Itachi was a genius of the Uchiha Clan, and Obito had begun quietly watching him long ago.
Both his conduct in the shinobi world and his love for his family had once led Obito to consider grooming Itachi into a capable assistant.
Later, for various reasons, Obito had shifted his attention to Oto, hoping to provoke her into awakening her Mangekyō Sharingan.
That decision had proved to be one Obito regretted immensely.
Who could have imagined that the seemingly unremarkable Zou Hyuga was Moryo's jinchūriki, or that Shisui had quietly awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan? They had directly caused the Akatsuki, which should have remained hidden, to come into the shinobi villages' sights ahead of time.
If he had never provoked them, would he have faced far less resistance in collecting the tailed beasts?
But then he might not have obtained the Rinnegan so smoothly. There was also the organization's mysterious Tailed Beast Association president, who very likely knew his intentions and was observing him from the shadows.
Reining in his wandering thoughts, Obito knew that the First Hokage in his current state could not handle three pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan. He gradually loosened his restraints on the First Hokage, freeing more of his power.
As the restraints weakened, the First Hokage regained his senses and surveyed the battlefield around him.
The battlefield was filled with formidable ninja, while the White Zetsu lying dead and wounded everywhere gave the First Hokage a sense of familiarity.
He seemed to have fallen into a wonderful dream just moments before. In it, his father and Madara's father had set aside their prejudices and established Konoha Shinobi Village without bloodshed or sacrifice.
And over the course of their missions, Tobirama and Izuna had become friends.
Madara, beloved by everyone, had also become the village's Hokage.