5/5
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[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Nine Tails, Shukaku, you Tailed Beasts know anything?
[Nine Tails - Kurama]: …
[Nine Tails - Kurama]: I don't know.
[Nine Tails - Kurama]: It's the first time I've seen this too.
[One Tail - Shukaku]: Same here in the Sand Village.
[One Tail - Shukaku]: The sky was blocked by the moon, and there was no daylight.
[Tobirama]: Then the current situation is…
Tobirama was stunned. He had never seen a scene like this before.
"If…"
Kitahara Kaede stared at the little ninja rabbit. "If this isn't Ōtsutsuki Toneri… then it can only be…"
"Infinite Tsukuyomi."
Hearing that, the little ninja rabbit's neck stiffened—because it had done the same thing before.
Infinite Tsukuyomi. And then White Zetsus were born.
····························
Meanwhile—
Near Amegakure, in a secluded forest, Konan—one of the leaders of the Akatsuki—was silently heading to a destination.
She was one of Akatsuki's leaders and also the Kage of the Hidden Rain Village.
But she was quiet—or rather, her heart had stopped beating since Yahiko's death years ago.
The reason was simple.
She, Yahiko, and Nagato had once been a team. They struggled together in the chaos of the Hidden Rain, clinging to each other to survive. Then they met Jiraiya-sensei, who taught them knowledge and ninjutsu.
They gained the power to protect themselves.
Yahiko was the sun of the team. A person who had been rained on and thus wanted to hold an umbrella for others.
Because they had suffered misfortune, they didn't want to see other children end up like them.
They dreamed of peace in the shinobi world and were even willing to work hard to achieve it.
So the three of them founded the Akatsuki, hoping to become a bridge to peace, to bring light to the world.
But—
Yahiko died.
From then on, Nagato's mind changed. But Konan knew—it was because Yahiko's death had caused him too much pain.
At that time, Nagato made a decision: He used his Rinnegan to control Yahiko's corpse and made him the figurehead leader of the Akatsuki under the name Pain - Tendo.
Then they continued the peace plan for the shinobi world.
"..."
Konan thought Nagato had lost his mind.
But… this was also because he couldn't accept Yahiko's death.
So—
She silently supported him. Or perhaps she supported their former ideals.
If peaceful and gentle means didn't work, they would turn to force.
If peace couldn't be achieved through dialogue, then they would use strength.
A power so overwhelming that no one could resist—only submit.
And such a power did exist in the shinobi world.
Nagato's Rinnegan could summon the Ten Tails. If they fed all the Tailed Beasts to it, the Ten Tails would become the ultimate beast, stronger than even Hashirama, the First Hokage.
With that beast as their weapon, what other village would dare to wage war?
This theory wasn't invented by Nagato.
It came from a masked man who called himself Uchiha Madara—real name: Tobi.
Nagato agreed with this theory, but both he and Konan remained cautious of the man calling himself Madara.
Just yesterday, Nagato told her that they nearly succeeded in sending Tobi to the moon.
If they had succeeded, one big threat would've been removed.
But they failed.
A pity.
Still, Konan decided to check in on Nagato.
Nagato was the real leader behind Akatsuki. In public, only Pain - Tendo appeared, so no one—except Tobi—knew of Nagato's existence.
Nagato had lost his legs in a fight with Hanzo the Salamander. They had been blown off by explosive tags, so now he needed to be immersed in a nutrient solution.
Today, Konan came to change that solution.
Nagato's dwelling was camouflaged with her Divine Paper Technique. It would only open for her.
However…
Konan felt something was wrong. It looked like someone had been here.
"Nagato?" she frowned.
She quickly ran inside.
Fortunately, she saw Nagato just as before—his legs soaked in the nutrient tank, eyes closed—but not dead.
Whew…
Konan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hmm…"
"Why did I fall asleep…"
"Wait a minute…"
"I feel like I've lost the connection to the Six Paths of Pain," Nagato muttered.
"Nagato!" Konan exclaimed in shock. "Your eyes…"
"Hm? My eyes?"
Nagato was confused.
Konan immediately formed hand seals. Paper fell from her hands and assembled into a smooth mirror.
She handed the mirror to Nagato.
Nagato took it and stared at his reflection.
"No problem…"
"I'm still me…"
"Maybe a bit thinner—wait…"
Nagato's eyes widened.
Because—his Rinnegan, those concentric purple rings—were gone.
In their place… a pair of Sharingan.
Sharingan?
His Rinnegan had turned into Sharingan!?
???
"..." Nagato froze.
"When I arrived, I saw signs that the Divine Paper Technique had been damaged."
"I suspect someone broke in," Konan said quickly.
"So I was robbed?" Nagato said in disbelief.
"And what was stolen…"
"In the brief moment I rested… someone stole my Rinnegan."
"..." Konan.
"..." Konan.
Who the hell steals a Rinnegan while someone is sleeping?
Was it Tobi? No… he claimed to be Uchiha Madara, but his strength didn't match the real deal…
But—
To remove Nagato's eyes while he was asleep, despite his ability to use all the Six Paths' powers anytime… that would take someone far beyond Tobi.
She and Nagato suspected Tobi might not be Madara, but was likely related—perhaps a descendant or disciple.
But now, someone who could steal his Rinnegan in his sleep… and even give him back a pair of Sharingan!?
That person must be the real Uchiha Madara.
Konan immediately grew suspicious.
··············
In the vast expanse of Kumogakure—
The real Uchiha Madara stood atop a high plateau. From the ground, a colossal divine tree burst forth.
To be precise—he had summoned the Ten Tails via Rinnegan.
The Ten Tails looked like a giant tree. But it was only a shell for now—its insides were empty.
It needed chakra.
The best method would be to feed it the Tailed Beasts. But Black Zetsu wouldn't let Madara do that.
So—was the caster supposed to fill it himself?
No.
Madara refused.
So…
Kumogakure was selected.
"I recommend the Raikage and Killer Bee from the Cloud."
"One is the Eight Tails' Jinchūriki."
"Perfect for extracting chakra and releasing the Eight Tails. And the other is called the Tailed Beast without a tail."
This was Tobi's suggestion.
Of course, it was revenge. He was deliberately making Kumogakure suffer.
Because if those idiots in the Cloud hadn't messed up the launch mechanism, they could've sent Black Zetsu to the moon in the first place—and none of this would be happening now!
Now Tobi had to become cautious and restrained again.
But—
He had to admit: Uchiha Madara was truly terrifying.
Easily accomplishing what he couldn't.
At this moment, even though Madara's body was still Edo Tensei—marked with cracks—his eyes had changed from Sharingan to Rinnegan.
He had already formed a contract with the Ten Tails.
And became its Jinchūriki.
Then, standing on the Ten Tails' head using repulsive force from the Rinnegan, something shocking happened…
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