WEEKLY POWER GOALS 💎🔥 30→2ch | 60→5ch | 100→8ch | 200→15ch | 400→25ch⏰ Resets Monday!
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The masked man—Obito—hadn't been at the ruins of the Tenchi Bridge for long when the closed halves of a Venus flytrap broke the water's surface, followed by the familiar black-and-red Akatsuki cloak.
The leaves parted. The face within, split starkly between black and white, belonged to none other than the Akatsuki's Genbu—Zetsu.
'Zetsu' was the collective name for 'Black Zetsu' and 'White Zetsu'—one the will of Kaguya, the other her army.
Of course… that was a secret that could not be spoken now.
White Zetsu saw Sasori's remains. "Oh my, oh my!" he bubbled. "What a mess! Look what Orochimaru's done!"
"It wasn't Orochimaru," Black Zetsu intoned, his voice flat.
"Eh?"
"Look there." Black Zetsu's gaze directed his counterpart to the black flames still burning fiercely on the water's surface.
"Whoa, hey! Amaterasu! So it was Itachi? He betrayed the Akatsuki!"
Obito answered, using the chillingly calm voice he'd perfected for his Madara persona. "No. At this stage, anyone else might betray us… but never Itachi."
"Alright, if not Itachi, then it has to be his little brother, Sasuke Uchiha!" White Zetsu chirped, piecing it together. "Which means… wow, the implications! My brain's gonna short-circuit!"
"The Mangekyō Sharingan…" Black Zetsu mused. "Indeed. He showed Naruto mercy at the Valley of the End. What stimulus could have triggered its awakening?"
"That doesn't matter now," Obito cut in, his tone final. "Sasuke has awakened the eyes. That is the unchangeable fact."
"Still," White Zetsu persisted, "I don't buy that a freshly-minted Mangekyō user could take down Sasori alone. He teamed up with Orochimaru, didn't he? Cheaters, the both of them…"
"Regardless," Obito said, "we can no longer afford to view Sasuke as a mere child."
"And Sasori? He just dies for nothing?"
Obito lifted his gaze to the cold, clear moonlight. His voice was low and heavy. "Nagato's Tailed Beast Weapon project runs counter to my Moon's Eye Plan. Sasori, providing the technical support for that weapon, was a thorn in my side. I'd planned to let him serve his purpose once we began hunting the beasts three years from now, then have him exit the stage. His early departure… merely saves me the trouble. Still, his combat power will be difficult to replace in the short term. So…"
He crouched, plucking the ring marked 'Gyoku' from Sasori's left thumb.
"Oh?" Black Zetsu's voice held a hint of dark amusement. "Stepping out from the shadows so soon?"
Obito's gaze was downcast.
Truthfully, with the Akatsuki's current lineup, they possessed more than enough strength to begin the tailed beast hunt immediately. The three-year delay existed for one reason: the growing ideological rift between Nagato and Obito.
Initially, Nagato and Konan had agreed with Obito's Moon's Eye Plan. But as Nagato's power and experience grew, he began to form his own vision.
The unequal oppression of smaller nations by the great powers was a festering wound for Nagato.
Thus, Nagato sought to gather all the tailed beasts, forge a weapon of ultimate power, and elevate the Akatsuki into a superpower that would stand above the Five Great Nations. The final step in the plan he preached: 'Conquest.'
Hence, the Akatsuki's need for 'funds.'
The Moon's Eye Plan, by contrast, only required shoving the beasts one by one into the Gedo Statue's maw, reviving the Ten-Tails, and casting all humanity into the Infinite Tsukuyomi. What need was there for the extra step of amassing wealth?
But whether manipulating the Gedo Statue or performing the Rinne Rebirth, he couldn't bypass Nagato. Obito couldn't afford to break with him over mere ideology. Three years… he could wait.
After all, both plans required sealing the tailed beasts into the Gedo Statue. Once that crucial step was complete, then he could deal with Nagato—through negotiation or force.
Now, however… the death of Sasori, a key figure in the Tailed Beast Weapon project, presented an opportunity. A chance for Obito to insert himself more directly into the Akatsuki's operations and accelerate his own plan.
He slid the ring onto his own left thumb.
"Being on the frontlines… will make it easier to control the situation directly."
"But you'll need to think carefully about your identity," White Zetsu chimed in. "You can't just walk in claiming to be Madara Uchiha."
Obito was silent.
…
Only days after their last gathering, within the deep, stalactite-studded cavern, the projected forms of the Akatsuki members assembled once more.
Only Deidara was physically present.
"Sasori is dead."
When Pain announced it, a palpable ripple of surprise went through the assembled members—except for Deidara and Zetsu, who already knew.
"That guy bragged about being eternal," someone muttered. "And he got taken out? By who?"
Pain answered. "Sasuke Uchiha. Orochimaru's assistance cannot be ruled out."
"That brat, Itachi's brother? He just defected to Orochimaru to get revenge! Why target Sasori?"
"Sasori had a spy in Orochimaru's ranks. He learned Orochimaru was heading to the Tenchi Bridge and set an ambush on his own. It was a trap. Orochimaru laid it to draw him out."
"Hmph. A failure of strength, then. To be taken down by a rookie, even with Orochimaru's help… speaks only to his weakness."
"Not so." Pain's voice cut through the dismissals. "Sasuke Uchiha has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"What?! The same eyes as Itachi…!?"
Pain's gaze shifted to Itachi's projection. "Itachi. That is the current intelligence. One of his abilities is Amaterasu. Regardless of Orochimaru's level of involvement, Sasuke now possesses the power to confront Sasori. Be on your guard."
Itachi offered no reply. His eyes, cold and distant, stared into the darkness.
"Orochimaru was a traitor to the Akatsuki," Pain's voice deepened with finality. "This act against Sasori is a direct provocation. Effective immediately, the Akatsuki will devote all resources to locating Orochimaru. Upon discovery, he is to be eliminated without exception."
Kisame's shark-like grin was audible in his voice. "With all due respect, Leader… that guy's greatest talent is hiding."
"Which is why I have an alternative approach," Pain stated.
White Zetsu piped up, cheerful. "During a recent scouting trip, I stumbled upon one of Orochimaru's northern hideouts! A human experimentation site for his cursed seal research. A place of… significant importance."
"Precisely," Pain affirmed. "The Akatsuki's retaliation will begin with the destruction of this northern base. The executor…"
Deidara stepped forward, a fierce light in his eyes. "That's obvious, un! I'll go myself!"
"Oh? Eager, aren't we, Deidara?" Hidan drawled.
"Me and the old man… we butted heads over art, yeah," Deidara said, his usual flippancy gone. "But we were both artists. I won't let his death stand. At the very least… let me blow that snake's base to dust. A final tribute to the old geezer, un!"
"You just want an excuse to make things explode," Kakuzu grumbled.
"So be it," Pain declared. "Deidara, you will lead the operation. Additionally, a 'newcomer' will be accompanying you."
"A new member?" Kisame asked, intrigued. "Aren't you going to introduce him, Leader?"
"He is merely a probationary member," Pain clarified. "If he survives this mission, he will earn the right to replace Sasori as a full member of the Akatsuki. Formal introductions can wait until then."
"Fine, fine. Hope he's at least interesting…"
Poof!
The projections vanished one by one.
From the shadows behind Deidara, a figure in an orange mask shuffled forward timidly. "Um, e-excuse me… Are you… D-Deidara-senpai?"
Deidara looked him over with a dismissive glare. "You're the new guy?"
The masked man snapped to a rigid, comical attention. "Yes! My name is Tobi! I have long admired the great and powerful Deidara-senpai! From today, as an Akatsuki probationary member, I will follow closely by Deidara-senpai's side! I humbly ask for your guidance…!"
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