As Naruto continued speaking, silence filled the room.
Everyone furrowed their brows, deeply contemplating his words.
Nagato closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. "Uzumaki Naruto... your words and ideals are truly remarkable."
"No wonder Konoha has transformed so drastically in just two months."
Ōnoki, after pondering for a while, nodded in agreement. "To see a future that others cannot... This peace conference truly came at the right time."
Mei Terumi also voiced her admiration. At the same time, she privately considered the concept of mutual development and a win-win situation that Naruto had proposed.
A, the Raikage, was more direct. "I assumed you were trying to pull a fast one, but now... it seems this peace conference is legitimate after all."
"Kumogakure does not fear war, but if peace is achievable and development can be secured, then we will uphold these principles."
Gaara, of course, required no further persuasion. The moment he had become the Fifth Kazekage, he had aligned himself with Konoha. No matter what lay ahead, he would follow unwaveringly.
A let out a chuckle. "The Third Hokage and Shimura Danzo... I suddenly don't miss them that much."
Mei Terumi stood and turned toward Orochimaru and Senju Tobirama. "Well then, I'll be relying on you two moving forward."
Senju Tobirama simply waved a hand. "Since we are all in agreement, then this peace conference has not been in vain."
"Now, let's finalize the treaty based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Development."
Documents were promptly distributed among the gathered leaders.
The Five Basic Principles: peaceful development, coexistence, and mutual cooperation.
A glanced over the treaty and grinned. "No worries. To be honest, I can't see any reason to go against these principles."
"It's leagues better than those old alliance treaties."
"If Kumogakure ever violates this... you are all welcome to march against us, and we won't have any complaints."
He was the first to sign. The others soon followed, their signatures sealing the agreement.
Mei Terumi suddenly turned to Tsunade. "By the way, I wonder... is Zabuza, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, currently in Konoha?"
Tsunade gave a slight nod. "Yes. I had planned to discuss his status as a missing-nin with you."
Mei waved dismissively. "I rescinded that designation before I came here."
"I just wonder... would Zabuza be willing to return to the Hidden Mist?"
"Please relay the message to the Hokage."
Tsunade nodded, though she already knew the answer.
Zabuza would never return.
He and Haku had long since become part of Konoha.
"Peace... I never thought it would be within my reach."
Nagato sighed, then turned to Ōnoki. "Lord Ōnoki, it seems we will need to discuss Iwagakure's role in this cooperation soon."
"Tch, why waste time talking to that stingy old man? Just talk to me."
Kurotsuchi stepped forward, clapping Nagato on the shoulder. "I'm the Fourth Tsuchikage now. My word is what counts."
Ōnoki scowled.
"Now that this meeting is settled... let's discuss Shimura Danzo."
Mei Terumi raised a hand. "Hokage, there's no rush. We should wait a little longer."
"Why?"
"Danzo's crimes haven't had enough time to fully sink in."
"Instead of killing him now, why not use his execution to mark the birth of the new ninja era?"
Ōnoki nodded in agreement. "If we execute him immediately, sure, it will feel good... but his death will have more value if we wait."
A crossed his arms. "When the time comes, we should announce to the entire ninja world that the Age of Darkness has ended."
Unbeknownst to Danzo, even his death would serve to further shape the new world order.
"Well then, now that the peace conference is concluded... it's time to return and prepare."
"Second Hokage, Lord Orochimaru, Kumogakure looks forward to your arrival."
With that, A left first, followed by the others.
Despite the momentary peace, everyone knew the truth: power still ruled the world.
Konoha's position was clear:
Agree, and we are allies. We will develop together, achieve mutual prosperity, and safeguard peace.
Disagree?
Then the ninja world will divide into four great villages, with Konoha leading the way in expansion. There was still plenty of undeveloped land to claim.
The choice was obvious.
From now on, everyone was starting from the same line.
Of course, war would not vanish entirely. It never did.
But the nature of war would change.
The last to leave was Nagato, as there were still matters requiring his attention.
Meanwhile, within the Akatsuki Organization...
Ah Fei was officially a new recruit, an intern within the group.
In reality, he was Bai Zetsu, controlling Obito's body behind the scenes.
Nagato, Konan, and Uchiha Itachi only knew him as "Uchiha Madara."
Among them, only Itachi had sought him out directly, despite suspecting that his true motives were anything but pure.
Still, without him, the Uchiha Clan's downfall might not have gone as smoothly.
Without him, even Sasuke's survival might have been uncertain.
Nagato remained ever wary of him.
He had warned Yahiko about Hanzo's duplicity, always maintaining his vigilance.
Konan, ever cautious, had even prepared six hundred billion paper bombs as a contingency.
From the moment he appeared, claiming the name "Madara," he had displayed an unnatural depth of knowledge about the ninja world.
It was because of him that Nagato had learned to wield the Rinnegan so effectively.
A man who knew every secret of the Akatsuki yet remained elusive...
How could he be trusted completely?
At a remote mental gathering, Kisame and Uchiha Itachi both observed Obito.
Kisame's true allegiance lay with him.
"All missions are suspended for now. Take a break."
After convening the meeting, Nagato gave only this brief order before leaving.
Back in the Hidden Rain Village, Nagato slowly opened his eyes.
Tendo Pain, Yahiko's body, remained by his side, ever watchful.
Nagato murmured softly, "Here I come."
A vortex-like distortion appeared in the space before him, and from it, a masked figure emerged—Obito Uchiha.
Obito slowly raised his head, his Sharingan gleaming as he locked eyes with Nagato. "It's been a long time, Nagato."
His voice was devoid of emotion, calm yet carrying an underlying tension.
At this moment, the control of the body no longer belonged to the playful facade of Tobi, but to the true Obito—the man who called himself Uchiha Madara.
"What do you want?" Nagato asked, his tone equally indifferent.
Obito remained silent for a moment, his Sharingan unwavering. Then, his voice grew cold. "You just returned from Konoha, didn't you? Did you attend that so-called peace conference?"
Nagato narrowed his eyes slightly, analyzing the situation. "Was it Uchiha Itachi? Or Hoshigaki Kisame?"
He had never fully trusted Itachi, a man who slaughtered his own clan and defected from Konoha. But Kisame was just as enigmatic. Pairing them together had been a deliberate decision—Nagato distrusted both.
These thoughts flickered through his mind before he spoke. "The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki is already a perfect Jinchūriki. He is powerful."
Obito's eyes narrowed. "Oh? Have you fought him?"
"No," Nagato replied flatly.
"Tch!" Obito scoffed. "You aren't being swayed by their fake peace, are you?"
His voice darkened, laced with menace. "The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki has left the village. He's at the border of the Land of Fire."
Then, with a twisted amusement, he added, "Nagato, the task of capturing the Nine-Tails is now in your hands."
Obito was well aware of the shifting tides. He knew the Fourth Hokage had returned, along with the First and Second Hokage. Even the Third Hokage and Danzo were now reduced to street sweepers and janitors.
He suspected that once their turn was over, he would be next.
So, he decided to test Nagato. Success or failure didn't matter—either way, the Rinnegan would be his.
Nagato's expression remained unreadable. The Six Paths of Pain emerged from the chamber behind him, standing silently in the shadows.
"A perfect Nine-Tails Jinchūriki is unlike any other. Even the power of a god would be hard-pressed against him. Why don't you do it yourself?" Nagato asked.
Obito sneered. "If Pain fails, I'll handle it myself."
A brief silence fell between them before Nagato spoke again. "I will take action. I trust you won't just stand by and watch."
"Hmph." Obito chuckled darkly before vanishing into his Kamui dimension.
As soon as he was gone, Nagato frowned. "Konan, Uchiha Madara has taken the bait. Go inform Naruto."
Konan hesitated for a moment before nodding. Her body dissolved into countless sheets of paper, fluttering away into the night.
Within the Kamui dimension, Obito sat down, his gaze lingering on Rin's frozen form.
"So, Nagato has grown hesitant," he muttered. "A mere pawn who dares to develop second thoughts… how ridiculous."
He had never seen Nagato as anything more than a disposable tool. Even when he had taught him to wield the Rinnegan, he had done so knowing he could take the eyes back at any time.
If not for the plan—if not for Nagato's Uzumaki blood—he would have replaced him long ago.
Back at the Akatsuki hideout, Black Zetsu emerged from the shadows. "Does Nagato have other ideas?"
Obito didn't turn around. His voice was cold and final. "A fool blinded by the illusion of peace."
"The plan to capture the Nine-Tails must begin immediately. Konoha cannot be allowed to continue like this."
He clenched his fist. "As for Nagato… he has no right to refuse."
"Orochimaru has grown bolder lately, moving through the ninja world with little concern."
Black Zetsu smirked sinisterly. "Both the First and Second Hokage have been resurrected. Do you really think Itachi and Kisame can handle them?"
"And from what I've gathered, Konoha's Yondaime and his wife have also returned. Aren't you going to deal with them yourself?"
Obito scoffed, his Sharingan glinting coldly. "It's just Impure World Reincarnation. Hardly worth my attention."
"He's just a teacher who clings to his ideals... always absent at the most crucial moments."
He let out a dry chuckle. "Minato-sensei, Kushina-sensei, Kakashi, Rin—they're all just illusions of the past. Nothing more."
Obito lifted his head, his voice laced with mockery. "The so-called Yellow Flash of Konoha... hah. He couldn't even protect his wife and child. Even if he's been brought back through Impure World Reincarnation, he's no threat."
"Uchiha Madara wouldn't have wasted his time eliminating someone like him."
Hearing this, Black Zetsu sneered internally but kept his expression neutral. "Nagato alone won't be enough to defeat them."
"That's not our concern for now. Send word to Kisame and Itachi."
Obito turned away, his voice sharp. "There's something else I need to confirm."
With a flicker of space, he disappeared into Kamui.
—
At the borders of Konoha, Naruto bid farewell to Tobirama Senju and Orochimaru.
In the distance, Senju Hashirama was busy working on a massive wooden construct. There was no need for formal goodbyes.
Soon, Naruto, Kushina, and Nagisa arrived at the border of the Rain Country.
A flurry of white papers drifted through the air before coalescing into the form of Konan.
Kushina stepped forward, ready to speak, when all four of them turned sharply in unison.
"Hm?"
Minato frowned as a pale figure came into view, sprinting toward them.
"What is that?"
"A white creature... Is it even human?" Kushina muttered, shifting into a defensive stance.
Konan narrowed her eyes. "It's White Zetsu. A creation of Uchiha Madara."
Kushina immediately positioned herself protectively in front of Naruto. "If Madara made it, then this thing must be dangerous."
Naruto arched an eyebrow. "Was it sent on purpose?"
It was clear that White Zetsu's power was insignificant in comparison to true threats. More than likely, Obito had allowed it to be here intentionally.
With a glance, Naruto saw through the chakra-infused bindings hidden within its body.
"Step back. There's an explosive tag inside it."
White Zetsu smirked as it neared, its condescending grin widening. "Tch, Obito really is careful. I already told you—"
Then, it stopped abruptly.
Its gaze locked onto Naruto.
For a moment, everything changed.
A wave of realization seemed to wash over White Zetsu. A burning reverence flickered in its eyes, an instinctual, undeniable urge to submit.
It had never felt closer to another being in its existence.
It wanted to serve. It wanted to obey.
But it also knew—if it took another step, the explosive tag inside its body would detonate.
Instead, from a distance, White Zetsu cupped its hands to its mouth like a loudspeaker.
"Naruto-sama!!!"
"Obito is right here—Ahhh!"
BOOM!
Before it could finish, the detonating tag inside its body ignited.
In a violent explosion, White Zetsu was torn to pieces, its reverent expression frozen mid-sentence.
Naruto blinked, momentarily stunned. Then he recalled something strange he had heard during the Chunin Exams—
The whispers of plants.
At that time, he had caught a fragmented message: "Obito is here..."
Now, watching the way White Zetsu had acted, Naruto couldn't help but chuckle.
"Are they all traitors?"
—
Deep underground, within the Akatsuki's hidden base, a figure sat in the shadows.
Obito's single visible eye burned with fury.
"Useless..."
His voice was low and venomous.
"Three seconds... Damn traitor!"