From the night of genocide, marching towards the strongest.

Three years ago, in that fierce battle in the Land of Revelation, Itachi Uchiha exhausted everything and eventually died, falling into a deep coma.

Konan sent Amegakure's top medical ninjas to treat him, but to no avail.

After that, Itachi Uchiha was secretly taken away by Obito Uchiha and Zetsu, and was never heard from again.

“That’s right.” Obito Uchiha readily admitted, calmly recounting what happened next: “After taking him away, I injected him with the cells of the First Hokage. This successfully stabilized his vital signs, which were on the verge of collapse, and kept him alive. However, he never showed any signs of waking up. Perhaps his heart was dead, or perhaps the blow to his spirit was too heavy.”

He then changed the subject: "However, precisely because of this, his Mangekyou Sharingan has been nourished by his body enhanced by the First Hokage's cells over the years. His eye power has not only not declined, but has been nourished and preserved to a certain extent, and is in excellent condition."

Obito's gaze seemed to penetrate the white cloth, looking directly at Nagato: "If you can get these eyes, your strength will not be comparable to when you had the Rinnegan, but it will be enough to restore your sight and regain your powerful eye power."

Konan cried out urgently, "Don't agree to him, Nagato! He's just using you again! Let's give up, let's leave here, we can..."

"Xiao Nan".

Nagato's deep voice interrupted her.

His voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable weight, and his eyes, covered by a white cloth, seemed to gaze into the distant past.

“This is Yahiko’s dream, and it’s our dream too. I can’t give up.” He paused, his breathing becoming slightly heavier. “In these past few years, we’ve experienced too many failures, but we’ve never once backed down.”

His face turned toward Obito Uchiha, his voice clear and resolute: "Obito Uchiha, I agree to cooperate with you."

Xiao Nan bit her lip tightly and finally fell silent.

Her icy gaze pierced Obito like a sharp blade as she said, word by word, "I will keep my eyes glued to you, Uchiha Obito! If you dare to play any more tricks, if you dare to hurt Nagato again, I will kill you with my own hands."

Obito Uchiha remained expressionless, neither confirming nor denying Konan's threat.

The dimly lit conference room was filled with shadowy figures.

Madara Uchiha, Sasori, Deidara, Kisame Hoshigaki, and the sinister-looking Kazuma—the remaining core members of the Akatsuki organization—were all present at this moment.

The atmosphere froze when Obito Uchiha and Nagato, who was wrapped in white cloth, entered the room accompanied by Konan.

Madara Uchiha's gaze swept over Nagato, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashing across his purple Rinnegan, which quickly turned into a faint understanding and amusement.

"It seems... Obito has convinced you." His deep voice echoed in the room, revealing neither joy nor anger.

He was well aware of what Nagato's appearance at this moment meant—it meant that the other party had not given up and still wanted to compete for the qualification to eventually become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.

However, Ban showed no sign of seriousness or apprehension; instead, he exuded an almost languid confidence.

One more competitor?

If you want to steal it, then come and steal it.

Faced with Madara Uchiha's absolute power, all methods and schemes ultimately amounted to nothing more than a game of individual skill.

He doesn't mind having another participant, and even welcomes someone trying to challenge his authority.

This will only make the final chapter on the road to the "Eye of the Moon" even more interesting.

"I am Uchiha Madara." He sat upright in the main seat, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable weight: "There is no need to repeat the unnecessary words. Our goal has always been the same, which is to collect the tailed beasts."

He glanced at the crowd: "Currently, the One-Tailed, Two-Tailed, Four-Tailed, Five-Tailed, Six-Tailed, and Eight-Tailed are in our hands. The only ones yet to be captured are the Three-Tailed, Seven-Tailed, and Nine-Tailed."

He paused briefly, then added, "The Three-Tails Jinchuriki is dead, and the Tailed Beasts need a month to regenerate naturally. Therefore, the next goal is clear: find the whereabouts of the Seven-Tails and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki of Konoha."

The reactions of the people in the audience varied.

Kisame Hoshigaki grinned. To him, it made no difference whether the leader was Pain, Obito, or Madara Uchiha; he followed the "Eye of the Moon" itself.

Deidara and Sasori frequently glanced at Uchiha Madara, their eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. They had just returned from a mission, only to find that the organization's highest authority had changed hands. This "Shura of the Ninja World," who existed only in legends, was now sitting in front of them in reality.

As for Kazuma, he sat in the corner with a gloomy expression. To him, the Akatsuki was merely a tool to achieve the goal of destroying Konoha, and he didn't really care who was in power.

The meeting continued in a delicate and tense atmosphere.

Suddenly, Nagato, who had been sitting silently with his eyes covered by a white cloth, raised his head and broke the silence in a low voice: "Someone is coming."

His "Rain Tiger Free Technique" had been enveloping the entire Amegakure village, and at this moment he clearly sensed an unfamiliar source of chakra entering the village without any concealment.

"Oh?" Madara Uchiha raised an eyebrow, about to speak, when he felt a penetrating gaze projected directly from afar, as if it could cross the buildings and the rain curtain, landing directly in this conference room.

The other party's spying was made without any attempt to conceal it.

"Heh... Interesting." A cold smile curled at the corner of Madara Uchiha's lips.

He didn't make any unnecessary movements, just slightly exerted force with the soles of his feet.

boom!

With a dull thud, the stone chair he was sitting on cracked instantly, and he himself was launched into the air like a black lightning bolt, crashing straight through the ceiling of the conference room and rushing into the gloomy, rainy sky.

The next moment, a series of thunderous explosions, caused by the air being torn apart and compressed at extreme speed, rushed from near to far towards the uninvited guest.

Almost simultaneously, the space around Obito Uchiha twisted into a vortex, and he vanished without a trace.

The remaining Akatsuki members exchanged glances, then stood up and, using their own methods, quickly followed.

At the entrance to Amegakure Village, shrouded in a thick curtain of rain.

A figure wearing a wide hood stood quietly, and beneath the brim, a pair of eerie, scarlet Mangekyou Sharingan eyes slowly rotated.

A faint white slit was visible between his eyebrows.

It was Yakushi Kabuto.

He raised his head slightly, as if seeing the rapidly approaching, violent chakra through the heavy rain and buildings, and a playful smile appeared on his lips: "As expected of the legendary Asura of the Ninja World, your actions are always so swift and decisive."

Before the words were finished—

Boom!

Like a meteorite crashing to the ground, he slammed heavily onto the waterlogged stone slabs. The violent shockwave sent the surrounding rainwater flying in all directions, with pebbles and sewage scattering everywhere. A strong wind whipped up his long hair and robes.

Madara Uchiha had already landed steadily a few meters in front of Kabuto Yakushi. Before the splashed mud could even settle, his Rinnegan, glowing with a purple light, fixed its scrutinizing and intriguing gaze on Kabuto.

“Sharingan, Byakugan…” Madara’s gaze lingered briefly on Kabuto’s eyes and brow, then he sensed the mixed yet powerful chakra fluctuations within him, his tone becoming even more intrigued: “And the aura of Wood Release and Shikotsumyaku… What an interesting combination.”

"The renowned Lord Uchiha Madara." Kabuto Yakushi bowed slightly, a perfectly measured smile playing on his lips beneath his hood, his voice steady and clear: "Please allow me to introduce myself—I am Kabuto Yakushi. I had the honor... or rather, the misfortune, to serve under Sasuke Uchiha for a period of time."

He paused, the crimson kaleidoscope and the fine slit between his brows appearing particularly eerie in the rain. "Thanks to him, I was able to participate in some...interesting experiments. And this power I possess now, mixed with the bloodline of Hou Yi, the Sage of Six Paths of the Ninja Sect, is also thanks to him."

Upon hearing the name "Uchiha Sasuke," a faint purple glint flashed in Madara Uchiha's eyes, and his gaze sharpened further: "Oh? Then, what is your purpose in appearing here at this moment?"

“I am here on behalf of my boss to discuss cooperation with your organization,” Kabuto Yakushi said bluntly, then added meaningfully, “As for my boss, you should be familiar with Lord Madara, after all, you met him not long ago at the Sanctuary Pit.”

Madara Uchiha's gaze suddenly sharpened, and the surrounding air seemed to grow heavier: "You mean...that guy?"

“Exactly.” Kabuto’s smile deepened as he calmly met Madara’s gaze, which seemed to pierce through his soul.

"Why didn't he come in person?" Madara Uchiha asked another question instead of inquiring about the details of the cooperation, his tone indifferent.

The pharmacist calmly replied, "Due to certain special reasons, the boss is currently unable to appear in person, so he has appointed me as his representative."

Madara Uchiha remained silent, only scrutinizing Kabuto Yakushi from head to toe with his Rinnegan, the scrutiny in his eyes growing stronger, faintly revealing a chilling aura of danger.

Kabuto, however, seemed oblivious, remaining completely composed.

Just then, swirling ripples appeared in the space beside them, and Obito Uchiha appeared.

Immediately afterwards, Jue's figure slowly rose from the ground, like a ghost.

Just as the danger in Madara Uchiha's eyes was about to materialize into a real pressure, Kabuto Yakushi spoke up at the right time, throwing out a bargaining chip: "I heard that you are all collecting tailed beasts. Coincidentally, I have... a Seven-Tails Jinchuriki."

"So it was you who kidnapped the Seven-Tails?" Obito Uchiha interjected in a deep voice.

"Your goal is also the Tailed Beasts?"

“That’s not the case.” Kabuto shook his head and calmly explained his purpose: “We can cooperate with your organization to capture the remaining tailed beasts and jointly deal with the troublesome enemy, Sasuke Uchiha. In exchange, we can even give up our claim to the tailed beasts.”

He paused briefly, his crimson Sharingan sweeping over the group before him, and clearly stated his conditions: "We only need two things—Uchiha Sasuke's body and his special clone. This is the basis of our cooperation."

Upon hearing this, Black Zetsu's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly, and a chill ran down his spine:

'As expected! That guy is an Otsutsuki!'

He almost wanted to immediately object to the cooperation—his mother, Kaguya, created the White Zetsu army precisely to defend against the possible arrival of her Otsutsuki clan.

To negotiate with a tiger for its skin is a risk that cannot be estimated.

However, his current identity is that of "a product of Uchiha Madara's will," and he must not reveal any understanding or eagerness beyond this identity.

Moreover, based on his understanding of Madara Uchiha's personality, this proud and arrogant guy would most likely refuse.

As expected, after listening, Madara Uchiha simply shook his head and gave a straightforward reply: "Cooperation? No need."

Kabuto Yakushi did not show any annoyance. Instead, as if he had expected it, the smile on his lips remained unchanged: "It seems that Lord Madara is very confident in his own power."

He shifted his tone slightly, adding a well-placed reminder: "However, if I may be so bold, Lord Madara may have underestimated Sasuke Uchiha's current strength. You've personally witnessed his newly formed Rinnegan and the special Rinnegan between his eyebrows. Furthermore, according to my boss's observations and judgment..."

He paused briefly, making the following information seem more weighty: "Uchiha Sasuke has successfully nurtured and fused with a 'mini Ten-Tails,' becoming a true Ten-Tails Jinchuriki. Given that you haven't yet gathered all the Tailed Beasts, your chances of defeating him are probably not optimistic. Moreover, he also has two top-tier clones assisting him."

Kabuto raised his eyes and looked directly at Madara: "Even my boss finds it very difficult to deal with Uchiha Sasuke like this. It is easy to imagine how difficult it is for one side to achieve its own goal by its own strength."

"Your Excellency has returned to the mortal realm to fulfill that long-planned dream, hasn't you?" Kabuto's voice was even lower, yet every word was clear: "At a time like this, any unnecessary risks or variables could cause years of planning to go to waste. Temporarily joining forces with allies who can provide intelligence and even share power, and eliminating Uchiha Sasuke, the biggest obstacle, is the most efficient path to the 'Eye of the Moon'."

"Hand over the Seven-Tails." After a moment of silence, Madara Uchiha finally spoke, his voice devoid of emotion: "You can discuss the remaining details with Obito."

After saying that, he didn't look at it again, turned around and walked away through the puddles, his figure quickly disappearing into the rain and the shadows of the buildings.

Kabuto Yakushi didn't seem to care about Madara's departure. He turned his gaze to Obito Uchiha, who was standing to the side with a blank expression, and his lips curled back into that familiar, formulaic smile.

"Well then, Mr. Obito, or rather, Senior Obito, now we can talk about the specifics of our cooperation. Time is indeed a bit tight—after all, the Five Great Shinobi Villages should already be holding an emergency meeting to discuss how to deal with us, shouldn't they?"

…………

I've started a new book called "Naruto: Starting with Creating a Genius Persona," and I welcome everyone to read it.

This book will gradually become truly "complete" during the new book update period, filling in the plot holes of parallel worlds and the Fourth Shinobi World War.

Chapter 361 Resurrect, Orochimaru!

A few days later, in the Land of Iron, Kyoto.

The ceaseless wind and snow envelop this northern country, casting a pale silence over the towering city walls and sharp eaves.

The air was biting, and each breath carried a chilling edge, much like the almost rigid samurai code upheld on this land—upright and austere.

Inside the massive, ancient building, the fire in the hearth dispelled the cold outside, but it could not dispel the heavy atmosphere that permeated the air.

Admiral Mifune of the Land of Iron sat in the main seat, presiding over the meeting. His gaze was as steady as an ancient well as he swept over every "Kage" present.

Tsunade, the Hokage of Konoha, sat upright with her arms crossed, her brow furrowed with obvious anxiety.