Hiruzen persuaded me to die

Rain poured endlessly over the Land of Rain, the sky perpetually cloaked in steel-gray clouds. Lightning flashed across the heavens, illuminating the jagged peaks that surrounded the desolate land. Deep within a shadowed cave, a ring of ghostly figures flickered into being—an eerie glow casting distorted reflections against damp rock.

The members of the Akatsuki had gathered.

"Why summon us all so suddenly?" The cold, emotionless voice of Sasori of the Red Sand echoed from his puppet vessel. "Don't waste my time."

"I see some new faces," growled Jūzō Biwa, arms crossed. His narrowed eyes fixed on a familiar figure. "You… Hoshigaki Kisame?"

"Hmph. Jūzō. So you joined as well," Kisame replied with a wide, shark-like grin, adjusting the black cloak adorned with red clouds draped over his massive frame.

Next to Kisame stood another newcomer—an enigmatic figure in a swirling orange mask.

"This is ALFY," said the voice of Pain, cutting through the murmurs. "He will team up with Zetsu. Kisame, you're paired with Jūzō."

The two former Mist-nin gave each other a knowing nod. They had fought under the same banner once. Now they walked a bloodstained road together.

Kakuzu's gruff voice broke the silence. "What about me? Where's my next teammate?"

A moment of silence passed.

Nagato, controlling the Deva Path from afar, internally sighed. Of course Kakuzu would ask.

"You've gone through more partners than I can count," Konan said, her arms folded. "Stop killing them and maybe you'll have one left."

"They were too weak," Kakuzu replied flatly. "If they can't survive a single hit, they have no place beside me."

Konan sighed again. Most of Kakuzu's former partners had been personally recruited by her. Now they were nothing more than bounties turned in by the very man they'd trusted.

Even Jūzō had once teamed with Kakuzu—briefly. He requested to work alone soon after.

Sasori chimed in, voice laced with irritation. "I want a new partner too. Orochimaru and I don't see eye to eye."

"The feeling's mutual, I'm sure," Konan muttered.

While Sasori obsessed over mechanical puppetry, Orochimaru's fixation on human anatomy made for an uneasy alliance. The two rarely tolerated each other.

Payne turned toward the masked man. "What is it you wanted to share, Madara?"

Obito took a step forward, his voice colder than ice.

"The biggest threat to Akatsuki's plans is now the Fifth Hokage… Hyūga Naraku."

A sharp silence fell over the gathering.

"We aim for peace. But Konoha, under Hyūga Naraku, will be our greatest obstacle."

At that, Orochimaru chuckled. "Tell me again… what exactly is our organization's plan for peace?"

"The first step is gathering funds," said Pain.

"The second is forming a mercenary force, undercutting the great nations, seizing the small wars… until we dominate every battlefield."

"And the third?" Orochimaru tilted his head.

"We capture the Tailed Beasts. With their power, we can force the world into peace."

Eyes narrowed. Minds sharpened.

Jinchūriki. War. Tailed Beasts. Konoha.

The road ahead was soaked in blood.

"Interesting," Orochimaru mused. "I heard the Mizukage, Yagura, is under the control of someone… wearing a mask like yours."

Every gaze turned toward Obito.

Loquat Jūzō's eyes widened. "That explains it... The cruelty that twisted Kirigakure… It was you."

Obito offered no denial.

"And yet," he continued, "Yagura was defeated. By one man."

Everyone stiffened.

"Hyūga Naraku," Obito said. "He wields Wood Release—on a scale rivaling Hashirama himself. He conjured a thousand-meter Buddha that caught the Three-Tails in its hands."

"Caught... the Three-Tails?" Kakuzu's eyes gleamed with disbelief.

Even the ever-cold Sasori leaned forward, intrigued. A creature the size of a mountain... grasped like a toy?

Orochimaru's smile stretched unnaturally wide. "Fascinating. When I left Konoha, there was no sign of that power in him."

"Neither did I expect it," Obito admitted. "But now? He's thrown the balance of power into chaos."

"Then Konoha… and Hyūga Naraku must fall," Pain declared with quiet finality. "Zetsu, begin compiling intelligence on all nine Jinchūriki. From now on, Akatsuki will target Konoha's foundations while pursuing our true goal."

Later, only a few figures remained.

Obito. Zetsu. Konan. And Pain.

"Is he truly that strong?" Konan asked.

Obito didn't hesitate. "That Buddha statue hurled the Three-Tails into a mountain—and cracked it."

Even the Gedo Statue wasn't that tall.

"Wood Release…" Nagato repeated silently.

He had faced mighty summons, monstrous beasts over thirty meters tall. He wielded the Rinnegan, god's power. And yet… a thousand meters?

He still had the Gedo Statue if needed.

Still…

Obito continued, "Naraku also killed Sarutobi Hiruzen. Shimura Danzō. Even Homura and Koharu. Konoha is unified under him now."

Konan's expression hardened. "Danzō… is dead?"

"Executed. Publicly," Obito said with amusement. "The entire village demanded it."

A rare smile touched Konan's lips. "Good. He deserved worse."

Pain nodded. "A shame I couldn't be the one to end him myself."

"But Hanzō of the Salamander still breathes," Nagato said, his tone chilling.

He clenched a fist.

"Hanzō will fall. He will be the first to witness god's justice."

Obito lingered, speaking only to Zetsu after the others vanished.

"I need more Sharingan. Faster Kamui activation. I was nearly killed…"

"You still have the other eye," Black Zetsu prodded. "Take it back from Kakashi. It's yours."

Obito fell silent.

He recalled Rin's smile. Kakashi's guilt. The Fourth's final breath. All of it.

"I'll handle it my way," he muttered.

"Sentiment again?" White Zetsu snorted. "You say this world is fake. But you hesitate for him?"

Obito didn't answer.

Instead, he turned toward the storm-ravaged distance.

"Kirigakure still owes a debt. Yagura's suffering isn't enough. I'll make sure that village crumbles. Slowly."

He grinned under his mask.

"They killed Rin. This is justice."

Black Zetsu almost laughed.

Poor fool.

You blame the wrong people… Just another pawn. Like Nagato. Like Madara.

Like everyone.

And yet, watching them break each other apart—watching it all burn—was almost enough.

"What will you do next?" Zetsu asked.

Obito's eyes gleamed behind the mask.

"Yagura isn't my only tool in Kirigakure…"