While Obito was still lost in his daze, Black Zetsu showed little surprise. He had known for a long time that Diarmuid was powerful, and having seen many powerhouses of this caliber throughout the millennia, he remained quite calm.
Hearing Diarmuid's words, Black Zetsu immediately shook his head. "Diarmuid-sama, you are too kind. It was we who requested your assistance in the first place; it is only right that we wait as long as necessary. Besides, it hasn't been long at all."
"Hahaha! While your words are pleasant to the ear, our previous agreement remains unchanged. I have no interest in your long-term plans for now. This trip to Konohagakure is merely a matter of mutual convenience. You stir up a commotion to draw the village's attention, and I take what I want. Once the job is done and you've secured the Nine-Tails and withdrawn, I'll cover your retreat. That's all," Diarmuid said with a booming laugh.
Black Zetsu was perfectly fine with this "mutual convenience." He replied without hesitation, "No problem at all. We shall follow your lead."
Diarmuid nodded in return.
He called it "mutual convenience," but in reality, he was getting a free ride, and setting Obito up to take the fall. If things went as they did in the original timeline, Obito would likely have a lapse in judgment; instead of fleeing once he secured the Nine-Tails, he would turn back to wreck havoc on the village.
The moment Obito chose to stay and cause a disaster rather than retreat, he would be the one breaking the pact between Diarmuid and Black Zetsu. Under those circumstances, Diarmuid obviously wouldn't lift a finger to "cover their retreat."
Therefore, in Diarmuid's eyes, this entire operation consisted of Obito acting as the "Fall Guy" by raising hell in Konoha, providing the perfect cover for him to steal the Scroll of Seals.
As for covering the retreat? Non-existent.
However, seeing Black Zetsu smiling so happily, Diarmuid, being the "kind and benevolent" soul he was, decided not to dampen the mood. Let the poor creature enjoy his smile for a while longer. After all, this unfortunate child of a thousand years was quite a tragic figure...
"Shall we depart? The journey is long; let's not waste time," Diarmuid said, playing his part perfectly.
Obito finally snapped out of it. Just as Diarmuid expected, the youth patted his chest and said, "There's plenty of time. I can use my jutsu to transport us directly to the outskirts of Konoha."
Obito's Kamui wasn't limited to moving himself through time and space; he could take others with him. Just as he would one day rescue Sasuke from Danzo's Reverse Four Symbols Sealing, turning the "Shining Moment" of the "Shinobi Darkness" into an embarrassing bridge-sealing incident – he was more than capable of group transit.
"Oh? Space-time ninjutsu?" Diarmuid raised an eyebrow, feigning great surprise. "That is truly extraordinary. Space-time techniques have always been exceptionally rare. I look forward to seeing it."
Even a simple, generic compliment like that made Obito feel a surge of immense satisfaction. It was the feeling of a "flex" landing perfectly!
See that? Even an elite powerhouse like you has to marvel at my Kamui.
As expected, I, the great Uchiha Obito, am incredible!
With this, Obito's confidence swelled. You might be strong now, but I won't necessarily stay behind you forever. I am the man who inherited everything from Uchiha Madara; I just haven't fully digested it yet. Once I deal with the Uchiha clan later and collect enough Sharingan, my power will reach new heights. One day, I will catch up... no, I will surpass you, and then I will initiate the Eye of the Moon Plan!
"It certainly won't disappoint you," Obito said, straightening his back with a hint of pride.
Black Zetsu: ???
What is this sudden excitement about? Was there anything in that exchange to get worked up over? Why is this guy so embarrassing?
However, he couldn't say much at the moment. He could only steer the conversation back. "In that case, let us depart, 'Madara'."
Obito nodded, grabbed Black Zetsu's arm with his left hand, and turned to Diarmuid. "Hold onto me."
Diarmuid glanced at Obito's hand. He wasn't about to hold hands in some "gay" fashion, so he reached out and firmly gripped Obito's forearm. "Ready."
Obito paused for a split second but didn't dwell on it. He simply added, "My jutsu is very fast. Bear with me."
Diarmuid: ???
Why does that phrase sound so familiar? It makes me want to hit someone.
Before Diarmuid could overthink it, the Mangekyo Sharingan: Kamui was activated.
The space around them began to warp and twist. For the first time in a long while, Diarmuid felt a dense aura of space-time energy. His body instinctively began to absorb it.
Meanwhile, Obito felt a strange sensation. Why is the Chakra consumption so high this time? It's draining like a waterfall!
Does bringing an extra person cause the cost of Kamui to multiply exponentially?
He had never really tested this before. Usually, he used Kamui on himself with negligible cost. Occasionally, he brought Black Zetsu or White Zetsu, but since they could merge into one body, he counted them as a single person and never felt a heavy drain.
Why is it so massive this time?
If Diarmuid knew what Obito was thinking, he might have retorted with: "I'm very big, you'll just have to bear with it."
Despite the heavy drain, Obito successfully triggered the technique. Space warped into a singularity at his Mangekyo Sharingan, and both Diarmuid and Black Zetsu were sucked in.
The three figures vanished from the Land of Rain.
In the next instant, in a small forest on the outskirts of Konohagakure in the Land of Fire, space twisted again. Obito, Black Zetsu, and Diarmuid emerged.
After completing this ultra-long-distance teleportation, Obito let out a breath of relief. It was a good thing he was wearing a mask, or they would have seen him drenched in sweat. That would have really ruined his image.
Stepping out of the Kamui dimension, Diarmuid felt the changes within himself. The space-time energy that had been completely depleted after his world-hop, energy he hadn't sensed since, was now present in his body once more.
It was only a tiny amount, and it was stable.
But even that small amount brought Diarmuid immense joy. It proved he could indeed absorb space-time energy. If this was just the result of Kamui, then if he could steal the Scroll of Seals and learn the Flying Raijin Technique...
Without a doubt, he would be able to gain control over this mysterious energy. He could actively absorb and store it. Once he reached full capacity, who knows? He might be able to cross worlds again, perhaps to a new one, or perhaps back to the world of One Piece!
Either prospect made Diarmuid incredibly excited.
This also confirmed Orochimaru's theory: while jutsus like the Summoning Jutsu and Substitution Jutsu possessed space-time properties, they shouldn't truly be called "Space-Time Ninjutsu" because the accompanying energy was negligible. Diarmuid knew those jutsus, yet had never absorbed a drop of energy from them.
In contrast, Obito's little trip had given him a harvest.
Excellent!
Thinking of this, Diarmuid's gaze toward Obito became somewhat heated. What a good man. If the Flying Raijin Technique failed to provide enough energy later, he would just have to "travel" with Obito more often. Let the kid ferry him around a few more times, and he might just top off his reserves.
What a magnificent tool!
Obito was busy stabilizing his breathing and recovering from the drain when he suddenly saw Diarmuid staring at him with a burning intensity. He flinched, feeling a sudden chill in his lower back.
"Wh... What is it?" Obito asked, slightly panicked.
Diarmuid snapped out of it, dimming the light in his eyes. Using a tone that said, 'You're amazing, kid, you're doing great,' he told Obito, "Impressive. I have never seen such a masterful space-time jutsu. It is truly an eye-opener. As expected of you... as expected of 'Madara'."
Obito: ???
He was a bit dazed. Why the sudden praise?
However, being complimented by a powerhouse like this made Obito feel like his fatigue had vanished instantly. He felt like he could climb six flights of stairs in one breath. The drain from Kamui didn't seem so hard to accept anymore.
See? Even a 'tiger' as strong as Diarmuid is full of praise for my Kamui.
As expected, my Kamui is the strongest!
Obito felt incredible, but on the surface, he maintained his cool. He acted as if it were nothing. "It's nothing. Just a basic operation."
"When we head back, I hope to experience that sensation of traversing space and time again. It is truly a memorable experience," Diarmuid added.
Obito patted his chest, looking like he had everything under control. "No problem. Leave it to me!"
In order to keep up this "cool guy" act and earn more praise from a master, he felt the drain was worth it. So what if my Chakra drains a bit faster? I can handle it!
Black Zetsu didn't quite understand what game Obito and Diarmuid were playing. But seeing the two getting closer made him nod inwardly. Maintaining a friendly relationship would make things easier in the future.
Diarmuid stopped messing with the "silly child" and turned his gaze toward the high walls of Konoha. "What's the plan?"
"I've already arranged for White Zetsu to go in and gather information. We can wait for his report before moving," Black Zetsu stated.
"Fine by me," Diarmuid said casually, looking perfectly cooperative.
Black Zetsu felt a surge of "gratitude." Diarmuid truly was an excellent partner – powerful, intelligent, and cooperative. He had to find a way to tie this man to his side for good.
Obito spoke up, "I'll go in first to check things out."
Black Zetsu frowned slightly. If there were no comparison, it would be fine, but with Diarmuid's stellar performance, Obito seemed a bit less reliable. However, it wasn't a big deal. With Kamui, Obito's infiltration skills were top-tier. Black Zetsu wouldn't complain.
A few flaws are fine. Besides, Obito is still young. He'll grow more mature and stable as he gains more experience, Black Zetsu thought. This time, the Nine-Tails is what matters. As long as we get the Nine-Tails, everything else is secondary.
So, Black Zetsu didn't stop him. "Be careful."
"Hmph," Obito nodded confidently and activated Kamui again...
Wait? Why is the drain still so high?!
Standing nearby, Diarmuid's gaze grew even more appreciative. Such a good child.
He didn't want to absorb the energy so blatantly, but whenever it came near him, he couldn't quite control it, at least not yet. Perhaps mastering the Flying Raijin Technique would change that?
Fortunately, since there was no physical contact this time, the drain, while high, wasn't as exaggerated as the first time. Obito simply assumed he was just "off his game" today and didn't think too much of it before vanishing into thin air.