Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Akatsuki’s Summons
Meanwhile, outside the village of Konoha, deep within the forest.
Beneath the swirling pattern of his mask, Obito’s expression was unpleasant.
"Uchiha Fugaku... he’s quite decisive."
Black Zetsu’s figure slowly emerged from the ground beside him, his voice raspy.
"Using the younger brother to restrain the elder one; although this method is clichéd, it is indeed effective. Even if Uchiha Takumi has other intentions, he doesn’t dare act rashly now."
Obito glanced at Black Zetsu and said in a deep voice.
"That Uchiha Shisui is the real biggest problem."
"A dojutsu that alters one’s will, capable of even controlling a ninja of Sarutobi Hiruzen’s level, if he were to use it against us..."
He didn’t finish, but his meaning was clear.
Black Zetsu laughed sinisterly.
"What, afraid you’ll end up turning into a farmer too?"
Obito snorted coldly.
Of course he was afraid.
He knew all too well what state Sarutobi Hiruzen was in now—
Every day, growing vegetables and raising flowers on the Sarutobi clan grounds, occasionally guiding the clan’s younger generation, having completely lost interest in power, politics, and war—a veritable retired farmer.
That look in his eyes, that state of being...
It was definitely not an act.
Uchiha Shisui’s dojutsu could truly completely reverse a person’s will.
Obito stated coldly.
"My ’Eye of the Moon Plan’ is to create a world with Rin, not to go farming."
"We must find a way to deal with Uchiha Shisui."
Black Zetsu shook his head.
"It won’t be easy."
"He’s now one of Uchiha Fugaku’s most trusted men, and also the Captain of the Anbu. He’s constantly protected by Uchiha clansmen nearby, and... don’t forget, on the night of the coup, he only used one type of dojutsu."
Obito fell silent.
Uchiha Shisui’s will-altering dojutsu was already troublesome enough; if he had other Mangekyō abilities...
Black Zetsu continued.
"We’ve done a lot in secret these past three years. The Uchiha population has indeed decreased, but those who remain..."
"Fugaku, Takumi, and Shisui are all confirmed Mangekyō users, and young gen like Uchiha Itachi are progressing rapidly. No one can guarantee that another new Mangekyō won’t appear among them."
Obito turned around and said sarcastically.
"That’s just how the Uchiha clan is. The more they’re pushed into a corner, the more they produce strong ones."
"It was like that for Uchiha Madara back in the day, and it’s like that for these people now..."
White Zetsu emerged from the ground and chimed in lightheartedly.
"So, Madara, what are you planning to do? Keep causing trouble on the side?"
"Small tricks are useless now."
Obito shook his head. "The Uchiha are too vigilant now. Making another move would easily expose us, and... Shisui’s existence is a variable. We must find a way to deal with him."
Black Zetsu asked. "Are you thinking of using the organization’s power?"
"It has to be this way."
Obito took a deep breath. "I can’t handle all of Konoha alone. The Akatsuki organization has enough members now. It’s time to let them stretch their legs."
White Zetsu tilted his head.
"But Madara, will Nagato agree? Didn’t he say before that Konoha’s affairs are none of our business?"
"Before, they weren’t."
Obito sneered coldly.
"But it’s different now. The Uchiha control Konoha, their strength has greatly increased. When the time comes to capture the Nine-Tails, they’ll be the biggest obstacle."
"Nagato’s goal is the tailed beasts. Then he must consider how to seize the Nine-Tails from the Uchiha’s hands in the future."
"Weakening Konoha in advance benefits the organization. He has no reason to refuse."
Black Zetsu thought for a moment and nodded.
"Makes sense. So... who should we summon?"
Obito pondered for a moment, then said.
"Inform Nagato, I want to see him."
"As for personnel... any recent movements from White Tiger?"
White Zetsu immediately replied.
"Ah, White Tiger. He’s pretty much like Kisame and Sasori. If the organization has a mission, he does it; if not, he’s scattered around the world, rarely showing his face."
"Oh, right. Over a year ago, that masked man with the crescent moon who stole a part of the Nine-Tails during the Nine-Tails Night, he was frantically taking on all sorts of missions and hunting down quite a few ninja. But recently, he’s completely vanished."
"On the other hand, another bounty hunter, ’Vermilion Bird,’ has started becoming active recently, taking on several high-difficulty missions."
Obito’s gaze sharpened.
"Crescent moon... Vermilion Bird..."
He recalled that mysterious person who suddenly appeared on the night of the Nine-Tails and stole a portion of the Nine-Tails’ chakra.
Those Mangekyō, that space-repelling dojutsu...
"That masked man with the crescent moon is very likely a master secretly trained by the Uchiha as well."
Obito said in a deep voice. "As for Vermilion Bird... have you looked into his background?"
White Zetsu spread his hands. "Can’t find anything. It’s like he just popped up out of nowhere. But his strength is considerable, at least Kage-level."
Black Zetsu added. "Need to put him under priority surveillance?"
"Just keep an eye on him for now. We’ll see if we can recruit him into the organization later."
Obito waved his hand. "The primary target now is Konoha and Shisui. Everything else can wait."
"Let’s go. To Amegakure."
...
Amegakure, the tall tower.
Tendo Pain stood by the window, with Konan standing behind him, holding an information scroll.
"Nagato, Uchiha Madara is here."
Tendo Pain asked blandly.
"Is he alone?"
"Zetsu is with him."
Konan paused for a moment, then said. "It looks like there’s something important to discuss."
Tendo Pain was silent for a moment, then slowly turned around.
"Let him in."
A few minutes later, Obito, wearing his swirling-patterned mask, entered the hall, with Black Zetsu and White Zetsu following behind him.
"Pain."
Obito got straight to the point. "You should already know about the situation in Konoha."
Tendo Pain nodded.
"Uchiha Fugaku becomes the Fifth Hokage. The Uchiha clan takes control of Konoha."
"But what does that have to do with us?"
Obito walked to the center of the hall and replied in a low voice.
"It has a great deal to do with us."
"The Uchiha currently have at least three pairs of Mangekyō. Among them, Uchiha Shisui’s ability—you must have heard of it."
"A dojutsu that alters one’s will... If, in the future, when we capture the Nine-Tails, he uses that technique on our people, the consequences would be unthinkable."
Tendo Pain’s Rinnegan shifted slightly.
"So?"
"So, we need to weaken Konoha in advance, especially the Uchiha. At the very least, we need to eliminate the threat of Uchiha Shisui."
Konan frowned. "You want the organization to move against Konoha?"
"Not an all-out war."
Obito explained. "It’s covert action. Create chaos, weaken the Uchiha’s power. Preferably force Shisui to show himself, and then..."
Tendo Pain was silent for a moment.
The Uchiha controlling Konoha indeed posed a problem for the future tailed beast plan, especially that Uchiha Shisui. His ability was too troublesome.
But the Akatsuki organization was still in its developmental stage. An early conflict with Konoha carried considerable risk.
"The organization is currently understaffed."
Tendo Pain said slowly. "Moreover, rashly moving against one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages would draw the vigilance of the other villages."
"As for personnel, we can mobilize a portion."
Obito said. "As for the other villages... Kirigakure is too preoccupied with its own affairs now, Kumogakure is expanding, Iwagakure is in civil strife, Sunagakure is impoverished. No one will care about Konoha’s fate."
Tendo Pain did not answer immediately.
He looked at Konan, who gave a slight shake of her head, signaling caution.
But Obito’s next words changed his mind.
"Pain, don’t forget, the Nine-Tails is still in Konoha."
"Even though it was split in half, it’s still the strongest of the nine tailed beasts."
"If we can seize a portion of the Nine-Tails’ chakra amidst the chaos, or even... capture the jinchūriki, it would be a huge boost to the organization’s plan."
A flicker of fluctuation passed through Tendo Pain’s Rinnegan.
The tailed beasts.
That was what concerned him most.
After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"Fine, but the organization will not participate directly in the fighting."
"I will dispatch personnel to assist you, but the operation must be covert. The organization’s existence must not be exposed."
A smile appeared beneath Obito’s mask.
"No problem."
"Then... summon the members."
