The cave was quiet except for the faint sound of dripping water. A dim lantern cast shadows along the stone walls, its glow just enough to outline the thin frame of Nagato. Bandages still covered his eyes. Konan sat beside him, her expression tense but hopeful, hands trembling as she adjusted the cloth.
"Does it hurt anywhere?" she asked softly, her voice carrying both worry and guilt. "If something feels wrong, tell me immediately."
Nagato's lips curved into the faintest of smiles. "No… I feel fine. Don't worry, Konan."
Even without removing the bandages, he could already sense light again. The clarity was dull compared to the power he once held with the Rinnegan, but after years of seeing through corpses and chakra receivers, even ordinary vision felt miraculous.
For a moment, silence lingered. Then Konan slowly untied the bandage. Light spilled into Nagato's eyes, and he blinked as the world reappeared before him. The cavern, the soft flutter of Konan's paper flower in her hair—mundane things, but to him, they were overwhelming. A long-lost smile flickered across his lips.
Konan exhaled with visible relief. "Nagato… congratulations. You've regained your sight."
"Thank you," he murmured. "You worked so hard for this. I know it wasn't easy."
Her heart squeezed at his words. She wanted to tell him to rest, to forget about fighting. But Nagato's smile faded as determination hardened his expression.
"The Rinnegan must be taken back from Uchiha Obito," he said quietly, but his tone carried unshakable resolve.
Konan's chest tightened. "Nagato…" She hesitated, unable to voice her fear. Without the Rinnegan, how could he stand against Obito—now wielding one of those very eyes? If something happened, if she lost him…
But Nagato's mind was already set. His frail body might have weakened, but his will was iron. After a moment, Konan nodded. If this was his decision, she would follow him to the end.
"Then let's go," Nagato said. "We've been in hiding long enough. It's time the world remembered Pain."
Meanwhile, far away, Obito sat cross-legged in his own cavern, his breathing measured as he pressed a hand over his left eye. The newly transplanted Rinnegan still pulsed with alien power, its immense chakra resonating through his body. Even for him, the strain was crushing. He kept his right eye closed, focusing on synchronizing with the new power.
White Zetsu lounged nearby, grinning. "The five great nations are in chaos, you know. The alliance is mobilizing troops, gathering shinobi left and right. It's turning into quite the spectacle."
Obito chuckled darkly. "Let them scramble. Their armies mean nothing. Soon, the world will be bound in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. No more wars, no more suffering—only peace."
Black Zetsu's voice slithered out of the ground, wary and insistent. "Don't underestimate them, Obito. A hundred thousand White Zetsu may not be enough. We should increase our forces."
Obito frowned. "Not enough? Each Zetsu clone fights at the level of a chunin. The alliance is doomed to collapse under sheer numbers. All I need is the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails to revive the Ten-Tails. After that, the war's outcome won't matter."
Still, Black Zetsu persisted. "Leave the matter of reinforcements to me."
Obito's single visible Sharingan narrowed, studying his supposed ally. He could sense ulterior motives. But in the end, it didn't matter. He waved his hand dismissively. "Do as you wish."
With a grin, White Zetsu sank back into the earth. Black Zetsu lingered for a moment longer, his thoughts hidden, before merging into the ground as well.
Obito inhaled slowly, feeling the Rinnegan thrum with overwhelming power. "With these eyes," he whispered, "no one can stand in my way."
Elsewhere, another Uchiha walked a darker road. Sasuke strode at the head of Team Taka—Suigetsu, Karin, and Jūgo trailing behind. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, cold and merciless.
"Do we really have to do this?" Suigetsu muttered nervously. "Charging into Konoha head-on? That's suicide."
Karin adjusted her glasses, her chakra senses prickling with unease. "He's right, Sasuke. Konoha isn't some small village. It's the strongest of the Five Nations. Even with your power…" She trailed off, her voice trembling.
Only Jūgo remained calm, his massive frame radiating silent loyalty. "I'll follow you wherever you go, Sasuke."
Sasuke didn't slow his pace. His voice was flat, sharp as a blade. "If you're afraid, turn back. I don't need cowards."
The three exchanged uneasy glances, but none of them left. Whatever doubts they had, they were bound to Sasuke now, willingly or not.
As they neared the outskirts of Konoha, Karin suddenly stiffened. "Wait! There's a barrier around the village. If we try to force our way in, the guards will sense it immediately."
Sasuke finally glanced back, Sharingan gleaming. "Handle it."
Flustered, Karin wove hand seals. Her chakra flared against the invisible wall, slipping through delicate seams in the barrier until an opening shimmered into existence. Sasuke gave a curt nod, and the four slipped inside.
But Konoha's defenses were sharper than they imagined. The moment their unfamiliar chakra signatures breached the perimeter, barrier teams detected the intrusion. Alarms blared through the village, shrill and urgent.
In the Hokage's office, ANBU knelt before Tsunade. "Hokage-sama! Uchiha Sasuke and three others have breached the barrier!"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. For an instant, she'd thought it was Nagato returning with Akatsuki. But Sasuke? Charging into Konoha like this?
Her jaw tightened. "Mobilize the ANBU. Stop them at all costs. Capture if possible. If not—kill them."
The order left no room for mercy. Sasuke might once have been Konoha's prodigy, but now he was an enemy.
Naruto sat in his small apartment, sipping tea. His sensory perception had already registered Sasuke's dark, frigid chakra the moment it crossed into the village. He smirked faintly.
"So, you finally snapped, Sasuke," he muttered. "Eternal Mangekyō or not, you're still underestimating what it means to take on all of Konoha." He set his cup down, golden eyes narrowing. "I'll let them clash first. If things spiral out of control, I'll step in."
At the village gates, chaos erupted. Explosions rocked the air as Sasuke summoned Susanoo, its towering form sweeping aside shinobi with contemptuous ease. His voice thundered across the battlefield.
"Konoha will fall!"
Tsunade arrived with Kakashi, Shikaku, and a host of jōnin at her side. Behind them, the younger generation—Sakura, Ino, Shino, Kiba, Hinata, Shikamaru, Choji—watched with heavy hearts.
Sakura's voice cracked as she shouted, tears burning in her eyes. "Sasuke! I begged for you to have a second chance… but this? I'll never forgive you!"
Sasuke's Susanoo loomed, its crimson armor glowing with malice. His Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan pulsed with power. "You still don't understand. Nothing can go back to how it was. Today, I destroy Konoha."
Kakashi stepped forward, lifting his hitai-ate to reveal the scarred Mangekyō Sharingan beneath. His voice was heavy with regret. "Sasuke… I failed you as your teacher. But I won't let you destroy this village."
"Hypocrite," Sasuke spat. "You aren't even an Uchiha. You've no right to that eye. Die!"
Susanoo's arm crashed down, but Kakashi's own Mangekyō swirled. A vortex twisted reality itself, and Susano's massive hand was torn into Kamui's dimension.
Sasuke's eyes widened. "Tch… impressive. But do you think you can win with just that?" His Susanoo's arm reformed instantly, pupil power flowing endlessly from his Eternal Mangekyō.
Kakashi staggered, panting from the strain. One use of Kamui had already drained him heavily.
Shino seized the moment, unleashing his kikaichū, swarms of insects surging toward Sasuke. But Suigetsu transformed into liquid form, intercepting them with a sneer. "If you want Sasuke, you'll have to go through me!"
Kiba rushed in with Akamaru, fangs bared. "Fang Over Fang!" But Jūgo's monstrous arm shot forward, curse mark energy exploding as he swatted Kiba aside.
And then Sakura leapt forward, fist blazing with Tsunade's taught chakra-enhanced strength. Her punch collided with Susanoo's hand in a thunderous shockwave.
"Useless," Sasuke hissed. Susanoo's power overwhelmed her, and Sakura was hurled back—only for Kakashi to catch her mid-air.
Sakura clenched her fists, trembling with anger and grief. "Sensei… let's take him down together."
Kakashi nodded, his gaze firm despite the exhaustion.
Behind them, Tsunade watched the battlefield grimly, her own chakra surging. The Sannin's eyes locked on Sasuke, her voice cold.
"So this is the path you've chosen, Uchiha Sasuke…"
The battle for Konoha had only just begun.
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