After watching the little white snake quickly disappear, Shihōin Naraku turned and abruptly shot away in a streak of light.
A few flickers later, he had returned to Konoha without a sound.
Inside the temporary residence, Naraku's Shadow Clone was still pretending to rest.
Once he appeared, the Shadow Clone dispersed on its own.
"I made it back in time..."
Naraku spread his Observation Haki and swept the area. Finding nothing amiss, he relaxed.
The ANBU standing guard outside had already changed shifts, and Uzuki Yugao had finished work as well.
However, perhaps because he had been busy all day, Uzuki Yugao had not come to disturb Naraku. She seemed to want him to get some proper rest.
That happened to give Naraku some space to himself.
Before going to rest, Naraku took out the scroll he had just received from the little white snake and opened it to read again.
"The training is going smoothly..."
"So that means Kabuto Yakushi is about to master Sage Mode!"
It looked as though the backup plan would not be needed. Once Kabuto Yakushi fully succeeded, he would be free to act.
"With Sage Mode and Impure World Reincarnation together, Kabuto Yakushi should be qualified to stand before Obito and join his plan."
"Add Akame and my ally Black Zetsu to the mix, and I actually look a bit like a hidden mastermind."
"That isn't really wrong, either."
Mountain Graveyard.
Obito walked out of the room. Behind him, Sasuke Uchiha lay flat on the bed, his vacant eyes staring at the dim ceiling, his thoughts unknown.
"How did it go?"
Black Zetsu appeared and fell into step with Obito.
Obito touched his mask. "I've told him the truth, but Sasuke hasn't fully believed it yet."
"Still... Itachi really did have foresight. He