Chapter 69: The Origins of the Rinnegan

"Obito, it seems like the plan has failed again," White Zetsu said, turning to the figure beside him.

"It's not a failure," Obito replied calmly. "At the very least, we've reclaimed one Rinnegan."

Black Zetsu's voice chimed in, full of agreement. "That's true. After all, the Rinnegan evolved from the Sharingan, which means only someone with Uchiha blood can wield its full power."

"And besides," White Zetsu added, "your other eye, Obito, still holds Kamui. It's far more potent this way."

Obito nodded slightly. "Nagato and his people have no idea I can seize control of the Gedo Statue anytime I wish. Let them continue collecting the Tailed Beasts for us."

"Speaking of collecting Tailed Beasts, it seems we've nearly completed that task," White Zetsu remarked.

"One-Tail, Three-Tails, and Seven-Tails were already gathered by Nagato's group. Two-Tails and Four-Tails were captured in the last battle and are likely sealed by now. As for Five-Tails and Six-Tails, we quietly captured them ourselves," Obito recounted.

"That leaves just the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails."

"The Eight-Tails is in Kumogakure," White Zetsu pointed out. "With the boost in power the Rinnegan provides you, capturing it should be no problem."

"That just leaves the Nine-Tails," Black Zetsu said, his tone serious.

"Right," Obito replied.

"When we have the Nine-Tails, we'll seal them all at once. For now, we'll use our alliance with Kumogakure. The Eight-Tails' jinchūriki can buy us time by holding off the Akatsuki," Obito explained.

"But the Nine-Tails will be far harder to capture. You'll need to be fully prepared," Black Zetsu warned. As the sibling of the Sage of Six Paths, Black Zetsu had access to a trove of secrets.

"Not all Tailed Beasts are created equal," Black Zetsu continued. "They fall into three tiers. One-Tail through Seven-Tails are one tier, Eight-Tails is in another league, and the Nine-Tails stands alone at the top."

"The Nine-Tails' chakra is said to be infinite. While that may be an exaggeration, it speaks to its immense power," Black Zetsu explained. "Even with your current strength, capturing it will be no small feat."

"Not to mention," he added, "the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki has the protection of Konohagakure. And the Akatsuki have their eyes on it too. If we move hastily, it'll set off a chain reaction. Without overwhelming strength, it'll be impossible to secure the Nine-Tails."

Obito glanced back into the shadowy depths of the cavern, where the Five-Tails and Six-Tails jinchūriki lay imprisoned. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"I'll complete my Six Paths as soon as possible. Until then, let Kumogakure handle the brunt of the conflict for us."

"But that stubborn Raikage outright rejected our offer of assistance," White Zetsu noted. "He was furious when he found out we deceived him about the Rinnegan."

Obito sneered. "Foolish pride and stubbornness mean nothing in the face of survival."

"I'll collaborate with Danzō. We'll send Deidara to the front lines between Kumo and Konoha. Once the Raikage learns his lesson, he'll come begging for our help."

"What about Orochimaru? Should we deal with him?"

...

Meanwhile, in Amegakure,

The Akatsuki had just sealed two Tailed Beasts and were finally taking a rare moment to relax.

The group gathered in a dimly lit tavern, enjoying a brief reprieve.

Nagato, however, looked unwell. His first grand appearance as a "god" had nearly been his last. Surviving was a hollow victory, and losing one Rinnegan left him feeling useless.

Still, there was one silver lining. With only one Rinnegan, he could now control only the Deva Path, which meant the countless rods embedded in his back were no longer necessary. For the first time in ages, he could move freely.

"Nagato," Konan said softly, concern evident in her eyes.

"Leader," Deidara chimed in, half-serious and half-mocking, "why are you sulking over a Rinnegan that wasn't even yours to begin with?"

"What?! That's absurd!" Nagato shot back instinctively.

Deidara smirked. "Oh, come on. If the Rinnegan were truly yours, why can someone else use it better than you can? And without it draining their life force?"

"That's because…" Nagato struggled to find an argument, finally resorting to, "You can't just assume that!"

Deidara turned to Itachi. "What do you think, Itachi?"

Itachi's tone was measured. "Of course it's not his. If the Rinnegan were truly yours, Leader, then how does that masked man know all the specifics of your Six Paths abilities? Those aren't things you've ever shared, are they?"

Deidara gave an approving nod, his expression smug. His showmanship earned a mix of irritation and grudging admiration from the others.

Even so, his words sparked further speculation.

"That masked man claims to be Madara," Deidara continued. "But why? Is it just for fun, or is there a deeper reason? And let's not forget, Madara's last known battle was against the First Hokage at the Valley of the End. One wielded the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, the other the Wood Style."

"Then suddenly, a man calling himself Madara appears, wielding the Rinnegan. Doesn't that seem a bit too convenient?"

The room fell silent, save for the sound of Hidan's frustrated groan. "What are you all even talking about?! This makes no sense!"

Itachi gave him a succinct answer. "Deidara's suggesting that combining the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan with Wood Style may unlock the Rinnegan."

Deidara grinned. "Exactly. Let's have Orochimaru test that theory."

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