Evening.
Konoha.
Shizune stepped out holding Tonton, intending to buy dinner for Tsunade. But just as she left the inn, she suddenly saw someone who startled her so much she shuddered all over.
"H-Hokage-sama!!!"
Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen standing before her, Shizune couldn't help but swallow hard.
An inexplicable sense of guilt crept up inside her.
"Shizune…" Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression was complicated, but he still forced a faint, kind smile. "Tsunade's inside, isn't she? Go tell her that I wish to meet with her."
Shizune's eyes widened in shock.
She suddenly remembered what Tsunade-sama had said earlier.
Gulp—
Her throat tightened, and her thoughts, guided by her first impression, flared with alarm. She couldn't shake the feeling that Lord Hokage harbored ill intentions!
Even that gentle smile on his face…
Seemed faintly sinister.
...
"Biwa Jūzō… went to Kirigakure!"
Land of Rain.
Uchiha Obito abruptly opened his eyes.
The current Blood Mist Kirigakure was already under his control. After all, even the Fourth Mizukage was being manipulated by him. Under Obito's vengeful control, the entire Blood Mist Village had been engulfed in endless internal strife, slaughter, and chaos day and night.
When the intelligence reached Kirigakure, Uchiha Obito naturally obtained the first-hand information as well.
"…Obito."
At this moment, Black Zetsu—who had already found a suitable White Zetsu body and merged back into it, taking on a humanoid pitcher plant form—spoke. "I'm afraid the one who went to Kirigakure… isn't just Biwa Jūzō."
Black Zetsu narrowed its eyes and said in a low tone, "Don't forget, that guy has already betrayed us—betrayed Akatsuki. He's now standing on the same side as Uchiha Keizumi."
Uchiha Obito frowned. "You mean that guy Biwa Jūzō brought Uchiha Keizumi's shadow clone to the Land of Rain, and then brought the real Uchiha Keizumi to Kirigakure? What's his purpose in doing that?"
Black Zetsu slowly replied, "Unclear. But one thing's certain—Biwa Jūzō and Akatsuki don't get along. The reason he joined Akatsuki in the first place might never have been pure."
"Now that he's brought Uchiha Keizumi to Kirigakure, perhaps there's one possible explanation—he's already realized that everything happening in Kirigakure can't be separated from Akatsuki's influence."
"When he realized that he couldn't change any of it by his own power, he began to seek external help. The external force he found… was Uchiha Keizumi."
Uchiha Obito didn't quite understand. He remained silent for a long while, still mulling over the precise meaning behind Black Zetsu's words.
Seeing this scene, Black Zetsu was silent for half a second, then said, "What I mean is—he already knows you're the one stirring up trouble in Kirigakure. He wants to deal with you. As for how he found out, it might again have something to do with Uchiha Keizumi. After all, that guy knows far too many of our secrets."
As it spoke, Black Zetsu felt a chill creeping up its spine.
It couldn't shake the feeling that its true purpose—its true scheme—
Had already been seen through by Uchiha Keizumi, completely and clearly!
Perhaps even…
The other party might know more than it did itself.
No, that couldn't be right…
Black Zetsu silently shook its head.
Even if the other possessed some kind of precognitive ability, it shouldn't be to the extent of near "omniscience" as it was imagining. Even Mother herself could not achieve omniscience—so how could one Uchiha Keizumi possibly do so?
"…Hmph. I already knew. You didn't need to explain it."
Uchiha Obito snorted coldly. He didn't notice the complicated thoughts in Black Zetsu's mind. In a low voice, he said, "Since that guy's movements have been confirmed, it's about time to settle this once and for all."
Black Zetsu asked, "We're going to settle things with him—are you sure? Do you really want to take that risk?"
Uchiha Obito: "…"
After several seconds of silence, Uchiha Obito gritted his teeth and said, "Weren't you the one who said Uchiha Keizumi couldn't be allowed to live? You said his existence would seriously interfere with our plan!"
Black Zetsu let out a silent sigh, but on the surface remained calm as it said, "You must remember—there are others who want him dead too. Uchiha Keizumi has made far too many enemies."
"He killed the Daimyō of the Land of Fire, making countless Daimyōs of other nations deeply wary of him, wishing they could eliminate him as soon as possible; he also made Nagato feel threatened—Nagato wants to eliminate him as well."
"We can make use of that strength—kill with a borrowed knife. All we need to do is provide them with information. The rest… doesn't require us to take the risk ourselves."
Uchiha Obito's expression stiffened as he asked, "Since when did we start needing to go around in circles to deal with a single person?"
As he walked forward, Black Zetsu said, "When you've lived longer—when you've lived old enough—you'll understand that staying alive is what matters most. As long as you live longer than others, nothing else is a problem. Don't put yourself in danger. Staying alive—that's what's most important."
Uchiha Obito stared at Black Zetsu's back. "You bastard—are you deliberately imitating Uchiha Madara? You sound just like him."
A faint arc tugged at the corner of Black Zetsu's mouth. "I was born from his will. Naturally, I'm somewhat similar to that man."
…
Soon after.
"Uchiha… Madara told me Uchiha Keizumi's whereabouts. He went with Biwa Jūzō to the Land of Water. But for now, it's still unclear whether it's his real body or a clone."
Nagato relayed this information to Konan.
Konan nodded and said, "Konoha's senior advisor Utatane Koharu wants to hire us to assassinate Uchiha Keizumi. She promised a very generous payment—enough to cover at least two or three years' worth of our operations."
Nagato murmured, "So this is the Great Ninja Villages… A single promised payment can already allow us to advance our plans ahead of schedule."
Konan asked, "So, you've decided to hunt Uchiha Keizumi?"
Nagato nodded. "It's time to gather everyone."
Konan froze. "Everyone…"
Nagato slowly said, "A simple group of two or three won't be enough to hunt that man. You should know very well what kind of power he wields."
"If our numbers are too small, he'll crush us one by one. Sending only two or three people to hunt him would be nothing but suicide."
"Rather than wasting time and consuming Akatsuki's living strength, we should end that nuisance in one stroke. To deal with someone like him, we must be ready to go all out."
Konan exhaled. "…Alright!"
At that moment, Nagato added, "To be safe, I'll have all Six Paths act at once—except for the Naraka Path. The Naraka Path will remain on standby near Kirigakure."
Hearing this, Konan's pupils contracted slightly. She immediately objected, "Wait! No—that won't do!"
She spoke urgently, "If you do that, won't you be all alone? Your real body is too fragile. If anyone takes the chance to attack your body, you'll be killed!"
Nagato shook his head. "No one but Uchiha Keizumi can approach me. And that man is far from here—unless this information itself is a trap meant to lure me away."
"But my intuition tells me… this time it's not a trap. So, I choose to trust my instincts."
Konan opened her mouth, but facing Nagato's resolved expression, she didn't know what else to say.
Still uneasy, she said, "Then let me stay. It's always wise to prepare for both possibilities, isn't it? Remember, the intel came from Uchiha Obito. What if this is his scheme? Don't forget—his Sharingan ability also allows him to get close to you!"
...
Konohagakure.
Shizune looked at the Hokage-sama and Lady Tsunade with unease; she had an increasing sense that the atmosphere on the spot was very strange.
The Hokage-sama and Lady Tsunade had been sitting opposite each other in silence for more than a minute.
Apart from a brief greeting when they first met, neither side had said a single word since.
The two of them seemed as if they were mute.
Instead, the silence made Shizune ever more nervous; she felt that the eerie calm at this moment was the fuse about to ignite.
Could it be that Uchiha Keizumi was actually right?
If the Hokage-sama met Tsunade-sama in private, did he have ill intent? Was he planning to kill Lady Tsunade?
Hiss…
What should I, a disciple of Lady Tsunade, do? Should I stand with Lady Tsunade and go against the Hokage-sama?
Shizune's face had been drained pale by her own dangerous thoughts.
She held Tonton with one hand, while the other hand instinctively rested on the pouch of ninja tools at her waist.
It seemed that at the first abnormal move from the Hokage, she would immediately draw a kunai to attack.
She appeared prepared to throw herself into the fray.