"What do you mean?"
"The Eye of the Moon Plan... has been canceled?"
Uchiha Obito's expression froze, as if he hadn't heard clearly for a moment.
Since Uchiha Madara was the initiator of the Eye of the Moon Plan, Uchiha Obito had considered many things, but he had never thought that Uchiha Madara would abandon the plan!
However, when Uchiha Obito grasped the literal meaning, his face turned bewildered and angry: "Uchiha Madara, what exactly are you talking about!"
This old guy...
What nonsense is he spouting!
Does this old guy know what he's talking about!
What does he mean the Eye of the Moon Plan has been canceled?
Does Uchiha Madara know how much he has sacrificed for the Eye of the Moon Plan, how many sleepless nights he endured to make it a reality?
For this plan...
He buried his past.
For this plan...
He betrayed the village and killed his own teacher...
For this plan...
His hands are soaked in blood, living a life worse than a ghost!
All of this was to illuminate the world with Infinite Tsukuyomi, to recreate a world with Rin, how much he has sacrificed to create a world where Rin could live!
And now this guy wants to cancel the plan with just one sentence?
"What kind of joke are you making!"
Uchiha Obito glared angrily at Uchiha Madara: "We have already collected seven Tailed Beasts! Uzumaki Naruto, the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, is right here!"
"The plan is about to succeed..."
"I'm still here trying to capture the Nine-Tails..."
"And now you, having been revived, are saying..."
Uchiha Obito clenched his fists, his eyes nearly shooting fire, his anger indescribable: "You're telling me that the Eye of the Moon Plan has been canceled!"
"You told me..."
"That the Eye of the Moon Plan could create a peaceful world..."
Uchiha Obito's pupils widened, his eyes almost bleeding: "You told me that the Eye of the Moon Plan could let me use Infinite Tsukuyomi to recreate a world with Rin..."
"I will never allow it!"
Uchiha Obito's figure instantly entered the space-time vortex, reappearing before Uchiha Madara as if he had gone completely mad!
He didn't care!
He would continue the plan!
He would use the Eye of the Moon Plan to recreate a world with Rin!
Uchiha Obito even reached out to grab Uchiha Madara's eyes, his gaze turning crazy and ferocious: "I will not... never allow the cancellation of the Eye of the Moon Plan! If you won't carry it out, then let me continue!"
"Do you want to attack me?"
Uchiha Madara sneered, raising his finger.
Before making Uchiha Obito his pawn, he had implanted a curse seal in Uchiha Obito's heart, controlling his life and death at any moment!
This guy...
Dared to attack him!
The next moment!
Uchiha Obito fell to the ground clutching his heart in pain!
Uchiha Madara looked down at Uchiha Obito with a grim expression. This Uchiha Obito in front of him was once his shadow, but now this shadow was of no use.
"Now let me tell you..."
Uchiha Madara coldly announced as he stared at Uchiha Obito: "The Eye of the Moon Plan is a lie, Infinite Tsukuyomi is a conspiracy, it's all a lie..."
As Uchiha Madara said this, he continued coldly: "The eternal peace we seek is like a flower in a mirror, our plan has been canceled..."
"But you told me..."
Uchiha Obito's mind was on the verge of collapse, clutching his heart and muttering the same words over and over: "You told me, you told me, Infinite Tsukuyomi could bring everyone into a peaceful dream, could bring back the dead in the dream..."
"Everything is a lie."
Uchiha Madara glanced at Uchiha Obito, who was still maintaining his sanity, and continued disdainfully, "We should thank you for bringing Akihara Kagura into our ranks. Our plan was exposed by him. That kid uncovered the conspiracy behind the Eye of the Moon plan…"
"Akihara Kagura…"
"What did he do?"
Uchiha Obito, recalling the subordinate he despised the most, struggled to stand up, seemingly going mad, "No matter what he did, I will kill him. Madara, let's continue with our plan…"
"Fool…"
Uchiha Madara narrowed his eyes and coldly responded with dissatisfaction, "While you were entangled with these Konoha ninjas, do you realize how much that kid has done? And now, you're still fixated on capturing the tailed beasts…"
"..."
As Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito were arguing, Might Guy seemed somewhat confused and quickly approached Hatake Kakashi to ask.
"Hey, Kakashi!"
Might Guy cautiously approached Hatake Kakashi and asked, "Did you understand what they were saying? I didn't quite get it."
"It seems like…"
Hatake Kakashi frowned and, based on the information he knew, cautiously explained, "It seems they had a plan, and Akihara Kagura destroyed it, thwarting their conspiracy… something like that…"
"!!!"
Uchiha Madara's gaze immediately swept over!
"Naive and foolish kid…"
Uchiha Madara, having heard Hatake Kakashi's words, mocked Kakashi's ignorance and stupidity, "Indeed, our plan failed, but that kid's plan to destroy the ninja world has begun. He deceived everyone!"
"What are you saying!"
Hatake Kakashi's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You'll understand when you return to Konoha…"
Uchiha Madara shook his head helplessly, unwilling to elaborate on their outdated information. He couldn't possibly tell them he had been deceived, could he?
Besides…
He had been deceived by two people!
Although it was the same scam, both of them had used it to trick him!
At that moment, several ANBU members hurried over and spoke coldly, "Orders from the Hokage! Teams Three, Seven, Eight, and Ten are to return to Konoha immediately!"
"This…"
Hatake Kakashi and the Konoha ninjas hesitated.
They didn't know the current situation. Why were they suddenly ordered to return to Konoha? Weren't they supposed to capture Uchiha Obito here?
"Wait…"
Hatake Kakashi stepped forward and softly asked, "Does Lady Tsunade mean that the task of capturing Obito is to be handed over to Root?"
"No!"
However, upon seeing a group of Root ninjas present, the ANBU members continued coldly, "Root leader Akihara Kagura has defected and is now an SSS-ranked rogue ninja. All Root members must return to Konoha for investigation immediately. Any disobedience will be met with lethal force!"
"!!!"
Everyone present was stunned.
If Uchiha Madara's appearance had only caused confusion and unease, the news of Akihara Kagura's defection undoubtedly struck terror into their hearts!
"That's impossible!"
Uzumaki Naruto's expression changed drastically.
"This must be a joke…"
Uchiha Sasuke frowned deeply.
For both of them, Akihara Kagura held a high position in their hearts, almost like a parent. They absolutely refused to believe such a thing!
"..."
A group of Root ninjas looked at each other in confusion.
They didn't know their superior's exact situation nor what they should do. Whose orders should they follow at this moment? Surely not the orders of these Anbu members?
"Don't make such terrifying jokes…"
Nara Shikamaru of Team 10 couldn't believe this news.
As one of the few intelligent people in Konoha, the Nara clan always assesses the situation carefully. They all knew the significance of Akihara Kagura to Konoha.
"Has something happened in the village?"
Sweat dripped from Hatake Kakashi's forehead as he asked solemnly, "What exactly did Kagura do? Why would Lady Tsunade issue such a warrant without reason?"
The strongest force in Konoha defecting...
This could only mean one thing.
The sky was falling.
"To my knowledge, the highest level of a warrant should be S-class…"
Team 10's Jonin leader, Sarutobi Asuma, also stood up. He didn't want to believe this order and sought out its flaws: "Who exactly are you people? Why are you impersonating the village's Anbu? Are you spies from another ninja village?"
"..."
The Anbu ninjas felt extremely aggrieved.
Because when they heard about Akihara Kagura's defection, they had the same thought: could someone be secretly sowing discord?
But...
Everything was true!
Hatake Kakashi looked at this group of Anbu ninjas, some of whom were his former subordinates, but he dared not trust them rashly.
"Please… return to Konoha first!"
The Anbu ninjas could only helplessly hope that everyone present would return to Konoha with them: "Once we get back to Konoha, you'll understand what's going on…"
"There's no need to rush back."
A familiar voice reached everyone's ears.
"Kagura!"
Uzumaki Naruto immediately recognized the speaker!
"Kagura!"
Hatake Kakashi felt a slight sense of relief. He didn't know what had happened, but he believed that as long as he asked Akihara Kagura, he would find out what was going on in the village.
Could it be...
Root caused an uproar or something?
"Be alert!"
As soon as the Anbu ninjas heard Akihara Kagura's voice, they became vigilant and urged loudly, "Everyone retreat immediately, we'll cover you!"
Compared to the complicated or tense feelings of the Konoha ninjas, Uchiha Madara's mood instantly became excited. A powerful surge of chakra erupted from him!
"Kid, you came after all!"
Uchiha Madara's eyes immediately looked towards the depths of the forest!
"No choice."
Akihara Kagura slowly walked out from the forest, with a pitch-black creature closely following beside him, nervously watching Uchiha Madara.
"Black Zetsu!"
Anger flashed in Uchiha Madara's eyes. He stomped his foot on the ground and suddenly rushed towards them, aiming to kill both Black Zetsu and Akihara Kagura in one strike!
Akihara Kagura raised his arm.
Their arms collided abruptly!
The impact of the collision stirred up a fierce wind. Everyone had to cover their faces from the wind, feeling the unbelievable aftermath of the clash between the two!
"Don't be hasty."
Akihara Kagura's arm blocked Uchiha Madara's. To him, the impact felt like a gentle breeze, and his voice remained calm: "Madara, if you want to fight, could you wait a bit? At least until I read the message from the Hyuga clan's relic…"
"Then let me kill Black Zetsu first!"
Uchiha Madara's gaze turned coldly towards Black Zetsu!
In the moment of his clash with Akihara Kagura, Madara felt the immense power within Kagura. Their battle wouldn't be decided quickly!
So...
He might as well kill Black Zetsu first...
To reclaim some of the interest from his deception!
"That's not going to happen."
Akihara Kagura shook his head, rejecting Uchiha Madara's proposal: "At the very least, we should first check if there is any information about Black Zetsu hidden among the historical relics of the Hyuga clan to avoid any errors in my plan..."
"Akihara Kagura, what on earth is going on here?"
Uchiha Obito clenched his fists and walked step by step towards Akihara Kagura: "What exactly have you been doing? What is the Eye of the Moon Plan all about? Black Zetsu, what is going on here?"
Currently...
Uchiha Obito still didn't understand the situation!
Now, Uchiha Obito only knew that their Eye of the Moon Plan had been canceled, all because of Akihara Kagura, who was now associated with Black Zetsu...
But...
Isn't Black Zetsu supposed to be Uchiha Madara's will?
Why does Uchiha Madara want to kill Black Zetsu so badly?
"Black Zetsu!"
Uchiha Obito looked coldly at Black Zetsu, who was standing beside Akihara Kagura, and questioned him: "I remember, aren't you supposed to be Madara's will?"
"That Black Zetsu..."
"Is the dark will of the Sage of the Six Paths..."
An ANBU ninja voluntarily answered Uchiha Obito's question.
Perhaps because he couldn't stand Uchiha Obito's severe lack of information.
However, another ANBU ninja immediately refuted his companion: "Wait a minute... isn't Black Zetsu the will of Kaguya?"
Yet another ANBU ninja countered: "But according to the historical records of the Senju clan, Black Zetsu is the dark will of the Sage of the Six Paths..."
"What on earth is going on..."
Hatake Kakashi, usually quick-thinking, couldn't help but rub his forehead in frustration at this moment, unable to figure out what had happened.
"I think I have some guesses..."
Cold sweat suddenly appeared on Nara Shikamaru's face.
All the information quickly converged in his mind.
This seventeen-year-old immediately guessed what might have happened, his heart racing as he trembled and spoke: "Uchiha Madara didn't attack us; he even helped Naruto subdue the Nine-Tails... which means he might not be our enemy... and the ANBU ninja didn't show any surprise at Uchiha Madara's appearance..."
"So..."
"That creature called Black Zetsu..."
"And Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito..."
"They must have had a plan to overthrow the ninja world, which they kept referring to as the Eye of the Moon Plan. Their relationships are unclear, but they must be allies of some sort..."
"But..."
"This plan was forcibly canceled..."
Nara Shikamaru remembered Uchiha Madara mentioning Akihara Kagura's intent to destroy the ninja world. Speaking of his speculations, his lips become dry: "Because that creature called Black Zetsu has a special identity and an even more terrifying plan, such as being the so-called will of the Sage of the Six Paths or something..."
"So Black Zetsu chose to betray Uchiha Madara..."
At this point, Nara Shikamaru's gaze fell on Akihara Kagura, a sense of panic welling up with the facts he had guessed: "It chose another person to carry out an even more terrifying plan, and that person it chose..."
"Is the assistant to our village's Hokage..."
"Akihara Kagura."
"..."
Everyone present was stunned.
"As expected of a Nara clan ninja..."
Even the ANBU ninjas had to praise Nara Shikamaru's wisdom. They had witnessed the upheaval in Konoha firsthand but couldn't summarize the events as Nara Shikamaru did.
Even Uchiha Madara turned to glance at Nara Shikamaru, giving him an appreciative look.
"That's roughly correct, but the process and outcome are somewhat different..."
After praising Nara Shikamaru, an ANBU ninja's voice grew heavy: "Strictly speaking..."
The ANBU's gaze fell on Akihara Kagura, who was smiling, remembering that behind that smile lay the darkness controlling the ninja world and the conspiracy to destroy it, causing his heart to race uncontrollably.
"The former assistant to the Hokage in our village, Akihara Kagura..."
"Is the true culprit behind all these conspiracies from the shadows."
~~~
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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!