"Terrifying, my head almost got taken off. If that happened, I'd never know what it feels like to need a bathroom break!" White Zetsu's head shouted in fear.
Black Zetsu said helplessly, "Don't be so hasty, Fourth Raikage."
"Where are you hiding B?!" Fourth Raikage clenched his fists, ready to strike again.
"Who said we captured Killer B?" Black Zetsu said.
"What do you mean? If you didn't take B, who did?"
"The Empire's people. It's all their conspiracy." Black Zetsu said seriously.
"The Empire…" Fourth Raikage fell silent.
He wasn't sure which side was telling the truth.
"Didn't they say it wasn't them? Are they deceiving us?" a Kumogakure ninja said.
"Those people are foreign forces, aiming to unify the world by strength, then destroy it. Are their words trustworthy? They're just scared of Akatsuki, so they pin all their filth on us." Black Zetsu said.
"No excuses! I'm certain it was Akatsuki who attacked Sunagakure before, kidnapping me, not that Empire's Deidara." Gaara said, seeing Black Zetsu dodge.
"I admit, that was our Akatsuki's doing, but Killer B and Uzumaki Naruto weren't taken by us."
"It was the Empire's people. Though they're strong, they fear our unity—the only way to possibly defeat them. So, they'll find ways to divide us. Our past Bijuu captures make us their target." Black Zetsu said with sincerity.
Gaara's eyes flickered, not immediately refuting.
"If Akatsuki wants our trust, show us everything." Gaara said.
Black Zetsu shook his head. "Can't do that! Akatsuki's completely untrustworthy!" Raikage shouted angrily.
"Look to the distant sky." Black Zetsu said.
Everyone looked up, frowning. "Nothing there. Are you toying with us?"
"At fifty degrees, those birds aren't ordinary—they're summon beasts for spying and scouting." Black Zetsu said.
As an Otsutsuki Kaguya creation, though his combat power was average, his positioning, insight, and perception were exceptional.
Even the Empire's bio-mechanical scout planes had anomalies detected by him.
"Summon beasts… I sense no chakra traces. You say they're summons?" Some ninja expressed doubt.
"Ask the Byakugan user; he should see something." Black Zetsu looked at Ao.
"They're different from normal birds; their bodies are mechanical structures." Ao said.
"So it's true…" The ninja's hearts sank, instinctively stepping back to avoid the scout birds' gaze.
"Then all our actions are in their hands? Including our prior decisions?" Some ninja looked worried.
"These things are sparse in Konoha's territory, mostly in other nations. But caution is needed. This is why I can't let you visit our organization. If they think we're allied, an Empire attack could end this world." Black Zetsu said seriously.
"Akatsuki isn't a good organization, but to fight the Empire, we have no choice, everyone!" Jiraiya said then.
"But uniting… can we really defeat the Empire's people?" Mei showed doubt. "Even Kage seem weak against their strongest."
"Our organization's leader has the Rinnegan." Black Zetsu said, dropping an absolute bombshell for ordinary ninja without exaggeration.
"Rinnegan? What's that?" Raikage looked confused.
"Rinnegan… could it be? The mythical eyes?" Ōnoki frowned.
"The legend… the Sage of the Six Paths, who created the world, had those eyes…" Gaara said.
"No way, eyes like that can't exist!" Raikage remained skeptical.
"They absolutely exist!" Jiraiya said firmly.
"Why do you say that?"
"Long ago… I met a Rinnegan wielder!" Jiraiya said.
"You met one!?" The ninja's eyes shifted.
"The Rinnegan wielder you mean… Nagato, right?" Jiraiya looked at Black Zetsu.
"Correct, Nagato." Black Zetsu nodded.
"So it's him… he founded Akatsuki?" Jiraiya's expression grew complex.
"Yes, Nagato leads Akatsuki. He wants to change the ninja world, create a peaceful one, initially planning to gather Bijuu for that goal. But the Empire's emergence changed everything. Even with our leader's power, facing some Empire experts is tough… so we must cooperate with you all." Black Zetsu said grimly.
Jiraiya muttered, "Nagato… Rinnegan… changing the world, a peaceful world… is this the Great Toad Sage's prophetic dream? If we win, a beautiful world begins; if we lose… a hellish world?"
"Even the Sage of the Six Paths' eyes can't defeat the Empire?" Everyone's hearts grew heavy.
"The Empire's power is immense; relying on the living alone isn't enough. So Akatsuki prepared another support group. With them, we have a sure chance to win!" Black Zetsu said.
"You mean?"
"Spirits from the afterlife."
"What? You mean Edo Tensei? The forbidden ninjutsu developed by Konoha's Second Hokage?" Ōnoki shouted, shocked.
A look of rejection appeared on his face.
Other ninja, hearing this, also looked grim.
"Correct, Edo Tensei. Only with it do we have a chance to win!"
"That's blasphemy against the dead!"
"No. This ninjutsu is the predecessors' protection. They'll be with us! We'll rely on it to fight alongside our predecessors, protecting our world, our villages!" Black Zetsu said.
The ninja listened, hearts pounding.
"Fight with our predecessors, protect the world?"
"With their strength… maybe we can defeat the Empire!"
"Right! With our predecessors' power, we won't lose!"
"The First and Second Kage, all legendary figures! They won't lose!"
The ninja murmured, their words gradually filled with conviction.
"Before that, I need you to gather as many items containing our predecessors' genes as possible. As a sign of sincerity, I'll hand over Edo Tensei to you."
"For world peace… this is the only way."
Days passed quickly.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The Empire and Konoha's people gathered.
One by one, they frowned.
Tsunade looked at Imperial Gaara. "Still no sign of Naruto?"
"Most areas have been searched; no trace of those people on land… but we found other bad things." Imperial Gaara frowned.
"Other bad things? Like what?"
"Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Sunagakure, Kirigakure—the four great ninja villages, along with four major nations, are constantly mobilizing troops… now even gathering together." Imperial Gaara said.
Those present showed shocked expressions.
"What? Those bastards still want to fight?"
"Are they insane? Didn't the matches days ago show the clear gap?"
"They shouldn't be that foolish. What's giving them illusions and hope?"
The Empire's people spoke, puzzled and disbelieving.
Tsunade, Kakashi, Shikaku, and others from Konoha opened their mouths, unsure what to say.
"Is it because their knowledge is too limited, so they still hold illusions?"
"Such stubborn idiots! Seems only by going to their villages and teaching them a proper lesson will they understand the gap!" Imperial Deidara clicked his tongue, annoyed.
"I heard… Gramps once opposed His Majesty the Emperor's unification. In the end, His Majesty went to Iwagakure alone, 'kindly' interacting with the whole village, and only then did they truly submit."
"That 'interaction' was probably a thorough thrashing. Hmm… as expected, only one person crushing an entire village makes them submit." Imperial Kurotsuchi said.
"One person crushing a village is quite ambitious. After all, those people aren't idiots or trash. Their combined ninjutsu is hard for ordinary people to withstand, but two or three should manage. So, how about each province's people handle their respective villages?" Imperial White Zetsu said.
"Hey, hey, hey! Not like that! The Fire District's people aren't just for show. Let's discuss the division properly." Imperial Tenten said.
"Right! I want to fight other villages' people too! Watching your burning passion days ago made me jealous! Can't hold back! I'll do a thousand frog jumps right here!" Imperial Lee shouted.
The Empire's group seemed fanatically eager to fight.
"No need to argue… those people are already moving toward Konoha… preparing to strike first… but besides regular ninja, their ranks include other entities…" Imperial Gaara's voice was the last heard.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
At a city outskirts.
The Four Great Ninja Villages gathered.
A dense crowd stood together, all gazing forward with fervor.
There… one by one, figures slowly opened their eyes, revealing pitch-black pupils.