Mediation! A New Direction...

"Madara... was he calling me?" Startled, Obito did not dare to be sure that Nagato had called for him.

Black Zetsu, wrapped together with White Zetsu beneath the aloe-like leaves, said teasingly, "Looks like it~."

"When did he notice I was here..." Obito muttered, his hand unconsciously clenching into a fist.

White Zetsu said, "What should we do? Go over there? Your response concerns whether he'll trust you or not~."

Whoosh! After pondering for a moment, Obito drew himself in with Kamui.

"Well, let's see how he talks his way out of this..." Zetsu followed by sinking into the ground.

—Whoosh!

"Nagato, after this battle, I imagine you're even more convinced now."

Posing as Madara, Obito appeared before Nagato and Konan along with Kamui, his voice confident and profound.

"As the reincarnation of the Sage of Six Paths, the wielder of the awakened Rinnegan, the savior capable of changing this hopeless Shinobi World, only you can do it."

"The reason I silently witnessed all of this was so that you could come to understand that yourself."

"I regret Yahiko's death."

"However, the one who killed him was precisely this rotten Shinobi World. Don't you agree?"

Nagato quietly watched Obito's performance. He truly wanted to tear open Tobi's spiral face and curse at that grief-stricken expression, "How can there be someone so shameless in the Shinobi World?"

But the circumstances did not allow it. For now, he still had to cooperate with the mastermind behind the scenes and carry on this performance.

In his mind, Nagato swiftly sorted through the subtle positions between the two of them based on the original story...

After inheriting Madara's will, Obito had sought out Nagato. Using Nagato's identity as the reincarnation of the Sage of Six Paths as a pretext, he had packaged himself as a "guide" and repeatedly brainwashed Nagato.

And Nagato, eager to realize his dreams and find a path to peace, had almost been persuaded by him.

But Yahiko's rationality had made him suspicious of the identity and motives of the man calling himself Madara, and he had interfered.

Thus, Obito had not gotten his way.

He had regarded Yahiko as a thorn in his side and had always wanted to find a chance to eliminate him.

As the Third Shinobi World War neared its end, Hanzo, incited by Danzo, had planned a deadly trap for Akatsuki.

Uchiha Obito had taken advantage of it.

First, to remove Yahiko, the thorn in his side, and deepen Nagato's faith in his ideology.

Second, to force Nagato into a desperate situation, synchronize with the power of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and lay the groundwork for Akatsuki to collect the Tailed Beasts.

Yet he had not expected things to go wrong. Although Yahiko had been successfully eliminated, Nagato had broken the deadlock through his own power alone. Even more awkwardly, his passive observation had been exposed.

At this moment, he was hoping that, struck by Yahiko's death, Nagato would take the initiative to seek cooperation.

Having grasped Obito's mindset, Nagato needed to seize the initiative for himself next.

Turning hostile now would be pure suicide. He lacked the power.

If he compromised and followed Obito away, he would have to choose endurance and disguise. That alone would be manageable, but he would inevitably lose a certain degree of freedom and find it difficult to carry out the "life plan" that had already begun to take shape in his mind!

Thus, neither turning hostile nor compromising would work. The third choice before him had become imperative—"mediation"!

"Madara, as you said, I have indeed come to understand, and I agree with what you said... Yahiko was killed by this rotten Shinobi World!"

Upon hearing that, the corner of Obito's concealed mouth involuntarily lifted. "Is that so? Have you finally understood? Then, are you willing to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan?"

"Of course I am, but... not now."

Obito frowned. "Not now? Then when?"

Nagato turned his gaze toward Yahiko's corpse, his expression desolate. "Yahiko was an irreplaceable dear friend to me. I need some time to mourn his death."

Obito remained impassive. "How long is some time?"

Nagato lowered his eyes and pondered.

The present year was Year 50 of Konoha, and one year later, Obito would orchestrate the Nine-Tails Rebellion in Konoha (this story adopts the later Book of Formation timeline settings, pushing the overall timeline three years later than the early Book of Thunder)... that would directly determine the trajectory of the Shinobi World and Nagato's own interests.

Without a doubt, when the time came, he would face a major choice: whether or not to let Obito successfully unleash the Nine-Tails Rebellion.

"Two years... no, how about one year?"

Obito tugged at his collar. "One year... isn't that a bit too long?"

Nagato clenched his fists and said firmly, "Madara, if you can bring Yahiko back to life as well, then I can assist you right now, without a word of objection!"

The air briefly froze, and the sound of rain became especially clear.

Obito's hand slowly dropped from his collar, and his gaze darkened.

Because he heard the anger in Nagato's voice.

Nagato... was he questioning why I stood by and watched Yahiko die...?

There was no mistake. Nagato had never directly called him by name before; he had always respectfully addressed him as "Mr. Madara."

Obito could not turn hostile at this moment either.

Because that would not fit the persona of a "guide" that he had established before Nagato over all this time.

More importantly... Nagato's astonishing performance today had made him wary.

One year... I can afford to wait.

In the end, Obito compromised.

"Very well, Nagato. I'll give you one year."

Nagato bent down and picked up the forehead protector. "Konan, take Yahiko. We're leaving."

Konan wrapped Yahiko's body in sheets of paper, gave "Madara" a deeply meaningful look, and followed Nagato away.

In the rain, Obito silently watched that red-haired figure's retreating back.

"Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle!" An aloe-like head emerged from the ground, followed by a gloomy voice. "That kid Nagato didn't follow our plans at all."

Obito clenched his hand hard. "Yes, but looking at it another way, the stronger his own power becomes, the greater the return to us once that ocular power truly awakens."

Black Zetsu said, "Perhaps, but the longer we wait, the more variables there will be. We shouldn't have given him a year."

Obito's gaze slowly lowered. "Everything is for the greater plan. I've decided that, one year from now, I'll force Nagato to summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and carry out the sacrifice ritual at any cost!"

"Well... let's not talk about that for now. Can I have a good meal first?" White Zetsu, who shared a body with Black Zetsu, stared eagerly at the corpses scattered everywhere, his pathetic drool nearly spilling out.

"Do as you please."

Obito vanished into the vortex released by his right eye.

White Zetsu said, "Haha, Obito looks calm on the surface, but he's probably already furious inside!"

Black Zetsu said, "Unlike good boy Tobi, Obito has quite the temper..."

Thunder rumbled across the dark sky, and the rain grew even heavier.

Konan watched the blood flowing continuously from Nagato's wound as they ran and asked worriedly, "Nagato, the injury on your head..."

"I'm fine..."

As he ran, Nagato's thoughts turned.

Obito possessed the power of Kamui, Wood Release... and Madara's legacy, including but not limited to Uchiha forbidden techniques and an army of White Zetsu.

What I possessed was Uzumaki Power, a pair of Rinnegan that did not originally belong to me, Konan, and... the most comprehensive knowledge of the world of Naruto.

Whether I turned against Obito outright a year from now or joined forces with him temporarily for mutual benefit, only enough strength would give me enough say.

One year... the usual path of steadily growing stronger would not work. My greatest asset was my comprehensive, all-encompassing understanding of the world of Naruto!

And to turn that knowledge into "power," no matter how I thought about it... I could not do without that man! Yes, the man who possessed the core technology!

—Orochimaru!

Yes... Orochimaru! Only by finding him and winning him over as my unwavering ally could I achieve my goals—not merely to face a mere Uchiha Obito one year from now, but to lay a solid foundation for the long years ahead!

Having confirmed his short-term goal, Nagato could no longer hold on. He collapsed forward into the mud...!!

"Nagato!!!"

Amid Konan's cry, he fell into her soft embrace.

This wasn't a loss.

Before losing consciousness, the corner of Nagato's mouth curled upward.