"No."
Uchiha Obito froze for a moment and turned toward Zetsu beside him.
No, more accurately, Black Zetsu.
Even he had not expected the usually silent Black Zetsu to suddenly speak up.
"Reason," Nagato asked calmly.
"..."
Under the questioning gazes of Obito and Nagato, Black Zetsu's liquid-like body rippled slightly.
After a moment, it finally spoke in a serious tone: "That 'monster' is very strong. Extremely strong. As Akatsuki's leader, you should not recklessly place yourself in danger."
Forget Nagato, even Obito could not accept that explanation.
The current Nagato, now capable of moving freely, possessed power far beyond what the Six Paths of Pain could compare to.
As long as Black Zetsu's so-called "monster" was still human, it should be impossible for them to oppose Nagato, who possessed the "Eyes of God."
"That's enough, Zetsu. I am a god now. Surely you don't believe some mere mortal can defeat me?"
Nagato clearly did not accept Black Zetsu's explanation either.
But after a pause, he turned toward Obito.
"Since Zetsu speaks with such certainty, then, Madara, you will accompany me."
Hearing this, Obito instinctively wanted to refuse.
But he immediately noticed Black Zetsu glance toward him while controlling the body.
The meaning was obvious.
Agree to Nagato.
If possible, Black Zetsu would never allow Nagato to come into contact with that suspected "outsider," even if that person was most likely no longer in the Land of Hot Water.
But Black Zetsu also understood that if it continued resisting, Nagato would inevitably become suspicious.
Those two impulsive words from earlier already filled it with regret.
That reaction was completely unlike its usual taciturn personality.
Since stopping him was no longer possible, then the best option now was for Obito to accompany Nagato and prevent him from making contact.
At this moment, Obito had no idea what Black Zetsu was thinking.
In his understanding, Black Zetsu was simply the will of Uchiha Madara.
So after receiving Black Zetsu's signal, his guard instantly rose.
His first thought was that the monster truly was powerful.
Powerful enough that even Uchiha Madara was wary.
After a brief silence, Obito nodded and agreed to Nagato's proposal.
No matter what, the Rinnegan could not be allowed to fail.
...
Meanwhile, inside Amegakure…
Konan slowly opened her eyes.
"How was it?"
Seated across from her, Arata asked with a smile.
Hanzo also cast her a curious glance.
Konan looked at the man before her, someone far more mysterious than "Madara."
A trace of shock and wariness flashed through her eyes, but she still nodded.
"Just as you said… Madara agreed."
Yes. The final result had unfolded exactly as "Shadow" predicted.
Even Zetsu's reaction had been within his expectations.
"Madara" had actually cared about Black Zetsu's opinion.
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
Konan finally could not hold back her question.
Silent beside her, Hanzo also raised his head slightly.
At this point, both of them had realized something.
Everything now seemed to be unfolding according to "Shadow's" guidance.
That was precisely why Konan felt both shocked and wary.
Yet strangely enough, she could not bring herself to feel hostility toward "Shadow" the way she did toward "Madara."
Because she could not perceive any motive from him.
She could not even sense what he wished to use Akatsuki for.
But if Nagato truly had been manipulated as a pawn since childhood.
Then the one who exposed the lies and revealed the truth had undoubtedly saved herself, Nagato, and Akatsuki's future.
So why?
"What?"
Arata raised his head, smiling in confusion.
"Didn't I already say so?"
"You only need to do everything you yourselves wish to do."
"Though, if Miss Konan insists on an answer…"
He paused slightly before softly saying: "I'm merely pruning insects and trimming branches while waiting to see what sort of flower eventually blooms."
"That is all."
Konan stared blankly at him.
From his words, all she could sense was absolute sincerity.
Just do what we ourselves want to do?
Merely trimming branches while waiting for a flower to bloom?
[Ding. Your lie has been judged as [Brazen Nonsense] [Sweet-Talking] [Pretentious Deception] [Borrowing a Knife to Kill]. Hanzo, Nagato, and Konan experienced intense emotional fluctuations and reached the level of [Complete Conviction]. You gained 2000 Reality Points.]
[Remaining Reality Points: 14254]
Hearing the notification in his mind, a calm smile appeared beneath the shadows covering Arata's face.
Of course he had desires.
He simply did not need to openly declare them the way Obito did.
Transforming his own desires invisibly into their desires, that was his method.
"Now that 'Madara' has been lured away…"
Under Hanzo and Konan's gaze, Arata slowly rose to his feet and smiled.
"I'll help Nagato remove that man's mask."
"But before that, I still need to make some preparations."
"Could you prepare a room for me?"
Hanzo nodded and personally led him to a secret chamber before tactfully withdrawing.
After Hanzo left, Arata sat cross-legged.
First, he removed a sealed White Zetsu from a scroll.
Then he took out a bloody chunk of flesh.
Yamato's flesh.
Arata had always wondered.
Why, despite possessing Ōtsutsuki blood, could he not awaken those bloodline limits?
Most likely, it was not simply because he lacked mastery over earth and water chakra transformations.
If mastering earth and water chakra were enough, then only Hashirama Senju and Yamato should not have been capable of using Wood Release.
In truth, he could have chosen methods like Hiruko or Obito and directly devoured or transplanted them.
But in Arata's eyes, both methods had flaws.
As someone possessing Ōtsutsuki blood, he should have a superior option.
And the deeper his understanding of Ōtsutsuki blood became, the more he realized something.
The essence of Ōtsutsuki lifeforms seemed fundamentally different from humans constructed from cells.
Why did the Ōtsutsuki naturally possess all kinds of abilities?
Was it because of their bloodline?
And if so, what exactly was the essence of that bloodline?
Then Arata thought of Kāma.
He thought of the Ōtsutsuki divine arts.
And he thought of the names of the Ōtsutsuki.
Ōtsutsuki Isshiki.
Ōtsutsuki Kinshiki.
Ōtsutsuki Urashiki.
Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki…
If his own Ōtsutsuki bloodline were viewed as an initial "formula," then perhaps additional "formulas" needed to be inserted in order to calculate different results?
Why did Yamato's Wood Release manifest outwardly as "wood," while Hashirama's manifested as "trees," and Obito's transformed into "thorns"?
The forms differed, yet there seemed to be a common core.
From the fact that White Zetsu Obito could use Wood Release, the decisive factor was likely the Divine Tree.
Asura, and Hashirama, Asura's reincarnation, had inherited something from the Divine Tree.
In canon, there existed a being named Ōtsutsuki Shibai, who evolved into a god after devouring countless chakra fruits and gained divine arts that could practically be called "rules."
Different worlds produced different Divine Trees and fruits,
Complex formulas.
And consuming those Divine Trees and fruits was perhaps a method of completing oneself?
Turning oneself into a formula, even data, in order to grasp the concepts and rules of the world?
An utterly insane hypothesis.
If others heard Arata's theory, they would certainly think it absurd fantasy.
But when everyone thinks you are insane.
It means you are likely not far from the truth of the world.
"Let me verify it."
Arata narrowed his eyes and silently thought:
"Extract the 'core formula' of Wood Release from the White Zetsu and flesh… and insert it into my Ōtsutsuki bloodline."
[Unable to materialize]
"Unable to materialize…"
Arata frowned.
"Was my hypothesis wrong… or can it not directly affect myself?"
Objects could be materialized.
Ninjutsu could be materialized.
But bloodlines and similar things could not…
After a long silence, Arata slowly raised his head, light flickering in his eyes.
"Materialize, the extraction of the 'underlying formula' of Wood Release from the flesh and White Zetsu and convert it into a technique."
Then he paused and added: "The cost must not exceed 4254 points."
He only had 14254 points left.
He needed to spend carefully.
The voice in his mind seemed to freeze momentarily before continuing.
[Cost: 4500 Reality Points. Materialize?]
"What a shame."
Arata licked his dry lips.
"Materialize."
'Let me see it.'
'What exactly is the essence of Wood Release?'
[4500 Reality Points deducted. Remaining: 9704]
The instant the notification sounded,
The world before Arata's eyes changed.
In his vision now existed countless delicate, cold "threads" glowing faintly with different colors.
The world had shed its inherent form.
It became an enormous, intricate, silent structure woven from endlessly flowing and intertwining "threads" that continuously formed and dissipated.
Feeling several threads brush coolly across his face, Arata realized,
That was the concept called "wind."
Everything in existence was merely a "phenomenon" created by those threads operating under specific rules.
Phenomena he currently could neither touch nor alter.
Until, Arata looked toward a crack between the walls.
There, an unusually vivid touch of green caught his eye.
Along with roots extending several times downward.
It was merely a tiny weed.
No larger than a needle tip.
Pitifully fragile and weak.
Two pale yellow leaves, almost white with malnourishment, stubbornly grew within the narrow crack between the walls, struggling toward a doomed survival using the tiniest nutrients available.
"This feeling…"
Arata instinctively reached out and gently touched the weed.
At that moment, it felt as though he had plucked a string.
Hummm…
The weak, pale weed instantly unfurled its shriveled leaves.
The yellow faded away, replaced by vibrant life-filled green.
Its fragile stem shot upward violently.
More leaves sprouted, unfurled, and expanded from its top.
Its thin roots frantically spread downward and branched apart.
And at that moment, Arata finally understood what he had obtained.
What he had gained was not merely a technique.
It was a command.
A command capable of interfering with "rules."
Though currently unimaginably weak,
It had touched the essence of the world itself.
{Growth}
This was divine authority.
The primordial divine art.
The core inherited by Wood Release from the Divine Tree…
Was actually one of the world's "rules"?
Just as Arata stood stunned by the revelation, another notification suddenly echoed within his mind.
[Ding. Your lie has been judged as [Deceiving Heaven Crossing the Sea]. Gamamaru experienced intense emotional fluctuations and reached the level of [Uncertain Suspicion]. You gained 8000 Reality Points.]
[Remaining Reality Points: 17754]
Looking at the suddenly skyrocketing points, Arata froze completely.
'Wait-'
'What lie did I even tell?'
'…Hold on.'
'Gamamaru?'
'That scheming old toad?!'