Everyone present was stunned. They had always thought the Mangekyō Sharingan was already frightening enough, yet to see it evolve further was beyond belief.
Their minds couldn't help but turn to the other great dōjutsu clan of Konoha—the Hyūga. The Hyūga possessed the Byakugan, long rumored to rival the Sharingan. But seeing this, it became clear the difference was vast. No one had ever heard of the Byakugan evolving in such a way.
Ao, standing quietly behind Mei Terumi, touched his eye patch. For the first time, he felt the Byakugan wasn't as grand as he had believed.
Onoki stared at Uchiha Chiga with a complicated expression before suddenly speaking.
"Since this is the case, I propose that the commander-in-chief of this war be Hokage-sama."
The other three Kage exchanged glances, then nodded in agreement.
It was obvious to everyone that Chiga's strength surpassed the combined power of the Four Kage. More importantly, only eyes could deal with eyes. Against the Rinnegan, their only hope lay with Chiga.
This war was unlike any before it. No longer was it a clash between villages, but a united stand against a single organization. If they failed, and the Akatsuki seized control of the Ten-Tails, every nation would face destruction.
Chiga accepted their decision without hesitation. Crossing his arms, he spoke calmly.
"Alright. Return to your villages and prepare. The war begins soon."
The Four Kage nodded silently and withdrew with their escorts.
As she left, Mei Terumi shot Chiga a playful glance. Chiga ignored it, but Minato noticed and smirked. Leaning close to Chiga, he whispered,
"Chiga, looks like Mei Terumi might be interested in you."
Chiga gave him a flat look.
"When did you become so gossipy?"
"I'm just bored. Besides, I'm stuck wearing this mask…"
"Then take it off. Show them the face of the Fourth Hokage."
Minato scratched his head awkwardly.
"Uh, maybe not now. They've seen enough surprises for one day."
That night, in Chiga's quarters, Obito knelt respectfully before him.
"Chiga-sama, the Tailed Beasts have been collected. Next, I intend to use the First Hokage's cells to produce a vast army of White Zetsu through the Outer Path Demonic Statue. They can be deployed in the war."
Chiga nodded casually.
"Good. The more chaos, the better."
"There is another matter. Kabuto Yakushi approached me. His body has undergone some kind of change, and he now fully controls the Impure World Reincarnation."
Chiga raised an eyebrow.
"Kabuto… so he plans to join this war?"
"Yes. He even uncovered Madara's corpse."
Chiga chuckled softly.
"Interesting. No wonder he vanished from sight. He was planning something ambitious."
Obito hesitated, his voice lowering.
"Should we cooperate with him? If he revives Madara, the situation could spiral out of control. Those brought back by Impure World Reincarnation wield their full strength from life. Madara… was the true master of the Rinnegan."
Chiga's eyes narrowed.
"What? Do you think I wouldn't be able to defeat Madara?"
Obito's body stiffened. The very name Uchiha Madara carried overwhelming weight. Even so, with Chiga standing before him, doubt seemed almost disrespectful.
Chiga stepped closer, placing a hand on Obito's shoulder.
"Don't concern yourself. Do as you must. If anything happens, I'll handle it."
Obito looked up, and in the dim light, Chiga's Twelve-Tomoe Rinnegan glowed faintly. Unlike before, the sight no longer filled Obito with dread, but with an inexplicable sense of security. He nodded firmly.
"Understood. If Madara tries to use Nagato's Rinne Rebirth to return fully, should I intervene?"
Chiga smirked.
"No need. I'd actually like to meet him."
The purple glow in his eyes pulsed with power. He was eager to see the expression Madara would wear when confronted with a pair of Twelve-Tomoe Rinnegan.
Obito hesitated but chose silence. He bowed deeply before disappearing into Kamui's vortex.
Left alone, Chiga stepped outside and gazed at the full moon. His voice was quiet, yet carried a chilling weight.
"Bring me a few more Ōtsutsuki."
He paused, then let out a low chuckle.
"I really am starting to sound like the villain here."
Elsewhere, Obito appeared inside a hidden chamber. The colossal Outer Path Demonic Statue loomed in the darkness, its roots stretching across the ground. Beneath it, countless White Zetsu gathered in eerie silence.
Nagato and Konan stood waiting. Nagato spoke immediately.
"You went to the Land of Iron. What did they decide?"
"They are preparing for war," Obito replied.
Nagato gave a rare nod. "Good. You've done well."
The plan was near its end, and for once, his tone carried a hint of satisfaction.
Konan added, "I met with Kabuto. He claims he's ready."
Nagato's brow furrowed.
"Can we trust him?"
Obito's voice was steady.
"His Impure World Reincarnation cannot be ignored. With it, the plan will proceed more smoothly."
"Impure World Reincarnation…" Nagato muttered.
He already knew the jutsu from Obito's reports. A technique to drag the dead back into the living world. For a fleeting moment, Nagato had considered using it to bring Yahiko back. But Yahiko's beliefs would never have allowed such desecration.
Lowering his head, Nagato whispered inwardly,
"If Yahiko were alive, he would stop me. He hated war more than anyone."
But his hesitation quickly hardened into resolve.
"For true peace, this war must happen."
Konan studied him in silence. She could see his struggle clearly, but she also knew he would never turn back now.
Obito, unaware of their silent thoughts, gave a few final instructions before leaving. His mind was consumed by a single truth: follow Chiga-sama.
As for Impure World Reincarnation, Obito dismissed it entirely. To him, it was nothing but desecration. He would never allow Rin to be brought back that way. After all, Chiga could wield Rinne Rebirth without any of its devastating side effects.
____
Updates might come a bit slower for a while.School resumed, My final year has started, and I'm currently focused on my project work and defense preparations. I'll still be posting whenever I can, just at a steadier pace for now (ㆁωㆁ)