The Land of Rice Fields and the Land of Rain were practically neighbors.
Itachi quickly returned to Orochimaru's base and laid out the situation for Obito: Emiya Shirou intended to fast-track the Akatsuki's plan, starting immediately.
Understandably, Obito was not in a great mood.
Orochimaru, on the other hand, was practically glowing.
He had just welcomed back Kabuto, along with a fresh batch of adopted children he had brought with him. As if that wasn't enough, Orochimaru had also received more good news: a hefty sum of "experimental funds" from Danzo Shimura.
For a scientist whose work was a bottomless money pit, any cash infusion was a delightful surprise.
Orochimaru was so pleased with Kabuto's work that he even invited him to join their little anti-Shirou coalition, believing his sharp mind could be useful.
Inside the base, Obito slumped in a chair, Itachi leaned against a wall, Orochimaru lounged against an experiment table, and Kabuto stood dutifully by his side.
A room full of Konoha's finest, all with their own agendas, now seemingly united by a common goal.
"You seem to be in a good mood, Orochimaru," Obito grumbled, his own expression souring at the sight of Orochimaru's glee.
He cut straight to the point. "The news Itachi brought is worse than we imagined. That guy is starting the plan, and soon. Our time is more limited than we thought."
He stared coldly at Orochimaru. "If we wait until his plan is in motion, you'll never escape his control."
"Is that so?" Orochimaru's serpentine eyes still held a hint of a smile.
This Obito... he comes running to me the second he gets news from the Akatsuki?
Even in the tightest of partnerships, one had to play it cool, feign a little indifference to show you weren't desperate. This kid really didn't grasp the basics of cooperation.
He was like a restless, immature brat, unable to shake off his underlying foolishness.
Still, Orochimaru thought, this kind of partner is the most likable kind. Predictable.
He wasn't worried about the news. "As I recall, the plan is to collect the Tailed Beasts and revive the Ten-Tails as a weapon of war."
"You don't understand the terror of the Ten-Tails," Obito shot back, a flicker of arrogance in his voice. "If it's truly revived, not even you, with your Impure World Reincarnation, bringing back Hashirama and Madara at their peak, could change the outcome."
On this point, Obito felt a smug sense of superiority. He was the only one in the room who knew the real plan.
"If it really comes to it," Obito took a deep breath, "I can only find a way to kill an unimportant Tailed Beast to buy us some time. While I do that, you'd better hurry up and collect enough corpses to resurrect an army capable of dealing with Emiya Shirou."
Itachi remained silent. He was technically on Obito's side, but his real mission was to gather intelligence.
Kabuto also remained silent. It was his first anti-Shirou meeting, and he had nothing to contribute except to secretly gather intelligence for Shirou.
"Alright," Orochimaru said. "I'll perfect the Impure World Reincarnation jutsu as soon as possible. But I'll need a steady supply of strong corpses."
"Can't help you there," Obito said, wanting no part in grave-robbing. "If I make any moves and Shirou or that creep Black Zetsu finds out, they'll kick me out of the Akatsuki. The most Itachi and I can do is provide cover for your subordinate."
"Itachi," Obito said, noticing his contemplative silence. "Any ideas?"
"I'm thinking about what you all said," Itachi replied, his head bowed in thought.
He sounded less like a spy and more like a loyal conspirator. "We need to find enemies for this great figure. What if we leaked his plan to some of the great ninja villages?"
Kabuto couldn't help but adjust his glasses.
"No," Obito interrupted. Shirou's plan was his plan.
He wanted to get rid of Shirou, not sabotage the entire operation.
"Actually, that might not be impossible," Kabuto chimed in, a small smile on his lips. "Konoha's Danzo Shimura would definitely be interested in any news about Lord Emiya Shirou."
"Danzo's power is useless," Obito scoffed.
Itachi, remembering an old case, seemed to agree. "His power is indeed useless. As for the other villages..."
"Meaningless," Obito shook his head, tapping his fingers on the table.
For a moment, he seemed to have rediscovered the feeling of being a mastermind in control.
He looked up at Orochimaru, then at Kabuto. "Itachi and I will cover for your subordinate's actions. Have your man go to the Mist Village and find Kisame Hoshigaki of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. He's my subordinate. Have him kill the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura."
The room went silent. Everyone stared at him, stunned.
Kill a Mizukage?
The Kage of one of the five great nations?
Just to buy some time?
They didn't know whether to praise his audacious thinking or dismiss him as a complete madman.
"If I remember correctly," Kabuto said, having spent time undercover in the Mist, "the Fourth Mizukage is also the Three-Tails Jinchuriki.
Kisame is known as the 'Tailed Beast without a Tail,' but assassinating Yagura won't be easy."
Many had tried and failed, thanks to Yagura's long-term tyranny.
"Don't worry. Kisame's strength is sufficient," Obito said with complete confidence, deciding to reveal another secret. "The Fourth Mizukage has been under the control of my Sharingan all along. He has no power to resist Kisame."
Even Itachi, who had been maintaining his composure, couldn't help but look sideways at Obito. The news was even more shocking than the last.
"Well, that's... unexpected," Orochimaru chuckled, a genuine note of praise in his voice. As one of the Sannin, he'd seen a lot, but he never thought Obito would dare to control a Kage.
No wonder the Uchiha were viewed with such hostility by Konoha's higher-ups.
If this had gotten out earlier, the conflict would have been even worse.
Fortunately, that clan has been annihilated.
As he thought this, his eyes darted between Itachi and Obito, an irrepressible greed appearing in them. Their Mangekyo Sharingan... it was a bit tempting.
Itachi noticed his covetous gaze immediately. Obito, protected by the special nature of his Kamui, just snorted in contempt. If it weren't for needing Orochimaru's Edo Tensei to deal with Shirou, he wouldn't have given the former Sannin a second glance.
"This mission is yours, Kabuto," Orochimaru said, turning to his subordinate, satisfied with his display of respect.
"Yes," Kabuto nodded seriously. "After the assassination, should I bring Kisame back?"
"The plan will succeed," Obito corrected him coldly. "Afterward, let Kisame become an S-rank rogue ninja. I'll arrange for him to join the Akatsuki and help us gather intelligence from their side."
This had been his plan all along.
Kabuto listened, then looked to Orochimaru for confirmation.
"Do as he says," Orochimaru nodded with a smile.
"Yes," Kabuto replied respectfully. But as he left the base, a glint of light flashed across his glasses. The first thing he would do was contact Shirou and find out his arrangements for this matter.
-----
Shirou, of course, already knew everything. The White Zetsu clone assigned to monitor Orochimaru had reported the entire scheme.
"Lord Emiya, we must stop him!" the clone urged. "Once his subordinate kills the Three-Tails Jinchuriki, it will interfere with our Project Tsuki no Me!"
"Does your main body know about this?" Shirou asked, seemingly only concerned with that one question.
"Not yet. I'll report it right away and..."
"No need. Let me handle it." Shirou casually asked, while scribbling on a scroll, "How strong are the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, anyway?"
"Not that great, I think? I remember Akatsuki had one... Juzo Biwa. They assigned him to Kakuzu after he'd killed too many partners, and then Kakuzu ended up killing him, too."
Shirou's eyelid twitched.
To support that orphanage, Kakuzu is really working hard. Even harder than I remember.
"Forget it," Shirou said, rolling up the scroll and handing it to the clone. "Give this to Yakushi Kabuto. He'll know what to do. From now on, just follow him."
"But will this solve it? Kabuto is Orochimaru's man," the clone muttered, still complaining. "Can I deliver the scroll and then report this to the main body and Lord Black Zetsu? Actually, Obito used to be quite fun. The time I spent with him was much more interesting than following you around."
"Wait," Shirou suddenly called out, extending a hand for the scroll. "Give that back. I need to add another sentence. There's something I forgot to tell Kabuto."
He took the scroll, a thoughtful look on his face. "And, to avoid any mistakes... I'll additionally help you by transplanting a portion of Hashirama's cells to strengthen your body, and also leave a cursed seal on you to enhance your chakra."