Black Zetzu was immensely pleased.
It had found an excellent opportunity to possess Nagato, and with the power of Yin-Yang Release, it could easily control Nagato's body.
This was a moment of particular joy and pride for Black Zetzu.
Even though Black Zetzu considered this merely a rehearsal before the grand performance, it felt a certain thrill in manipulating people's minds and did not hide the things it and Uchiha Madara had done to Nagato.
"Since you were a child, Madara worried that his Rinnegan would lose its vitality along with his life, so he transplanted the Rinnegan into your body..."
"Additionally."
"Because of the Uzumaki clan's bloodline, the chakra vitality in your body was sufficiently abundant, allowing you to use the power within the Rinnegan with your chakra and life force..."
"To avoid wasting your life and to ensure the success of the plan, I have been secretly controlling your life, prompting you and Yahiko to establish the first generation of the Akatsuki organization. This was orchestrated by Obito and me in the shadows..."
"When Hanzō of the Salamander and Danzo besieged you, the first generation of the Akatsuki members were annihilated. This was also done by Obito and me in secret..."
"Only through this..."
"Having experienced the pain of this world, you would obediently follow the plan to collect the Tailed Beasts and execute the Eye of the Moon Plan..."
"You!"
Nagato widened his eyes in disbelief.
Even Konan was so shocked that her body stiffened!
No one would want to admit that their life was controlled by others, that their seemingly steadfast steps were manipulated like a puppet.
This truth...
Was too cruel for them!
When Nagato and Konan learned from Black Zetzu's words that their past lives had been manipulated, everything in their minds shattered like fragments!
Their lives...
Were like a drama with a pre-written script.
Yet...
They knew nothing about it.
A group of Konoha ninjas looked at Nagato and Konan with eyes slowly filled with sympathy, understanding their feelings...
"This..."
Nagato's throat choked with a suffocating breath as he struggled to regain control of his body. A flash of madness appeared in his Rinnegan: "I don't believe it! Yahiko was real, the former Akatsuki was real, I am real!"
"The facts are as they are."
"Your eyes were given to you by Madara."
"If Madara wanted to, he could take them back at any time."
As Black Zetzu said this, it smiled smugly and continued, "This ninja world has never been real; everything is just an illusory dream. Nagato, when you secretly controlled Pain to lead the Akatsuki, you thought you were the god behind everything..."
"But in reality..."
"You were just a pawn we manipulated..."
Black Zetzu controlled Nagato's hands to slowly clasp together, its voice growing colder, "If it weren't for the brat Akihara Kagura trying to seize the Rinnegan, you would have collected the Tailed Beasts according to our plan to revive the so-called weapon of war..."
"At that time..."
"I would have controlled you to revive Madara..."
"Unfortunately."
"You didn't meet our expectations. You didn't even complete the collection of the Tailed Beasts before being defeated by Akihara Kagura, even hiding in Konoha, the village you've hated since childhood, like a beggar in the gutter, saved by the mercy of your enemies..."
"I will kill you!"
Sheets of paper immediately started flying off Konan's body!
"Don't act rashly, Konan!"
Jiraiya quickly stopped his disciple and said sternly, "If you kill him now, Nagato will also die..."
"Kill me..."
Nagato's throat squeezed out a voice, looking at his hands clasping together uncontrollably. He struggled to control his mouth and shouted angrily, "Kill me now! It wants to use the Rinnegan and force me to use the Samsara of Heavenly Life technique..."
"Nagato!"
Konan's eyes widened in shock!
"The Samsara of Heavenly Life technique?"
A group of Konoha ninjas didn't understand the meaning of this technique.
"The Samsara of Heavenly Life technique..."
While manipulating Nagato to form seals with his hands, Black Zetzu laughed and explained, "It can truly resurrect the dead, bringing them back to the world of the living with a living body..."
"A living Madara..."
"Would be even stronger than during the Edo Tensei!"
"Quick, kill it!"
Tsunade decisively gave the order.
A group of Konoha ninjas hesitated for less than a second before Orochimaru decisively raised his palm, feeling no psychological burden in killing Nagato.
However, Black Zetsu directly controlled Nagato to stop forming seals, and preemptively unleashed Shinra Tensei, a repulsive force that erupted within the ward, flinging Tsunade and others out!
"Nagato also has combat capabilities..."
Black Zetsu grinned at the people flying backward and continued with a sinister smile, "Only three people in the world can kill Nagato, and none of you here are among those three. You are no match for Nagato..."
In theory...
There are only three people in the ninja world who can truly defeat Nagato.
Akihara Kagura, Uchiha Madara, and Hashirama. Everyone knows these three names, which represent the pinnacle of ninja power.
Outside Konoha Village.
Three individuals were engaged in another battle.
Uchiha Madara had already prepared for Black Zetsu to act, still unwilling to submit to Akihara Kagura. His eyes were filled with madness, striving to resist Kagura's control!
Uchiha Madara repeatedly attempted to break free from Kagura's control, trying to use the hand seals to undo the Edo Tensei!
Indeed, he could be controlled...
However, such control must allow him to break free at any time!
Madara resisted Kagura's control while attempting to use the battle to awaken his old friend, jointly resisting Kagura's will!
"Hashirama!"
Madara roared, "Have you forgotten your pride? Do you want to be controlled by that brat forever?"
The pride of the Uchiha clan...
Manifested vividly in Madara!
This forever proud man never wanted to be subjugated, nor did he want to see his old friend submit to a youngster's threat...
Madara was furious!
This man was angry at Hashirama's behavior!
Madara couldn't discern whether his battle with Hashirama was to wake his old friend or to prove his unyielding will to Kagura!
"Hashirama!"
Madara, controlling the full-body Susanoo, roared. Despite the pain of resisting Kagura's mental control, he forcibly manipulated Susanoo to slash at Hashirama's wooden giant, chopping off its hand!
"Madara..."
Hashirama glanced weakly at Madara. His palm slowly and laboriously closed, and vines emerged from the wooden giant, reforming a new hand!
"Sage Mode..."
Hashirama suddenly clasped his hands together!
It was evident.
Hashirama was about to use his strongest technique.
Madara, feeling disappointed, also formed a hand seal with Susanoo: "Does that brat think this will make me submit?"
The dark clouds in the sky suddenly parted!
A meteor began to descend from space!
Even if the meteor landed outside Konoha, it would cause massive casualties and possibly destroy Konoha...
"This is..."
Hashirama looked up at the sky.
Everyone in Konoha couldn't help but look up.
They all felt an astonishing pressure, their bodies trembling uncontrollably at the sight of the meteor!
Inside Konoha Village.
Black Zetsu controlled Nagato to form the seals for Rinne Rebirth, grinning at the Konoha ninjas terrified by the meteor.
"See that? This is Madara's power..."
The Konoha ninjas were collectively speechless.
However...
Konoha was not without a savior.
"Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands!"
A gigantic Buddha statue suddenly appeared under Hashirama, its thousand arms rising simultaneously to shatter the meteor in the sky!
After destroying the meteor, Hashirama looked at his old friend: "Madara, this technique endangers Konoha's safety..."
"Now is not the time to say such things..."
Madara, without hesitation, summoned another meteor. His eyes had already transformed into Rinnegan: "You are disappointing, Hashirama... submitting so easily to a brat's control..."
This battle was on a different level from the rest of the ninja world!
Madara, benefiting from the infinite chakra granted by Edo Tensei, could fight indefinitely!
So could Hashirama.
To protect Konoha from the meteor and driven by Kagura's command to defeat Madara, the giant Buddha statue raised its fists again, shattering the falling meteor!
"Madara!"
"Hashirama!"
Madara, controlling his full-body Susanoo, flew straight toward the True Several Thousand Hands!
"That brat wants to steal my plan and use it to destroy the ninja world. Even now, you can't wake up!"
"If we join forces..."
"We can resist that brat's control over us!"
Uchiha Madara stood within the crystal of Susanoo, his brows tightly furrowed, clutching his fist. "Hashirama, as long as we break free from control and eliminate that brat together, we can achieve true peace!"
At that moment...
It was as if the identities of the two had been swapped.
Once, Hashirama had constantly called out to Uchiha Madara, hoping he would understand the peace he desired. Now, it was Uchiha Madara who persistently called out to Hashirama, hoping his old friend would rise up and resist Akihara Kagura's will, striving for the peace he sought to bring.
"But..."
Hashirama hesitated for a moment, speaking softly, "Madara, your plan must also be very evil, right?"
"That brat extremely wants to destroy the ninjas!"
Uchiha Madara looked at Hashirama with a mix of anger and frustration, nearly wanting to berate him harshly, "No matter what my plan is, at least the people of the ninja world can survive! Can you not understand the difference between me and that brat?"
"..."
Hashirama's expression instantly darkened.
"Pull yourself together!"
Uchiha Madara scolded once more.
"Alright, alright, I'll try..."
Hashirama quickly tried to raise his fingers, attempting to gather strength to resist Akihara Kagura's control when suddenly he received a summoning from a summoning jutsu!
"This is..."
Hashirama looked in astonishment towards the direction of the summoning.
"This is..."
Uchiha Madara also squinted his eyes.
In Konoha Village.
The Konoha Hospital had become bustling again.
A group of Konoha ninjas were desperately trying to stop Black Zetsu from controlling Nagato to revive Uchiha Madara. Black Zetsu directly controlled Nagato to fight, summoning the Six Paths of Pain!
Tobirama suddenly raised his fingers!
Uchiha Madara and Hashirama, who were fighting in the distance, were simultaneously summoned. The moment their bodies flew over, the complete Susanoo and True Several Thousand Hands Buddha statue dissipated!
Akihara Kagura's voice emerged from Tobirama's throat, his tone almost calm and indifferent, "Kill Zetsu and Nagato, seize Nagato's Rinnegan, and reclaim the bark recording the Senju clan's history..."
"..."
Uchiha Madara's palm suddenly condensed a black rod!
This black rod, which was meant to be thrown at Nagato, was forcefully stabbed into his own leg, a method to prevent his body from uncontrollably attacking Nagato!
Akihara Kagura, that brat...
The control over the reanimated ones was gradually becoming stronger!
That brat...
Is he serious this time?
All the Konoha ninjas present found themselves in a dilemma.
They didn't know whether to kill Black Zetsu and Nagato to prevent Madara's revival, or to stop the reanimated ninjas from attacking Black Zetsu and Nagato, to prevent them from seizing Nagato's Rinnegan...
It was a difficult choice.
For both Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu had their conspiracies; Akihara Kagura also had his own schemes.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Black Zetsu controlled Nagato to directly perform a summoning jutsu!
A massive Gedo Statue suddenly descended, its shell not yet fully restored, seemingly severely damaged from a previous battle!
However...
Its combat power was still intact!
Black rods of Yin-Yang Release shot out from the Gedo Statue, directly targeting the reanimated ninjas, preventing them from approaching!
The reanimated ninjas could only retreat quickly!
Only Uchiha Madara had several black rods stabbed into his body, rendering him immobile, which suited him perfectly.
Just a few seconds...
As long as Black Zetsu could revive him...
While commanding the Gedo Statue to attack, Black Zetsu controlled Nagato to form the hand signs for the Samsara of Heavenly Life technique. At this moment, Black Zetsu had an illusion as if he were fighting against the entire world!
"However..."
"We are about to succeed..."
Black Zetsu controlled Nagato to clasp his hands together, as if praying to the heavens, letting out a suppressed low roar!
"Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique!"
A white light suddenly emerged from Uchiha Madara's body!
In the next moment!
Uchiha Madara felt the sensation of being controlled dissipate, the shackles in his mind vanishing.
"Brat..."
Uchiha Madara's lips curved into a sinister smile, not caring about the black rods' injuries after his revival.
Taking advantage of the remaining time of the Reanimation Jutsu, he conveyed a message to the rapidly retreating will in his mind.
"It seems this time... I have won."
Uchiha Madara was confident, knowing how powerful he would become after reviving and re-implanting his Rinnegan.
His tone became increasingly contemptuous, "In the end, my Rinnegan will return to its rightful owner. As for what you wanted them to take, I will gladly accept it..."
"Congratulations."
Contrary to Madara's expectations, Akihara Kagura was not enraged.
Akihara Kagura's emotions seemed unperturbed, as if he did not care about Madara's revival. His voice, along with Madara's revival, gradually faded until it completely disappeared from Madara's mind.
"However..."
"I'm curious about one thing..."
Akihara Kagura sat by the lake in the Valley of the End, watching the violently shaking fishing rod, indicating a catch.
He calmly pulled the rod, asking his final question, "Uchiha Madara, after truly reviving, have you completely escaped the fate of being a pawn?"
~~~
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— Ending + Extra Chapters!
Read upto Chapter 348: End! + Extra Chapters of Sasuke's Rebirth where the world Akihara Kagura is not around. Thank you!