Black Zetsu's judgment wasn't wrong—
Because it truly knew how difficult it was to control the Ten Tails.
However, now that Obito had gained the means to revive the Ten Tails, there was no longer any point in Shigen and the others remaining in Konoha to capture the Nine Tails.
After all, the Nine Tails chakra inside Kinkaku and Ginkaku was enough for Obito. Even if they captured Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, it wouldn't threaten Obito anymore.
"Kabuto!"
Black Zetsu growled in irritation, venting at Kabuto:
"Why didn't you tell us about Kinkaku and Ginkaku earlier!?"
"Because at the time, I was only interested in the Kage."
Kabuto smiled, unfazed.
"Their power didn't attract me, and Lord Orochimaru wasn't satisfied with their corpses either. I used them to maintain Orochimaru's trust. I didn't expect two nobodies would end up affecting Akatsuki's plans so drastically."
His words were calm, reasonable, and left no room for blame.
Black Zetsu, despite its anger, couldn't find fault. It had long known Kabuto wasn't truly loyal to Akatsuki. Venting now was pointless.
"We're leaving."
Shigen pressed his fingers against the air.
A pitch-black space-time gate opened before him, his wheelchair gently rolling forward into the void.
"Just like that?"
Deidara grumbled, playing with his clay bombs.
"Looks like something big happened..."
Sasori shook his head, his puppet Hiruko following behind Shigen into the portal.
"Hurry up, Deidara."
"Yeah, yeah, Scorpion-danna!"
Deidara followed, reluctantly.
One by one, Akatsuki's members disappeared into the gate behind Shigen. The suffocating pressure on the Konoha shinobi lifted the moment Yomi-no-Hirasaka vanished.
"..."
Tsunade collapsed.
"Lady Tsunade!"
Shizune rushed to support her.
"I must be the most humiliated Hokage in Konoha's history..."
Tsunade muttered bitterly, glancing at the wreckage of the village with pain in her eyes.
"The enemy razed our village, and I, the Hokage, couldn't do a thing..."
"It's not your fault!"
Shizune tried to comfort her, then asked cautiously:
"Now that the immediate crisis has passed... should we call the younger ones like Sakura back?"
Tsunade stayed silent for a moment, then spoke:
"Send someone to the Rain Country border. Find out what really happened with Akatsuki..."
The truth was—
Obito had gutted Akatsuki's base.
And used the alliance with Konoha to fool them all.
Kakashi returned with Gaara's body, reporting everything that had transpired: Obito's theft of the Tailed Beasts, and the true purpose of the Eye of the Moon Plan.
"Not a weapon of war..."
"But a technique called Infinite Tsukuyomi..."
"It forces everyone into an eternal dream..."
"Obito already has eight Tailed Beasts. He might come for Naruto next..."
"He doesn't need Naruto's Nine Tails anymore."
Tsunade shook her head.
Combining what she heard from Shigen and the others, she looked exhausted:
"Obito and Orochimaru already possess the Nine Tails' chakra. Kinkaku and Ginkaku are in Orochimaru's hands. He can already revive the Ten Tails..."
But...
What could they do?
Even if they stopped Obito, what about Shigen and Madara? Their power instilled a fear that crushed all hope.
Tsunade sighed heavily.
The five great nations, once mighty, could now do nothing but wait...
"We can't just sit here!"
The Fourth Raikage, having been forcibly evacuated and then returned, roared:
"Better to die in battle than do nothing!"
"But..."
"One Kage has already died..."
Tsunade had seen Gaara's body. She had already sent orders to return it to Sunagakure.
"Death doesn't scare me!"
"You're too soft, Tsunade!"
The Raikage snapped.
"Death isn't the issue."
Tsunade sighed again, proposing something more productive:
"Let's start by gathering more intel on Akatsuki."
"Now that Konoha has also suffered an attack, the other villages won't see us as lucky anymore..."
"All our villages have been violated by Akatsuki. Let's unite—gather all the forces we can."
"One village alone can't stand against Akatsuki."
"No matter the odds, at least let's share all information..."
With the Raikage present, Kumo's stance was clear. Alongside their ally Sunagakure, that made three villages.
Iwagakure and Kirigakure...
Tsunade could only hope they'd see reason.
The ninja world now stood divided into three camps:
Akatsuki, led by Shigen and Madara.
Obito's rogue faction.
And the five great nations, the weakest of all.
At Akatsuki's base.
Shigen waited for an entire day.
Only then did Uchiha Madara return, refreshed and pleased.
Apparently, he'd just battled the reanimated First Hokage.
Instead of addressing the crisis, Madara beamed:
"I just suppressed Hashirama. Fighting him really is the only joy left in this world!"
"..."
Black Zetsu looked even darker.
"..."
Shigen nodded solemnly—oddly validating Madara's behavior.
"Enough."
"Let's get down to business."
"We've got a problem."
Black Zetsu finally spoke up:
"Obito and Orochimaru possess Nine Tails chakra. They could revive the Ten Tails at any time. We must act fast—"
"Where's Sasuke?"
Madara frowned, glancing around.
Sasuke was missing.
"Something happened with him."
A White Zetsu clone recounted the battle between the Uchiha brothers.
"There might be more to the massacre. Obito claims to know the truth. He left... and took Sasuke with him."
"That brat's falling into his trap..."
Madara scoffed.
He didn't believe Obito was revealing the truth out of kindness. It had to be manipulation.
"Mistakes will correct themselves."
Shigen wasn't worried.
He had already prepared for this possibility.
In fact—
Obito wasn't exactly lying.
Having witnessed the Uchiha Massacre, Obito spoke mostly truth.
And with Orochimaru's reanimated Hokage—he had the proof.
Especially...
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
To counter Madara, Orochimaru reanimated all four Hokage. He failed to defeat Madara, but returned to Kamui space with the reanimations unharmed.
Their testimony...
Was the key to Obito convincing Sasuke.
"Itachi always loved you."
"When the Uchiha clan clashed with Konoha's leaders, war was imminent. The higher-ups gave Itachi a choice: kill his clan—including your parents—and we'll let you live."
"He chose to let you live."
"Third Hokage..."
Sasuke turned toward the reanimated Hiruzen.
"..."
The other Hokage turned as well.
"It's true."
Hiruzen couldn't deny it.
From a Hokage's perspective, he had to acknowledge Itachi's sacrifice.
And he knew every grim detail...
Including Shisui's death.
And Itachi's double life as a spy.
And the bloody night he carried out the massacre.
"..."
Something inside Sasuke snapped.
He had spent eight years driven by hatred and vengeance—his life defined by the massacre.
But now...
The truth shattered him.
Instead of relief, a heavier burden fell upon him.
He lived—because his beloved brother killed their clan.
He...
Was the root of the massacre.
Sasuke sat on the Kamui space steps, tears falling silently.
He didn't know where to go from here.
"Sasuke."
"Don't let this break you."
"You should inherit Itachi's will."
"Madara and Shigen never understood Itachi's love for you. They only wanted to use you—to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō, then the Rinnegan."
"But..."
"That power..."
"Itachi already intended it for you."
Obito's voice was steady, almost tender.
"Stand with me, Sasuke."
"Let's create a new world—one where Itachi still lives. A world where the Uchiha clan survives."
"In that world..."
"You'll never have to relive the past again."
"You'll have the life you truly wanted."
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Powerstones?
For 20 advance Chapters: /michaeltranslates