Black Zetsu spoke.
"I have someone in mind."
Obito and White Zetsu both looked at him.
Black Zetsu said slowly, "Uchiha Sasuke."
He then explained, "You both understand that the Sharingan is the bane of the Tailed Beasts. And from what I know, that kid has already awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan."
At this, Obito's expression changed.
"He's already awakened it?"
His pupils shook slightly, disbelief clear in his eyes behind the mask.
White Zetsu nodded, his tone still airy, as if talking about the nice weather.
"Yeah, after Nishikawa Makoto told him the truth about the Uchiha Massacre. Guess the kid was so shocked that he awakened it."
Obito's voice suddenly dropped, tinged with suppressed anger. "Why wasn't I told?"
His gaze darted between Black and White Zetsu, the exposed eye under the mask filled with betrayed anger and suspicion.
Black and White Zetsu both showed nonchalant expressions.
"Sorry, we forgot."
"There's been too much going on lately. Cut us some slack, boss."
But their tones held not a trace of apology, even a hint of subtle mockery.
Obito knew these bastards were truly loyal to Madara.
Though they appeared to be assisting him, they weren't entirely on his side.
Powerless, Obito could only suppress his inner fury. "Can you guarantee bringing Uchiha Sasuke into the Akatsuki?"
Black Zetsu seemed confident. "Now that Sasuke knows the truth about the Uchiha tragedy, he's in a state of extreme confusion. If we use Itachi, the brother he's admired since childhood, as a persuasive advocate... I think there's an eighty percent chance or more we can convince him to come over."
"And—"
Black Zetsu paused slightly, then continued,
"Sasuke probably holds some degree of hatred for Nishikawa Makoto too. That's another angle we can use. After all, Nishikawa Makoto now rules Konoha, and his brother's eyes are in Nishikawa Makoto's sockets."
Mentioning Itachi's name again, Obito couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Speaking of which, how's Itachi doing?"
His tone also carried a hint of disdain.
To be honest, he wouldn't be surprised if Itachi directly defected from the Akatsuki now.
After all, the Third Hokage, his contact, was dead, and his younger brother fully knew the truth of the massacre.
He probably had no reason to stay in the Akatsuki anymore.
However, Itachi probably couldn't return to Konoha either, since the current ruler, Makoto, clearly hated him.
Mentioning Itachi, Black and White Zetsu both showed malicious grins, the corners of their mouths curling with undisguised schadenfreude.
White Zetsu said with a laugh, "Itachi has already agreed to the [Eye of the Moon] plan."
Obito couldn't help but show surprise.
"What happened?"
White Zetsu explained with a smile, "Konoha's government is now completely in the hands of his 'enemy', Nishikawa Makoto, who is now promoting a 'unify the Ninja World' hegemony. This goes completely against Itachi's idealized concept of 'peace', but he's powerless to stop Makoto."
Saying this, White Zetsu's grin widened even more.
"After learning about the Infinite Tsukuyomi plan, Itachi also felt this method was indeed the most suitable for 'saving the world'. So, like Kisame, he fully agreed to execute the plan."
White Zetsu had discovered Makoto and Yu's 'unify the Ninja World' plan. After all, when it came to information gathering in the Naruto World, saying White Zetsu was second, no one dared say first.
But to be fair, this matter didn't even require investigation.
Makoto and Yu weren't hiding it at all. The news was already spreading throughout the Ninja World.
All the Great Ninja Villages were now restless, discussing how to respond.
After listening to White Zetsu's explanation, Obito was stunned for a few seconds before reacting, then couldn't help but sneer, "What a waste."
It wasn't that he couldn't understand Itachi's feelings.
After all, this guy slaughtered his clan, betrayed his village, all for his own self-righteous version of 'peace'.
And now, finding that this path to 'peace' was completely blocked, he chose to escape into the world of illusions. Not so strange.
Hearing Obito's evaluation of Itachi, Black and White Zetsu both found it hard to keep a straight face.
'Like you're any different.'
'Itachi, at least, was trying to escape because of 'shattered ideals'.'
'You're just doing it because you lost one woman.'
'Others talk about the pot calling the kettle black. In your case, it's the whole kitchen calling a single pot black.'
But if Makoto were here, he'd definitely say they were both animals. Why compare which is worse?
After discussing it with Zetsu, Obito immediately used Kamui to meet with Itachi.
Itachi was still with his partner, Kisame.
Obito and Zetsu didn't avoid Kisame, as he was one of the few in the Akatsuki who knew about and supported the Eye of the Moon plan.
Space twisted, a vortex spiraled.
Obito's figure materialized from the void. His one exposed eye glanced at Kisame, then settled on Itachi.
He told Itachi about bringing Sasuke into the fold.
"Sasuke knows the truth now. He's lost, surrounded by hatred, then abandoned by it. He doesn't know who to hate, or where to go."
Obito's voice was calm.
"If you don't go to him, he might just waste away in Konoha, or be used by Nishikawa Makoto."
"You be the persuasive advocate. Bring him here."
Itachi looked down at his pale hands.
Those hands had once raised a blade, killing his own clan members, his own parents, so many faces that once smiled at him.
He knew his time was short.
After listening to Obito, Itachi didn't hesitate long.
Finally, Itachi looked up with his tired, bloodshot eyes.
"I understand."
After hearing Obito say 'Sasuke is also conflicted right now', Itachi felt that the two of them entering the [Infinite Tsukuyomi World] together was the most correct decision.
'That world has no hatred, no betrayal, no tragedy of the Uchiha Clan.'
Itachi's mouth curled up slightly.
His voice carried a paranoid conviction, as if this were truly the final salvation for the two brothers.
Kisame stood nearby, watching him silently.
"Itachi-san, have you truly decided?"
"Yes."
Itachi nodded. "This world is too cruel for Sasuke."
This was Uchiha Itachi.
A man who always decided things for others.
It must be said, the biggest problem with this scumbag Itachi was his habit of making decisions for other people.
Back on the night of the Uchiha Massacre, he made the decision for his clan.
He believed that erasing the Uchiha Clan from history was the best outcome for them.
So, he raised his blade and killed his clansmen.
Personally, he felt this was 'liberating' them.
To be honest, if Makoto were a member of the Uchiha Clan, he'd definitely tell Itachi, "F*ck you."
Who are you to make decisions for me?
This trait also showed in Itachi's desire to control Sasuke.
After all, even he admitted after being summoned with Edo Tensei that if Sasuke didn't return to Konoha according to his plan after his death, he intended to use Shisui's Mangekyo, hidden inside Naruto, to cast Kotoamatsukami on him.
He wanted to use that technique to change Sasuke's thinking.
In other words, if you don't follow the path I laid out, I'll forcibly change your brain to make you follow it.
One has to admit, from an outsider's perspective, that's just downright psychopathic.
Doing that, he might as well have just killed Sasuke on the night of the massacre.
Now, Itachi, whose mental core had shattered, was once again making decisions for Sasuke.
Before, he thought using Kotoamatsukami to change Sasuke's mind and make him protect Konoha was the best path.
Now, he thought [Infinite Tsukuyomi] was the best path for the brothers.
Either way, he did whatever he wanted, completely disregarding anyone else's thoughts.
"Sasuke."
Itachi spoke softly, his gaze piercing the rain curtain, looking towards Konoha.
"This time, I won't leave you alone again."