Uchiha Obito's orders were delivered to Nagato at extremely high speed.
Nagato had already developed suspicion toward Uchiha Obito, but the Tailed Beasts involved this time were only part of the nine, so Nagato did not mind carrying out Uchiha Obito's orders.
"Very well."
Nagato agreed.
Uchiha Obito stared at Nagato.
"Nagato, regarding the recent rumors spreading outside, don't you have anything you want to ask me?"
Nagato shook his head.
"I believe Senior Madara is absolutely not that kind of person. Someone who once led an entire clan would not be like that, and could not possibly possess such powerful strength if he were."
"As for gathering all nine Tailed Beasts only being able to revive one person?"
"That involves far too many questions."
"What conditions must the person being revived meet?"
"Someone who just died, or someone who died long ago as well?"
"Is a corpse required, or not?"
"There are too many questions, so I do not think it is credible."
Uchiha Obito nodded.
"I suspect that there is a traitor inside our Akatsuki. Someone is secretly targeting us. If nothing unexpected has happened, it is likely one of the major shinobi villages."
"We cannot be fooled."
"We are all working to make the shinobi world better. We carry the same dream, all for the sake of peace in the shinobi world."
"If a few rumors are enough to affect our state of mind, it can only prove that we are not pure enough."
Uchiha Obito passed the order to Nagato.
Then Nagato, under the identity of Pain, passed it to the other members.
Sasori of the Red Sand.
Kakuzu.
Kakashi.
Uchiha Shisui.
"Begin the operation!"
Sunagakure.
Rasa received the secret letter sent by Sasori of the Red Sand.
"The Akatsuki's operation has begun?"
"If it is only Uchiha Obito, then the problem is not too great."
A smile appeared on Rasa's face.
"It seems the rumors I created were indeed effective against Uchiha Obito. Because he is worried about internal problems, he wants to collect all the Tailed Beasts he can in the shortest possible time."
"In that case, Sunagakure does not need to face the worst-case scenario."
Rasa was not afraid of the Akatsuki.
He was only worried that Uchiha Obito and Nagato would attack Sunagakure at the same time.
When Sasori of the Red Sand had first sent a message to Rasa, Rasa had guessed that Uchiha Obito intended to do exactly that.
But because several rumors had delayed Uchiha Obito one after another, Obito was forced to adopt a different plan.
"Nagato will suppress Kumogakure."
"Konan will be responsible for Iwagakure."
"Sasori of the Red Sand and Kakuzu will deal with Takigakure."
"Sunagakure was not mentioned. That likely means Uchiha Obito will come personally."
"Then what about Konoha?"
Rasa discovered a blind spot.
"No one is going to deal with Konoha?"
"Are they planning to deal with the other shinobi villages first, then deal with Konoha afterward?"
"No. That possibility is not high. The strongest shinobi village right now is not Konoha. There is no need to concentrate so much power there. Konoha's top-tier shinobi are basically gone."
"Could it be that Uchiha Obito has already obtained the Nine-Tails?"
"Did Danzo really sell Naruto out?"
Rasa had already made this guess last time.
Now, he became even more certain of it.
He immediately felt that Danzo Shimura and Uchiha Obito were truly beasts among beasts.
"Naruto really is too pitiful."
"However, at Naruto's current age, he is still ignorant and barely understands anything. If he did not suffer torture before dying, then perhaps this is actually better than the original storyline."
"At least he would not have to experience that dark childhood."
Rasa's eyes narrowed slightly.
"An Uchiha Obito who possesses the Nine-Tails… Uchiha Obito most likely will not allow the Gedo Statue to directly absorb the Nine-Tails. It is more likely that he will imitate Uchiha Madara and treat the Nine-Tails as a summoned beast."
"Uchiha Obito, plus the Nine-Tails. A strong alliance."
"But so what?"
Rasa raised his head and looked out the window.
"Let him come. I will not lose!"
"I have a full seventy-one percent Otsutsuki bloodline concentration, along with many S-rank ninjutsu. Uchiha Obito has a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan, but do I not also possess a pair of Mangekyo?"
Rasa did not make any special arrangements.
After all, in a battle of this level, others could no longer provide much assistance.
Even Pakura would only be able to help to a very limited extent.
By comparison, she might instead become a weakness.
It was similar to Kakashi's existence when Nagato invaded Konoha.
Time passed bit by bit.
The members of the Akatsuki moved quickly.
Konan and Kakashi appeared in the Land of Earth.
Kakashi recalled the words Uchiha Shisui had said to him before they parted.
"Suddenly taking action like this proves that the Akatsuki's leader must be anxious."
"Their goal is definitely not to save the shinobi world."
"Senior Kakashi, we can't trust anyone else. In the end, the only ones we can trust are ourselves."
"Tell me, what exactly must be done to save this shinobi world?"
Kakashi followed behind Konan, thinking about this question.
Relying on himself, how could he save the shinobi world?
But Kakashi thought for a long time and still could not find an answer.
"Wherever people exist, there will be selfish desires. There will be conflict. To stop it, one would need overwhelming strength and the ability to monitor the entire shinobi world at all times."
"But how could anyone possibly accomplish such a thing?"
"Even if Senju Hashirama were revived, he could not do it."
"No one can save this shinobi world."
Konan looked back at Kakashi.
"Kakashi, according to the information, the Five-Tails jinchuriki, Han, is currently carrying out a mission nearby. In a moment, I will make the move. You will provide support. If the situation turns bad, run immediately."
"If things become dangerous, I may not be able to take care of you."
Kakashi came back to himself and nodded.
"Yes, Senior Konan."
Takigakure.
Kakuzu looked at this familiar shinobi village, the one that had raised him. In his eyes, there was only rage and hatred, not the slightest trace of nostalgia.
Even now, Kakuzu had never forgotten what those village higher-ups had done back then.
They had sent him to assassinate Senju Hashirama.
When the mission failed, they sentenced him to death.
How was that different from making him die for no reason at all?
He had risked his life for Takigakure for so many years. Even if there was no great merit, there had been hard work. Why had he deserved such treatment?
"Senior Kakuzu, how should we kill them later?"
A ferocious expression appeared on Kakuzu's face.
"Kill however you like!"
Kumogakure.
A figure hid in the darkness.
Meanwhile, the six bodies made into puppets silently approached Kumogakure's village entrance.
Under Nagato's control, the Deva Path Pain raised his head and looked directly at the stone tablet engraved with Kumogakure's name, his face expressionless.
Sunagakure.
An invisible spiral turned. Immediately afterward, a figure stepped out from the vortex.
A black robe patterned with red clouds. An ocher spiral mask.
Beneath the two eye holes were two scarlet eyes.
Uchiha Obito stared deeply in Sunagakure's direction.
"Move out!"
At that very moment, the other members of the Akatsuki also made their moves almost simultaneously.