The Akatsuki's Lair, Inner Chamber.
Sasuke Uchiha slowly regained consciousness. His body, riddled with injuries, had been carefully treated.
It was worth noting that the Akatsuki lacked a dedicated medical ninja. However, to honor someone from his past, Obito Uchiha had specially mastered medical ninjutsu. As a result, he personally handled the transplantation of both his own and Sasuke's eyes.
"Huh! My left arm... there's no feeling in it!"
Upon waking, Sasuke noticed that his left arm was encased in a cast, wrapped tightly in thick bandages, and suspended in a sling around his neck. He tried to move it, but there was no sensation at all. Panic surged within him.
Sitting nearby, Obito spoke in a low tone:
"Don't move. Your left arm suffered severe trauma. The bones, blood vessels, and even nerves were severed. I used White Zetsu's cells to attach to the wound and barely managed to stabilize it. You'll need to take it easy for a while."
Sasuke, now humbled, recalled his battle with Danzo Shimura. His confidence had been shattered repeatedly, and in the final moments, he had even closed his eyes, resigning himself to his fate.
Frowning, Sasuke turned to Obito:
"Was it you who saved me?"
Before Obito could respond, a White Zetsu emerged from the wall, bringing shocking news:
"It's confirmed. Danzo is dead. Naruto chased him all the way from the Land of Fields to the gates of Konoha and killed him there."
"Naruto!?" Sasuke was stunned.
Obito remained silent for a moment before muttering:
"I expected as much."
Sasuke, impatient, demanded:
"Naruto?? Hey, what the hell is going on!?"
Obito admitted frankly:
"Naruto saved you from Danzo, then had White Zetsu bring you back here."
A mix of frustration, anger, and humiliation churned within Sasuke, leaving him unable to calm down.
Obito added:
"That's the reality of it. For what it's worth, I never lie to you or keep things from you."
Sasuke's gaze dropped as he clenched his right fist tightly.
Obito, with a serious expression, asked:
"Now that your greatest enemy, Danzo, is dead, will you continue seeking revenge against Konoha, or will you choose another path?"
Sasuke looked lost:
"How should I know something like that..."
Obito said:
"It seems your desire for revenge has subsided. In that case, there are only two paths before you: follow Itachi's will and protect Konoha, or adhere to Akatsuki's ideals and sever the chain of hatred completely, ensuring that Itachi's tragedy never repeats itself."
Sasuke glanced at Obito:
"Are you Madara?"
After a moment of silence, Obito replied:
"No."
"I see," Sasuke withdrew his gaze.
"Leave me alone for now."
"Alright. Take your time to think. I won't force you with violence anymore."
With that, Obito left the room with White Zetsu.
Sasuke lay on the bed, looking like a withered plant. Memories of the past played over and over in his mind.
"I'm tired. Power... it doesn't matter anymore. Itachi, Naruto, is this the outcome you both wanted?"
Exhausted, Sasuke closed his eyes. Before falling asleep, the final images in his mind were of Itachi and Naruto.
The Akatsuki's Lair, Outer Chamber.
White Zetsu asked:
"Are you really going to let Sasuke make his own choice?"
Obito replied:
"After facing consecutive defeats, Sasuke needs time to recover. This is the key moment to reach into his heart and make him truly join us—not out of coercion, but willingly."
White Zetsu commented:
"I see. I thought your encounter with Naruto had shaken your resolve."
Obito shot White Zetsu a glance before looking away:
"Shaken? Impossible. The Eye of the Moon Plan is my lifelong pursuit. Nothing and no one can override it!"
He added:
"Besides, it's about time to deal with the internal threats within Akatsuki."
Half an Hour Later.
"Boom!"
"Ugh!"
Outside the lair, Black Zetsu was slammed against a cliff wall by a Fire Release attack. Glaring at the advancing darkness, he shouted:
"Obito!! What are you doing!!!"
Within the pitch-black skeletal frame of Susano'o, Obito advanced coldly:
"Black Zetsu, you said things to Sasuke that you shouldn't have. Did you think I wouldn't find out?"
Realizing his exposure, Black Zetsu still remained defiant:
"You're attacking me for this? Ever since Lord Madara's death, you've grown arrogant! I am Madara's will, created by him using Yin-Yang Release. With your abilities, you can't kill me!!!"
"Oh? Is that so."
Beneath his mask, Obito's eyes glimmered darkly.
"Whoosh!"
Pure black chakra formed into heavy armor outside the skeletal frame.
"Clang!"
A pitch-black sword materialized instantly, piercing Black Zetsu's body.
"This is the Ten Directions Divine Void Sword, the weapon of my Susano'o, imbued with Kamui's power. Anyone pierced by it will be banished to a dimension of nothingness, a void without space or time—a prison of absolute emptiness. It's as good as death."
"Whoosh!!"
A swirling vortex of Kamui erupted from the blade, mercilessly engulfing Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu let out a piercing scream:
"Aaaahhhh! Damn you, Obito! You will regret this!!!"
"Whoosh!"
The vortex spun shut, banishing Black Zetsu.
"Clang!"
The Ten Directions Divine Void Sword vanished, and Susano'o dissipated.
"Ugh!"
Obito clutched his eyes.
White Zetsu, concerned, asked:
"Are you alright?"
Lowering his hand, Obito's eyes shone even brighter:
"I'm fine. My eyes are breaking through their limits! This feeling of metamorphosis... it makes the Uchiha blood in me surge with excitement!"
White Zetsu thought to himself:
"As expected, the Uchiha are a battle-hungry clan. Especially with the awakening of Susano'o, it's a turning point in one's mindset. Obito now craves battle more than ever."
Elsewhere...
Days passed, and Kabuto Yakushi still hadn't seen Sasuke take the path he had anticipated.
"It seems Naruto's intervention has caused Sasuke's mindset to deviate from my plans. Very well. Though it's highly risky, it's time to summon 'him' to stoke the flames within Sasuke!"
To ensure success, Kabuto decided to use a medium for the summoning.
That Night, on a Dusty Cliff at the Edge of the Land of Fire.
"Whoosh!"
A man wrapped in bandages materialized from the void.
Second Tsuchikage: Mū.
With his Dustless Bewildering Cover technique, he possessed the terrifying ability to erase his chakra presence entirely, earning him the title of "The Invisible Man."
He was one of Kabuto's Edo Tensei pawns, and the medium for summoning a certain someone.
Mū formed seals and pressed his hands against the cliff face.
"Summoning: Edo Tensei!"
"Boom! Boom!!!"
A coffin rose from the ground and exploded open!
"Tap!"
Stepping into the windswept dust was a man clad in Warring States-era armor, his long hair flowing undisturbed.
"Finally... It seems Nagato has grown quite a bit."
Mū, solemn, said:
"I never expected this. To think the one being summoned would be you—the warlord of the Warring States era, Madara Uchiha!"
"Hmm?"
Madara looked at his gloved hand, cracked and weathered.
"You say this is Edo Tensei? Not Rinne Rebirth?"
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