Obito Uchiha's first words to Pain were: "To provide correct guidance to the one who has awakened the Rinnegan is the mission our organization has borne since ancient times."
Pain stared at Obito with a blank expression. "What? You know about my eyes?"
Obito pointed toward Nagato's location. "You are the reincarnation of the will of the Sage of Six Paths, who yearned for a peaceful world. Only the shinobi villages of the great nations bask in the sun, while yours languish in the shadows, gasping for breath. It is precisely because of this that you awakened the Rinnegan at this time. Where there is light, there must be shadow. So long as the concept of a 'victor' exists, so too must the 'defeated'. The will to protect peace for one's own sake ignites war. To protect love, hatred is born. This is cause and effect. They cannot be separated."
He paused, letting the words hang.
"But… we can create a world with only victors. Only peace. Only love. A world where only these things exist! With our assistance, we can find the method to create it. The moment you grasp the Rinnegan's true power, you can achieve that world for yourselves immediately. You've already seen the truth, haven't you? Betrayed by Hanzo of the Salamander. The Akatsuki destroyed. Yahiko's death…"
At the mention of Yahiko, anger flickered across Pain's face for the first time.
"Universal Pull!"
A crushing force yanked Obito toward Pain's outstretched hand.
Obito's body flew forward, helpless against the pull. Pain's fingers closed around his throat—
—and passed straight through.
Pain's eyes narrowed.
Unfazed, Obito continued his pitch as if nothing had happened. He laid out the vision, the steps, the grand design. He spoke of dreams and reunions.
At the end, his voice turned solemn. "Nagato. Yahiko. Konan. I will reunite you in a world of dreams. I swear it."
At the word 'reunite,' Pain's body shuddered, just once.
A long silence filled the cavern.
Finally, Pain lifted his head. "Follow me."
He led Obito and Zetsu toward his true body's location. They met Konan on the path, her eyes widening at the sight of the newcomers.
"Come with us, Konan," Pain instructed.
The four entered a hidden chamber. There, seated within a grotesque mechanical construct, was Nagato. His body was emaciated, a skeletal frame connected to tubes and spines.
Nagato's sunken eyes fixed on Obito. "Are you certain you can guarantee this?"
"I am certain," Obito affirmed. "Because I am here to guide you."
Nagato's voice was thick with loathing. "I know. That self-serving will to protect peace… it sparks war. Protecting love breeds hatred. In this accursed world, true peace does not exist!"
"Exactly," Obito agreed.
"Then… how do you propose we cooperate?"
"Not cooperate. Guide. I am your assistant. My current suggestion: expand your organization. Recruit powerful missing-nin. Build your strength…"
Nagato cut him off, impatient. "Is that the entirety of your plan? Mere recruitment?"
"Hear me out. You've summoned the Gedo Statue. You've felt its power. And that is not its complete form. Only after it absorbs the nine Tailed Beasts will it reach its final state. A power capable of destroying heaven and earth."
He leaned forward. "But you understand the importance of the Tailed Beasts. They are the ultimate strategic weapons of every major village. With our current forces, we cannot hope to oppose them. We might not even defeat the minor villages that hold them. So, for now, we focus entirely on developing the organization. When the time is ripe, we capture the Beasts. Your Gedo Statue will absorb them. Then… everything you hope for will become reality."
Nagato fell silent, head bowed in contemplation. As the summoner of the Gedo Statue, he had sensed its incompleteness. To make it whole… it required the nine Tailed Beasts?
A fully realized Gedo Statue. New forbidden jutsu could be developed from it. Tailed Beast weapons. Power to annihilate a nation in an instant. He could use humanity's fear of that pain to suppress war. Guide the world through suffering. Toward peace. Realize Yahiko's dream.
He looked up, his decision made. "Your plan. I agree. What is your next move?"
"I will scout for suitable candidates to join us," Obito stated.
"Good. For any future matters, contact Pain."
"Understood. Then… a fruitful partnership, Nagato."
A spiral of distortion swallowed Obito. Zetsu sank into the floor. They were gone.
Konan turned to Nagato, her brow furrowed. "Nagato. Those two are not to be trusted."
Nagato's expression didn't change. "I know. But what does it matter? This is mutual exploitation. For the sake of Yahiko's ideal… anything is worth it."
His gaze shifted to Pain, whose face was identical to Yahiko's. He whispered, his voice barely audible, "The leader of Akatsuki… will always be you, Yahiko."
Two days later.
Having found an excuse to separate from Obito, Zetsu returned to the Mountains' Graveyard.
The black half spoke. "Madara. Are you truly going to allow that Qianyu to join us?"
Uchiha Madara's head was slightly bowed. "He already knows our plan. Furthermore, he now possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan. My current strength is less than a tenth of what it was, and my eyes are gone. Aside from bringing him into the fold, do you have a better suggestion?"
Black Zetsu sounded troubled. "This Qianyu is not simple. His claim about stumbling upon this place… I doubt it's that straightforward. He likely knew of this location beforehand. He released those snakes deliberately to spy on you and Obito. However, his current strength is indeed among the top ranks in the shinobi world. We truly have no means to deal with him. Viewed that way, for our plan to proceed smoothly, we must bring him in."
Currently, their only combat assets were Obito and Nagato. Neither was a match for Qianyu alone. One-on-one, they stood no chance. Even two against one, they risked being killed by him instead.
Black Zetsu, who had meticulously planned everything, felt a deep urgency. Qianyu was a variable outside his designs.
Madara, however, showed no such haste. His voice remained calm. "Everyone has a weakness. During my absence, you will focus on monitoring Qianyu. Find his weakness and use it to control him. Whatever he wants from us is irrelevant. Use him in turn to accomplish our tasks. Having him join… this may, in fact, be a good thing."
A sinister chuckle escaped Black Zetsu. "His weakness is quite obvious. Thinking of it that way… yes, it is indeed a good thing."
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