"It is said that another branch of our clan exists on Earth. If those people can awaken the Byakugan of our pure bloodline, we should seize their eyes and give them to Toneri to awaken the power of the Rinnegan."
The Elder spoke dispassionately. Since the world of the Sage of Six Paths was destined for destruction, it was only right that this branch of the clan contribute to the great family. For them, it should be an honor.
Just then, a puppet scurried in, interrupting his thoughts. The puppet, which had long stood guard near the giant Rinnegan in the shrine, spoke in a halting voice, "...The Rinnegan... shows... a change..."
Hearing this, the Elder shot to his feet. He turned to the Second Elder and instructed, "I will investigate the situation. Please remain here and take care of Toneri."
"Yes, Elder."
With that, the Elder's figure vanished in an instant.
Having just obtained the Rinnegan, Black Zetsu immediately used the Mayfly Technique, intending to return to the Graveyard of the Mountains. He planned to give one of the Rinnegan to Obito, who could then resurrect Uchiha Madara and complete the Eye of the Moon Plan.
As for the Gedo Statue having been summoned elsewhere, he wasn't particularly concerned. The statue was not yet awakened and was little more than a durable, empty shell. Leaving it there temporarily posed no problem. Once Obito transplanted the Rinnegan, he could simply summon it back.
Black Zetsu glanced up at the sky. As long as he wasn't detected by them, everything would be fine.
When Black Zetsu returned to the Graveyard of the Mountains, he found that the White Zetsu clone impersonating Danzō was gone. He had no time to worry about that now; his only focus was waiting for Obito to arrive for the transplant.
Suddenly, an immense wave of chakra streaked across the sky, startling him. How did I attract their attention? Did Obito make a mistake?
A moment later, a vortex materialized in mid-air, and Obito's figure emerged. He had been traveling through the Kamui Dimension and was completely unaware of what had transpired in the outside world. He was about to unleash a tirade on Black Zetsu.
But before he could speak, Black Zetsu's voice, laced with even greater panic, cut him off. "Obito! What did you do? How did you alert them?"
Obito was utterly bewildered. "Who are you talking about? Konan has the Gedo Statue pinned down with her technique of Mutual-Multiplying Exploding Tags. If we take too long, it might be damaged. We have to summon it back immediately."
Hearing this, Black Zetsu calmed down slightly. If we move quickly, there might still be a chance, he thought.
"Let's focus on what's most important. We need to implant the Rinnegan in you now!" he said to the puzzled Obito. Zetsu had expected it would be difficult to convince him, but Obito seemed surprisingly cooperative.
Black Zetsu immediately handed Obito the left Rinnegan. "Its willpower is at its weakest right now. This is the perfect time for the implantation."
Though confused by Black Zetsu's urgency, Obito understood that time was of the essence. He asked where the other eye was.
Black Zetsu, though anxious, maintained a calm facade. "Transplanting both at once is extremely dangerous. Implant this one first. The priority is to retrieve the Gedo Statue. Another faction has its eyes on it."
Obito's heart tightened. Black Zetsu didn't look like he was joking. A sense of urgency now gripped him as well. Clutching the left eye in his hand, he quickly opened a portal to the Kamui Dimension. For the sake of security, it was always more reliable to handle something like an eye transplant himself.
Once inside his dimension, he unhesitatingly removed his own left Mangekyo Sharingan. Following a pre-arranged plan, he carved a hole in the palm of his hand and placed the eyeball inside, connecting it. As the new and old tissues fused smoothly, Obito activated his Kamui again. He then tested his Susano'o, which also seemed to function without issue.
Next came the most critical part—implanting the Rinnegan. This was the cornerstone of his entire plan.
Taking a deep breath, he slowly pushed it into his empty eye socket. His body's incredible regenerative abilities caused the wound to heal almost instantly. Within moments, Obito had formed a stable connection with his new ocular power.
However, his vision was filled with scattered, nonsensical images that faded as quickly as a dream. When he opened his eye again and looked around, it felt weak, exceptionally so.
"It seems Nagato's final act did a considerable amount of damage to the Rinnegan," he mused. "But it is because of this weakness that I can safely accept its power." Recalling what Black Zetsu had said, he knew the most important thing now was to handle the remaining tasks.
The Konoha Gate was one of the village's central hubs, teeming with people coming and going every day. Although the Hyuga Clan wasn't in charge of the registration desk, their members could always be seen nearby.
Newcomers were typically guided in different directions: to the Mission Assignment Desk to accept or report on jobs, toward the shopping district, or to the Uchiha specialty food district for a tour. If you happened to get lost, patrol officers were quick to provide corrections. Famous individuals or those who exuded powerful chakra would be assigned a personal guide.
At that moment, a ninja without a forehead protector to identify themself blended into the crowd flowing into the Mission building. This type of attire was common; some simply wished to conceal their identity, while others were rogue ninja wandering after betraying their organizations. Here, it didn't matter who you were. As long as you could complete a mission, you would receive the corresponding reward. If you could provide proof of friendly relations with the village, the payment was naturally higher. Furthermore, some special missions required an additional security deposit.
This uninvited guest was none other than the Zetsu who had just slipped away from the graveyard. His name was Tobi. He was acting strangely, muttering to himself, "Lots of good food here, worth a try..."
"Isn't all food the same?"
...and other such things. Though he sounded foolish, his voice was so low that no one around him paid any mind.
After wandering around for a bit, he realized that most of the affairs here were now managed by members of the Hyuga clan. After making a few simple inquiries, he learned some of the story behind this change.
Tobi's gaze turned cold for a moment. Clearly, he believed a certain someone was not as simple as they appeared...
But he quickly reverted to his usual demeanor, as if something else had caught his attention.
"Whatever, I'll find something to eat first..."
With that, he left the hall alone, melting back into the crowd and disappearing from sight. People who came in, looked around, and left without finding a suitable job were a daily occurrence, so naturally, no one gave him a second glance.