That day, Kisame did not bring Killer B to the agreed meeting place.
"..." Obito left without a word.
Late at night, in the Akatsuki's hideout.
In an inner room dimly lit by candlelight, Sasuke wore black, with white bandages wrapped around his eyes.
To gain greater ocular power, he had transplanted Itachi's eyes.
"Heh heh heh. I can feel it. The power keeps surging out. I'm getting stronger...!"
With the candlelight flickering, Sasuke's occasional wild laughter echoed through the dark room.
"..." In a corner, Karin hugged her knees tightly. Sensing Sasuke's chakra sinking ever deeper into darkness, she could not stop her body from trembling!
In the outer room.
Obito waited silently for news.
The oppressive air, the flickering candlelight, the agitation that seeped through even his mask.
Rustle, rustle, rustle. At last, aloe-like leaves unfurled from the wall. Black and White Zetsu had returned, bringing a string of bad news.
"Kisame betrayed us and joined Naruto. Kumogakure reclaimed the Eight-Tails, and he's on his way back to the village."
In the candlelight, the shadow of Obito's mask stretched out, and his low voice sounded.
"The person least likely to betray us did just that, and joined the person he was least likely to follow."
"Only an Uchiha's dōjutsu could make something this absurd happen. And specifically, that man's dōjutsu..."
"So Naruto really did get his hands on Shisui's right eye."
"Once again, he got there before us."
Black Zetsu said, "What do we do now? Our numbers are lower than ever, and we've never been so helpless..."
White Zetsu said, "Don't we still have Sasuke? He's already transplanted Itachi's eyes. Soon, he'll gain even greater ocular power!"
Black Zetsu countered, "If only it were that simple..."
Obito said, "Right now, Sasuke cares only about taking revenge on Konoha. Our plan won't be his priority. And once he gains his new ocular power, it'll be hard to keep pressuring him the way we used to..."
White Zetsu offered another glib suggestion. "Isn't there still that girl with an unrequited crush on him? We can use her to threaten Sasuke..."
Black Zetsu countered again, "You said it yourself: 'unrequited.' Besides, with how cold-blooded Sasuke is now, he might just kill her himself!"
White Zetsu offered yet another glib suggestion. "Then have her bear Sasuke's child, and we'll use the child to threaten him. No matter how cold-blooded Sasuke is, surely he wouldn't let his own flesh and blood die..."
"..." Black Zetsu was speechless.
"Are you finished?" Obito asked coldly.
White Zetsu said awkwardly, "Huh? I was just kidding. You looked down, so I wanted to cheer you up. This really is the sort of thing we should leave to Tobi..."
After that brief interlude, the atmosphere grew oppressive again.
Obito's gaze darkened. "Ever since Naruto started acting strangely, we've been on the back foot at every turn. It's been a long time since we've made any real progress with the Eye of the Moon Plan..."
"The Eight-Tails, the Nine-Tails, and the Rinnegan... Of the three remaining elements needed to revive the Ten-Tails, Naruto holds two."
"He's even obtained the dangerous ocular power of 'Kotoamatsukami.'"
"If we're going to devote ourselves fully to dealing with Naruto as he is now, at the very least-no, we must secure the Eight-Tails firmly in our hands!"
White Zetsu said gravely, "But both operations against the Eight-Tails failed, and we lost Kisame in the bargain. Who do we send this time? Try persuading Sasuke to finish the job? Or... find someone else?"
Shhk!
Through the hole in Obito's spiral mask, blood vessels spread across his Kamui Mangekyō Sharingan.
"I'll go myself."
He rose and walked toward the hideout's exit with slow but powerful strides.
Watching him leave, White Zetsu sighed. "It's been a long time since I felt such chilling bloodlust from Obito-not since his battle with the Kirigakure Ninja. Looks like he's really furious this time..."
Black Zetsu said in a low voice, "If he acts like he did back then, he might accidentally kill the Eight-Tails. All our efforts would go to waste. We'd better have someone keep an eye on him..."
"Looks like a lot happened while I was away..." Just then, a flippant voice rang out, belonging to a white figure with a spiraled face.
White Zetsu perked up. "Oh~ You're finally back, Tobi...!"
Black Zetsu frowned. "You stink. Did you just go poke around in a latrine?? Anyway, did you hear everything we said?"
"I did. He's going to capture the Eight-Tails alone, but he's in a bad mood right now, so he might accidentally kill him..." The carefree look on Tobi's spiraled face turned solemn. "That's why I'll go with him."
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