Inside the tall tower.
After hearing the news Konan brought back, the already gaunt Nagato's gaze sharpened.
During the two years he, Konan, and Yahiko had trained under Jiraiya, they had never once met that man.
'But why…'
'Why did he know even about a private conversation between Konan and Jiraiya-sensei, down to the finest detail?'
'Could it really be as he claimed, that he was some kind of information broker, one who could even trade with people from the Pure Land?'
'If what he said was true, then…'
'Uncontrollable power, the Rinnegan, the Uzumaki clan, the Sage's eyes, all of these strung together…'
Nagato raised his head slightly, his gaze drifting to the thought behind him.
After the tragedy of his childhood, when he awoke, his eyes had already become the Rinnegan. The situation was strangely similar to how the Sharingan awakened.
"Nagato."
Konan's sudden voice broke his thoughts. Seeing her worried expression, Nagato cast his doubts aside.
"These eyes are the eyes of god. As the one who inherits Yahiko's will, I shall become the deity of this world!"
"War has drowned this world in darkness. The coming of god will bring pain to all. Only through pain will mortals learn to treasure peace!"
"Uzumaki Ku… whatever his purpose, before a god, it is meaningless!"
His lofty declaration sounded almost like he was hypnotizing himself.
The ideals and beliefs they once held had already vanished the day Yahiko died. A world built on mutual understanding was impossible!
Only when everyone felt pain, with a blade hanging over their necks at all times, would they learn to value peace!
Konan frowned deeply. Once, she had followed Yahiko's dream. After his death, Nagato's will had become hers.
Right or wrong, it didn't matter.
If what that man said was true, she needed to prepare her final measures.
They still lacked some more explosive tags were needed.
Tobi? Or perhaps… Uchiha Madara?
A week later, neither Konan nor any of the Six Paths of Pain sought out Uzumaki Ku again.
This left Ku a little disappointed. Perhaps it was still too early?
The bait had been cast, his words were bound to reach Nagato through Konan, yet Nagato had not taken the hook.
Nagato must know his so-called divinity rested on the Rinnegan. If even that was a deception, he should have felt the urgency.
"Phew…"
Exhaling, Ku stood up. There was still time ahead. Using the Akatsuki as a foundation for his plans was no problem.
"Ku, new mission."
Behind him, Jūzō's voice sounded. Ku waved him over and walked ahead.
There was still Kakuzu, and later Deidara and Hidan to join. After that would come Nagato and Konan.
Inside a dark cavern.
Ever since being captured alive at Konoha, Obito had been pushing himself to grow from an underachiever into something closer to a prodigy.
For Uchiha, strong emotions often catalyzed the evolution of the Sharingan.
When Kakashi lost his eye, Obito went from unopened eyes straight to two tomoe. When Rin was killed by Kakashi's hand, his eyes leapt from two tomoe to Mangekyō.
Back in Konoha, before his corruption, Obito was a model student who helped old ladies cross the street.
This showed that in terms of raw emotion, he had even greater potential to "explode" than most Uchiha.
And now…
After the Konoha incident and twice being suppressed by Uzumaki Ku, it was clear Obito no longer relied solely on Kamui's intangibility with reckless arrogance.
"Hm?"
The genjutsu link snapped. Obito, poring over scrolls, froze.
In Kirigakure, the genjutsu on the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, had been broken?!
'Ao? That Byakugan lost from Konoha?'
Obito frowned. In that case, he would need to go to Kirigakure.
'At this stage, Akatsuki didn't yet have the strength to capture all the tailed beasts quickly. If the Five Great Villages caught on, the plan could be delayed.'
'And Yagura… was now useless.'
'Those who were useless… must be erased.'
Thinking for a moment, Obito frowned further.
That Byakugan in Kirigakure was unexpected. But judging from Ao's actions, it seemed Elder Genji had known something beforehand.
Otherwise…
The ambush on Yagura, followed by the sudden breaking of the genjutsu, was too sudden.
"Zetsu. Where is Uzumaki Ku now?"
From beneath the earth, White Zetsu emerged slowly: "That guy is far too cautious. His sensory perception is strong, too. I've never even seen him look like he needed to take a dump."
Obito's brow twitched. "Where is he now?"
Zetsu replied, "Pain gave his team a mission. They should be on their way to the Land of Rivers."
Obito pressed: "Did you find anything unusual during his last mission in the Land of Water?"
Zetsu shook his head: "Even when he goes to the toilet, he sets up barriers. It's like he knows my abilities… Obito, could you tell me when you poop? I'd like to watch for study."
Recalling a certain unpleasant memory, Obito glared: "If you dare show up while I'm on the toilet, I'll shove you into the latrine myself! Try me!"
Kirigakure.
Inside the Mizukage's office, Elder Genji sat at the head seat.
Beside him stood Gunbei and Bi, guarding his sides.
Nearby, Mei Terumī and Ao stared tensely at the man in the center: the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, the Three-Tails' jinchūriki.
His taut posture made it clear they were ready in case he lashed out violently.
"There's no need to be so nervous. I may be old, but my sealing skills remain intact."
Genji's gaze turned toward Yagura as he asked, "Do you remember anything about the one who placed you under genjutsu?"
Yagura raised his bloodshot eyes, his clenched hands bulging with veins, fury roiling inside him.
"Sharingan! In my memory, I see only the Sharingan!"
Looking at Genji, he growled: "The Sharingan belongs to the Uchiha clan, and they belong to Konoha. Was the one who did this from Konoha?"
"Even if it was Konoha, what they did, I will never forgive. They… must pay the price!"
"Dong!"
Before he could continue, Genji's staff struck the ground hard.
The old but unbending elder slowly opened his eyes, staring down at Yagura:
"Not long ago, while you were under control, Kumo and Konoha fought a battle.
"Kumo's Fourth Raikage was slain by Uchiha Yun of Konoha. Intelligence reports that if not for the quick escape of the Eight-Tails and Two-Tails jinchūriki, they too would have been killed by Konoha."
"And Kirigakure? After the policies enacted under your control, how much fighting strength remains in the Bloody Mist's aftermath? You know this better than anyone!"
The rebuke left Yagura burning with shame. Yet having regained his senses, he knew these words were true.
In the Third Shinobi War, four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen had been killed by an unknown Konoha shinobi, and the rest barely escaping with their lives.
Afterwards, under the policies he enacted while controlled, the remaining swordsmen rebelled.
"Damn…"
Yagura clenched his fists tighter. But then… where should he vent his fury?
So many of their people had died. So many promising youths lost to the Bloody Mist.
All of it, his fault.
The one who controlled him… who was it?
Seeing Yagura tremble with rage, Genji spoke after a pause:
"Considering how long you were controlled, perhaps the culprit wasn't Konoha.
"You are a jinchūriki who can suppress a tailed beast. Ordinarily, Sharingan genjutsu should never have worked on you, let alone for such a long period."
He motioned for Gunbei to help him stand, then spoke with authority:
"To control a jinchūriki like you, one must first control the tailed beast within. Among the Sharingan, there is only one person in my lifetime who could do such a thing: the man who once founded Konoha alongside the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama."
"A power beyond the three-tomoe Sharingan. While Uchiha Yun and Uchiha Shisui of Konoha now wield such eyes, the timing of your possession rules them out."
Supported, Genji stepped before Yagura and slowly extended his hand.
"Genji-sama!" x4
Mei, Ao, and the others cried out in alarm. Yet Genji did not waver.
The sealing technique dissolved.
Yagura froze, then slowly looked up at the village's oldest living elder.
The others tensed, ready to strike if needed.
"Though being placed under genjutsu is a great shame for Kirigakure, the crimes committed during that time must be borne by you."
"Kirigakure, scarred by the Bloody Mist, cannot endure further turmoil. From this day, you remain the Fourth Mizukage. Use your remaining years to atone for the sins of those days."
With that, Genji turned to leave with his guards.
The door creaked open. Genji glanced at Gunbei: "Tell the Mizukage where the intelligence came from. No matter what, the village owes him. Remember, his defection was driven by policy."
Gunbei nodded, then asked, "If… he wants to return?"
After some thought, Genji replied: "First, remove his name from the Hunter-nin's target list. If he returns, let him serve as an ANBU."
Yagura could not follow their conversation, but after Genji left, Gunbei turned to the others: Yagura, Mei, Ao.
"These three can be trusted."
"The intel came from Jūzō Biwa, through an abandoned relay station."
!!
The three looked at him in shock.
Biwa Juzo was once one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
During the Third War, four of the Seven had been killed by a Konoha nobody, with Juzo among the three who fled injured.
Later, disillusioned by the village's tyranny, he defected.
"Juzo, huh?"
Mei's memory held the Seven as seniors of the previous generation.
Ao sighed deeply.
Juzo had defected in part due to the village's policies.
Yet now… clearly, his heart remained tied to the village. The first thing he did upon learning the truth was send it back to Genji.
Choosing an abandoned relay station must have been deliberate, knowing it was under Gunbei's oversight.
"Mizukage-sama, Genji already gave his advice. Thanks to Jūzō, you've regained yourself."
Yagura nodded: "I will remember this debt. And I will uncover who truly controlled me!"
Ao's lone eye gleamed with worry. If the Mizukage drowned in hatred, that mysterious Uchiha might yet succeed again.
But now… only Genji could calm Yagura's rage.
Amegakure.
From atop the stone statue's outstretched tongue, Nagato gazed upon the village through the Deva Path.
Konan stayed beside him out of concern.
Space twisted, and a masked figure appeared in the air.
Without turning, the Deva Path asked, "What is it?"
Obito, with the swirling mask, replied: "Regarding the Land of Water mission, did Uzumaki Ku show any irregularities?"
No reply.
Again, Uzumaki Ku!
In the tower, Nagato felt irritation. Since Ku had joined Akatsuki, things had deviated.
Juzo, Sasori, Konan's report, and now this so-called Uchiha Madara.
Nagato almost regretted letting Ku in.
"No irregularities. Mission complete."
The curt answer didn't satisfy Obito. "None?"
He paused, then added, "Nagato, that man's power is not much weaker than your own Rinnegan. You saw it in Amegakure four years ago. And he seems to have ties with Konoha…"
His words were cut short as the Deva Path raised a hand.
"Akatsuki tolerates no traitors. If he dares challenge God's majesty, I will personally strike him down. None can escape from God's power!"
Obito's eye twitched beneath the mask. 'How could anyone spout such nonsense with such a straight face?'
'God?'
'If not for Rinnegan, what would you be?!'
Without another word, Obito warped space and vanished.
Whatever Uzumaki Ku's role, he would deal with the Kirigakure issue himself.
"Nagato, don't forget our true plan. Only the Moon's Eye Plan can bring true peace.
"Whether Yahiko's will or yours, the world's peace can only come through the final plan."
As the masked man vanished, the Deva Path looked down again upon the village.
No one could obstruct the will of peace.
Not Hanzo. Not Uzumaki Ku.