The scene remained within the same cave where Madara had met his end.
Obito sat leafing through several scrolls, continuing to digest the various powers and knowledge Madara had force-fed him during their time together.
"Black Zetsu," Obito suddenly spoke up, "You mentioned before that we should contact that 'Yorozuya' group. When would be a good time?"
Black Zetsu's expression stiffened for a fraction of a second, though it hardly mattered; with his pitch-black visage, any reaction was impossible to detect.
"That... can wait for later. I believe the priority should still be finding a way to deal with Nagato," Black Zetsu replied after a moment's thought.
"Dealing with Nagato is a given, but we do need to cultivate some of our own strength, don't we?" Obito countered.
He had developed a keen interest in the Yorozuya. Since he was now playing the role of the mastermind behind the scenes, a proper villainous overlord, he felt he couldn't very well go without a few high-level subordinates.
That man Diarmuid clearly wasn't some naive "good guy." He looked like a lawless outlaw through and through.
Doesn't that fit me perfectly? Obito thought. Find him, conquer him, and make him mine to use!
"You have a point. I'll keep an eye out for news regarding the Yorozuya," Black Zetsu conceded, calculating.
Better to stall for now...
The Yorozuya had recently become a source of profound confusion for Black Zetsu. Setting aside Obito's overinflated confidence, the intelligence Black and White Zetsu had gathered suggested that Diarmuid was a formidable monster. At this stage, Obito likely wasn't his match. Perhaps once Nagato was brought into the fold, using the Rinnegan as insurance, they could attempt to approach Diarmuid.
The main issue, however, was something Black Zetsu hadn't anticipated. According to the original plan, Rin should have died after Kakashi's hand pierced her heart. Yet, somehow, she had miraculously returned to life and joined the Yorozuya.
When Black Zetsu first learned of this, he was genuinely stunned.
But after Orochimaru defected from Konoha and joined the Yorozuya, he began to piece it together. Orochimaru was the one who had collected Rin's body; the man was a perverted deviant who loved researching bizarre phenomena. Perhaps Rin hadn't been fully dead? Maybe Orochimaru saved her and took her with him when he fled the village?
Though many details remained contradictory and unclear, it was the only theory that vaguely explained the current situation. Regardless, Rin's survival was a massive headache.
Madara was dead, and the Rinnegan was currently with Nagato. Black Zetsu lacked the raw power to seize it back by force. He was entirely dependent on Obito. If Obito ever discovered that Rin was still alive, his "descent into darkness" could turn into a "redemption arc" at any moment.
Especially now, before he had committed any truly irredeemable atrocities. He could still turn back. If Obito quit the game now, Black Zetsu would be ruined, the company would dissolve before the "IPO" even launched!
Fortunately, the situation wasn't beyond repair. According to intelligence from Konoha, the village was unaware of her survival. Her name was still carved into the Memorial Stone. When Kakashi awoke, Rin's body was gone, and since he hadn't seen Orochimaru appear at the end, the truth was buried with Orochimaru's defection. Kakashi had felt her heart stop with his own hand; he had no doubt she was dead.
Originally, Black Zetsu had intended for Obito to cooperate with the Yorozuya. Now? It was better if they never crossed paths at all. He had even considered killing Rin himself, but that was easier said than done.
First, his combat ability was lackluster, and White Zetsu was no better. The Yorozuya was packed with elites who seemed intent on protecting Rin; she never acted alone and never left the base. While he could potentially slip in undetected, the risk was too high. He couldn't be sure if "powerhouses" like Diarmuid would sense him. If he were caught, he was as good as dead.
In reality, while Diarmuid found it difficult to sense creatures like Zetsu in unfamiliar environments, the base was different. To a master of his caliber, even if Zetsu looked like a common pitcher plant, a pitcher plant suddenly appearing out of nowhere inside a high-security base wouldn't go unnoticed. Furthermore, the base was protected by intricate barriers, originally set by Sasori and later reinforced by Orochimaru.
The risk of Black and White Zetsu getting "caught in the trap" was far too high. Thus, Black Zetsu chose to stall, hoping for a future opportunity to finish Rin off once and for all.
"Hm..." Obito nodded.
He felt something was slightly off. Earlier, Black Zetsu had been supportive of contacting the Yorozuya; why the sudden resistance? But he didn't dwell on it, assuming it was simply because the Nagato situation remained unresolved.
Just then, a White Zetsu emerged from the ground, grinning. "I have some interesting news."
"Let's hear it," Obito said.
"The Land of Rain. The Demigod, Hanzo of the Salamander, is preparing to move against the Akatsuki. They plan to eliminate Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan to seize the organization's power... Hehehe," White Zetsu snickered like an idiot.
"Is that so? Should we lend a hand? It might be a good way to earn their favor," Black Zetsu suggested with a slight smile.
Obito, however, asked directly, "Hanzo of the Salamander... does he have the power to overcome the Rinnegan?"
Black Zetsu answered immediately. "Impossible. The Rinnegan is the eye of a Sage, possessing the power of a true god. A mere Hanzo of the Salamander is unworthy of the title 'Demigod'."
Black Zetsu was the ultimate veteran of the shinobi world's shadows. What "gods" hadn't he seen? Hashirama was called the "God of Shinobi," and his power certainly lived up to the name. But since then, it seemed every petty ghost and demon dared to call themselves a "god."
Hanzo? What was he compared to Hashirama or Madara? At their peak, those two could have finished him with a single glance. He had the gall to call himself a "Demigod"?
Furthermore, Black Zetsu knew exactly what the Rinnegan was capable of. Very few in the history of the world could stand against it, and "Hanzo" certainly wasn't one of them.
Perhaps... perhaps that Diarmuid guy had a chance.
Obito viewed Black Zetsu as the manifestation of Madara's will, so his words carried immense weight. Since he was so certain, it meant Hanzo was likely walking into a disaster. As expected, intelligence was everything. If Hanzo knew Nagato possessed the legendary "Eyes of the Sage," he probably wouldn't be acting so recklessly.
"In that case, there's no need to help. Nagato is soft. Unless he's pushed to the brink, he won't truly see the extent of his own power... and usually, by the time one reaches the brink, everything is already beyond salvation. Perhaps this is exactly the turning point I've been waiting for," Obito mused.
He had matured significantly. Though he appeared arrogant, from the perspective of intrigue and character, he had successfully transitioned from a sunny youth into a calculating schemer.
Black Zetsu agreed. This could indeed be a turning point. If Hanzo was even slightly useful, he might manage to inflict massive psychological trauma on Nagato. Even if the trio survived, the experience should be enough to shatter their "naive passion." It would make the next meeting much easier to navigate.
"Fine. We'll do as you say. We won't interfere; we'll see how far this develops," Black Zetsu said.
"Hm," Obito nodded.
The cave fell silent. After a long while, Obito suddenly asked, "Is there still a possibility for others in the Uchiha clan to awaken the Rinnegan?"
Black Zetsu thought for a moment. "Of course."
The Uchiha carried "noble" blood. Theoretically, anyone with enough talent and meeting the criteria could awaken it. In practice, however, one required the reincarnated Chakra of the Sage of Six Paths' two sons. In the end, only Sasuke, with the help of the Sage himself, would manage to unlock that "cheat."
Obito remained silent for a long time, his brow furrowed in conflict. Eventually, he asked, "If one possesses the Rinnegan, can they dispel the Infinite Tsukuyomi?"
"I'm not sure if it can be dispelled, but I know that once the power of Susanoo is activated, whether through the Rinnegan or the Mangekyō, one can avoid being ensnared by the Infinite Tsukuyomi's light," Black Zetsu whispered.
Obito's brow tightened. "In other words, the Uchiha clan is an unstable variable in our plan?"
Black Zetsu sensed his intent and gave a mental sneer, adding fuel to the fire. "Indeed. Extremely unstable."
His decision made, Obito's eyes grew even darker. After a long silence, he spoke with cold resolve. "Nothing can be allowed to obstruct the Eye of the Moon Plan. Since the Uchiha clan could become a threat... we might as well just wipe them out!"
Diarmuid had never quite understood why Obito helped Itachi massacre the clan when they had no real grievance. He thought maybe it was to collect Sharingan for Izanagi or because Obito was missing an eye. He hadn't considered the deeper layer: since the Eye of the Moon plan originated from the Uchiha's Kekkei Genkai, the clan itself was the greatest threat to its execution. A group of Susanoo users could potentially flip the script at the final moment.
The poor Uchiha clan... hated from without and betrayed from within. They wouldn't even realize the true reason they were so reviled. Truly, the "Cursed Clan."