Ashveil suddenly narrowed his eyes.
A low buzzing filled the air.
Nagato and Konan felt their heads ring as if struck by an invisible wave. They stared at Ashveil as though he were something unnatural.
Did someone truly exist in this world who lived only for battle?
Without ideology, without belief, without attachment?
That seemed impossible.
Nagato broke the silence first, his gaze sharp and probing. "Then what is your purpose in hunting the Tailed Beasts?"
Konan's eyes never left Ashveil, her posture tense and alert.
Ashveil had no intention of hiding anything. At this point, their paths had already begun to overlap.
Calmly, he explained everything, the existence of the space time pendulum, its threat, and the role it played in his continued struggle.
"So only by fighting powerful beings in this world can I continue to grow stronger," Ashveil said, briefly licking his lips.
Nagato and Konan were visibly shaken.
They had never imagined that such an entity could exist beyond the Shinobi World, something that transcended space and time itself.
Yet as they listened, neither of them sensed deception.
Ashveil's words carried weight.
As Nagato studied him, Ashveil wondered whether they truly understood the truth, or whether they were simply too accustomed to being manipulated.
After all, they had already been deceived once, by Obito.
But that no longer mattered.
Ashveil's true objective was clear.
The Third Shinobi World War.
Only through a conflict on that scale could his combat power rise further.
At that moment, Ashveil looked at them and allowed a faint grin to surface.
"You know Uchiha Madara," he said casually.
Nagato and Konan stiffened.
Uchiha Madara was the deepest secret of Akatsuki.
Although Akatsuki operated under Nagato's command, they were also unknowingly working toward Madara's vision.
For Ashveil to mention that name so directly was deeply unsettling.
"How do you know that?" Konan demanded, her expression darkening. "Even if you were a god, you couldn't possibly know about our arrangement with Uchiha Madara."
Ashveil merely chuckled.
"It's nothing special," he replied. "I already told you, I'm not from this world."
He paused briefly, then continued, his smile sharpening.
"And there's something else I can tell you right now."
Ashveil had destroyed the Six Paths of Pain but deliberately spared Nagato and Konan for a reason.
He had no interest in confronting Obito directly.
Even if Ashveil exposed the truth, that Madara was deceiving him, Obito would never believe it.
Obito had personally slaughtered his comrades and witnessed Rin's death with his own eyes. His darkness ran deeper than anyone else's.
Ashveil did not possess Naruto's ability to sway hearts with words. Obito had his own plan and would never tolerate interference.
If Ashveil wanted to influence Akatsuki, Nagato was the key.
Most of Akatsuki still answered to Nagato.
Many did not even know Obito existed.
With Nagato's backing, controlling Akatsuki would be far easier.
At that point, Obito would have no choice but to cooperate.
After all, he depended on Akatsuki just as much.
"I know how everything in your world ends," Ashveil said calmly.
Nagato and Konan froze.
Strength beyond reason, knowledge of the future itself, such a person far surpassed the so called god Madara had spoken of.
The claim sounded unbelievable, yet disturbingly logical.
"So even though I left Akatsuki," Ashveil continued, narrowing his eyes, "I will still help you."
"I'll help you complete that plan."
Konan murmured softly, "Help us?"
Ashveil nodded. "You've devoted everything to it, haven't you?"
"The Eye of the Moon Plan."
Those words struck like thunder.
Nagato and Konan were completely shaken.
That plan was known only to a handful of people.
Ashveil's credibility rose instantly.
"Then why come to us now?" Nagato asked, watching him carefully.
Ashveil laughed lightly. "I didn't seek you out."
"To be honest, you came to me."
"If you hadn't, I would have remained hidden, waiting for the war you're about to start."
"But now that you've found me, there's no reason to keep hiding."
His gaze sharpened.
"Have Uchiha Madara, or rather, Tobi, come see me."
Nagato and Konan exchanged solemn looks.
He even knew the truth behind Tobi.
At this point, Ashveil's identity no longer mattered.
What mattered was results.
If he could help them achieve the Eye of the Moon Plan, that alone was enough.
"Very well," Nagato said at last. "I accept."
"As for the rest, you can speak to Uchiha Madara directly."
With that, Nagato and Konan vanished in a puff of smoke.
Ashveil watched them leave, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Things were becoming far more interesting.
............
Deep within a forest scarred by battle, silence hung heavy.
This was the place where Uchiha Itachi had fallen.
Defeated by Sasuke Uchiha, a shinobi who had not yet even mastered the Mangekyo Sharingan.
If information traveled in the Shinobi World the way it did in the Pirate World, the news would have shaken the entire world.
How much had Itachi held back?
Elsewhere, Obito had already moved toward Konoha, where he toyed with Kakashi, Naruto, and Yamato.
It was only when Black Zetsu appeared that Obito's demeanor changed.
"According to intelligence," Zetsu reported, "Uchiha Itachi was killed by Sasuke."
Obito's voice turned cold. "It's just as I expected."
For years, Itachi had been the reason Obito restrained himself.
If he broke their agreement, Itachi would have killed him without hesitation.
Even with Kamui and Yin Yang Release, Obito knew better than anyone how terrifying Itachi truly was.
Now that Itachi was gone, that restraint no longer existed.
His mood surged.
But just as Obito prepared to reveal himself as Uchiha Madara, Black Zetsu stiffened, sweat forming on his brow.
"Tobi," Zetsu said awkwardly, "there's new intelligence."
Obito frowned beneath his mask.
Zetsu transmitted the information.
As Obito read it, his body stiffened.
His lips trembled.
"Damn it," he muttered. "One problem leaves, another appears."
Ashveil.
Someone even more dangerous than Nagato.
Someone who had already left Akatsuki, yet still wanted to meet him.
Someone who knew everything.
Obito felt as though Itachi's shadow had been replaced by something even heavier.
At that moment, Kakashi and Naruto were completely confused.
They did not understand what Tobi was reacting to.
But Black Zetsu's report stunned them.
Uchiha Itachi was dead.
"That's bad, Zetsu Senpai," Tobi said suddenly, laughing again. "We should retreat."
In the next instant, he vanished.
Naruto clenched his fists. "Damn it."
"They escaped again."
"Our plan failed."
Kakashi remained silent, his expression serious.
"There were things that didn't add up," he said slowly. "Tobi seemed like he wanted to tell us something, but Zetsu interrupted."
"And his strength," Kakashi continued, narrowing his eyes. "It felt different."
Yamato nodded. "I could have restrained him earlier. But now it feels like he was just playing with us."
Kakashi exhaled. "This needs to be reported."
Moments later, they vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving the forest once more in silence.
___
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