Before the storm

They returned from Space-Time to the underground hideout.

Suigetsu's Right Eye and Jugo's left eye were now both three-tomoe Sharingan!

New eyes, new sensations.

Jugo said, "I really do feel calmer than ever before. Looks like you were telling the truth. The Sharingan really can suppress the Cursed Seal."

Suigetsu said, "And everything looks incredibly detailed. I can even make out every tiny movement of the dust on the ground. Just imagine the advantage this would give you in a fight! Hey, have you Uchiha always had eyes this ridiculously unfair?"

To Obito, the two were making a bit too much of a fuss, but it was understandable. Only those who had truly possessed the Uchiha's power could experience that sense of superiority firsthand!

That was also why Orochimaru had been so deeply captivated by it in his previous life.

Obito struck while the iron was hot. "The Sharingan also has a higher level of ocular power, the Mangekyo, which requires specific conditions to awaken. Well, the chances are slim, but if you really do awaken it, I have another gift for you..."

Suigetsu was overwhelmed by the favor. "Hey, doesn't that mean..."

Obito offered both reward and warning. "As long as you follow me loyally, I certainly won't mistreat you. But if you betray me, you won't escape my grasp even if you flee to the ends of the earth!"

Suigetsu scratched his head. "Um... I have one more little request. Could you grant it?"

Obito said, "Go ahead."

Suigetsu said, "I want a ninja blade that suits me."

Obito looked down at him. "A ninja blade? That's easy enough. But what exactly do you mean by 'suits you'?"

Suigetsu ventured, "Uh... something like the Kubikiribōchō wielded by Zabuza Momochi, a former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Would that be possible?"

Obito chuckled. "The Kubikiribōchō? Heh, is that all you aspire to?"

Suigetsu immediately lit up. "Then could I have the Samehada?!"

Obito's gaze darkened. "Kisame Hoshigaki is also my subordinate. How about I take you to meet him, and you two work it out yourselves?"

Still young, Suigetsu backed down instantly. "Then I'll stick with the Kubikiribōchō... I remember Zabuza was killed by Sasuke Uchiha. That sword is in the Land of Waves too. Should we go get it?"

Obito pondered briefly. "Wait a moment."

Whoosh!

He vanished into the vortex released from his right eye.

Seeing this, Suigetsu sat down on a stone chair. Dropping his earlier fawning tone, he said seriously, "Jugo, did you see his ability? He really can come and go as he pleases. We probably really can't escape his grasp!"

Jugo covered his newly acquired left eye and said, "If it turns out that his gift really can help me control my urge to kill, staying with him wouldn't be so bad. Besides, he already promised not to make me fight Orochimaru. That way, I can answer to Kimimaro too."

Suigetsu shrugged with a smile. "You really are easy to please. That little is enough to satisfy you."

Jugo asked, "What about you?"

Suigetsu sneered. "I'm not someone who lets people use him so easily! He said Orochimaru killed three Akatsuki members, yet he took us in. Anyone who thinks about it properly would realize..."

Just then... out of the corner of his Right Eye, Suigetsu sharply caught sight of a white figure emerging from the wall. He immediately raised his voice. "Would realize what an enormous kindness it was for him to spare us and even entrust us with important duties!!! If we don't repay him with our lives, can we even call ourselves human?!"

The White Zetsu Clone monitoring them from the wall thought, Oh, looks like this guy knows what's good for him. I won't report him for now...

Whoosh!

Before long, Obito returned. But instead of the Kubikiribōchō Suigetsu had dreamed of, he brought a large Scroll!

"This is the ninja blade Summoning Scroll your brother, Hozuki Mangetsu, once used. Of the blades wielded by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, the other three besides the Kubikiribōchō, Samehada, Hiramekarei, and Kiba are all inside this Scroll!"

Suigetsu froze on the spot!

As a member of Kirigakure's second generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, his older brother Hozuki Mangetsu had been the second wielder of the twin sword Hiramekarei. He had also possessed the ability to wield every ninja blade, so after the other swordsmen of his generation died, he had collected his fallen comrades' blades in a Scroll, ready to summon them whenever needed!

"This is... the Scroll my brother used!"

Amid his shock, countless questions filled Suigetsu's mind.

What's going on... After my brother died, Kirigakure took back his Hiramekarei, and that Scroll should have vanished too, right? How is this possible? Where did this guy find it?!

Clang! Obito tossed the Scroll straight down in front of Suigetsu and said in a low voice, "It's yours."

Suigetsu bent down... and lifted the Scroll with trembling hands.

Obito looked down at him. "Any other 'requests'?"

Suigetsu lowered his head and hugged the Scroll tightly, keeping his expression composed. "No..."

Obito said gravely, "Then I've shown my sincerity. Now it's your turn."

Suigetsu raised his head, his face blazing with fervor. "I'll brave fire and water for you, my lord!!! May I ask what I should call you?!"

Beneath his mask, Obito finally looked satisfied.

"In front of the Akatsuki members, just call me Tobi."

Suigetsu caught on somewhat. "Then... in private?"

Obito said, "Call me Madara."

The name "Madara" meant little to Suigetsu.

Suigetsu stood the Scroll beside him and dropped to one knee to declare his allegiance. "Understood, Lord Madara. From today onward, I'll be your loyal follower!"

Obito looked at Jugo.

Jugo stood and bowed deeply to the man before him.

"Now I'm taking you to meet the Leader of the Akatsuki. He'll put you through an assessment according to the Akatsuki's usual procedure. Don't embarrass me..."

Whoosh!

He drew Jugo and Suigetsu into Space-Time, then... vanished into the vortex himself!

Beneath the cold rain drifting endlessly over Amegakure stood buildings in cold hues, formed entirely from densely packed pipes. Set against symbolic, wrathful-faced statues, the whole village lay shrouded in an oppressive, forbidding solemnity.

In Amegakure's tallest tower stood Pain's Deva Path and Konan.

Just moments earlier... Zetsu had brought them news of Kakuzu's and Hidan's deaths, along with another devastating blow: the wealth the Akatsuki had accumulated over more than a decade, managed by Kakuzu, had all fallen into Orochimaru's hands!

The Akatsuki's fundraising had failed. That also meant its plan to use Tailed Beast Weapon to establish a superpower reigning above the Five Great Nations had all but collapsed!

"Conquering the Five Great Nations" had always been Nagato's ambition, one he intended to realize even if it meant defying Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan!

It was easy to imagine... how Nagato felt.

On the bloodless face of Pain's Deva Path, created from Yahiko, there was not the slightest flicker of emotion.

Rumble...

But the furious thunder roaring through Amegakure's skies was a clear manifestation of Nagato's rage!

The Akatsuki's Zero and White remained silent. They knew... a visitor would soon arrive!

Whoosh!

A mysterious, eerie vortex appeared inside the tower...