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"...I understand the logic, Lord Madara. But if Konoha chooses to reveal our organization's Jinchuriki-hunting activities, the Allied Shinobi Forces might temporarily set aside their conflict with Konoha and unite against us."
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
But if the enemy of my enemy is more dangerous than the enemy itself, the situation changes.
Konoha reaching this place meant they'd somehow gathered intel on Akatsuki—If they revealed Akatsuki's plans, the Allied Shinobi Forces might indeed turn their weapons against them.
Uchiha Madara, feigning neutrality to manipulate the Allied Shinobi Forces into attacking Konoha while he seized the Jinchuriki—such a strategy was unlikely to succeed. The Allied Shinobi Forces weren't fools.
Tailed Beasts, Jinchuriki—these were always sensitive terms.
They would be facing the combined might of over sixty thousand ninja from across the Shinobi World. Even if Uchiha Madara was once a ninja on par with the God of Shinobi, even if he possessed the Sage's eyes—could he truly handle such numbers?
Many doubted. Many scoffed.
But the stage was set. Uchiha Madara intended to play the ultimate villain. He certainly wouldn't stoop to collaborating with the Allied Shinobi Forces to capture Jinchuriki.
If there was to be war—he would face the entire Shinobi World alone!
A faint smirk played on his lips. He retorted, "Sixty thousand ninja—is that a lot?"
Clap.
Uchiha Madara clapped his hands, his eyes filled with playful amusement. "Let me show you—true power!"
Summoning Jutsu!
Dense sealing formulas appeared on the ground. The terrifying visage of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path materialized before Kabuto.
However, its grotesque form wasn't what captured Kabuto's attention. It was—the countless cocoons attached to the Demonic Statue's "branches."
And within each cocoon—was a pure white "Zetsu."
Mass-produced White Zetsu, individually, might not be formidable. But in such numbers, each White Zetsu could be considered a Genin. Looking around, there were likely tens of thousands...
When had all this been planned?
Kabuto was speechless, utterly shocked.
He'd thought he'd unraveled all of Akatsuki's secrets, reached the bottom of this unfathomable abyss. But beneath the abyss... lay an even deeper abyss!
First, the resurrected Uchiha Madara. Now, tens of thousands of manufactured Zetsu...
Everything shattered Kabuto's understanding of the Shinobi World.
"So, what do you think?" Madara asked.
"Lord Madara—what is your ultimate goal?" Kabuto asked humbly, a deference he'd never shown Black Zetsu or Nagato.
Perhaps it was partly because they were both former Konoha ninja, inspiring a certain reverence for Madara.
"My goal, you ask?"
"Perhaps—to show a certain fool what the true ninja way is~" Uchiha Madara's voice was light. He glanced at the Edo Tensei Kage. "So, what is your choice?"
"I am honored to serve you." Kabuto, controlling the Second Tsuchikage, bowed even lower, nearly a 90-degree angle, his eyes hidden in shadow, his emotions unreadable.
After a moment, he straightened. "Lord Madara, then Nagato's corpse..."
"Take it." Madara waved his hand dismissively.
His intense emotions, were reserved for Hashirama alone. Everyone else was a pawn.
In life, and in death.
For a dead pawn, Madara felt not a shred of pity.
"Understood~" A sinister smile spread across Kabuto's face.
Perhaps—regardless of Madara's true intentions, he wouldn't lose out. The Leader's body—he'd coveted it for a long time.
The Chimera Technique required a vessel with immense life force to prevent self-destruction from fusing multiple kekkei genkai. Nagato's corpse—was the final piece of the puzzle!
His, Kabuto's, brilliance—would soon illuminate the Shinobi World!
"Now, control these White Zetsu and Edo Tensei ninja. Keep a close watch on Konoha's front lines."
"Shouldn't these Edo Tensei ninja accompany you in attacking Konoha proper?" Kabuto asked.
"The dead have no right to dance!"
The Second Tsuchikage lifted Nagato's corpse and vanished into the night.
....
Due to Shinra Tensei, Amegakure was shrouded in dust, a vision of hell. The people of Amegakure struggled to escape the ruins, supporting each other, standing amidst the devastation, gazing at the rain clouds still blanketing their village.
The disaster brought by Shinra Tensei hadn't broken them. They still managed forced smiles amidst the ruins. Because they believed in the existence of God, that everything would be alright.
But when the midnight bell tolled, and the rain continued to fall—they realized that the "God" who had promised a sunny Sunday for Amegakure—had abandoned them.
Amegakure... Had once again become a godforsaken land.
Teardrops mixed with raindrops, falling upon the ravaged earth of Amegakure.
"Kami-sama!!!"
....
That night...
The Daimyo of Kusagakure urgently summoned the village leaders, his voice filled with anxiety as he addressed the council of elders, already purged once by Konoha.
"I hear Konoha and Iwagakure are amassing ninja on their respective borders—What are they doing? What are they planning?"
"Surely, they aren't planning for war?"
"Unlikely. They signed a non-aggression pact."
"They don't even share a border. Why sign a non-aggression pact?" The Kusagakure Daimyo asked, bewildered.
Silence filled the council chamber. The Kusagakure elders stammered, unable to offer a coherent explanation.
Indeed, why? Two great nations, two powerful hidden villages, separated by the vast Land of Grass—why sign a non-aggression pact?
Finally, an elder stepped forward. "Daimyo—non-aggression pacts, are meant to be broken."
Pacts themselves were products of mutual distrust. Many non-aggression pacts were torn up before their terms expired. Thus, a common saying in the Shinobi World was, "Non-aggression pacts are made to be broken."
The more such pacts were signed, the more unstable the Shinobi World became.
Pacts between smaller villages were one thing. But when giants like Konoha and Iwagakure, the number one and number two powers, signed such agreements—it signified that the Shinobi World was a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment, shattering the existing order.
Wherever such a pact was signed, that place became the powder keg.
Like Amegakure during the Second Shinobi World War, the epicenter of chaos.
Finally, under the leadership of Hanzō of the Salamander, Amegakure signed non-aggression pacts with Konoha, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure.
Signing treaties, amassing tens of thousands of troops—the buffs were stacked!
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