The aftershocks caused by Konoha's annexation of the Hidden Rain Village were still spreading.
On the surface, villages like Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Kumogakure appeared calm, showing no overt reaction—
But beneath that calm, they were panicking like mad.
By contrast, many of the small ninja villages had begun entertaining very different thoughts.
If Konoha was already this dominant, then why resist at all?
If you couldn't beat them—why not join them?
The mere thought of being absorbed by Konoha and gaining the protection of the God of the Shinobi World, the Fifth Hokage, filled those minor villages with excitement and anticipation.
As a result, the balance of the shinobi world grew increasingly delicate.
The great villages feared Konoha.
The small villages longed for it.
At the same time—
Deep within a dark, underground cavern hidden far from the surface world.
"Why didn't you bring Konan with us?"
Nagato's face was twisted with rage as he glared at the masked man before him, his voice hoarse and venomous.
"If you don't save her, I'll destroy these Rinnegan myself."
"If she hadn't covered our retreat,"
Obito replied coldly, his tone controlled,
"do you really think we could have escaped at all?"
"The Fifth Hokage has already seized overwhelming momentum. He's not someone we can contend with anymore."
"If I had gone back for Konan, there's a ninety percent chance I'd already be dead."
"You—"
Nagato froze.
Pain flashed through his eyes.
Only now did he truly realize it.
Because of his arrogance and misjudgment, Akatsuki had been shattered.
Amegakure had been annexed.
And Konan… had fallen into Konoha's hands.
For a moment, his mind went blank.
The cavern fell silent, the atmosphere growing heavy and oppressive.
Then—
Boom.
Black Zetsu and White Zetsu emerged from the ground simultaneously.
"The Hidden Rain Village has been completely absorbed by Konoha,"
White Zetsu said gravely.
"Konan has been installed as the new leader of the Hidden Rain Village, governing the village on Konoha's behalf."
"What?!"
Nagato's already pale face turned deathly white.
"She must have been forced! Damn Konoha! Damn that Fifth Hokage!"
The fury caused his chakra to surge chaotically, and he coughed violently, spitting out several mouthfuls of blood.
"The situation in the shinobi world is becoming extremely dangerous,"
Black Zetsu said, watching Nagato closely.
"I suspect Konoha's next step will be to collect the tailed beasts and unify the entire world."
Cough—cough—
Nagato coughed again, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth as he forced himself upright.
"We must stop Konoha. We must stop the Fifth Hokage."
"If he gathers all nine tailed beasts, there will be no turning back."
His eyes hardened.
"I may not be able to save the shinobi world anymore… but I must save Konan."
A heavy sigh echoed through the cavern.
"We want to stop Konoha too,"
White Zetsu said.
"But… we can't defeat the Fifth Hokage."
"His strength is beyond reason. With our current power, we're simply incapable."
As Nagato slipped closer to madness, Obito, Black Zetsu, and White Zetsu exchanged glances.
A faint, unreadable gleam passed through their eyes.
They had already reached a silent consensus.
With Uchiha Ren standing at the peak, invincible and unchallenged, it was impossible to proceed with the tailed beast plan.
There was only one remaining path.
To revive the legendary shinobi—
Uchiha Madara.
Only Madara could suppress the Fifth Hokage.
Only Madara could overturn the current situation.
"…Then what should we do?"
Nagato hadn't noticed the subtle shift in their expressions.
His voice was hollow as he spoke.
"Are we supposed to just watch Konoha grow stronger? Watch them trample the shinobi world and collect the tailed beasts at will?"
"There is a way."
Obito took a slow breath, as if the moment had finally come.
"What way?"
Nagato asked urgently, forcing his spirit to hold together.
"Say it."
"Use the Rinnegan's Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique… to revive Uchiha Madara."
Obito's voice was steady, decisive.
"The Fifth Hokage is too strong. Only Madara, reborn with the Rinnegan, can deal with him."
"What?!"
Nagato stared at Obito in shock, suspicion flashing through his eyes.
After all—
Both of them were nothing more than Madara's pawns.
If Madara were revived, the Eye of the Moon Plan would inevitably return to Madara's control.
"We don't have a choice,"
Obito said, feigning helplessness as he spread his hands.
"If we want the Eye of the Moon Plan to succeed, reviving Madara is the only option."
What he didn't say—
Was that he had already reached the end of the road.
After learning that Rin's death had been orchestrated by Madara himself, Obito's hatred for Madara ran bone-deep.
But there was no turning back.
So he chose a different path.
Let Madara and Ren tear each other apart.
Let gods devour gods.
And from the shadows, he would reap the outcome—revive Rin, and create a world without war.
"That's the only way,"
Black Zetsu added quietly.
White Zetsu nodded in agreement.
"…I see."
Nagato fell silent, his brow deeply furrowed.
He hesitated.
He was exhausted, but not dead.
And once he used the Rinnegan's Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique—
it would cost him his life.
The choice before him was final.
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