[Border of Amegakure]
Kakuzu walked toward the destination without any disguise.
He seemed careless, but in fact, he was extremely alert inside.
After all, he was the bait.
Kakuzu wasn't wrong. In a distant field, two pairs of eyes were indeed watching him.
"This obvious a trap, and you're not worried?", Obito asked the Black Zetsu beside him.
Black Zetsu replied irrelevantly, "Nagato used the Rinnegan yesterday inside the Uchiha compound."
Obito fell silent for a moment, "Not sure who they'll send."
"You're certain Nagato can't remove the Rinnegan?"
Black Zetsu assured him, "Of course. Otherwise, they would've already taken it."
Obito found it strange, since Zetsu had already controlled Nagato's Rinnegan once, what did it mean that Nagato was now using himself as bait to lure them in?
As he thought about it, his guard went up.
Meanwhile, Kakuzu finally saw Pain and Konan.
"Leader. Konan."
This was the first time Kakuzu had met Nagato since his resurrection.
Kakuzu felt that this leader was somewhat different, though he couldn't say how.
Nagato nodded, then released his Transformation Technique, changing from Pain's appearance back to his own.
Kakuzu froze for a second, but after observing Nagato's expression and demeanor, he was sure this was still the leader.
"So this is what the leader really looks like?"
Nagato's tone was cold, no different from when he was Pain, "You've done great service for the organization, so naturally you'll receive greater trust."
If someone else had said this, Kakuzu would've thought it was nonsense.
But coming from the leader who single-handedly crushed the Sarutobi clan, Kakuzu was somewhat moved.
He steadied his emotions, "If there's a mission like this again, remember to call me."
Nagato nodded slightly, "You can leave now. Obito has arrived."
Kakuzu glanced behind him, then left immediately without looking back.
He cherished his life. Since Nagato hadn't asked him to stay, he was gone without hesitation.
Obito and Zetsu came close to Nagato's location.
"Nagato, looks like you've recovered. How delightful," Obito said with a mocking smile.
Zetsu stared warily at the shadow behind Nagato, "The Fifth Hokage, hiding in someone else's shadow like this, isn't that beneath your status?"
Rengoku's clone slowly took human form from the shadow and stood up.
Obito and Black Zetsu both grew tense.
They didn't even know whether this was the real Rengoku or just a clone.
But since he could use Shadow Stealth, it had to be Rengoku.
That was precisely why Black Zetsu hadn't acted yet.
With Rengoku near Nagato, he couldn't get the Rinnegan.
The five present now entered a standoff.
Rengoku fixed his gaze on Obito, "This time, my target is you."
"Oh? I'd like to see how you plan to make me stay," Obito said, though he knew he couldn't win against Rengoku.
He was, however, confident in his ability to escape.
Rengoku's face twisted into a cruel smile, "No, you won't want to leave, because I have something you most want to know."
"When you fought Kakashi last time, I already figured out why you want revenge on Konoha, and why you want revenge on the Uchiha."
"So what?", Obito felt a faint unease.
Rengoku chuckled, "You only know that Rin killed herself in front of Kakashi. But did you know the Kirigakure who kidnapped Rin were actually under Madara's orders?"
"What?", Obito's eyes widened in shock.
Zetsu was equally stunned, 'How does Rengoku know that?'
Rengoku continued, "The plan to make Rin the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and send her into Konoha to cause havoc, that was Madara's design."
"He went to great lengths to drag you into darkness."
"The timing when the White Zetsu urged you to leave the underground chamber was so perfectly convenient, you really thought that was all coincidence?"
"But you're that stupid, believing everything that appeared before your eyes was chance."
"You perfectly stepped into Madara's trap and became his pawn."
"Pitiful. You've been his fool for over ten years, serving your enemy."
"Hahahahahaha!"
Obito had already suspected that Madara had left multiple layers of control within him. Hearing this from Rengoku, he immediately believed most of it.
"Damn it! That bastard Madara!", Obito roared, his eyes flashing with murderous fury toward Zetsu.
Black Zetsu's heart skipped a beat, he couldn't let Rengoku keep talking.
He cast a jutsu.
"Shinra Tensei!", Nagato's eyes suddenly burned in pain, and he involuntarily unleashed Shinra Tensei.
This Shinra Tensei was immensely powerful, tearing up the very ground into a wave of upheaval.
However, the repulsive force passed right through Obito's body.
Black Zetsu had already escaped underground beforehand.
Rengoku was well-prepared and slipped into Nagato's shadow.
As for Konan, who had been silent the whole time, she suddenly exploded into a storm of white paper. That wasn't the real Konan at all, just a paper clone.
From underground, Zetsu spoke rapidly, "Obito, this is Uchiha Rengoku's scheme to sow discord!"
"As long as we obtain the Rinnegan, we can immediately complete our plan!"
"No infighting for now. You'll safeguard the Rinnegan this time!"
After saying this quickly, he glanced at Obito's expression.
Obito's face was grim, but he was clearly listening. No matter what, he had to get the Rinnegan first, the rest could wait.
But to his surprise, Nagato, enduring the pain, erupted again with another mad wave of Shinra Tensei.
The repulsive force formed a massive barrier pushing outward.
Zetsu noticed the dimming of Nagato's Rinnegan, "Nagato, the Rinnegan's chakra, it's all gone?"
Nagato's lips curled into a cruel smile as he forced out the words through the pain, "The eyes are mine. Do I need your permission to use them?"
Seeing that Nagato had exhausted the Shinra Tensei, Rengoku emerged again from his shadow.
He placed a hand on Nagato's head, and the pain in Nagato's mind eased considerably.
"Go on, Zetsu, keep controlling Nagato, and I'll crush these Rinnegan right now."
Rengoku pressed his fingers directly against the Rinnegan, and slowly applied pressure inward.
"Stop!"
Zetsu and Obito both jumped in shock.
"Rengoku, what are you doing?"
"Nagato, if the Rinnegan is destroyed, what happens to your dream?"
Their expressions froze in disbelief.
They had never imagined someone would want to destroy the Rinnegan. After all, Nagato needed them to fulfill his dream.
And with the seals inside them, Zetsu could control them.
But Nagato had already drained the Rinnegan's power completely.
And now, Rengoku's fingers pressed deeper against the eyes.
Nagato, however, offered no resistance.
With his hand on the Rinnegan, Rengoku asked Zetsu, "So tell me, was what I said just now true?"
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