Chapter 398: The Truth of the Story
As night fell, as Haneda had predicted, Nagato arrived.
However, it was Tendo Pain who reached Konoha.
He had departed from Amegakure and, with almost no rest, had arrived in Konoha the same day.
As soon as the chakra signature of the Rinnegan entered Konoha, the Seal Team immediately sensed it and notified Shikaku of Pain's arrival.
Meanwhile, Haneda, anticipating that Nagato would come around this time, had been waiting in the village.
When Pain arrived, so did Haneda.
The two met atop a cloud-covered peak, and Pain gazed into Haneda's eyes, seeing the Rinnegan, lost in thought.
He suddenly realized something and asked:
"Haneda, are you faking your illness? And is the Rinnegan the ultimate evolution of the Sharingan? Did my eyes come from Uchiha Madara?!"
Haneda nodded. He didn't utter a word, but Pain knew that all three of his guesses were correct.
From his hidden underground lair, Nagato's face twisted in pain. He realized that his entire life had been a carefully orchestrated tragedy.
Why had his parents encountered Konoha ninja when he was a child, and why were his memories from that time so blurry...
He had an answer.
Why, at the age of ten, while he, Yahiko, and Konan were searching for the Sannin, did they not encounter any ninjas, and why, after Jiraiya left, did they meet that masked man claiming to be Madara, who soon after brought disaster upon them...
He had an answer.
His entire life had been arranged by Madara. He was Madara's pawn, from childhood to now, always.
So what would the end of the story be?
Would it follow Madara's envisioned conclusion, or would he break free from the story, shattering his predetermined fate?
Nagato thought of the Rinne Tensei Jutsu, a technique that reverses yin and yang to resurrect the dead.
But the cost was the life of the user…
Was this the ending Madara had planned?
Then, who was Madara now?
Pain's gaze locked onto Haneda. He remembered that both Madara and Tobi had had dealings with Haneda.
They likely knew each other!
Pain asked, "Who is Madara? Uchiha Obito?"
Haneda nodded, saying, "Yes, it's Uchiha Obito. I'm curious how you came to that conclusion."
Pain answered without hesitation, "In the childhood chapter of My Struggle, you mentioned Obito's name on almost every page. Even in the sections about the Third Shinobi War, you occasionally told his story."
"At the end of the book, there was a dedication: 'To my friends, Kakashi Hatake and Uchiha Obito.'"
"Haneda, from beginning to end, the only friends you truly acknowledged were Kakashi and Uchiha Obito. No other names were mentioned throughout the book; only he remained central to the story."
"And Madara appeared openly during the Nine-Tails attack. At that time, I heard from Kakuzu and Sasori that they didn't see you and him fight."
"Also, during the coup in Kirigakure by the Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi, Madara encountered you again, but still, no battle ensued."
"Over the years, I've repeatedly studied materials on Uchiha Madara."
"He was a battle maniac. The fact that he didn't fight in a place like Kirigakure makes the outcome obvious."
"I was always curious why Madara didn't act—was it out of fear or admiration for a younger generation? I never expected it to be like this."
Haneda said, "Nagato, now that you know the truth, I won't waste words."
"I know Obito's true plan, I know Madara's schemes, and I also know the real mastermind behind the story."
"There's another mastermind?" Pain's Rinnegan flickered with surprise.
But Haneda didn't plan to expose Black Zetsu just yet. Instead, he first explained Obito's plan:
"Obito's Eye of the Moon Plan aligns with your need to collect the Tailed Beasts to create a nation-destroying weapon. In a way, his goal is even more lofty."
"He wants to gather the Tailed Beasts, revive the Ten-Tails, become its Jinchuriki, and then cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, a technique that can plunge all of humanity into a dream through the moon."
"In this way, the shinobi world would know peace, and everyone would attain their desired happiness, including Obito."
"And Madara's objective was the same as Obito's."
"However, Madara never trusted Obito. He merely used Obito to carry out his plan."
"Obito, like you, was manipulated by Madara. He witnessed his beloved die at the hands of his friend, fell into darkness, awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, and became Madara's proxy."
"Obito followed the plan Madara had laid out. By transplanting Madara's eyes, he tried to plunge you into darkness as well."
"Perhaps out of empathy, his first attempt to recruit you was peaceful, without extreme measures."
"When you refused, he acted according to Madara's scheme, bringing you into his fold and persuading you to carry out Yahiko's will."
"In doing so, you, Obito, and Madara shared the same ideal of peace for the shinobi world."
"Collecting the Tailed Beasts then became a major obstacle."
"The five great nations were powerful, making it nearly impossible to gather the Tailed Beasts through conventional means."
"To break free from Madara's control, Obito rebuilt the Akatsuki, amassed war funds, and secretly recruited members, preparing to collect the Tailed Beasts at the right moment."
"Obito saw you as his trump card. He didn't press you as Madara would have but considered you a backup plan, only hinting at using the Rinne Tensei if absolutely necessary."
"Sounds like both Madara and Obito had their own plans, both highly driven with lofty ideals as the main antagonists, right?"
"But in the end, the antagonists are pitiful."
"Obito was Madara's pawn, and Madara was Black Zetsu's pawn."
"Black Zetsu?" Pain gasped.
"The Eye of the Moon Plan is a mistake. Black Zetsu altered the stone tablet left by the Sage of Six Paths, or perhaps the tablet itself was left by Black Zetsu."
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. The tablet is a Uchiha heirloom, legible only to those with visual prowess."
"The amount of text one can see depends on their visual strength. Madara, who rose to the same heights as the God of Shinobi, believed in the tablet at first sight."
"Influenced by Hashirama Senju, or perhaps already harboring thoughts of peace, he accepted and planned to enact the Infinite Tsukuyomi as inscribed on the tablet."
"The Eye of the Moon Plan."
"Infinite Tsukuyomi can indeed create a dream world, but that dream is Black Zetsu's scheme."
"Those trapped in the dream will ultimately die, turning into non-human creatures like White Zetsu."
"In that regard, Black Zetsu didn't deceive Madara."
"But Infinite Tsukuyomi is a jutsu to resurrect Black Zetsu's mother, Kaguya Otsutsuki, the legendary Rabbit Goddess."
"Kaguya often used humans as raw materials to create White Zetsu. In ancient times, villages had to offer a certain number of humans to Kaguya as sacrifices regularly."
"Her resurrection would bring disaster to the shinobi world."
Pain gave Haneda a deep look. In a way, Haneda was also treating him as a pawn.
But after studying My Struggle, Pain was willing.
With complex emotions, Pain asked:
"So, what is your goal?"
...