Chapter 409: The Akatsuki Invade the Five Kage Summit
Haneda, observing from the shadows, couldn't help but smirk when he heard the Raikage proclaim, "The advantage is mine."
He distinctly remembered the Fourth Raikage saying the exact same thing during the post-Third Ninja War skirmishes at the Hochi Mountain Range—right before being utterly crushed by Haneda himself.
Is "the advantage is mine" just a pure debuff for him? Haneda mused, but dismissed it as irrelevant.
After merging with the Tenseigan, the outcome of this war was already determined. His focus wasn't on the Raikage or his posturing.
At that moment, Haneda sensed something and smiled faintly. The real show was about to begin.
---
At the center of the Five Kage Summit, tension suddenly spiked.
The white curtain concealing the rear guards was abruptly pulled away, revealing ten figures clad in black cloaks adorned with red clouds, standing atop the surrounding railings.
Zero: The leader, Pain. His expressionless face and light purple Rinnegan radiated an unshakable divine presence.
Blue: Kisame Hoshigaki. His shark-like features and unrestrained bloodlust sent chills down spines.
White: Konan. With her pale blue-purple hair styled in buns and a blue paper flower adorning her head, she appeared angelic, her paper wings fluttering gracefully behind her.
Vermilion: Hiruko. His pale skin and small stature exuded a sickly, maniacal aura.
Black: Zetsu. Not human, but the ultimate expendable resource.
Sky: Orochimaru. One of the legendary Sannin, his mere presence commanded caution and fear.
South: Jūzō Biwa. The weakest of the Akatsuki, his survival thus far was nothing short of miraculous.
North: Kakuzu. A money-obsessed financial master who still didn't know someone had stolen his stash.
Three: Hidan. A devout cultist with an unsettling normalcy, offset only by the massive scythe slung over his shoulder.
Jade: Sasori. Having served his time working on the moon, he was released by Haneda to continue "working" on Earth.
The ten Akatsuki members appeared with a commanding presence, plunging the already tense Five Kage Summit into utter chaos.
The Fourth Raikage, the Fourth Tsuchikage, the Fourth Kazekage, and the Fifth Mizukage—along with their respective guards—stood ready, facing off against the Akatsuki.
---
The sound of footsteps echoed through the hall, steady and deliberate, drawing everyone's attention.
A figure clad in the same black-and-red cloak appeared, wearing a white mask that completely obscured his face, save for a single blood-red Sharingan visible through the mask's eyehole.
This individual walked unhurriedly to the center of the Five Kage Summit.
The Raikage wasted no time, lunging forward and swinging a lightning-enhanced punch, but his attack passed harmlessly through the man, hitting nothing but air.
By the time the masked figure reappeared, he was standing atop the Akatsuki's platform, on equal footing with Pain.
Suddenly, a White Zetsu emerged from the floor of the hall.
"Hello~!"
"Allow me to formally introduce myself and the great organization I belong to—the Akatsuki!"
"Idiot!!"
Before Zetsu could continue, the Fourth Raikage activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode and grabbed Zetsu by the neck, snapping it effortlessly.
"You're too impulsive, Raikage," Mei Terumī said with a chuckle.
The Fourth Raikage snorted, "The enemy is already here—what's the point of pretending anymore? Hmph!"
His gaze locked onto the Akatsuki, especially the masked figure standing at the same level as Pain.
That man stood out too much. His mask, his Sharingan, and his demeanor—all of it pointed to one thing.
He was from the Uchiha clan.
He might even be Uchiha Haneda himself!
Of course, the man in the white mask wasn't Haneda—it was Uchiha Obito.
Scanning the room, Obito spoke in a deep voice: "My name… is Uchiha Madara."
"Uchiha Madara?!"
The declaration left everyone except the Konoha representatives in shock.
Uchiha Madara was a legendary name, one associated with power and infamy. He was rumored to have died long ago. Yet here he was, alive and standing before them.
The Tsuchikage, Han, broke the silence: "As far as I know, Uchiha Madara died in the Valley of the End, defeated by the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. You're just a pretender using his name."
Obito glanced at Shisui, who calmly said, "Uchiha Madara did survive. Konoha's archives contain no records of his body."
Hearing this, Obito smirked. "Whether or not I'm truly Madara is irrelevant. I'm here for one reason—to inform you of the Moon's Eye Plan."
He continued: "In the foolish war you've declared, I will collect all the tailed beasts, from the One-Tails to the Nine-Tails, and revive the Ten-Tails, the ultimate being of chakra.
"Once revived, I will cast its eye onto the moon, creating a genjutsu that will encompass the entire world: the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
"In this genjutsu, I will unify everyone's minds, eliminating all barriers and conflicts to create a new world.
"A world with no division, no disputes.
"A world that fulfills all human desires.
"A world of eternal peace.
"This is the Moon's Eye Plan."
The Raikage, ever defiant, glared at Obito. "Are you kidding me?! A warmonger like you is going to create peace?!"
Obito's tone turned cold. "And what about you? Aren't you the ones declaring war and destroying the fragile peace Uchiha Haneda worked so hard to create?"
Han scoffed, "A false peace is nothing more than a lie. If it were real, why not drown yourself in alcohol or live in a self-imposed genjutsu for the rest of your life?"
Obito replied, "Most people don't have the right to choose. Would you, as leaders, allow ordinary ninjas to live in a dream world, free from serving your villages? No, because you're selfish.
"But I will treat everyone equally and fairly. If everyone lives in a dream world, why shouldn't a perfect dream world be considered reality?"
Mei Terumī countered, "What meaning does a world like that have? Without dreams, it's just an escape. You're running from reality, and not everyone in this world is a coward like you. We face reality head-on."
Hearing the word "escape," Obito's expression shifted slightly but quickly returned to calm.
He retorted, "Your so-called reality involves invading other nations, killing their people, and stealing their wealth in the name of peace. What meaning does that reality have?
"Since you've already chosen war over peaceful resolution, there's nothing more to say."
With a pause, he declared:
"I hereby announce the start of the Fourth Great Ninja War!"