A Sage's Pursuit of Power

In a dimly lit underground cave, Obito, or rather, Black Zetsu slowly stood up.

Its expression was grim. Despite having completely taken control of Obito's mind and every detail of his body, it still couldn't entirely eliminate Obito.

Deep within the spiritual world of this body, a stubborn remnant of Obito's consciousness remained. No matter what methods Black Zetsu tried, it couldn't fully erase him.

This was precisely why Black Zetsu had been reluctant to use such a method. While it could perfectly replicate the abilities, skills, and even the personality of its host, certain aspects of the human spirit remained incomprehensible.

Even though it had metaphorically "killed" Obito, the man refused to truly die.

Frustrated, Black Zetsu resorted to a secret technique to temporarily seal Obito's consciousness. It had more pressing matters to attend to, White Zetsu had sent information indicating that Aoba was close to dismantling the contingency plans it had painstakingly set up.

Now that it had entered the stage itself, there was no need for overly complicated strategies.

To resurrect Kaguya, Black Zetsu required two critical elements: the Rinnegan and the unification of the nine Tailed Beasts to revive the Ten-Tails.

Both conditions were extraordinarily challenging to fulfill. The nine Tailed Beasts were divided among the villages, and the Rinnegan was currently in Nagato's possession.

The matter of the Tailed Beasts could wait, so the immediate target was the Rinnegan. With the Rinnegan reclaimed, Black Zetsu's combat power would increase significantly, making the collection of the Tailed Beasts much simpler.

However, despite being drained by the Rinnegan, Nagato's unyielding and fanatical nature made him a formidable opponent. In a direct confrontation, even Black Zetsu lacked full confidence in victory.

As an Uzumaki, Nagato was capable of wielding many Rinnegan abilities, and his Six Paths of Pain were not to be underestimated.

In Kirigakure, Yagura sat expressionlessly in the Mizukage's office. Across from him stood the newly appointed head of the ANBU.

"Mizukage-sama, we cannot afford further losses. The recent rebellion has cost us too many personnel. The ANBU is now severely understaffed."

"If we lack personnel, then recruit more from the village's ninja. Are you telling me Kirigakure can't muster even that?"

The ANBU captain wanted to say they truly couldn't. Most of the elite forces had died in the rebellion, and some had defected.

Even the few remaining ninja from the prominent bloodline clans had fled, leaving only mediocre talents.

Over the years, to maintain the ANBU's deterrent power, they had repeatedly promoted from the lower ranks, even bypassing qualifications. Now, there really was no one left to recruit.

But orders from the Mizukage could not be disobeyed. In the end, the captain could only nod and leave.

Meanwhile, Iwa and Kumo had also received word of Kirigakure's internal strife.

Among the anti-Konoha factions, Iwa and Kumo were the most intact. Their robust systems made it difficult for Aoba to infiltrate and sabotage them from within.

Moreover, Konoha's rise had temporarily united the two villages in a rare alliance. As the saying goes, there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests.

Raikage's thoughts were simple: the three villages would join forces, gather their armies, and launch a direct assault on Konoha. The spoils could then be divided.

However, Onoki, ever the wily old fox, knew better. He was fully aware of how formidable Konoha had become. Fighting them was feasible, but the approach needed careful planning.

Ideally, Kumo and Kirigakure would lead the charge while Iwa hung back to reap the benefits.

But Raikage, while brash, was no fool. He wasn't about to fall for such a scheme.

The letter from Yagura, however, was intriguing. It stated that Kirigakure was willing to take the lead in the assault, as long as Kumo and Iwa followed up.

Onoki's first reaction to this news was suspicion.

Rumors were circulating that the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, was under the control of a mysterious figure and that Kirigakure's decisions were being manipulated.

It sounded absurd... A Kage, and a perfect Jinchuriki at that, being controlled?

But the strange actions of the Mizukage, combined with the rumors, sowed seeds of doubt in Onoki's mind.

As a naturally distrustful individual, Onoki found the murky situation too risky to gamble on.

When Onoki and Raikage's forces finally approached Kirigakure, they immediately sensed something was wrong.

Kirigakure, shrouded in secrecy for years, was poorly understood by the outside world. But regardless, it had always been considered one of the Five Great Villages.

Now, however, the state of the village told a very different story.

The Five Great Villages earned their title because their overall comprehensive strength far surpassed that of other ninja villages.

This comprehensive strength was reflected in various aspects: the number of high-level ninjas, the training and development of mid- and low-level ninjas, economic power, political influence, and even the defensive measures surrounding the village. All these factors were a full tier above the others.

When Onoki and his group entered Kirigakure, they immediately sensed that something was wrong.

It wasn't the detection of a trap or anything like that, it was simply that the village felt too weak.

The defensive barriers around the village, as reported by the accompanying sensory ninjas, were riddled with gaps. The entire path was scarred with traces of recent battles.

Kirigakure itself was shrouded in an atmosphere of decay and desolation. And as for the ninjas accompanying Yagura, they were shockingly underwhelming in strength.

The famed ninja of Kirigakure's past were nowhere to be seen. The ones at Yagura's side were all unfamiliar faces.

This left both the Raikage and Onoki with an odd feeling. Normally, when welcoming foreign delegations, a village would showcase its strength.

What was Kirigakure doing here? Were they intentionally displaying their weakness, or was this their actual state?

Neither Onoki nor A found this reassuring. They began to suspect that the alliance might not go as planned.

Their suspicions proved accurate. The entire process of negotiating the alliance was... too easy.

Yagura agreed to almost every condition they proposed, presenting an attitude that seemed to say, As long as you agree to attack Konoha, anything goes.

Yet, it was precisely this attitude that left both Onoki and A uncertain. Exchanging a glance, they decided to discuss things further before making a final decision.

After all, launching a war was no small matter.

But what they failed to notice was that, outside the meeting hall, Obito's figure had appeared silently.

The massive surge of chakra quickly alerted the perimeter guards, but it was already too late.

"Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!"

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Currently on Chapter 226 - The Hyūga Clan's Request of Mentorship