Konoha's defenses weren't strict. Konan moved in and out of the village as if she were walking through empty streets, provided she didn't linger too long. She had to admit: having someone with space–time abilities was incredibly convenient. What would have taken three to four days on foot for Obito now took only three to four seconds. In the blink of an eye, Konan shifted from a rain-soaked village to a sunlit clearing.
—A true talent.
Her admiration was genuine. Obito scratched his face, grinning like a half-grown child.
"Of course!"
Probably because of how harshly Nagato had broken him, the darkness he carried while pretending to be Madara dissipated under Nagato's words, stripped away like a mask. Obito revealed his true self. From Konan's perspective, he was surprisingly simple—a pure, almost childlike soul. In his world, black was black, white was white. The brighter his smile in sunlight, the deeper his despair in darkness. At first, Konan thought it strange that he would pursue world-ending plans merely because of Rin's tragic death. But after a few interactions, she realized that this was simply who Obito was. His world was too pure to accept any flaw, too simple to allow for unclear shades. Everything gray he had seen in the past he labeled black, which explained why he called the world a hell. Tiny joys in a gray world meant nothing to him—they were mere illusions.
Somewhat exhausting, Konan thought, acknowledging that this kind of existence would be a hard one for Obito.
"Super awesome, let me tell you, the red bean buns in Konoha are world-class!" Obito waved his arms energetically as he spoke. Although Konan had cloaked them with a minor invisibility jutsu, speaking too loudly could still draw attention.
Konan popped a red bean bun into her mouth, savoring it.
Akatsuki had been a gray world, a place struggling to exist. Honestly, Obito didn't belong there. He either needed brilliant sunlight or deep darkness. Before this, he had treated Akatsuki as a dark chess piece to use. Now, he was beginning a new journey, testing whether his sunlight might bring Akatsuki into light—or if his will would ultimately be extinguished in the gray world.
Itachi could survive here because he knew how to compromise. Kisame survived because he belonged to gray. Kakuzu gave up judgment and poured his soul into puppets from the moment his village betrayed him. Deidara perhaps existed for art. They fit in Akatsuki. Obito didn't—he was observing the world anew, through a perspective completely different from Madara's, trying to reclaim love for the world.
—Obito, once Zetsu is dealt with, return to Konoha.
It wasn't out of pity. Akatsuki couldn't hold the fire that burned inside Obito. Konan didn't know exactly what Nagato had said to him, but she understood Nagato's thoughts. Sensitive as he was, he surely understood Obito's purity. Nagato wanted Obito to evolve from a black-and-white innocent to a man capable of bearing the world. For most men, that might not be bad—but Obito's best self was right here, in absolute clarity.
"Why?" His hand holding the bamboo skewer was stiff. His crimson Sharingan betrayed a hint of hesitation, a slight fear, a doubt in himself. Konan understood how cruel it was to point this out to a man with neither a place to return to nor a place to go—but she had to.
—Even if living might bring good things for you, there are none in Akatsuki.
Obito ate the next skewer of buns. Once finished, he spoke with surprising honesty.
"You seem to have misunderstood something. Even if you've seen all my memories, it doesn't mean you understand me. I'm not the kind of brat or loser you imagine."
For Obito, that was sharp. For Madara, it was ordinary.
Konan looked at his slightly flickering Sharingan and sighed quietly.
—When I was trapped in Konoha, Kakashi used genjutsu on me to get information. But I had experienced the Mind Lock before, so his jutsu rebounded and I saw you in his memory.
Obito remained silent.
—Then Kakashi, calm and collected during interrogation, exploded on the spot. You aren't without a place—Kakashi is your place.
"He isn't." Obito said simply, after finishing the buns.
Obito had some skill in genjutsu. Finding the location of the sealing techniques wasn't difficult for him. Copying the information with his Sharingan and using Kamui to leave Konoha? Easy. His calm, unflinching execution was flawless.
The plan was straightforward. Konan would first enter Obito's space–time to prepare the Cursed Seal. Obito would pull Zetsu into space–time and control him using the prepared seal. Together, they would cast the Four Symbols Seal Technique, distributing the strain to reduce the caster's risk, and successfully seal him.
A perfect, decisive strategy. All present agreed—though there were only two participants: Obito and Konan. Yet a major challenge remained: they first had to learn the Four Symbols Seal and the Cursed Seal.
To master the inner Four Symbols, they first had to learn the standard Four Symbols Seal, which was the foundation. The inner version was stronger but more complex. Konan stared at the odd-even combinations and felt Pain's lessons were overly difficult.
In a rare bout of exasperation, she tossed the scroll aside, patted Obito—who had fallen asleep studying seals—and calmly said:
—Can't seal him? Then kill him.
Obito rubbed his eyes, recognized her meaning, and shook his head.
"Can't kill him. That's Madara's consciousness. He can't die."
—Madara's dead. How can he not? Once his consciousness disperses, he's gone. Black Zetsu has chakra, but without reaction, it disappears.
"Exactly why I need to seal him. That's why I'm trying."
—Then learn properly! Don't just sleep!
Sleeping while studying wasn't intentional. His Sharingan could copy the principles, but he couldn't reproduce the unusual jutsu.
"Yes… sorry." Obito said, frustrated.
Learning wasn't just about effort. Even Konan had to admit defeat at the odd-even combinations. It was incredibly difficult. Unfortunately, the organization didn't have anyone skilled in sealing. At least, Konan lowered her standards: proficiency wasn't necessary, just knowing the technique. Sadly, aside from Nagato's Phantom Nine-Tails technique for sealing tailed beasts, there was nothing else.
Thus, Konan and Obito had to diligently master the seals themselves. Cutting corners wasn't an option. By the current progress, sealing Zetsu was still a long way off.
…
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