Obito's figure emerged within the Kamui Dimension.
The spatial vortex had not yet fully subsided; he clutched the stump of his right shoulder, which was still throbbing with Pain, while his crimson Sharingan burned with fury and doubt.
It wasn't that he needed immediate treatment, but rather that he urgently needed an answer.
"Black Zetsu."
Obito's voice was hoarse and suppressed, piercing through the silence of the dimension.
Shadows writhed, converging like thick pitch, eventually coalescing into the ink-black half-body of the bizarre plant-root-like existence, Black Zetsu.
His golden vertical pupils flickered with their habitual gloom and a subtle, hard-to-detect inquisitiveness.
"You're back? It seems the losses were not small," Black Zetsu's voice was low and gravelly.
"Hidan was completely obliterated by Minato's Four Symbols Seal, and I lost my right arm."
Obito's voice was devoid of warmth, as if he were stating someone else's business, but his tightly clenched left fist betrayed his indignation.
He suddenly looked up, his single eye locking onto Black Zetsu: "Set that aside for now. Tell me, why does Suzaku know that opening the Gedo Statue's eyes doesn't require the complete Tailed Beasts?!"
This was the question currently searing his nerves the most.
Takuno's casual remark in the tower had exploded in Obito's heart like a thunderclap.
This was a core secret of the Eye of the Moon Plan, top-secret information known only to the planners themselves!
How could a mysterious and unfathomable 'Suzaku' know it so clearly?
Black Zetsu's golden vertical pupils contracted slightly, seemingly surprised by this sudden question.
His sludge-like body rose and fell slightly, as if he were thinking; after a moment, he also asked with doubt: "He... knows about this?"
There was a hint of genuine confusion in his tone.
"This intelligence... even Nagato only knows that Tailed Beast chakra is needed, but not the specific amounts or the mechanism of the statue's eye-opening. Suzaku... how did he find out?"
Black Zetsu's confusion did not seem feigned, which instead made Obito's heart sink even deeper.
Even Black Zetsu didn't know Suzaku's source of information? What did that mean?
Suzaku's background was even more inscrutable than they had imagined, and the power or intelligence network behind him might even exceed Black Zetsu's monitoring range!
"Damn it!"
Obito was somewhat enraged, remembering his intention in deliberately keeping his severed arm.
He hadn't used White Zetsu's spores to repair the injury immediately, precisely to bring this shocking wound back to the base.
This wasn't just an injury; it was evidence of the heavy price he had paid in this battle!
He wanted to use it as a silent accusation, creating the sharpest contrast with that Suzaku who had leisurely watched the show!
He wanted to use this 'sacrifice' and 'effort' to highlight Suzaku's 'negligence,' sowing seeds of dissatisfaction toward Suzaku in the hearts of Pain and the other members.
He had intended to use this to direct the pressure of public opinion toward Suzaku, questioning his loyalty and sense of responsibility.
And ultimately force out the other party's true identity.
However!
Takuno's reaction had completely shattered his calculations.
The other party had not only seen through his intentions at a glance but had also casually turned the tables on him!
Far from showing the slightest guilt, Suzaku had used the 'perfect mission completion' of sealing the Nine-Tails to shut everyone's mouths.
Furthermore, with those heart-stabbing words about the 'barking of the incompetent' and being a 'loser with shrunken capacity,' he had thrust the spearhead back at Obito himself!
The severed arm wound he had deliberately kept, far from becoming a weapon of accusation, had instead become a mark of shame in the other's mouth, proving his 'incompetence' and 'failure'!
The sharp contrast he had envisioned ultimately became a footnote to Suzaku looking down from on high at his pathetic state.
This massive gap and sense of humiliation were harder for Obito to endure than the Pain of the severed arm.
"White Zetsu! Attach it!"
From the shadows, a white figure grew out like a plant; it was a spore clone of White Zetsu.
It let out a strange giggle: "Hee hee hee, do you finally need me? Obito-sama? The new arm has been ready for a long time!"
The White Zetsu spore approached Obito's severed arm area, and its body tissue began to writhe, deform, and proliferate, with the white flesh quickly wrapping around the cross-section of the wound.
Soon, a deathly pale arm, with a skin tone distinctly different from Obito's left arm, was connected to his right shoulder.
The movement of the fingers was still somewhat sluggish and uncoordinated, and the skin of the newborn arm bore an uncomfortable paleness that was out of place with his overall color scheme, like a jarring patch.
Obito felt the awkward touch and cold temperature coming from his right arm; that deathly pale limb was like a glaring brand, constantly reminding him of today's wretchedness and Suzaku's humiliation.
Angry lava churned in his chest, but now was not the time to be ruled by emotions; the ultimate goal was the key.
He raised his newborn, not-yet-flexible right hand, his fingers slowly curling as if adapting, but more like confirming his power.
His crimson single eye turned toward Black Zetsu, who had been silently observing, and his voice was low:
"Black Zetsu, the Tailed Beast chakra is basically gathered."
Black Zetsu's golden vertical pupils flickered: "A portion of the Eight-Tails' Chakra, plus the complete Nine-Tails controlled by Suzaku..."
"Indeed, the Gedo Statue only needs these Chakras injected for all nine eyes to open, providing enough power to support the next step of the plan. Nagato should also be preparing on his end."
"The next step..." A cold light burst from Obito's single eye.
"Is the most critical step: having Nagato use the 'Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique' to resurrect the true Uchiha Madara!"
He paused, lowering his voice even further:
"But Nagato... he is no longer that 'God' completely under our control. Information on Minato, today's setback, and the existence of that guy Suzaku... have all made the doubt and defensiveness in his heart grow deeper."
"Look at his attitude today; he was completely unfazed by my severed arm and Hidan's death, only caring about the progress of the goal's achievement."
"He is becoming more and more like the 'God' he claims to be, focusing only on his own 'Salvation through Pain' plan."
Black Zetsu's low voice carried a hint of a cold smile.
"Obito, Nagato's defensiveness is indeed deepening. He is no longer that youth immersed in the grief of Yahiko's death who was easily guided by words."
"While the Rinnegan grants him power, it also nourishes his conceit. Especially after Suzaku sealed the Nine-Tails and partially achieved the goal of capturing the Tailed Beasts."
"He has more confidence to believe he is the core executor of the plan, rather than someone else's pawn. Making him willing to sacrifice himself to perform Rinne Rebirth... under normal circumstances, it's absolutely impossible."
"He might even already view this technique as his ultimate trump card to achieve his own 'peace'."
"So, how exactly can we make him 'willingly' use the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to resurrect Lord Uchiha Madara?" Obito asked.
But within his cold gaze, he also knew what had to be done.
The first method would be for Black Zetsu to forcibly guide Nagato to perform the technique through 'will' at a critical moment; it was the most direct and effective way.
But this method carried risks; if Nagato's will was too firm, Black Zetsu's forced control might fail.
And the second method was what they had discussed before... using Konan's life as leverage!
However, what Black Zetsu didn't notice was that Obito's eyes held not just calculations for the upcoming events, but also a wariness of Black Zetsu and Madara.
...
The news of the Five Great Shinobi Villages forming an alliance instantly stirred unprecedentedly massive waves throughout the Shinobi World.
The shock it triggered was far beyond imagination.
The small Shinobi Villages and power groups caught between the Five Great Nations, struggling to survive, fell into a complex mix of panic and hope.
The panic stemmed from the fact that the scale of the war predicted by this alliance would be unprecedented, and they feared being swept up and ground into dust;
The hope was that they finally saw a possibility of ending the crazy Akatsuki, perhaps ushering in a true dawn of peace.
The Land of Iron completely abandoned its neutral stance, and General Mifune publicly announced that the samurai group would fully support the alliance's logistics and defense, even allowing Shinobi forces to set up bases within its borders.
The underground world was in an uproar.
Countless bounty hunters, rogue Shinobi, and factions that lived off war chaos, assassination missions, and smuggling contraband began to reassess the situation.
While Akatsuki was powerful and mysterious, it was now facing the power core of the entire Shinobi World.
Some astute factions sensed the great risk and began to lie low and observe, and some even secretly passed information about Akatsuki to the alliance in exchange for possible future protection.
Upon hearing that the Five Kage were joining forces against a terrorist organization trying to rule the world through Pain, the general populace felt both deep fear and a glimmer of hope for the alliance.
The clouds of war were thicker than ever; prices began to fluctuate, and residents in border areas were in a state of anxiety.
But at the same time, the news of the 'Yellow Flash' Minato serving as the Supreme Commander of the alliance also injected a boost of confidence into many people.
This Hokage, who had won great fame in the Third Shinobi World War and was known for his wisdom and speed, became a symbol of hope in the hearts of people in this chaotic era.
Minato's deed of setting aside past grievances to rescue the Raikage brothers was widely praised, greatly boosting the alliance's morale and credibility.
The Akatsuki maintained a mysterious silence, focusing on preparing for the final Gedo Statue ritual;
While Obito adapted to his new arm, his vigilance and calculations regarding Suzaku reached a peak, and the rift between the two became almost public;
Takuno seemed completely indifferent to the news of the alliance, even observing the reaction of the Shinobi World with a hint of amusement.
Just as the news of the alliance spread throughout the Shinobi World, and Konoha was busy preparing for war, receiving intelligence from all sides, and integrating resources to support the alliance headquarters, two travel-worn but imposing figures stepped into the Hokage Building.
"Thank you for your hard work, Jiraiya-sama, Lady Tsunade!"
The guarding Anbu bowed respectfully.
Minato immediately put down the scroll in his hand, a sincere smile appearing on his face as he went to greet them.
"Jiraiya-sensei! Lady Tsunade! Welcome back!"
He noticed that Jiraiya's expression was solemn, while Tsunade's face was a mix of exhaustion and worry.
"Minato," Jiraiya's voice had lost its usual playfulness, getting straight to the point.
"The intelligence about the Akatsuki leader... is it true? His eyes..."
The smile on Minato's face faded, becoming incredibly serious.
He gestured for the two of them to sit, personally poured tea, and then nodded heavily.
"Yes, Jiraiya-sensei. The Akatsuki leader who attacked the Five Kage Summit possesses the Rinnegan and controls six bodies in battle."
He paused, looking at Jiraiya's instantly clenched fist and disbelieving eyes, and slowly added.
"And... he personally admitted that he is your disciple."
"Bang!" The teacup in Jiraiya's hand was unconsciously crushed, and he didn't even notice the scalding tea splashing all over him.
He stood up abruptly, his voice carrying a subtle, hard-to-detect tremor.
"Impossible! Who did you say he is?!"
"He claimed to be Jiraiya-sensei's disciple..." Minato's voice was low and powerful.
Minato looked at his teacher with some concern.
"Teacher, do you... know him? Do you know who he is?"
"Disciple... my disciple..."
Jiraiya muttered to himself, shaking his head hard as chaotic thoughts crashed wildly in his mind.
Yahiko? Konan? Nagato?... No! It's impossible!
He had also gone looking for those three disciples once but hadn't been able to find them.
Since then, Jiraiya had assumed they must have perished in the previous Shinobi World War...
And now... Minato was telling him that the terrorist leader who attacked the Five Kage Summit, possessed the Rinnegan, and tried to rule the world through 'Pain' was actually his disciple?!
How could this be possible?!
The muscles in Jiraiya's face twitched uncontrollably, and his eyes flickered violently... all sorts of emotions surged and churned.
"Rinnegan... purple ripples... controlling attraction and repulsion..."
Jiraiya unconsciously repeated the features Minato had described earlier, each detail hitting his heart like a heavy hammer.
Nagato's eyes that awakened in pain... that child in the prophecy who could bring about great change...
Could it be that he not only survived but really... really walked down this path?
"Nagato..."
Jiraiya murmured.
"Nagato... is still alive..." Jiraiya's voice was so low it was almost inaudible, "How... how could he become like this?! Yahiko, Konan, and the others... could they..."
Minato looked at Jiraiya with concern, also clear that the other was not just shocked by this news.
But was also feeling self-reproach for having taught such a disciple.
And this was something only Jiraiya could figure out for himself; he couldn't interfere.
At this time, Tsunade also glanced at Jiraiya and said to Minato.
"Don't worry about your teacher; this bastard isn't that fragile. Just give him some time."
Saying that, she inquired, "Where is Takuno?"
After all, she remembered that Minato was supposed to value Takuno highly, but after she returned to the Village, she actually heard that Takuno had also left the Village?
Minato gave a slight bitter smile upon hearing this and told Tsunade about how Takuno had also gone out to travel.
"I see. Now that the news of the Five Kage Alliance has spread throughout the Shinobi World, he probably won't be long before he returns." Tsunade also nodded.
In fact, she didn't really want to return either, but with something of this magnitude concerning the entire Shinobi World, she couldn't escape no matter where she went.
So, she could only return to Konoha for the time being to see if there was anywhere she could help.
Thinking about it, with Takuno, who was practically her half-disciple, there, she probably wouldn't need to be too busy, right?
"I hope so." Minato nodded, but in his heart, he always had a... bad premonition.