.

I must be cruel, only to be kind

.

"Excellent work, everyone." Pain's Rinnegan flickered brightly in the dark, gazing down at the assembly of S-rank missing-nin below him. None of them were truly there, of course; they were spread out far across the country, and only holograms—shadowy outlines and distorted voices—occupied the cave. "There now remains only five beasts for us to seal."

A man with blue eyes and a tall ponytail raised a finger. "I've got a question." He nodded at a figure across the cave. "Who the hell is he?"

The figure let out a squeal, his swirled mask catching the light as he tilted his head. "Oh, I'm Tobi! Nice to meet everybody!" He waved at the room. "I hope we can all be good friends!"

There was a palpable sense of disbelief in the cave as several of the figures tried not to question their leader's judgement.

Pain gave Tobi a glance, then turned to the rest of the group. "Tobi is the one who captured the Sanbi for us today. He will be joining the Akatsuki in official capacity once a new position is open."

The blue-eyed man raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "You're serious? This guy captured a tailed beast, on his own?"

Another man, this one with a giant scythe, snorted. "Whoever kicks the bucket next is really gonna fuck shit up for their partner." He shot a vicious grin at a nin with strangely red sclera and glowing green eyes. "Kakuzu, you better not fucking die on me and leave me with this dumbass."

Without turning, Kakuzu shifted his gaze to his partner, giving him a bland stare. "On the contrary, I hope you die, Hidan. Even this idiot is preferable to having you as a partner."

Hidan hissed. "You fucking—"

"Enough." Pain's words held no inflection, but Hidan immediately snapped his mouth shut, albeit with a resentful glare.

"Kakuzu. Report."

"We have arrived in the Land of Lightning, and expect to capture the Nibi within the week."

Pain inclined his head. "Good. Your next assignment will be to capture the Hachibi jinchūriki, Killer Bee. He is said to be training in Unraikyō, off the west coast of the Land of Lightning."

Kakuzu gave a nod, his image briefly flickering. "Understood." He paused, a glint in his eyes. "Killer Bee is the brother of the Raikage. I do believe there is a sizeable bounty on his head. It would be to Akatsuki's benefit to take advantage of this."

"Hm." Pain nodded in concession. "Very well. You may collect whatever bounty is available after the sealing process is complete."

Hidan gritted his teeth. "Fucking hell, another one? Kakuzu gets to collect the bounty of every fucking man in the nation and their dog, and what do I get?" The man sneered. "Jack shit, that's what. Can barely make any sacrifices anymore. Twice a week, if I'm lucky. Fuck you, Kakuzu."

Kakuzu didn't react, long since immune to his partner's complaints. "Hidan, shut up."

"Yeah, shut the hell up." The man with blue eyes spoke up again. "Honestly, your religion is barbaric. The whole lot of you 'Jashinists' are batshit crazy." He harrumphed. "I don't know how Kakuzu puts up with you. At least Sasori has some sense of art."

Hidan seethed. "Listen here, you little—"

"Quiet." Pain's voice was steel, leaving no room for argument. The cave went silent.

He turned to a man of shorter stature with glowing red eyes. "Itachi." Pain nodded at the tall, shark-like figure next to him. "Kisame. The two of you will head towards the Land of Earth. Zetsu has uncovered information about the Yonbi's whereabouts."

From the ceiling of the cave, a figure encased in plant-like appendages tilted its head. The right side, completely white, spoke up. "Ah, yes. 'Roshi', his name is. Lives in a pleasant little cottage by Seiyō Lake, thirteen miles west of Iwagakure."

It grinned, sharp teeth glinting, and suddenly its voice deepened to a guttural rasp. "This one has been with his tailed beast for over forty years. But we expect you will easily take care of him. Know that we will be watching."

The figure with red eyes, Itachi, gave a nod. "Understood." To his side, his partner nodded in acknowledgement as well.

Once again, Pain turned to survey the group of missing-nin before him, before his gaze focused on a hunched, misshapen figure, and the man with blue eyes next to him. "Sasori. Deidara. You will be headed to Suna; the Kazekage is the Ichibi's jinchūriki."

The hunched figure let out a growl, eyes narrowing. "Suna… that cursed village." His partner, Deidara, raised a lazy eyebrow at him.

"…Very well." Sasori inclined his head ever so slightly. "Another Kazekage to add to my collection. We will take the assignment."

"Good." Pain turned to the rest of the Akatsuki. "This meeting is over. We will convene again once the next beast is captured." He paused, and the violet of his Rinnegan bored into each and every member. "Work quickly."

One by one, the Akatsuki members flickered out, each returning to their respective bodies. A few seconds later, only Pain and Tobi remained.

There was a beat of silence.

"Madara." Pain nodded at the man in the swirled mask. "I apologize for the impertinence of the others; your act was… quite convincing. But the delegations ran smoothly, as planned."

In a voice that was suddenly several octaves lower, the masked man chuckled, crossing his arms. "What can I say, I enjoy putting on a little act every now and then. But let us return to business."

From behind the single eyehole of the swirled mask, dull brown melted to a bright, blood red, patterned with three spinning black spokes. It was much like—if not entirely the same as—the eyes of the young, red-eyed man earlier.

"Now then. I assume you are in your tower?"

A constant, steady rain pattered down from the skies of Amegakure. The villagers whispered that it was servant to Lord Pain himself—sensing every suspicious movement, every strange newcomer, every threatening disturbance.

But even as the skies wept, they failed to account for a single masked man, who announced his coming with nothing but a twist of the air as he materialized directly into Pain's tower.

Obito took a moment to get his bearings. Pouring rain, overcast skies, harried villagers, jagged towers, heavy smog. And the huge, monstrous face carved on the side of Pain's tower, with its metal piping and piercings and snaked tongue. He curled his lip in distaste.

The entire city was a monument to desolation.

He couldn't wait for the day Nagato outlived his usefulness, when Obito would never have to revisit this hellhole again.

And there he was. Pain was sitting on the edge of the tower's tongue, staring off into the distance. Obito stepped towards the platform, wondering if the man was once again brooding over his naïve little dreams of peace.

Fool. As if peace could be attained through more violence. Using the Bijū to rule the country by force was a ridiculous delusion that made Obito wonder just how desperate Nagato was. But he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth—Nagato was a broken man, and that suited Obito just fine.

Pain stood up at Obito's presence. "Is it wise to move the plan along so quickly?" He didn't take his gaze off the sprawling city below. "Our members are spread out across the Five Nations. Should enemies attack Ame, we would be left shorthanded."

Obito curled his lip. Not this again. "Do you doubt your own strength? Konan's? Mine?" He paused. When Pain didn't speak, he continued. "The shinobi nations will not send their armies into a peaceful city on such thin evidence as they may have. Perhaps a single infiltrator, a spy or two. There are few that could defeat us in single combat. Rest assured, as long as we three are here, Ame is infallible."

Pain turned around, expression stony. "Still, the Kyūbi jinchūriki is still on his trip with Jiraiya of the Sannin. Unlike the other jinchūriki, this one will not be easy to apprehend."

At that, Obito let out a low chuckle, crossing his arms over his chest. "Ah, do not worry yourself over Uzumaki Naruto. I will be taking care of it personally."

The rain pattered on. Pain inclined his head. "Very well, then. If I may, I have one more question for you, Madara." His eyes tightened near imperceptibly.

Behind his mask, Obito's face twisted into an anticipatory smile. "Yes?" he drawled.

Pain's eyes darkened as he pinned Obito with a heavy look. "Why do you hide behind so many false disguises and lies?"

Obito watched with amusement as Pain stepped out of the raining balcony, coming to a stop in the hallway, opposite to the masked man. "You shroud yourself in appearances and false personas, and sometimes I question that you are who you say. You have, after all, proven yourself a competent actor." Pain narrowed his eyes. "Uchiha Madara is not one to work from the shadows and let others take the glory. Uchiha Madara is not one to hide his identity. Konan and I have accepted your help because our goals seemed to align, but your actions do not befit your words."

So Pain had finally worked up the nerve to challenge Obito's claims. It had taken long enough, Obito thought derisively. He had expected this conversation to have happened much sooner.

With mock disappointment, Obito shook his head. "You don't trust me? I'm hurt." He paused, raising his head. "But if you must know—I have my reasons for my lies and anonymity, just as we all do when secrets must be kept."

Obito strolled towards the balcony, gazing at the pouring rain. "A weeping city," he remarked idly. He extended a hand, letting the droplets trickle through his gloves. "But your home nonetheless." He turned to Pain, who was watching him with an indiscernible look on his face.

"The whole world still believes Ame is under the rule of Hanzo the Salamander. Quite a pretty lie you've fabricated. But a useful one, no? One meant to protect your city. Protect your home."

Pain frowned. "You are saying that you have similar attachments to protect."

Mildly surprised, Obito bit out a sardonic laugh. "Oh, no. You misunderstand. What I mean to say is that my secrets have no bearing on the direction of our plans."

He strode back to his spot across from Pain, and leaned back against the wall. "I have no 'ulterior motive' of the likes you are suspecting, Nagato. I wish for a world without pain, without cruelty, without corruption."

Pain stared, hard and unyielding. "I find that hard to believe."

Obito exhaled a sigh. "True, I would much rather be at the forefront of our operations," he admitted. "But imagine the storm Konoha would raise should they discover that their greatest traitor is still alive and well. Imagine the hordes of shinobi, Konoha and Iwa and Suna and Kiri, that would come to our doorstep clamouring for the head of Uchiha Madara. Imagine the unnecessary precautions we would be forced to take to ensure our plan's success despite so much opposition."

Cocking his head to the side, Obito spread his arms out magnanimously. "Isn't it much more convenient, then, that I remain a figure in the shadows?"

For a moment, the air hung silent but for the soft pattering of rain. Pain regarded Obito with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Yes. Quite… convenient."

Obito smirked. "Then I trust we have no issues here."

Pain stared at him with a look that could cut steel. "No issue, so long as you are true to your words."

"Of course." Obito let a hint of affront trickle into his voice. "Our goals are shared. You would do well to remember that I have planned this course of events for nearly two decades," he said, the threat thinly veiled in his tone.

Pain inclined his head ever-so-slightly. "Very well, then." He turned to leave. "I will see you at the next sealing, Madara."

"Yes. Till next time, Nagato." Behind his mask, Obito's face was a picture of contempt.

That had been laughably easy.

Obito supposed he shouldn't have expected much from the man who had so easily trusted a masked stranger for fifteen years, all on the basis of nothing but a grand speech and a lofty promise.

Peace, through fear and pain and power.

How banal.

Men like Nagato were a dime a dozen—they all believed that they would be the chosen ones, the ones who would finally end all wars, stop all injustices. The fact that they attempted to reach this "peace" through brute force was an irony that never failed to amuse Obito.

Infinite Tsukuyomi was the only real way to achieve peace. Perhaps not true peace, but then again—that was an oxymoron in and of itself. Infinite Tsukuyomi would bring a stop to all conflict, and ensure happiness for each and every living being.

And Obito would find a way to ensure that it was him who would be the one to cast it.

Because unlike all those who had come before him, or the fool in front of him who fancied himself God, or that arrogant relic of an Uchiha who took pleasure in battle, Obito would achieve his peace without instigating a war or murdering thousands.

What was the point of saving the world if there was no one left to save?

With a whirl of his Mangekyō, Obito disappeared.

On the far edges of the Land of Fire, in the grassy clearing of a forest, a black and white creature with yellow eyes and jagged, leafy appendages waited, half-sunken into the earth.

The air was still—fresh and clear and untouched by human activity. The humanoid creature waited, resting patiently, eyes closed but senses on high alert.

The air shifted. Glowing, yellow eyes opened. The space in front of the creature began to twist, reality morphing itself until there was suddenly a man standing where there had been nothing but empty space a split-second before.

"Hello, Obito." The white half grinned, teeth sharp, before its black counterpart spoke up in low rasp. "I take it you just spoke to Nagato?"

"He finally voiced his suspicions, so that was new," Obito commented casually. "But the fool brought into every word, like the idealistic little extremist he is. Nothing out of the ordinary."

The creature hummed, its plant-like appendages shifting restlessly. "How wonderful." It paused, giving Obito an inquiring stare. "But what did you call us here for, Obito? How strange for you to make such a request, and without explanation. Curious, quite curious."

"Ah, yes. Well, let us skip the pleasantries. I will start with a question I have been wondering for quite some time." He pinned Zetsu with a hard stare.

"To what extent are you truly Madara's will?"

Zetsu stilled. Slowly, deliberately, it tilted its head to the side. "Oh?"

"Two decades is a long time. I have noticed you growing more and more… independent, with each year that passes." Obito raised an eyebrow. "You are not sentient, of course, but neither are you as dull as you once were."

Zetsu's appendages stirred. "Hmm… I suppose."

Obito continued. "And yet it has always remained abundantly clear that your ultimate desire is still the realization of the Infinite Tsukuyomi. While the implication was always that Uchiha Madara would be the one to cast the genjutsu, I feel the need to add that he is not the only one capable of such a feat."

The black half stared at Obito, golden eye bright. "And what, exactly, are you implying?"

"Uchiha Madara is dead. I am Madara." Obito spread his arms out. "I am the one who has been facilitating our project for the last two decades, while he rotted away. I know every detail, every step and counter-step of our plan, far better than he ever could."

Zetsu eyed him, a glimmer in its eyes of something calculating. "Go on."

"Why go to the effort of bringing back a dead man?" Obito spoke as though the very idea was ridiculous. "Let the dead stay dead. There are more efficient paths that can be taken, wouldn't you agree?"

"Say what you mean, Obito. You've danced around with your words long enough."

Obito tilted his head. "I will cast Infinite Tsukuyomi."

For a split second, Zetsu's face was blank.

Then its face split into a grin, sharp teeth and sharp eyes making it seem unnaturally predatory.

The white half spoke first. "An interesting proposal, Obito." Its plant-like extensions swayed to and fro. "Though we are Madara's will… we are, first and foremost, borne of the statue whose life we wish to restore. The Gedō Statue was once a part of the God Tree, you know," the white half spoke in a light tone. Its black counterpart continued. "And only through Infinite Tsukuyomi can it be nurtured back to health."

Obito smirked. His day could not be going any better. "Excellent."

He looked down with barely suppressed derision at the creature situated halfway through the soil. "Well then. I believe some adjustments to the plan are in order."

Zetsu gave a sharp, lazy grin in response, either indifferent to or unaware of Obito's contempt. "Ah… indeed."

The Kazekage was sealed first, five days after the Akatsuki's meeting. Deidara's birds had made for swift travel across the otherwise grueling desert, towards Sunagakure where their jinchūriki had been sitting like a lamb to the slaughter.

Konoha had oh-so-helpfully lent the aid of two of their teams, one of which Pain had asked Obito to take care of, what with the rest of the Akatsuki otherwise occupied. Their team leader had been Gai, and Obito had vaguely remembered him as the obnoxiously upbeat child who had beaten him in the first Chūnin Exams.

How the tables had turned.

Almost effortlessly, "Tobi" had caught three of them unawares by materializing a finger behind them and whisking them away to his Kamui dimension.

A few rapid-fire, area-wide Katons from above, and a bit of Mokuton, had made quick work of the green-clad boy and the girl, who between them didn't even know a single measly water jutsu to counter him. Obito could hardly believe that he had once lost to people like them. And even their Hyūga had eventually run out of the chakra to keep up his shields.

Gai had been distraught at the sudden disappearance of his team, and when Obito returned from his Kamui dimension, the man's body had started glowing with pure force of chakra. When Obito mentioned that his students were dead, the man blazed red.

Obito had been taken aback. Had he not immediately retreated to his Kamui dimension, he didn't think he would have survived the sheer speed and rage of attacks that followed. He had been disappointed, though, and the slightest bit rueful, when he returned to find Gai as a burnt out husk of a corpse.

Meeting with Gai had been the highlight of Obito's day, and he was interested to hear what had become of Konoha's other team. Particularly how they had managed to kill one of the Akatsuki.

He watched as Pain inclined his head towards the remaining member.

"Sasori, report."

The puppeteer raised his head, expression dark.

"The Konoha team was fast. They flew after us on a hawk made of ink, confronting us at the cave. I poisoned them, but they had antidotes." Sasori scowled. "But only three vials, leaving their fourth member, Chiyo"—Sasori spat out the name spitefully—"to die."

"Deidara forced them to leave the cave while I began the sealing. He must have led them on quite the chase, because Zetsu found his body four miles from the cave," Sasori said with dark humour.

Zetsu perked up, white half with that perpetual grin on its face. "It was strange. Deidara's body was uninjured—except for a bloody hole where his torso should have been." It licked its lips. "One of the Konoha nin must have had quite the interesting jutsu." It gave Obito a sly glance.

Sasori tilted his head. "Their leader was Kakashi of the Sharingan."

Obito stiffened. Kakashi. A name he hadn't heard in a long while, and one that instantly conjured up visions of falling rocks and trilling lightning and a dying Rin.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he had something up his sleeve," Sasori said. "Though it must have been powerful; enough to drain his chakra to the point that the three of them chose to retreat."

Kamui had always been Obito's unique hallmark, but now… He cursed his younger self for so recklessly giving away his eye.

One less Akatsuki member. He set his jaw. Only a small loss, he reassured himself. He would ensure that there would be no more complications.

The Nibi came next, two days after the Ichibi was sealed.

Throughout the entire sealing, Obito twitched in silent annoyance at the Jashinist's incessant, insufferable boasting.

He took solace in the knowledge that Hidan would almost certainly be decimated in his upcoming fight against the Hachibi jinchūriki.

Six down. Three more left.

Obito's right eye swept about the cluttered bedroom, scanning for possible traps despite the fact that Zetsu had assured him of its harmlessness. The rest of Obito's body was still in the Kamui dimension; better to be safe than sorry, no matter how small the chances of miscalculation.

But no, there was nothing in the room but meaningless clutter and soft moonlight.

Confident in the security of the perimeters, Obito directed his gaze down at the figure lying on the bed.

So this was Uzumaki Naruto.

He eyed the snoring teenager. Untidy blond hair, bright orange clothing, a slack-jawed expression.

Hardly impressive.

The only interesting features on the boy were the three whisker-shaped marks on either sides of his face—a sign of his connection, even before birth, to the Kyūbi.

Obito supposed that after two years living with a paranoid seal master, the jinchūriki had let down his guard once he had finally returned to the safety of his own village.

That had been a mistake.

Obito materialized himself fully into the room and stepped towards the boy.

As he moved, the corner of his eye caught on an old photograph resting on the boy's nightstand. Obito hesitated, gaze zeroing in on wild silver hair, a smiling sensei and beaming girl in the middle, and two glaring boys on either side, eerily reminiscent of—

He shoved the thought away and turned back to the jinchūriki, jaw clenched. This wasn't the time, nor place, for him to dwell in the past.

He placed his hand lightly on the boy's shoulder, and his eye warped them away.

Itachi's face had been even blanker than usual when he had detailed his and Kisame's capture of the Yonbi jinchūriki to Pain. Obito wondered when the boy would finally crack and decide that his role in the Akatsuki was no longer worth the trouble. For someone so loyal to his village, Itachi was committing a great number of treasons against it. Obito found it endlessly ironic.

Only one jinchūriki left. Finally, finally, the pieces of Obito's plan were falling into place. It was so immensely satisfying to watch as his dream—every step which he had so painstakingly planned—finally became reality.

A part of him felt sorry for the jinchūriki, who would never be able to experience the beauty of Infinite Tsukuyomi. But the rest of him accepted that their deaths were a necessary sacrifice for the greater good—for a better world.

Brimming with satisfaction, Obito materialized himself in Pain's tower.

"Nagato," he said, by way of greeting. He flicked his eyes towards the Deva Path's companion. "Konan."

They turned from their conversation to face him.

Konan raised an eyebrow. "What brings you here today, Madara? Surely no disruptions to our plan?"

Obito hummed. "Well, a small hiccup, perhaps. Not an unforeseen one, at the least." He leant back against the wall. "I am sure you are aware of the panic the shinobi nations are in. Iwa, Kiri, Kumo, Konoha… they have all lost their greatest assets—their jinchūriki. Suna has lost both their jinchūriki and their Kazekage. And as Kumo had already lost one jinchūriki, they took great pains in protecting the remaining one."

"The Hachibi, correct?" Pain asked. "The one that Hidan and Kakuzu have been tasked with capturing."

Behind his mask, Obito gave a morbid smile. "Had been."

There was a beat of silence. Pain's expression didn't change. "I see." He exchanged a look with Konan, who gave a nod, and then he turned back to stare at Obito. "Where is the jinchūriki now? I will take care of it."

Obito smiled again.

"Ah, I was hoping you would say that."

It only took five minutes for Nagato's bodies to convene at his tower, for Obito to transport everyone to a mountain in the backdrop of the jinchūriki's training grounds in Unraikyō, and for Konan to construct a cave of paper to serve as Nagato's base.

In another three minutes, the Six Paths of Pain located the jinchūriki, who almost immediately jumped into his transformed Tailed Beast state.

Obito watched in the background, joined a few moments later by Zetsu.

It was unfortunate that so many of the jinchūriki's attacks were chakra-based, Obito thought idly, as he watched the Preta Path absorb another ball of purple chakra and the Naraka Path's King of Hell begin to open its mouth.

In another two minutes, the battle was over.

The Gedō Statue shuddered as the last of the Hachibi's chakra was absorbed, an eighth pupil materializing on its wooden eyes.

Pain looked down at the shadowed holograms of missing-nin gathered below. "I am sure you have noticed Hidan and Kakuzu's absence."

Itachi, Kisame, and Sasori nodded, none of them particularly vocal individuals. The rest—Obito, Konan, and Zetsu—were all well aware of the truth.

"They died attempting to capture the Hachibi."

There were no looks of surprise or sadness.

"We may eventually recruit new members. For now, you are dismissed." Pain paused. "Kisame, stay behind."

The man tilted his head, this news being much more surprising. He turned to the shadowy figure next to him. "Sorry, Itachi. I'll be a minute."

Itachi nodded wordlessly, his eyes darting over to Obito one last time before his hologram dissipated into the air.

Kisame turned back towards Pain, but noting with a glance that Obito was still present as well.

"This is about Itachi, isn't it?"

Pain gave a nod. "Yes. He has been of great use to us, just as we have been to him. But we are nearing the end of our project—at this stage, he will only do more harm than good."

"…You're right. Itachi tries to hide it—and he does an excellent job of it, too—but he grows more tense with each day that passes." Kisame narrowed his eyes. "And he threw our fight against the Yonbi jinchūriki."

Obito crossed his arms. "He knows we are in the final stretch of our plan. I'm sure he has reported everything he knows to Konoha, and has likely considered leaving the Akatsuki or bringing in Konoha forces. He would have, if he knew the full implications of sealing the beasts. And he almost certainly will, once we send out the alert to seal the Kyūbi jinchūriki."

Pain gave Kisame a focused stare. "Itachi will not take part in the final sealing, lest he choose to interfere. Four hours from now, ensure you are somewhere alone. Zetsu will come and transport you somewhere secure."

"Ah. I see." Kisame nodded at Pain. "Of course, then."

Pain inclined his head. "That is all. You may return."

Kisame gave one last nod before his image flickered away, leaving only Pain and Obito in the cavern.

Pain stared at Obito. "Sometimes I wonder what you told him to garner such loyalty."

The corner of Obito's mouth lifted into a slight smirk. "Oh, Kisame is simply very appreciative of our plans." Obito's plans. "But it is time we start our preparations. I assume that you, and the rest of your bodies, are waiting in the tower?"

"Yes, as are the seals."

"Then I will transport you to the new sealing location." Obito gave a pause. "And ignore the jinchūriki—I will take care of the fox."

Pain gave a short nod.

"Well then—with that settled, let us begin."

When Obito returned to his Kamui dimension an hour later, it was to the sight of Uzumaki Naruto awake and angry.

Obito raised an eyebrow. He had been certain the seals should have been enough to keep the boy in a coma for at least five days—it had only been four. But no matter; the boy was weak, disoriented, and had been drugged with Sasori's best paralysis poisons as a failsafe.

Despite being so heavily drugged, and with his chakra nearly completely suppressed with seals, Naruto immediately snapped his head over upon Obito's arrival, a look of absolute fury on his face.

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto gritted out, beads of sweat running down his forehead. "What'd you do to me?" He tried to pull himself to his feet, but his legs collapsed under him, and he fell to his knees with a curse.

"Jinchūriki, the fact that you can still move is incredible." Obito scowled. Jinchūriki and their impossible metabolisms. "Twice the dosage, and yet you are still conscious."

Naruto clenched his fists. "'Jinchūriki?' I knew it. You're part of the Akatsuki." He snarled. "You're the ones who killed Gaara!"

Obito tilted his head. "The Ichibi jinchūriki? I am sorry if he was a friend of yours, but his death was a necessary sacrifice. As yours will be, in order to achieve true peace." He stepped forward, one hand outstretched to transport the jinchūriki.

"Peace? What the hell are you talking about?!"

Obito paused. Well. He supposed it couldn't hurt to at least tell the boy what he was dying for.

"This world is miserable," he began. "Corrupted. In this reality, there is only pain, and suffering, and death." Obito spread his arms out, and his eyes hardened. "With the power of the ten tailed beasts, I will create a genjutsu so massive as to encompass the entire world—Infinite Tsukuyomi, where each person will have their deepest desires granted to them."

"…You think you'll have happiness in an imaginary genjutsu? And you're forcing it on everyone else?" Naruto gritted his teeth, struggling and failing to stand up again. He slammed a fist into the ground with a growl.

Obito sighed, not surprised that the boy hadn't been placated by his answer at all. "I wouldn't expect you to understand… what would you know of true pain?" he asked in contempt.

"I know plenty." Naruto glared, wiping the sweat off his brow with a shaking hand. "And I know that you overcome pain through friends and bonds, not some kind of twisted genjutsu!"

"Friends? Bonds?" Obito curled his lip. "How naïve. Until you have truly loved and lost, you cannot hope to understand why I must do what I am doing."

"Maybe I'm naïve, but at least I don't run away like a coward. At least I don't abandon my comrades!" The jinchūriki's eyes burned with furious conviction. "People like you—people who give up hope, and abandon their comrades—are worse than trash!"

Obito stiffened. "Who told you that?" he hissed. Then his eyes darkened, realizing that there was really only one other person who could possibly know those words. "Ah—your sensei, was it? How cute of him to remember. Pathetic that he should still live by the words of an ignorant child."

Naruto bared his teeth. "I don't know how you know Kakashi-sensei, but I know his words are true. And I won't let you take the Kyūbi for your Infinite Tsuku-whatever!"

Stifling, malicious chakra erupted into the air, and Naruto's eyes turned a glowing red.

Obito clenched his jaw, eyes darting to the chakra suppression seals on the jinchūriki's skin that were rapidly disintegrating under a burning haze of red chakra, seals that should have worked according to Uchiha Madara himself.

Fortunately, seal work was not the only skill Madara had shared with him.

His eye spun, the three standard tomoe morphing into the three jagged spokes of the Mangekyō. The jinchūriki's eyes widened as he stared back like an idiot, and then everything faded away.

Obito found himself in an almost familiar damp, dark cavern. Did all jinchūriki have such bleak mindscapes? He eyed the colossal gates and the huge, glowing red eyes behind it.

"Kyūbi. Did you miss me?"

The beast growled, slamming its claws against the gates with a force that shook the ground. "You thrice-damned Uchihas…"

Naruto stood off to the side, mouth agape. "How the hell are you here?" His eyes narrowed. "Never mind—you're in my mind, so I can pummel you into the ground, you bastard!"

The boy grinned, raised his arms to form a seal, and froze.

"What—what the hell? Why can't I move?"

Obito raised an eyebrow. "Now I see why this mindscape of yours is so barren, asides from the beast. Intelligence is not your strong suit, is it?" He ignored Naruto's growls. "You—and by extension, the Kyūbi—are under my genjutsu."

The fox snarled at him. "Uchiha… this chakra… no, I am certain of it. You are not Uchiha Madara. Who are you?"

Obito gazed back without a flinch. "I am this world's salvation. And I have humoured you and your jinchūriki for long enough." He shot Naruto a derisive glance. "In fact, you should be grateful I will be removing you from your idiot of a jinchūriki, fox."

The walls shuddered as the fox gave a livid growl. "I will slaughter you, Uchiha! I'll rip you to shreds and feast on your—"

Obito raised a finger to his lips. His eye flashed. The Kyūbi hissed, subdued but furious, and suddenly the air was drenched in venomous chakra that made even Obito tense up.

"That is enough. Sleep—and do not wake."

The fox's face went slack, and it crashed to the ground, unconscious.

Naruto cried out in alarm. "What the hell did you do?!"

Obito turned towards the jinchūriki. "Nothing you need to worry about—your beast will not be breaking you out of any genjutsus anytime soon, that is all."

Before the jinchūriki could reply, Obito exited the mindscape.

Back in the Kamui dimension, he glanced down at the jinchūriki. Naruto was panting, sweat rolling down his face. But his expression was blank, and his eyes glassy and unfocused.

Perfect.

The boy had distracted Obito for longer than he had anticipated, but things were still going nicely according to plan. He stepped forward, crouched down, and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Time to go.

Pain stared as Obito tossed the jinchūriki's body at the base of the Gedo Statue. "It took you five minutes to retrieve the jinchūriki."

"Just a little talk." Obito glanced at Pain. "I hope that didn't inconvenience you too much, Nagato," he said sardonically.

From beside Pain, Konan narrowed her eyes. "Nagato and I have long since completed the seal work. I do not know why you insisted on waiting until night to begin the final sealing, but we dislike having to wait."

"You have already waited five hours. Five more minutes is hardly much more time to wait. And having sealed over half of the tailed beasts in less than two fortnights—I think a short reprieve is appropriate." Obito glanced down at the jinchūriki. "After all, with only six members, sealing the Kyūbi will likely take five days."

"Then we will begin immediately." Pain formed a seal. "Assemble."

Two indistinct holograms appeared on the outstretched fingers of the Gedō Statue, and Zetsu melted into being from out of the ground.

Sasori surveyed the new location with a dissecting gaze. "Itachi is not here." He turned to stare at Pain. "So he was an agent of Konoha, after all."

Pain gave a nod, and Sasori scoffed. "I had my suspicions, but these measures seem extreme." He eyed the inked seals that ran across the perimeter of the cave. "Cloaking, deflection, tracking,shielding, and blockading seals."

"Caution is never too extreme." Pain formed a one-handed seal and closed his eyes.

"Begin."

On the fifth night, the sealing was complete. Obito opened his eyes, tired but satisfied, watching as the last tendrils of blue-white chakra were absorbed into the mouth of the Gedō Statue.

A heartbeat of silence passed. The ninth and final eye grated to an open.

And then the statue began to rumble.

The cave shook, loose chunks of rock hailing down and the stone walls shaking. The statue began to shift, stretching and morphing and growing, coming to life before their eyes. Pain, Konan, and Obito jumped down from the shuddering statue to the mouth of the cave.

The statue opened its mouth, and roared.

Kisame was silent, his hologram still and unblinking as he watched the statue—beast—being revived. But Sasori hissed, whipping his scorpion tail out despite only being a hologram.

"What is the meaning of this? Pain, you made no mention of a tenth beast."

"Do not concern yourself with it. I will deal with the final beast." Pain paused. "Thank you for your aid," he acknowledged.

Sasori growled. "Bastard, you haven't—"

With his left hand, Pain formed a seal, and the figures of Kisame and Sasori dispersed into the air.

Pain stared up at the shifting beast in front of him, his eyes glinting. "So this is the Jūbi," he murmured to himself.

Not bothering to pay attention to Pain and Konan's reactions, and not particularly caring, Obito scanned the cave for Zetsu. He gritted his teeth. Time was of the essence. Where the hell was the creature?

Obito tensed, feeling a thick, slimy presence on his arm. He glanced down, and two glowing yellow eyes stared back at him from the inside of his sleeve.

"Well, Obito? You wanted to be the one to do it, didn't you?"

Of course he did.

Obito would become the Jūbi jinchūriki, and no one else.

A split second later, he was in Konan's paper tower, standing in front of Nagato's pathetically emancipated body.

"Nagato."

Nagato frowned, suspicion darkening his features. "…Obito. Why are you here?"

"To take your eyes."

Nagato's eyes widened. Before he could do anything, a pitch-black shadow spread across his left side, immobilizing him even more than before.

With a grin, Obito grabbed the base of his mask and ripped it off, tossing it aside.

He breathed. "Finally."

Nagato stared at him in furious shock, skin somehow turning even paler. "You… You aren't Madara… What have you done?" His right eye darted to the left. "And you, too, Zetsu?"

Obito strode towards Nagato.

Paper began to peel off the walls, sharpening into points and shooting towards Obito, but they passed through him harmlessly.

He heard the flap of wings and Konan's voice, crying out from somewhere outside. He felt, rather than saw, the Deva Path's shout of Shinra Tensei as the paper floor caved in under his feet.

Obito slapped a hand on Nagato's wrist, teleporting them away just as the tower collapsed into the wind.

"All this time… I knew it. That you had an ulterior motive." Nagato shut his eyes. "I was a fool to trust you."

Obito's face twisted into a grin. "Ah, Nagato… you were too easy to exploit. But I did not lie when I said I wanted to create a better world—it will simply be a different one than from what you had envisioned."

He reached behind Nagato, ripped a long, metal chakra rod from off his throne, and shoved it through Nagato's chest.

"I only regret that you will not be around to see it."

Nagato choked. Blood filled his mouth and trickled down the corners of his lips.

Without pausing, Obito took off his gloves and let them fall to the ground. Placing one hand on Nagato's forehead for stabilization, he used his other hand to carefully cup Nagato's eyeball and rip it out in one swift motion, then did the same for the other eye.

He pulled a summoning scroll out from inside his robes and retrieved a glass jar filled with preservatives, plopping the right eye inside the jar.

Grimacing, Obito reached up to his own left eye—a stranger's eye, one he had implanted years ago—and pulled it out, hissing at the acute, piercing pain. He placed it into the jar as well.

Zetsu watched him with interest. "Oh? A failsafe?"

"Izanagi," he gritted out through the burning sting. "I had it implanted in case of unexpected betrayals or unforeseen developments." Obito waved a bloody, dismissive hand. "No longer needed, of course, now that my plan is so close to completion."

"…Of course. No longer needed."

Gently, Obito pushed the remaining Rinnegan into his left eye socket until he felt it pop in with a squelch. He closed his eyes for a few moments, letting the Hashirama cells in his body mend the muscles and optic nerves for him.

Obito opened his eyes—

—And grinned.

His vision was a thousand times clearer, and his chakra coils were practically vibrating with sudden, fresh potential for a dozen new techniques.

He held out a hand. Black Zetsu slithered off of Nagato's dead body and into Obito's sleeve.

"Let's go, Zetsu."

As he activated Kamui once more, Obito requested only one criteria in his mind: that their destination be somewhere far, far away; a place far, safe, and isolated.

He found himself in a huge, grassy plain—still night time, thankfully, with the moon shining bright overhead—with rolling fields for miles upon miles, and in the distance, hilly mountains cloaked in mist. Obito was almost certain that these were the Wild Lands of the far east, lands still unexplored where no men, nor shinobi, had ever ventured before.

In other words, it was perfect for completing the final stretch of his plan.

He wiped some blood from a paper cut on his cheek that had landed when he had been teleporting away from Konan's tower, and slammed his hand into the ground.

"Kuchiyose: Jūbi!"

The ground rumbled, and a colossal fist erupted from beneath the earth. An arm followed, and another, until the Jūbi itself was heaving its body out of the ground.

Obito leapt back a safe distance, then raised his arm to glance down at Zetsu. "I still have Madara's seal," he hissed. "Stab me through the heart."

"Ah, yes. You do not mind if I possess your body for a while, do you?"

Obito grimaced, not particularly enjoying the idea of something taking control of his body… but it was only Zetsu. "Do what you have to do."

A strange, heavy sensation overcame the right side of Obito's body as Black Zetsu spread across his skin, paralyzing Obito's limbs as it did so. With little pomp or ceremony, it made a fist with Obito's right hand and slammed it through his heart.

Sheer agony exploded in Obito's chest, and he gasped, taking shuddering, choking breaths. Black Zetsu slid off of Obito's body, letting Obito fall to his knees. Hands shaking, Obito brought them together in a seal.

Then he screamed.

The Jūbi roared, suddenly halting its rampage. Its body contorted, twisting and spiralling into itself, almost like Kamui—and then it shot towards Obito, its distorted form sucked into Obito's stomach.

Chakra instantly flooded every cell of Obito's body, a barrage of sheer energy that was piercing and suffocating and exhilarating. His chakra coils felt like they would explode, much too meagre for the utter deluge of chakra coursing through his system—but at the same time, he could feel them growing stronger, expanding, shifting into something new and alien along with the rest of his body.

It felt like an eternity before the Jūbi was finally absorbed. Obito could feel it—a massive, raging entity at the edge of his consciousness, wild and mindless and scarcely contained.

He looked down at himself.

Rough, grey skin, scaly in places that had once held scars, jagged protrusions on the back of his shoulders and waist. A unassuming black orb floating behind each of his hands—yet Obito knew instinctively that they were dangerous and powerful beyond measure. He rose up into the air and gazed around at the empty plains.

A shame, that there was no one around to witness his success.

Obito flexed his fingers, watching the black orbs morph and distort, feeling the buzzing of power in his veins.

He could annihilate an army like this.

"Not so hasty, Obito." Zetsu watched him from between the tall grass. "You are not in your complete form. Controlling a tailed beast requires strong bonds, firm convictions—and you are lacking."

What?

Obito turned around. His brows furrowed. The Jūbi raged at the back of his mind.

His body exploded.

Black.

Obito was floating, floating in an endless chasm of black. He squinted at the void, searching for a sign of something, anything—but no. Nothing. It was as though his Sharingan and Rinnegan were as useless as ordinary eyes.

Was that—Obito narrowed his eyes. Something was there—something small, flimsy, thin and rectangular—

—A photograph?

It was his team.

Obito grimaced. No. It was his old team.

The photograph grew, until suddenly it was looming in front of him, occupying every inch of his vision. Minato, Kakashi, Rin—and Obito noted that his own face in the image had been ripped out.

Good. He didn't need to be reminded of his old life, and his past self. He had a new goal—not something as childish as to become Hokage, but to be the savior of the world.

Minato, Kakashi—Obito hesitated—even Rin; his old connections would only hinder him. Hinder his… hinder his resolve.

Black Zetsu was wrong. Obito's convictions were far stronger without petty bonds to hold him back. He didn't need Kakashi, didn't need Minato.

The photograph ripped.

Obito's body ripped.

He screamed.

Burning, excruciating pain raced along every nerve in his body, the pain a hundred times worse than when he had sealed the Jūbi into his body, a thousand times worse than when he had been crushed under stone.

As the Jūbi wrenched his arms from off his shoulders and ripped his torso in half, all he could do was close his eyes and scream in agony.

The Jūbi stopped. Obito opened his eyes, panting, staring at the photograph that now consisted only of one face. Her.

Rin.

He… he didn't…

Her image tore into two, and Obito's face ripped in half.

Somehow, little logistic details like having his mouth and larynx ripped to shreds didn't seem to hinder his ability to scream.

And then—barely audible, half-obscured under all of Obito's screams—a small voice floated in the darkness.

It's not good to hide your wounds, you know. I'm looking after you.

Obito gasped, taking heaving breaths.

She… she was watching him.

Rin was watching him.

Do you best, Obito!

…No, she had always been watching him, hadn't she?

Let me see how you save the world!

That was right. Obito would save the world, and she would be watching him.

Of course. How could Obito have ever thought otherwise?

…Behind all the corruption and injustice and violence of the shinobi systems that had led to millions of dead bodies and broken souls, there had really only ever been one, single girl, killed by the villages and tossed aside without a second thought, forgotten amidst the haze of war.

All this… all this killing, the sealing of the beasts, letting their jinchūriki die… it was for peace, for a better world—for Rin. He would save the world, in her memory.

It's a promise!

With a scrape, the photograph stitched itself back together.

Obito screamed—this time with determination, as he willed his body to become whole again, willed his arms to reconnect to his shoulders, his abdomen to reattach, his eyes and nose and mouth to stitch into a face again.

He panted, heart still racing at a dangerously high speed even as his body was whole once more.

He opened his eyes.

The jagged spikes on his lower back had grown to resemble a robe, the two black orbs now five times as many, and in his right hand was a long, black staff with a hoop at the tip.

But most of all, Obito no longer felt the pounding presence of the Jūbi in the back of his mind.

A slow, half-crazed smile spread across his face. Finally, finally, he was the Jūbi jinchūriki—and now he had the power to cast Infinite Tsukuyomi and save the world.

Rin's words rang through his mind, and Obito smiled in the knowledge that she was watching him, encouraging him.

He slammed his palms together in the seal to expel the Jūbi from his body and form the God Tree.

The earth rumbled, and a massive beast with one eye rose out of the ground. Out of its back grew a huge stalk that shot up into the sky, twisting as it rose, a closed bud at the very tip.

Zetsu slithered up Obito's staff, its eyes as pleased as Obito had ever seen them. "At last…" it breathed. "Go on, Obito. Let the flower bloom."

Obito floated up next to the base of the God Tree, and formed the final, final series of hand seals that he had learned and memorized so long ago. Gritting his teeth, he pressed his hands to the stalk of the tree and poured in every last drop of chakra he could, feeling the chakra surge through his body, his skin glowing green with the sheer volume of energy.

And then the tree shook.

Obito gazed upwards, noting with a grin of anticipation that slowly but surely, petal by petal, the flower's bud was unfurling.

The soft, white glow of moonlight on Obito's skin turned a harsh, deep red.

He looked up, and on the surface of the blood red moon were nine distinctive, black tomoe.

"Rin…" Obito gave a breathless, elated laugh, his eyes blazing with triumph. "Are you watching? I did it."

"Tsunade-sama! Code zero! The moon, it's turned—"

"Tsunade-sama, some kind of wood style—"

"I know, dammit. All of you, get the hell out of my way."

"Kankurō. Kankurō, wake up!"

"Ugh… what the hell, Temari?"

"Oh, thank the gods, for a second I thought—"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down! What's wrong? Why do I hear—"

"Listen to me. Don't go into the moonlight, it'll turn your eyes—"

"…Temari? …What's wrong with your eyes?"

"…"

"Temari?! Temari! Tem—"

"I'm sorry. But I couldn't live in a world of lies any longer."

"…I understand, Kisame."

"You are a good person, Itachi. I can think of few that are as loyal as you. I thought you deserved the truth, at the very least."

"Ironic, that as soon as I end this Tsukuyomi, another one shall take its place."

"…You can finally be with your family again. Does that not make you glad?"

"…I will have no choice but to be."

Obito gazed out at the world below, his face flushed with victory.

Two decades of planning, of creating contingency plans, of creating contingency plans for those contingency plans, of planting careful seeds in the ears of Kages and rebels and shinobi alike, of killing innocents and committing crimes—all for this moment.

Infinite Tsukuyomi was finally complete.

He glanced at Zetsu, who was resting peacefully in the nook of Obito's staff, and very possibly the only other sentient being left in the land besides himself. He hadn't been all too surprised to find that the artificial being had not been affected by Infinite Tsukuyomi, strangely devoid as it was of a chakra network.

Zetsu had been surprisingly helpful, and Obito was grateful for an ally whose motives were clear and whose intelligence was limited—someone he could let his guard down around.

"Perhaps I will pay a little visit to the Shinobi Nations, to observe the fruits of my labour." Obito looked up at the blood red moon, a eager gaze in his eyes. "Before I place myself under this genjutsu as well."

At long last, he would be able to see Rin again.

He smiled.

Even if it was a genjutsu, it was one that covered every sense and every detail. In Obito's Infinite Tsukuyomi, she would seem—no, be—alive, and whole, and real.

For Obito, that was more than enough.

Even Kakashi, and Minato… perhaps Obito could finally let himself return to those younger, more innocent days. His greatest dream—to cast Infinite Tsukuyomi—had been realized, and there was so much else that he could now spend his time on. His mouth quirked up. Maybe he could even return to that old dream of his. Hokage.

After all, it would be a perfect, flawless world. In his world, the job of Hokage would not be to wage war or deploy child soldiers or endorse murder. He would keep all the best qualities, and none of the bad.

Obito would be finally, truly happy.

He let out a soft, exuberant laugh, closing his eyes as he let his shoulders relax and muscles loosen.

Then his body froze.

That oh-so-familiar sensation of heavy slime spread across his limbs, as the feeling of a second, thick, black coating sunk into his skin and paralyzed his muscles.

No.

No.

For the second time that night, Obito could do nothing but watch with horror as his own fist punched a hole through his heart.

He choked, staring down at the hand through his chest, eyes wide with helpless fury—fury at himself, because why didn't he see this coming—and fury at it, because it had betrayed him—

"Black Zetsu… you…" Obito gritted his teeth, even as blood trickled out the corners of his mouth.

For the first time that Obito could recall hearing, Black Zetsu laughed, the sound low and rasping and sickening. "Did you really think, Obito, that you alone were capable of manipulating those around you?"

It ripped Obito's arm out of his chest and formed a one-handed seal. For a split second, nothing happened—

—Then the God Tree erupted with chakra, all of it shooting towards and coalescing into a singular point.

Obito.

"The control you gained over the Jūbi was impressive… but I'm afraid even you cannot handle the chakra of all living things, Obito."

And Obito's body exploded with an overwhelming flood of the Jūbi's chakra. But this time, the Jūbi's consciousness was no longer an indistinct haze. Rather, it was whole, solid—that of another being.

Obito's stomach twisted. No, no, no, he had been so close, so, so, so close, seconds away, his perfect world of peace at his fingertips—

The vile, foreign consciousness seized control of his mind and shattered it into a thousand shards.

Obito's face contorted into a scream of silent agony.

A smooth, cold hand caressed his face in the darkness. Soft tendrils of hair brushed against his skin.

At last, her voice breathed into his mind. Home.

.

—thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.

.