"Dammit, where are my eyes?" After Ryoha left, the terrain in this area had changed significantly. Many people present had already lost their lives due to Ryoha's previous attacks. Fortunately, most of them were the people who had been waiting outside, and not the most powerful forces accompanying the Five Kages. In a way, it was a lucky misfortune.
However, Orochimaru quickly let out an incredulous scream, which turned into a furious roar. He had realized that the eyes he had taken using the White Rage were now missing. He immediately looked toward the masked man and found the masked man looking at him with a smug expression. There was no sign of the rage he had displayed earlier. Instead, he seemed to be enjoying a clown's performance.
"Do you really think you've stolen the Mangekyou Sharingan? Hehe, if it were so easy for you to succeed, I wouldn't be Tobi." the masked man gloated. Orochimaru's surprise grew when he realized that the masked man had taken the Mangekyou Sharingan long before. The eyes Orochimaru had taken earlier were just an illusion. Orochimaru had only discovered this when he checked the white dragon. Everything had been a ruse by the masked man.
Let's not forget that the masked man, in his Izanagi state, didn't need to worry about his safety. Therefore, he had been much faster in the earlier contest. Orochimaru, on the other hand, had to keep an eye on the Five Great Countries' army, Ryoha, and the masked man simultaneously. In terms of speed, Orochimaru had been slightly slower, and had he been a bit quicker, he could have succeeded.
"What is there to be proud of? Losing them doesn't mean much to me. They were merely eyes to enhance my strength," Orochimaru remarked. That's right, Orochimaru had initially been alarmed by the sudden change when he thought he had lost the eyes he had just obtained. But when he discovered that the masked man was behind it, he felt there was no need to get upset. Clearly, the masked man had taken the Mangekyou Sharingan long ago, and Orochimaru had only realized this now.
"Both of you are fighting amongst yourselves," A grumbled. They had formed an alliance just moments ago and were now at odds with each other. Having such people as part of the Shinobi Alliance made him uneasy, but given the current circumstances, there was no choice but to let them join. After all, it was clear to A that facing Orochimaru was less severe than the destruction of Kumogakure and its allies by the Akatsuki.
"Hehe, don't worry about it, A. Let's leave this place and discuss how to deal with Ryoha. As you saw in the battle just now, if we don't gather all the ninjas, including the low-level ones, for a final stand, we won't have much chance of winning. Let's take a month to prepare, and then assemble on the outskirts of the Land of Snow simultaneously to launch an attack against it."
"I've already discovered that Ryoha and his group are currently in the Land of Snow. I think our actions will be very welcome to him. We'll be waiting for us there. Let's engage in an unprecedented, grand final battle in that place. You all need some time to prepare."
"Oh, Orochimaru, I have something to tell you. It's unfortunate that you won't have a chance to get the Mangekyou Sharingan. Because from now on, I'm going to have Sasuke get it back and evolve it into the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan."
"Although Sasuke's strength isn't much, as an Uchiha, he can use the evolving Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, which is most compatible with him, to unleash its maximum power. When the time comes to deal with Ryoha, we'll have an extra source of strength." The masked man made it clear that he was planning for Sasuke to obtain the eyes in advance. He no longer had the time to borrow the Five Kages' resentment and hatred to help Sasuke develop and become familiar with the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan, as he had in the original story. Instead, he would give Sasuke the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan in advance.
Otherwise, there would be no chance for any of them. What's the point of discussing the "Eye of the Moon" plan now? So, Sasuke couldn't afford to think about that. Time was of the essence, and he couldn't afford to create opportunities for himself anymore.
"Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan?" Initially filled with despair and even thoughts of death upon hearing that his eyes were returning, Sasuke's mood immediately shifted to ecstatic when he learned that his eyes would evolve into the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan without any side effects. It was clear that he was completely enslaved by his own power.
To be more precise, he was a slave to the Sharingan. He was willing to die without it, but having it back made him overjoyed. He had reached a point where he couldn't live without his Sharingan. He didn't control the Sharingan; it controlled him.
"Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, huh? Interesting eyes. However, it's a pity. The power of these eyes depends on the user. In the hands of a true Uchiha, like Madara, these eyes would be extremely powerful. But in Sasuke's hands, it's like a child wielding a precious sword. How much power can he truly unleash?
You see, he can't even create a complete Susanoo, let alone a Susanoo with armored weapons like Susano'o from Itachi. You might as well take it for yourself," Orochimaru commented. Orochimaru's remarks further confirmed the fact that Sasuke couldn't survive without the Sharingan. While others didn't say much verbally, they also secretly looked down upon Sasuke. It was surprising that the once prominent Uchiha Clan had dwindled down to a single member.
If it had been Itachi, it wouldn't have made much difference how weak he was. But Itachi was an exception among the Uchiha Clan. He had given up on the deep-seated Uchiha Clan pursuit of the Sharingan, choosing his love for his brother over it, possibly due to witnessing the horrors of war from a young age and being brainwashed.
"Alright, enough of this. Tobi is right. Let's spend a month preparing. Gather all the strength from each ninja village. Let's give it our all. In a month from today, everyone will gather at the edge of the Land of Snow. We'll launch a final attack together. Maybe the battle that will change the Shinobi world will happen on this day a month from now. Make your final preparations. Of course, be prepared for the worst. If you have any last words, be sure to say them," A spoke fiercely, showing no fear when discussing life and death. He maintained a strong and unwavering demeanor even in the face of adversity. This was the true mark of a powerful leader - facing strong enemies without bowing, without retreating. He and Sasuke's previous performances were like night and day, highlighting the vast difference between good and bad.
"Kakashi, are you alright?" Seeing Kakashi covered in injuries, Jiraiya expressed concern. He cared a lot about Kakashi, his adopted grandchild. Even though Kakashi had willingly given up the chance to advance to the Kage level, Jiraiya didn't look down on him or distance himself from him as a result.