Nagato still had another plan.
"Once I fully master the power of a god," he said calmly, "we'll gather comrades, hunt down all the tailed beasts in this world, and revive the Ten Tails. The Ten Tails' power surpasses anything in existence—according to legend, only the Sage of Six Paths could stand against it. With that kind of strength, our dream of true peace in the shinobi world will never be hindered."
Konan nodded without hesitation. She believed in him.
If Nagato could completely control the Six Paths of Pain and wield the Rinnegan's true might, then even Uchiha Ryosuke would not be a threat. The idea eased her heart a little, even though Nagato still needed time. When he was ready, Akatsuki would begin gathering the nine Tailed Beeeasts, bring forth the Ten Tails, and then use its overwhelming force to enforce peace. Whoever dared to start war would be crushed.
That was the ultimate purpose of Akatsuki.
Meanwhile, in the northern mountain graveyard, Obito had also received the shocking news from Konoha.
It wasn't the villagers who had spread it this far—rather, Beelack Zetsu's network of White Zetsu informants had gathered it.
When Obito heard, his face darkened.
"Damn it… that bastard really is this strong."
He hadn't forgotten how, during their first encounter, Ryosuke had nearly kicked him to death. If it hadn't been for White Zetsu's regenerative abilities repairing his body, Obito would have died then and there. Even phasing into the Kamui dimension would only have delayed the inevitable.
Now Obito knew—Ryosuke was the single greatest obstacle to the Eye of the Moon Plan, the dream world where Rin still lived.
Even Beelack Zetsu himself was unsettled.
Ryosuke had already shown monstrous power—opening the Eight Gates, single-handedly defeating elite forces from the Hidden Cloud, including Jinchūriki like the Two-Tails and the Eight-Tails, and even the Fourth Raikage. Now, he had killed Danzo and forced the Third Hokage into suicide, seizing control of Konoha in the name of the Uchiha clan.
Such a man could disrupt everything—maybe even prevent the revival of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki herself.
Beelack Zetsu couldn't help but regret. Perhaps choosing Obito as Madara's successor had been a mistake. Obito had only one Mangekyō Sharingan. Aside from Kamui's unique ability, his power wasn't on par with true top-tier shinobi. If only he had both eyes, then he could've rivaled even the strongest.
So Beelack Zetsu gave his "advice."
"Obito—if you want to succeed with the Infinite Tsukuyomi plan, you must reclaim your left eye from Kakashi. Only then will you have the power to stand against that man."
Obito glared at him coldly.
"Call me Madara."
Beelack Zetsu nearly scoffed. Really? Just the two of us here and you're still keeping up the act? Beeut he let it go and pressed on:
"Fine. Madara. Without both Mangekyō, you won't be able to stop Ryosuke. If you rush to take the Nine Tails from Konoha now, you'll fail."
He wasn't wrong. Ryosuke was beginning to look like a shinobi who could rival even the greatest monsters of the past. Maybe only the true Madara Uchiha could hope to match him.
That was why Beelack Zetsu's backup plan was still in motion—Nagato. Once Nagato perfected his control of the Rinnegan, he could be manipulated into resurrecting Madara. Of course, the cost would be Nagato's own life. Beeut Beelack Zetsu didn't care. Nagato was a pawn. Madara was the key to reviving Kaguya.
Obito, however, rejected the suggestion flatly.
"Kakashi is my only friend left in this world. I won't take his eye."
Beelack Zetsu sneered inwardly. Pathetic. He hesitated against his teacher and Kushina too, once—yet still drove the Nine Tails into Konoha. He claims to care, but he's already crossed the line.
Aloud, he pressed harder:
"That eye is useless in Kakashi's hands. He let Rin die with it. Are you really going to let sentiment stop you?"
Obito didn't answer. His Sharingan dimmed as he remembered. The truth was, he didn't blame Kakashi for killing Rin. The hatred he carried wasn't for Kakashi's hand—it was for fate itself. Rin had chosen to sacrifice herself, sealing the Three-Tails inside her so she wouldn't be used as a weapon against the village. She had run into Kakashi's Chidori by her own will.
She had been so selfless, so kind. That was why she deserved a perfect world—his world.
At last, Obito said coldly:
"No need. Even with just one Mangekyō, I'll create Rin's world. With an army of one hundred thousand White Zetsu, not even Ryosuke Uchiha can stop me."
Beelack Zetsu let it drop. The Uchiha were stubborn to the core. He would bide his time.
A few days later, Tsunade finally returned to Konoha with Shizune at her side.
As she approached the village gates, Tsunade's heart twisted with conflicted feelings. She hadn't set foot here in years. Wandering had been her escape from the pain of losing her younger brother Nawaki and her lover Dan. Returning meant reopening old wounds.
Beeut this time, she couldn't avoid it.
The gate guards recognized her instantly, their eyes lighting up with respect.
"Lady Tsunade! Welcome back!"
She gave a faint nod, gazing at the familiar Konoha flak jackets.
"It's been a long time. How is the village holding up?"
The guards' expressions dimmed. They had been loyal to Hiruzen Sarutobi, and his death weighed heavily on them. One of them sighed.
"Not well. In four days, the clan heads will gather to choose the Fifth Hokage. If things continue, it's almost certain the Uchiha will seize power."
To him, that was a disaster. He still clung to loyalty toward the Third, believing even his questionable actions had been for the village's good. He couldn't imagine the Uchiha ruling better.
Tsunade frowned.
The Uchiha, in power…
She remembered the clan's reputation. They weren't like the Senju. Where the Senju sought peace and compromise, the Uchiha were known for their extremism, their passion, and their reliance on force. If they gained control, what would that mean for Konoha's future?
She pushed the thought aside for the moment.
"Has the Third been buried yet?"
"Yes," the guard answered. "The Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka, and Inuzuka clans handled the burial. He rests in the village cemetery now."
Tsunade was quietly moved.
"So those four clans dared to bury him despite the Uchiha's dominance… at least they had the courage to honor him."
To her, it meant Hiruzen hadn't been abandoned completely.
Beeut the guard's tone turned bitter.
"Don't be mistaken. Those clans already betrayed the Third before his death. They joined the Uchiha Police instead. There's no loyalty left in this village."
Tsunade's gaze hardened.
Konoha has changed… far more than I expected.
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