"I'm sowy, Cap'n... I won't do it again..."
Tobi spoke through tears, one purple eye trembling pitifully. His face was swollen with bruises, several teeth missing from his mouth.
White Zetsu gave him one last kick.
"Sigh... idiot. You almost killed me back there. If Captain hadn't saved me, I would've been finished."
Tobi curled up on the ground and whimpered even harder.
Obito watched the two of them with a faint, helpless look in his eyes.
"Both of you, come here."
His voice was calm, but the moment it fell, Tobi and White Zetsu froze.
"I didn't call you here just for that. There is something I need to give you."
A slight smile touched Obito's face.
"I'm sure you'll like it."
The two of them looked at each other.
For a brief moment, the same thought passed through their minds.
So you really did summon us just to show off.
Of course, neither of them dared to say that out loud.
Tobi wiped his tears and crawled forward obediently. White Zetsu dusted off his sleeves and followed after him, pretending nothing had happened.
Obito raised his hand.
The power of Omnipotence stirred around him, powerful and more complete than before. It no longer felt like a mere ability. It was closer to a law, something capable of rewriting the logic of reality itself.
First, he bestowed a power upon Tobi.
Sure-Hit.
It was different from the sure-hit effect of a Domain Expansion.
Tobi did not need a barrier or a domain. As long as he turned something into an attack, whether it was a slash, a flame, a fist, or even one of his absurd tricks, the result would become unavoidable.
Tobi's lone purple eye widened. Then, despite his bruised face and missing teeth, his mouth slowly curled into a crooked grin.
"Eh...? Ehehe... Ehehehehe..."
White Zetsu immediately took half a step back.
"That laugh is already annoying."
Obito ignored them and turned his gaze toward White Zetsu.
The next power he granted was the complete opposite of Tobi's.
Absolute Reflection.
It was an autonomous defensive ability, similar in nature to Gojo's Infinity, but shaped through Obito's Omnipotence.
Unless an enemy possessed something on the level of a sure-hit effect, they could forget about touching White Zetsu at all.
Any attack that reached him would be reflected automatically.
The ability would activate on its own.
White Zetsu looked down at his hands, then at Tobi.
Tobi looked back at him.
One of them had received an attack that could not miss.
The other had received a defense that could not be breached.
Their abilities had been made to complement each other.
And naturally...
The first thing that appeared in their eyes was not joy for the other's new power, but battle intent.
Obito saw their expressions and immediately understood what they were thinking.
With a light snap of his fingers, the space around them shifted.
The empty darkness beneath their feet became a vast battlefield. The ground stretched endlessly in every direction.
Tobi slowly rose to his feet, still sniffling.
White Zetsu rolled his shoulders and jumped in place for a warm up.
Obito had almost forgotten to tell them that the two abilities were of the same level. If Tobi's Sure-Hit and White Zetsu's Absolute Reflection collided directly, they would cancel each other out.
In the end, victory would depend on their other abilities, their instincts, and how creatively they used what they already had.
But whatever.
Obito wanted to watch a good fight too.
Only after they had finished duking it out would they move on to the next hunt.
...
Far beyond the reach of ordinary people, in a place unknown to the world, a vast pale platform drifted silently within a sea of stars.
Strange stone pillars surrounded it, their surfaces carved with patterns resembling Rinnegan ripples and tomoe.
One after another, several figures appeared upon the platform.
They were not there in person.
Each of them was only a projection, their bodies formed from cold white light. Even so, the pressure they gave off was suffocating.
One of the projected figures slowly opened his eyes and spoke in a calm voice, though the disdain within it could not be hidden.
"So… we were told to watch for a certain group?"
"A band of unknown individuals capable of interfering with our plans?"
Another Ōtsutsuki let out a faint laugh.
"Unknown individuals? How amusing."
"To think there are still creatures in the lower worlds who believe they can oppose us."
The words were spoken lightly.
To them, shinobi, humans, beasts, nations, and even planets held no meaning.
They were nothing more than soil.
And the chakra fruit that bloomed from that soil was the only thing of value.
However, arrogant as they were, none of them dared to ignore the order completely.
Because the warning had come from him.
If that being had spoken, then even they had no choice but to pay attention.
One of the Ōtsutsuki narrowed his eyes and said, "Whether they are insects or not, an order is an order. We will monitor the designated universe sector."
"Tch."
Another clicked his tongue, but anyone could hear the suppressed anger in his tone.
"The sector connected to Kaguya, correct?"
At the mention of that name, several gazes shifted slightly.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
The woman who had once been sent to harvest the chakra fruit, only to betray the clan and seize that world for herself.
A troublesome name.
A disgraceful name.
And yet, the world she had occupied had always been unusual.
Momoshiki and Urashiki had once spoken of that region before.
A remote universe sector containing an extremely important planet, one that should have been nothing more than another field to be harvested.
"We received a report about spatial rifts appearing in the world Kaguya was responsible for."
"The spatial curvature index exceeds sixteen."
Those words made several of them narrow their eyes in thought.
Anything above ten in spatial curvature was classified as an abnormality and had to be reported to the Ōtsutsuki clan immediately.
That was clan law.
One of the projected figures, who had remained silent until now, suddenly smiled.
"There is no need to be so cautious."
His expression was relaxed, almost lazy, but his eyes carried unmistakable confidence.
"Some of my people are already in that universe sector."
A subtle change passed through the projections.
"Already?"
"Yes."
The smiling Ōtsutsuki lifted his chin slightly.
"They were sent there some time ago. By now, they should have already made contact."
Then he spread his hands and flicked his hair back arrogantly, his expression filled with mockery.
"If those so-called troublesome individuals truly appear there, my people will be the first to encounter them."
He spoke as if the result had already been decided.
"And naturally… those pests will not survive."
The surrounding figures fell quiet.
Some showed no reaction to his boastfulness, while others could not completely hide the faint envy in their eyes.
After all, if the warning from that being proved true, then whoever dealt with the threat first would receive the credit.
And if the threat turned out to be nothing, then the task would still be effortless.
Either way, it was convenient luck.
The smiling Ōtsutsuki seemed to enjoy their reactions.
"So prepare my reward beforehand."
His tone was arrogant and full of himself.
"I have other matters to attend to. I do not have time to personally visit that remote sector just to crush a few insects."
"Hmph. Don't get too pleased with yourself."
Another Ōtsutsuki's voice turned cold.
"If those individuals were important enough for him to mention, your people may not return."
The smiling figure did not seem bothered by the sudden interruption. Instead, he gave a soft chuckle.
"Then they were useless from the beginning."
"To me, tools that cannot fulfill their purpose have no value."
...
Meanwhile, in Obito's old world, time flowed according to a different rhythm.
For Obito, his departure belonged to a past that was already years behind him.
But in that world as well, though not nearly as much time had passed as it had for him, the days had continued to move forward.
Under the influence of Obito's Omnipotence, the old shinobi world had long since changed.
The Hidden Villages still existed, but they were no longer military fortresses standing at the edge of conflict.
They had become modern cities filled with towering buildings, trains, cars, holographic advertisements, smartphones, online forums, and news networks that spread information faster than any messenger hawk.
And today, the whole world was watching a live broadcast, because an important event was taking place, one significant enough to gather global attention.
A massive stage had been built in the center of the city.
Camera drones floated through the air.
Giant screens hung from nearby buildings.
A huge crowd had gathered below, cheering with banners, light sticks, and phones held high.
On the central screen, a single line appeared.
Candidate Speech: Nagato of Amegakure
The host stood at the edge of the stage with a bright, professional smile.
"Everyone, thank you for waiting. Now, please welcome one of this year's most discussed candidates for Prime Minister, Nagato-san!"
Thunderous applause erupted.
Then Nagato walked onto the stage.
He wore a long black formal coat with a high collar. His red hair fell over his shoulders, and his expression was so cold and solemn that he looked less like a politician and more like a man about to descend from the heavens and judge the sins of mankind.
The moment he appeared, screams rose from the crowd.
"Nagato-san!"
"He's so handsome!"
"Look this way!"
"Prime Minister Nagato!"
"Nagato-sama, step on the corruption in my heart!"
Nagato stopped behind the podium, but he did not speak immediately.
He simply lowered his head, closed his eyes, and allowed the silence to spread.
One second.
Two seconds.
Five seconds.
Ten seconds.
The host's smile began to stiffen.
The audience also became quiet.
Even the camera drones seemed to hover more respectfully.
Then Nagato opened his eyes.
"My fellow citizens."
His voice was low, calm, and heavy.
"Today, I stand before you as a man who has seen the truth."
Nagato slowly lifted one hand.
"This peaceful world is beautiful."
Several people nodded.
"But peace has created a new kind of suffering."
The host blinked in confusion as a bad feeling welled up in his heart.
Nagato's expression became even more solemn.
"A suffering that hides within convenience."
"You wake up late. You skip breakfast. You stare at your phones while walking. You leave empty bottles beside benches. You take pictures of ramen for three minutes until the noodles become soft."
Several people immediately lowered their phones.
In Konoha, inside Ichiraku Ramen, a young man watching the broadcast slowly put his phone away.
Teuchi, now much older, nodded with deep approval.
"He's right. Ramen should be eaten while hot."
Ayame glanced at him.
"Umm... Dad, this is an election speech."
Teuchi remained completely serious.
"It's still true."
Back on stage, Nagato raised one hand.
"This is not the path of peace."
"This is the path of laziness!"
Several people exchanged glances, unable to understand where this was going.
What the hell was happening?
Shouldn't Nagato be making a few big promises and then be done with it?
Yet when Nagato saw the audience looking at one another, his face became even more serious.
It seemed they were already reflecting.
At least, that was what he thought inwardly.
"The shinobi of the past crossed mountains with broken sandals."
His voice grew heavier.
"Yet today, a young person complains when the elevator takes fifteen seconds to arrive."
A few elderly citizens in the audience immediately nodded.
"That's right."
"Young people these days have no patience."
A teenage boy whispered, "Grandpa, you also complain when the remote is too far."
His grandfather glared at him.
"That is different."
Nagato placed both hands on the podium.
"Once, people trained their chakra by climbing trees and walking on water."
"Now, I see students using chakra to grab snacks from the shelf without standing up."
His gaze swept across the plaza as though he had seen everything.
Several Academy students in the crowd stiffened.
Nagato continued.
"Convenience is not evil. But convenience without discipline rots the spirit."
The host pressed his lips together, desperately trying to maintain a professional expression.
A reporter whispered to another reporter, "Why does this sound like my grandfather scolding me at New Year?"
The other reporter whispered back, "Because it is."
Nagato lifted his chin.
"If I become Prime Minister, I shall restore order to daily life."
The giant screen behind him changed, and a campaign slogan appeared.
[Discipline Is The Foundation Of Peace]
The words themselves were perfectly normal.
But with Nagato standing beneath them in a black coat, looking like a final boss, the entire thing somehow became ridiculous.
A middle-aged man stared blankly at the stage.
"Why is this working?"
The young woman beside him wiped tears from her eyes, though it was unclear whether she was moved or simply trying not to laugh.
"Because Nagato-san understands pain."
Nagato was still going on, but the host finally could not take it anymore.
He winked at the cameraman, who gave him a helpless smile in return.
The host slipped away sneakily, grabbed his head with both hands, and muttered, "It's over. It's over. Nagato-san messed up the speech. Who would vote for him now?"
A staff member nearby carefully said, "Hyaku-sama, the audience reaction is actually very good."
The host, whose name was Hyaku, slowly looked at the staff member with a trace of hope in his eyes.
"What, for real? Are they really moved? What are they saying?"
The staff member hesitated.
"They are... emotionally engaged."
Hyaku's expression stiffened.
"That is not the same thing."
Another staff member held up a tablet.
"The online comments are exploding."
Hyaku's eyes narrowed.
"Read them."
The staff member swallowed.
"First comment: 'Bro discovered the Six Paths of Daily Inconvenience.'"
Hyaku's eyebrow twitched at the nerve of this brainless citizen.
"Next."
The staff member continued.
"Second comment: 'I don't know what he's talking about, but I want him to fix my Wi-Fi.'"
And from there, the comments only grew more chaotic.
Many people online had a kind of courage that Hyaku himself absolutely did not possess.
At the very least, he would never dare to make fun of Nagato to his face.
"Why is he so serious?"
"I laughed, but I'm voting for him."
"My grandma is voting for him."
"I am also voting for him."
"Know manners. Know peace."
The staff member continued nervously.
"There is also a hashtag called 'Grandpa Pain.'"
Hyaku's expression went blank.
The staff member added, "Also... the hashtag 'PainForPrimeMinister' is now number one worldwide."
"..."
Without saying another word, Hyaku turned around and quickly rushed back onto the stage.
He stepped forward with a strained smile.
"Thank you, Nagato-san. That was certainly... memorable."
Nagato nodded.
"I merely spoke the truth hidden beneath daily life."
Hyaku's lips twitched.
"Yes. Of course."
Then Nagato looked toward the audience one final time.
"My citizens."
The laughter slowly quieted.
His voice softened, but his expression remained intense.
"Peace is not only a great word written in history. It is the comfort of ordinary days continuing without being stolen."
For the first time, his strange speech became strangely touching.
Nagato closed his eyes.
"That is the future I wish to protect."
The square fell silent for a moment.
Then, when Nagato had already gone halfway down the stairs, the applause began like thunder.
Click.
Itachi expressionlessly turned off the broadcast.
After remaining silent for a while, she sighed.
"He is going to win, isn't he?"
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