"The essence of the Infinite Tsukuyomi?"
Obito frowned, his understanding of the technique limited to its identity as a large-scale Genjutsu. Standing before him, Chiga calmly brushed aside a few loose strands of hair from his forehead. As he did, a blood-red tomoe Rinnegan revealed itself in the center of his brow.
Minato and Obito instantly froze, their eyes widening in shock. That blood-red Rinnegan emanated a strange allure — just looking into it made them feel as though their consciousness was being dragged into an abyss.
Fortunately, Chiga quickly closed the eye, allowing the two to regain clarity.
Even after recovering, Obito remained visibly shaken. His voice was blank, confused.
"Was that a Genjutsu just now? I thought I was dreaming..."
For someone who had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan to be affected so easily, the level of illusion was unimaginable.
Minato, still unnerved, asked warily,
"Chiga, did you put us under Genjutsu? That felt too real... like I was lost inside a dream."
Chiga gave a slight nod, speaking in a low tone.
"That, Minato, is the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Once the visual power of the Rinne Sharingan is projected onto the moon, the technique activates. Any living being, regardless of whether they can see the moon or not, will fall into an endless dream."
"Nani!? That's terrifying. So the plan is to trap the entire world in a dream? Was that Uchiha Madara's goal all along?"
Obito stared at Chiga, stunned. As far as he knew, activating the Infinite Tsukuyomi required gathering the Chakra of all Tailed Beasts, reviving the Ten-Tails, and then casting the jutsu using the beast as a medium. But from what Chiga just said… could he activate it now?
"Then why haven't you used it yet?" Obito asked, his tone becoming more urgent. "Is it related to that 'essence' you mentioned earlier?"
Chiga looked at him with a faint smirk.
"Of course. Do you really think the Infinite Tsukuyomi is just a Genjutsu? Once affected, the Chakra of every living creature is slowly drained. Eventually, the Ten-Tails bears a Chakra fruit — meant to be consumed by someone."
Obito's expression twisted in horror.
"Then… everyone affected by the Infinite Tsukuyomi dies?"
"Heh, not exactly death," Chiga replied. "They enter a different state. A state I'm sure you're already familiar with."
"What do you mean?"
Chiga folded his arms.
"White Zetsu. And the version of Tobi that once latched onto you."
Obito reeled. It was as if a thunderbolt had struck his soul. Everything he believed was unraveling in real time.
"So all of this... the entire plan... it was just to create that fruit?! Was Madara planning to eat it?!"
"You misunderstand. Madara's intention, like yours, was to create a world without war. He believed the dream world was the answer," Chiga said, his tone growing colder. "But he, too, was deceived."
"Nani!? Then... who's behind all this?"
Obito felt his grip on reality slipping. If even Madara was a pawn, then who was the mastermind? The Sage of Six Paths?
"Didn't you notice anything off about Black Zetsu?"
"Black Zetsu? Wasn't he created by Madara?"
"That's only what he wanted Madara to believe. Think about it — creating a sentient being like that? Was Madara really capable of something so advanced at the time?"
Minato, still watching from the side, looked increasingly confused.
"First White Zetsu, now Black Zetsu... what even is all this?"
But Obito's eyes narrowed as the puzzle began to take shape.
"Are you saying... Black Zetsu is the one manipulating everything? Then what's his goal?"
"His goal is simple," Chiga said with a shrug. "He wants to revive his mother."
Obito blinked, unable to process the answer.
"His... mother?"
He thought about Black Zetsu's creepy, sludge-like form. What kind of creature could possibly have birthed something like that? Could it be the Ten-Tails?
At that point, Chiga lost interest in explaining further. The Ōtsutsuki clan's history was too deep and convoluted. He had told Obito what mattered — that everything he had worked toward had been a lie.
Obito fell silent. Eventually, he looked up at Chiga.
"Is all this really true?"
Chiga simply spread his hands, speaking plainly.
"What would I gain from lying to you? Believe it or don't, the outcome stays the same."
With that, Chiga placed a hand on Minato's shoulder, and they vanished from the dimension.
Obito remained alone, staring down at the ground with blank eyes.
"...Was I really wrong?"
—
Back in the real world, Minato and Chiga reappeared.
Minato immediately asked,
"Chiga, what do you plan to do with Obito?"
Chiga didn't answer right away.
"Why, Minato? Planning to defend your student? He's the one who killed you and Kushina."
"I know. But... he seemed like he was genuinely misled. You knew him back then, too. He was a good kid."
"So, you're willing to forgive him? What about Kushina? Has she forgiven him too?"
"Uh... about that. Actually, I've been meaning to ask you something," Minato said awkwardly. "That revival technique you mentioned before... does it have limitations?"
He looked at Chiga with hopeful eyes — barely concealing what he was really asking for.
Chiga shot him a sharp glance.
"What? Feeling lonely without your wife?"
He flicked Minato on the forehead. The Hokage stumbled back, clutching his head in pain. Chiga began walking away, calling over his shoulder,
"You know where Kushina's body is, right? Find her in the next few days. I'll handle the rest."
Minato stood still, stunned. But as realization sank in, he suddenly leapt to his feet, shouting with joy,
"Yes! Yes! Chiga, you're the best!"
Without another word, he used the Flying Thunder God Technique and disappeared. He was off to find Naruto — and start digging.
—
Amegakure.
Tendo Pain's brow furrowed deeply.
"You're saying Uchiha Madara went to Konoha and hasn't returned?"
Black Zetsu stood before him, still connected to White Zetsu, who remained silent. Black Zetsu replied with a grave tone,
"Yes. Madara has mastery over space-time ninjutsu. He should've been back by now. I suspect he ran into trouble."
"Hmph. Always warning me to stay cautious, and yet he gets caught up in Konoha himself?"
Black Zetsu sneered inwardly.
You fool. If Obito is gone, you think you can execute the plan? Can my mother still be revived with you in charge?
Suppressing his irritation, Black Zetsu kept his voice neutral.
"I don't believe Madara was captured, but we should still send someone to investigate — maybe even rendezvous with him directly."
Tendo Pain thought for a moment.
"Hidan and Kakuzu are close to Konoha. Let them handle it."
Black Zetsu fell silent again. The names of those two gave him no comfort.
Can those two idiots even be trusted with this kind of task?
_____
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