"Let's go, Konan. We can handle this ourselves."
Makoto waved dismissively at the bickering of Hidan, White Zetsu, and Black Zetsu.
"Black Zetsu, remember to monitor the ring messages. When needed, tell Hidan to start his ritual. Precision is key."
"Understood."
Black Zetsu's hoarse voice acknowledged the order.
A moment later, a scroll emerged from the ground, pushed up by the root network.
This didn't contain stored blood, but a fucking blood catalog.
To make the "Hidan Deterrence" work, they needed to know exactly whose blood was in which vial. Threatening to kill a random Chunin wouldn't scare a Kage.
But threatening to kill their granddaughter? That worked perfectly.
White Zetsu clones had spent days labeling thousands of samples. It was tedious work, but they were the perfect workforce for it.
Just as Uchiha Madara believed Black Zetsu was his will, Uchiha Obito believed the White Zetsu army was his creation using Hashirama Cells.
Both were wrong.
The White Zetsus were actually victims of the ancient Infinite Tsukuyomi, transformed by Kaguya Otsutsuki eons ago.
They obeyed Kaguya first, and Black Zetsu second. Madara and Obito only had "admin privileges" because Black Zetsu allowed it.
Makoto considered hinting this to Black Zetsu soon.
As combatants, the White Zetsus were mediocre fodder.
But as a labor force? They didn't eat, sleep, drink, or demand wages.
They were the ultimate capitalist dream!
...
Outside the Cave.
"Maybe Pain and I should go instead," Konan said, looking concerned. "You can't fly..."
Deidara was trapped in Iwagakure, the Village of Stone. The terrain was mountainous and treacherous.
More importantly, the Tsuchikage, Onoki, could fly.
Deidara had air superiority with his clay birds, which made him hard to catch. But against Onoki, he was grounded.
Konan had her paper wings. Pain had the Deva Path's gravity manipulation.
Makoto... had legs.
"Why don't you just carry me, Konan-nee?" Makoto grinned shamelessly. "Wrap me up in your paper like you do with enemies. I don't mind."
"That technique restricts chakra flow and suffocates the target," Konan said dryly.
"Perfect! I don't have chakra, and I can hold my breath for a long time."
"...Why don't I just carry you in my arms then?"
"Really? How about princess carry?"
"..."
"Never mind," Makoto sighed, seeing her deadpan expression. "In that case, take me to see the Leader. I want to conduct an experiment."
"An experiment?" Konan blinked.
...
Amegakure Tower.
Konan carried Makoto (not in a princess carry, unfortunately) to the highest tower in the Rain Village.
Nagato sat in his mechanical walker, looking frail and skeletal.
"Is there something you need?" Nagato asked, his voice weak but commanding.
"Well, Nagato," Makoto looked him up and down. "Maybe you should grab a Jinchuriki and use the Preta Path to suck out some Tailed Beast chakra. You look like a stiff breeze could kill you."
"Thank you for your concern," Nagato managed a thin, unnerving smile. "But I know my limits. Death is still far off."
"Nagato, the Strategist says he needs your help with an experiment," Konan interrupted, steering the conversation back to business.
"Oh? What kind?"
"Actually, Konan-nee," Makoto corrected. "When I said 'Leader,' I meant Pain. The Deva Path."
"It's still the same," Nagato said. The Deva Path (Yahiko's body) walked in from the balcony.
"How do you need me to cooperate?"
"I need you to attack me."
"What?!" Nagato was stunned.
"Use Shinra Tensei. Hit me with it."
Nagato stared at him.
'Was this guy a masochist? Or did he have a Kekkei Genkai that required trauma to activate?'
"My current ability awakened when I traveled through space-time using an Otsutsuki device," Makoto explained. "I suspect that contact with other Otsutsuki-related powers might trigger a new awakening."
As he spoke, Makoto flickered, instantly appearing on the other side of the room.
"The Rinnegan is the eye of the Sage of Six Paths. It's pure Otsutsuki power. I wanted to try this with Itachi's eyes earlier, but I didn't have enough natural energy stored up. Now, I'm fully charged."
"Understood," Nagato nodded slowly. "Let's change locations. I don't want to destroy the tower."
...
Training Ground, Outskirts of Amegakure.
Nagato, controlling the Deva Path remotely, stood facing Makoto in a wide, muddy clearing.
"Tell me when you're ready."
"Come at me."
"Shinra Tensei!"
BOOM.
An invisible wall of repulsive force slammed into Makoto, launching him backward like a ragdoll.
He crashed through a dead tree and skid across the mud.
"Makoto! Are you alright?!" Konan flew over instantly, her paper wings ready to shield him.
"I'm fine," Makoto stood up, brushing dirt off his shoulder. "Natural energy reinforces my durability. Besides, Nagato held back. That was barely a tickle."
"Did it work?" Nagato's voice came from the Deva Path.
"No," Makoto shook his head.
"Was the speculation wrong, or was the power insufficient?" Nagato pressed.
Watching this scene, Konan felt as if their team had gathered again, training in Ninja Techniques together for their shared ideal...
"The theory is sound," Makoto analyzed, feeling the energy inside him. "When I got hit, I felt the power in my body stir. It's not 'insufficient power' in terms of raw damage..."
"Not lacking power..." Nagato murmured.
He had assumed he just needed to hit harder. But apparently, that wasn't it.
"Never mind. Let's leave it at that for today," Makoto smiled, turning to Konan. "Well, the awakening failed. Now will you take me flying to save Deidara?"
"Alright then, you..."
"Nagato! What are you doing?!"
Konan's scream cut through the air. She stared in horror past Makoto.
Nagato's Deva Path had clasped his hands together.
A small, vibrating black sphere formed between his palms, emitting an ominous gravity.
"Konan, step aside," Nagato ordered.
"Makoto, I believe in you. Just like I believed in Yahiko."
"You will definitely succeed!"
"Chibaku Tensei."
Nagato released the black sphere. It floated gently toward Makoto, then struck him directly in the chest.
Instead of exploding, it began to pull.
A terrifying gravitational field erupted.
The ground cracked. Trees were uprooted.
Boulders ripped free from the earth. Everything began to float upward, drawn inexorably toward the black hole embedded in Makoto's gut.
Makoto himself was lifted off the ground, floating toward the sky as the core of the new moon.
"MAKOTO!" Konan screamed, frantic.
She didn't know what to panic about more: Nagato burning his life force to use his ultimate technique, or Makoto about to be crushed inside a giant rock sphere.
However...
Thud.
Plop.
The gravity vanished instantly.
The floating rocks fell back to the mud. The uprooted trees crashed down and Makoto dropped to his feet, landing softly.
He looked down at his abdomen.
The black sphere of Chibaku Tensei that had been embedded in his abdomen had now completely vanished without a trace!