On the rear battlefield of the Land of Rain, the core members of the original Akatsuki who once followed Yahiko fell one by one under Zetsu's ambushes.
As Obito slowly appeared to finish off the remaining survivors, the countdown to the destruction of the first-generation Akatsuki reached its final moments.
"In this cursed world, ideals simply do not exist. Nagato should discard his fantasies and initiate a brand new world."
After cleaning up Yahiko's subordinates, Zetsu looked at the residual injuries on Obito's body, his tone carrying a hint of surprise. "You're hurt?"
"I encountered a troublesome opponent."
"Troublesome?"
There were only a handful of people in the entire shinobi world capable of making Obito look this disheveled. Among them, the person Black Zetsu feared most had likely already appeared in the Land of Rain.
"The Fifth Kazekage. However, it wasn't his main body—likely a clone or a puppet," Obito said, confirming Zetsu's suspicions. "Though the combat experience was the same, the chakra volume was on a completely different dimension. It felt like a specialized mirror image."
Even as a clone, the Fifth Kazekage's abilities felt elusive to Obito. Through that brief exchange, Obito could sense the true depth of Aoki Shiraishi's main body. Truly the 'Shinobi Shura' of this generation...
"The Sand will be much harder to deal with than the Leaf in the future," Zetsu noted.
Obito shook his head. "It doesn't matter. The Sand has the fewest Tailed Beasts among the Five Great Villages. Even if the capture order is hard to change, as long as the Jinchuriki isn't the Kazekage himself, we can find a way to break through."
While the Leaf was powerful, Obito understood its internal politics intimately and could bypass its barriers at will. The Sand was a different story—under Shiraishi's new system, it was much harder to infiltrate.
"Should we recruit some rogue ninjas from the Sand?"
"How is the search for Sasori of the Red Sand going?"
Due to Shiraishi's influence, Zetsu had recommended Sasori earlier than in the original history. A rogue ninja of that caliber from the Sand could provide invaluable intelligence. "Now, let us witness Nagato's destiny."
The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path
Ignoring the rain drenching him, Nagato stared at his fallen friend. An unspeakable grief filled his heart.
Betrayed by his idols and watching his best friend die before his eyes, his extreme rage triggered the Rinnegan. He summoned the Gedo Mazo (Demonic Statue of the Outer Path), shocking everyone on the battlefield.
From a distance, Shiraishi's puppet observed the statue, his calm expression finally cracking. Is that... the Gedo Mazo?
Back in the Land of Rivers, Shiraishi had heard the Legend of the Sage of Six Paths sealing the Ten-Tails from Ashura. Logically, the statue should be sealed on the moon. Has someone already pulled it down to earth? Could it be related to that man claiming to be Uchiha Madara?
Seal: Phantom Dragons Nine Consuming Seals!
Using the statue, Nagato unleashed a terrifying killing move. Astral dragons dove from the sky; any ninja touched by them had their soul instantly ripped out and sealed.
What a preposterous sealing jutsu... Shiraishi mused. He had studied many sealing arts, but none were as brutal as this. It was a mass-destruction weapon specifically designed to harvest souls. Within moments, the majority of Hanzo and Danzo's forces were annihilated.
Hanzo watched the berserk Nagato and sighed. Anger born from shattered ideals... He recognized that look. Using a Body Flicker, Hanzo led the remaining Rain and Leaf ninjas in a full retreat.
Nagato's hair began to thin and lose its vibrant red color as the statue drained his life force. He was only standing because of the Uzumaki clan's legendary vitality.
If those eyes were truly his, they wouldn't drain him so violently, Shiraishi realized. The Akatsuki's fate had been orchestrated by shadows from the start.
The New Partnership
"Sand Ninja..."
In his berserk state, Nagato's perception was heightened. He quickly spotted the puppet Shiraishi in the shadows.
His gaze was cold, but he knew the Sand wasn't allied with the Leaf or Hanzo. Exhausted and pale, he stared as Shiraishi stepped forward.
In the dark, Obito and Zetsu grew anxious. The Fifth Kazekage's unexpected appearance was like a wrench in their gears, threatening to disrupt their carefully laid plans.
"I originally came to discuss cooperation with Yahiko," Shiraishi said calmly as rain pattered on the ground. "It seems that it is no longer necessary."
"Cooperation?" Nagato sneered. "The great nations use the Land of Rain as their chessboard. The Leaf supports Hanzo, so the Sand supports us?"
The Crimson core in Shiraishi's puppet flickered. "Exactly. Yahiko is dead, so you and Konan are now the masters of the Akatsuki. The Sand's policy remains unchanged: the Akatsuki is our preferred partner for cooperation."
The Akatsuki was an excellent mercenary group. In the original history, they worked with the Hidden Stone; Shiraishi simply intended to take that spot for the Sand.
Having discarded his previous ideals, Nagato realized he needed resources. Whether it was the masked "Madara" or this "Kazekage," they were both tools to be used.
"I look forward to the day the Akatsuki fully controls the Land of Rain," Shiraishi concluded before his puppet vanished from the country.
Obito slowly stepped out of the darkness, watching Nagato's chillingly calm face. "The Fifth Kazekage is more dangerous than Hanzo," he warned.
"And you?" Nagato retorted. "Are you any less dangerous?"
Konan stepped forward to support Nagato. His hair was already turning grey, and he was gasping for air. "In this cursed world... there is no such thing as peace."
"Exactly," Obito replied, his body spiraling away into the void. Yahiko, Nagato, Konan... I will let you reunite in the world of dreams.
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