Obito's Scheme

Outside Kirigakure, Obito, wearing a white mask, stood atop a tree, gazing from afar at the village shrouded in thick mist.

With the Sharingan, even natural fog this dense could not interfere with his vision. In his eyes, the current state of Kirigakure was perfectly clear.

Though Kirigakure had been defeated in this war, the battlefield had not been within its borders, so its losses were not especially great; supplies would simply be rather tight.

Fortunately, the place was surrounded by the sea on all sides. Life was hard, but at least no one would starve to death. Coupled with the pressure from Konoha, that massive external enemy, Kirigakure could now be said to be united from top to bottom.

It was still some distance from its prewar condition, and one could not call it peaceful and prosperous, but it was not far off either.

And this was exactly what Obito hoped to see. With Kirigakure in this state, if it developed for a few more years, it might not be unqualified to contend with Konoha—of course, it had to be under his control.

At that moment, Black and White Zetsu emerged from a nearby branch and likewise quietly looked at Kirigakure.

"Do we really have to make a move now? The Third Mizukage isn't an easy opponent, and you aren't skilled in genjutsu. Wouldn't it be better to wait according to the plan until the Four-Tails Jinchuriki appears, help him rise to power, and then control him?"

"That's too long. The Three-Tails is already dead. Who knows how many years it will take before it revives, and we still have to add the time needed to capture it. We urgently need power to deal with Konoha. No one knows when that day will come, and we must grasp enough