddenly mentioned this.
Under their scrutiny, Richard continued unhurriedly, "I know you two aren't your true selves. The Shapeshifting Technique allows you to appear here."
"If you were the genuine articles, I might enjoy a prolonged engagement."
"But as mere duplicates, you offer minimal entertainment."
With these words, Richard raised his right hand, forming a Rasengan.
"Ten seconds!"
"Survive that long, and I'll depart immediately."
As before, neither Itachi nor Kisame responded verbally, though both visibly tensed.
Richard wasted no further time, employing his super speed.
In an instant, he materialized before Itachi.
Witnessing Richard appear like a flash of light, Itachi immediately leapt backward without hesitation.
Simultaneously, he began forming hand signs.
Though Itachi hadn't yet completed his jutsu, Richard recognized from the sequence that he intended to use Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique.
Without allowing Itachi to finish, Richard raised his left hand and activated Universal Pull.
Itachi, mid-retreat, felt an overwhelming gravitational force drawing him helplessly toward Richard, directly into the Rasengan held in his right hand.
Under the wide-eyed gazes of Guy, Sakura, and the others, Itachi's body spun violently and launched backward like a baseball struck by a bat.
After dispatching Itachi, Richard again employed his super speed, materializing beside Kisame like a specter.
He utilized no jutsu—merely throwing a direct right punch.
Though a simple straight punch, its power was unmistakable.
While technically not ninjutsu, Richard's super-strength-enhanced strike carried devastation equal to any technique.
Even holding back significantly, his punch delivered dozens of times more force than Tsunade's chakra-enhanced strength.
Kisame attempted to block with Samehada.
His intention was sound, but reality proved harsh.
By the time he raised Samehada, Richard's fist had already impacted his chest.
BANG!
A dull, tremendous impact reverberated instantly.
Before Kisame could react, he hurtled backward.
After sending Kisame flying, Richard discontinued his assault.
As Kisame tumbled through the air, Richard observed him transform into an unrecognizable Sunagakure shinobi.
Evidently, the Shapeshifting Technique had dissipated.
With the jutsu's conclusion, the sacrificial Sunagakure ninja expired immediately, and the lake formed by Kisame's Water Style receded at a pace visible to the naked eye.
Richard approached Guy, Sakura, and the others. "Kakashi has lost combat capacity. Sai, please transport Kakashi back to Konoha immediately for treatment by Lady Tsunade."
Though not team leader, neither Guy, Lee, nor Sakura or Sai objected to his instructions.
Sai nodded promptly and executed his Super Beast Scroll: Bird of Paradise.
Moments later, a large ink bird materialized before them.
Sai carried Kakashi onto the construct and flew toward Konoha.
After their departure, Richard continued, "We'll divide into two units. Guy, you and Lee will handle Deidara. Sakura, Temari, and Chiyo will confront Sasori."
"What about you?" Temari immediately inquired.
"I'll manage the individual with the spiral orange mask," Richard replied.
Though that's what he stated, he had already confirmed through enhanced vision that Obito wasn't currently present at the Akatsuki hideout.
"If no further questions exist, let's proceed."
"Understood!" Guy, Sakura, and the others responded in unison.
The subsequent rescue operation proceeded smoothly.
Guy led Neji, Lee, and Tenten to victory against Deidara.
Though they defeated him, they lacked flight capability and could only watch as Deidara escaped on his giant clay bird.
Sakura, Temari, and Chiyo likewise overcame Sasori, staging an extraordinary puppet master confrontation.
Sasori deployed his Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets and the human puppet crafted from the Third Kazekage.
Chiyo countered with her White Secret Technique: The Chikamatsu Collection of Ten Puppets, and through coordinated efforts with Sakura and Temari, defeated Sasori at full strength.
Though Deidara and Sasori fell, Gaara didn't survive.
After the Nine Phantom Dragons extracted Shukaku, Gaara—as the One-Tail's former Jinchūriki—perished.
However, Chiyo ultimately performed the forbidden jutsu One's Own Life Reincarnation to resurrect Gaara.
One's Own Life Reincarnation was originally a forbidden technique Chiyo developed to revive Sasori's parents.
Its principle wasn't complex, but rather remarkably straightforward.
Using one's entire chakra as a medium, it converted chakra into life force, or redistributed one's vitality to another.
Beyond healing, One's Own Life Reincarnation could also animate puppets.
With Chiyo's self-sacrifice to save Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage rescue mission officially concluded.
Gaara and Temari returned to Sunagakure with Chiyo and Sasori's remains.
Guy, Sakura, and the others began their journey back to Konoha.
As for Richard...
He didn't immediately leave the Land of Rivers, instead remaining at the Akatsuki hideout.
Nagato had recalled the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, leaving the massive cavern empty.
Richard sat upon a jutting boulder and calmly stated, "Since you're here, concealment serves no purpose. Emerge."
As he finished speaking, a spiral spatial distortion materialized on another boulder several dozen meters away.
Under Richard's gaze, Obito—wearing his spiral orange mask—appeared.
"How did you know I would return?" Obito addressed Richard.
"I speculated," Richard replied. "It seems my assessment was correct."
"Do you intend to fight me?" Obito inquired further.
Richard stood atop the boulder and responded deliberately, "Let's forgo combat. I harbor no current intention to battle you."
"I waited here merely to observe the last true Uchiha."
How does he know?
Shock registered immediately across Obito's features.
Though concealed behind his orange spiral mask, Richard's enhanced vision clearly detected his astonished expression.
"Your disguise is indeed impressive, yet ineffective against me."
"Furthermore, I understand why you've assumed Madara Uchiha's identity to harvest the Tailed Beasts."
"I'll be direct—I know you aspire to become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki and deploy Infinite Tsukuyomi to create an ideal world where Rin still lives and war no longer exists."
"Provided you leave the Three-Tails untouched, you may collect the remaining seven Tailed Beasts through whatever means you choose."
"I currently lack motivation to confront you."
"However, once you achieve Ten-Tails Jinchūriki status, I will engage you."
"Should you defeat me, you may reshape reality through Infinite Tsukuyomi however you desire."
"I grant you one year to gather the other seven Tailed Beasts."
"Should you fail to become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki within that timeframe, courtesy will end, and I'll eliminate you directly."
Richard maintained steady eye contact with Obito throughout his declaration.
Though he hadn't actively pursued Kaguya Otsutsuki's resurrection during the past three years, he had formulated a comprehensive strategy.
Compelling Obito to capture all Tailed Beasts except the Three-Tails within one year!
Though Obito wasn't Madara Uchiha, his transformation into the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki would still enable Kaguya Otsutsuki's resurrection through him.
Essentially, Madara's presence or absence held minimal significance.
The same applied to the Fourth Great Ninja War.
"Why assume I'll meekly follow your order?" Obito immediately challenged.
"For this reason!"
As the words left his mouth, Richard extracted his massive Masamune blade from his system space.
"I recognize your right eye's ability to transport yourself to the Kamui dimension, or to absorb enemies and attacks into that space."
"Yet the Kamui dimension isn't impervious. Should you doubt this, I can demonstrate immediately."
Hearing Richard's assertion, Obito's brow furrowed.
Though perplexed by Richard's comprehensive knowledge, Obito recognized he wasn't bluffing.
Without verbal response, Obito activated Kamui's power. The surrounding space began distorting as he prepared to enter the Kamui dimension.
Observing this, Richard raised Masamune and casually swept it toward Obito.
Judgement Cut End!
As Masamune completed its arc, the Judgement Cut End manifested instantly. The crescent-shaped spatial rupture immediately struck Obito, who hadn't fully transitioned into the Kamui dimension.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
The crescent spatial tear passed through Obito's body, disappearing along with him.
Within the Kamui dimension, Obito stared incredulously at his fresh wounds.
Though not fatally injured by the Judgement Cut End, he hadn't emerged unscathed—seven or eight massive lacerations now marked his body.
Yet greater astonishment awaited.
Several meters before him, space itself appeared to rupture, creating a spatial tear several meters long and one meter wide.
As this breach formed, Richard—wielding Masamune—calmly entered the Kamui dimension under Obito's stunned gaze.
"You have one year!"
"Should you fail, terminate your own existence, allowing another to become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki."
With these words, Richard turned and exited Obito's Kamui dimension.
Konoha. Hokage's Office.
After emerging from Obito's Kamui dimension, Richard employed Flying Thunder God to return directly to the Hokage's office.
"Gaara has been rescued, but Shukaku was successfully extracted by Akatsuki."
"Kakashi suffered from Itachi Uchiha's Tsukuyomi. I've sent him ahead with Sai and request your personal medical attention."
Richard addressed Tsunade, who sat behind her desk.
"Even you couldn't prevent Akatsuki from capturing Shukaku?" Tsunade asked, frowning.
"By the time we reached Akatsuki's hideout, Shukaku had already been extracted from Gaara," Richard explained.
Though truthful, Richard recognized that had he truly wished to prevent Shukaku's capture, Nagato and the others would never have completed the Nine Phantom Dragons sealing in time.
He hadn't previously known the Akatsuki hideout's location in the Land of Rivers.
However, given the Land of Rivers' modest size, comprehensively searching the entire country would have presented no significant challenge for someone with his abilities.
Tsunade fell silent.
After several seconds, she continued, "As long as Gaara survived, that's the priority."
"Regarding Shukaku, if opportunity presents itself in the future, we'll return it to Sunagakure."
Though Tailed Beasts offered tremendous power, each village benefited from their dispersal.
Setting aside whether sufficient Jinchūriki existed, concentrating all Tailed Beasts within a single village invited disaster.
Such concentration would transform that village into every other nation's common enemy.
"If nothing further requires attention, I'll depart," Richard stated, preparing to employ Flying Thunder God.
At that moment, Tsunade spoke again.
"Thank you for your efforts. If you're available tonight, I'd like to treat you to drinks."
"Incidentally, Jiraiya and Naruto returned to the village today."
"Excellent. I'll see you tonight," Richard replied.
As the words left his mouth, he vanished from Tsunade's sight.
He proceeded directly to his residence near the Uchiha district using Flying Thunder God.
Yugao Uzuki wasn't home currently.
She had accepted an A-rank mission the previous day to escort a VIP, departing with several other jonin.
Upon returning home, Richard proceeded directly to the master bathroom for a relaxing bath.
Though his activities in the Land of Rivers had been limited to defeating the Shapeshifting Technique duplicates of Itachi and Kisame, he still desired a hot bath to unwind.
After soaking for nearly thirty minutes, he exited and changed into fresh clothing.
At 7:00 PM, Richard performed Flying Thunder God and returned to the Hokage's office.
"I have several documents requiring attention," Tsunade informed him.
"No problem," Richard replied, settling onto the office sofa to wait patiently.
After processing the final document and handing it to Shizune, Tsunade approached Richard. "Ready to go? I've also invited Jiraiya."
Though Tsunade had never reciprocated Jiraiya's romantic feelings, she didn't dislike him—she simply didn't view him as a potential partner.
Jiraiya had trained Naruto outside the village for three years, returning only today.
As an old friend, Tsunade naturally wished to welcome Jiraiya back.