To be honest, constantly putting on an act is quite tiring.
Since everyone has made the decision, it definitely won't be changed easily.
Both Uehara Naraku and Black Zetsu actually felt relieved inside; they were truly fed up with this kind of thing!
Both of them secretly made a resolution in their hearts that when their respective plans succeed in the future, they must witness each other's reaction upon knowing the truth, must see how surprised each other will be when they learn the truth!
At that time, they would surely find themselves doubly pleased.
After all, if a mastermind successfully completes a plan through performance and doesn't share the joy of success with their enemy, can they be considered a proper mastermind?
A true mastermind will learn to rise above the petty pleasure of scheming against others, sharing the success experience is the mark of a noble-minded mastermind.
Uehara Naraku rubbed his temples and looked at Black Zetsu, speaking softly: "Now the most important thing for us is to gather intelligence on Orochimaru, Yakushi Kabuto, and Uchiha Obito, and take back everything they took from us!"
After seeing Black Zetsu nod, Uehara Naraku continued to add: "I've reached some tentative agreements with Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage of Konoha, about sharing intelligence concerning them..."
"Not bad."
Black Zetsu nodded, praising in a hoarse voice: "I really didn't expect that after all this circling around, we're back to the starting point, still able to use Konoha to gather intelligence and help us strike against Uchiha Obito..."
"No, perhaps it's even better than before."
Uehara Naraku curled his lips into a smile and continued: "That Hokage intends to contact all the Kage of the major Ninja Villages, and invites me to attend the Five Kage Summit, to resolve our past grievances, and to jointly strike against Orochimaru and Uchiha Obito."
"..."
Black Zetsu was silent for a moment, then suddenly grinned sinisterly: "But the leaders of these major Ninja Villages will never realize that, Uehara, you just want to use them to regain control of the Eye of the Moon Plan."
"Exactly."
Uehara Naraku gazed at the sky, sighing softly: "I once thought of truly resolving our vendetta with them, but alas, fate had other plans. Just as the elder Zetsu said, those weak ones standing in the valley cannot comprehend us standing on the mountain."
"Haha, the position you're standing in is beyond just a mountain..."
Black Zetsu's mouth formed a somewhat malicious grin, speaking with insinuation: "We have transcended the limits of this world; we should be standing on the moon, overlooking this sickly Ninja World..."
"..."
Uehara Naraku was a bit speechless.
This Black Zetsu is really too arrogant!
Isn't this just hinting at Otsutsuki Kaguya?
Black Zetsu secretly using the moon as a metaphor for Otsutsuki Kaguya must be quite satisfying for him! He probably thinks I don't know anything!
But Uehara Naraku's role now really is ignorant of everything, thus he shook his head and sighed: "No matter how high we may stand, we are ultimately only enjoying the legacy of our predecessors; we are not great, only because we inherited the dreams of those great ones."
"Well said."
To be honest, Black Zetsu couldn't help but want to applaud.
Uehara Naraku's words express the sentiment that's perfectly in line with Black Zetsu's perception of Uehara Naraku!
What a good kid...
Finally, he's completely indoctrinated!
Black Zetsu looked at Uehara Naraku and nodded: "Alright, then next I'll continue to try to investigate their intelligence..."
"Good, I'll leave the intelligence matters to Elder Zetsu."
After Uehara Naraku nodded, he spoke seriously: "Once we've identified their locations, I will personally lead the Akatsuki to hunt them down! Last time, Yakushi Kabuto took the Gedo Statue while I was away, and I won't let him off next time!"
"Hmm."
Black Zetsu nodded and slowly sank into the ground.
Watching Black Zetsu depart, Uehara Naraku couldn't help but smile slightly, lowering his head to sigh and shaking his head: "Ah, indeed... We've said so much to each other, was there even a single word of truth?"
Just as Uehara Naraku stood in place pondering, paper butterflies fluttered around him, gathering into the form of Konan.
Konan looked up at Uehara Naraku with a hint of worry on her face: "Naraku, Zetsu has already left, why are you still standing here? Did something happen, didn't the conversation go well?"
"No, the conversation went very well."
Uehara Naraku shook his head, placing his fingers on Konan's forehead, smoothing out the slight furrow in her brow, softly comforting her emotions.
"After talking with Elder Zetsu, I can confirm he's not a spy of Uchiha Obito, and he'll continue to help us gather intelligence on Uchiha Obito."
"That's good."
Konan finally sighed in relief.
Now Uehara Naraku seemed to have stabilized the situation after Nagato's passing, calming down the Akatsuki, and temporarily stabilizing the Hidden Rain Village, now even pacifying Black Zetsu from the Eye of the Moon Plan team.
The only problem perhaps remains Konan's emotions.
Since Uehara Naraku became the last companion keeping each other company, Konan has liked being by his side, and Uehara Naraku can only let her be.
Uehara Naraku also secretly urged Yakushi Kabuto to speed up, quickly dealing with Orochimaru's body.
During this time, the Ninja World has not been calm.
The news that the Akatsuki base is located in the Land of Rain quickly spread throughout the Ninja World, and the Hidden Rock Village and Hidden Cloud Village have been simmering with anger wanting to settle scores!
If not for the news of Yakushi Kabuto and Uchiha Obito taking away all the Akatsuki's Tailed Beasts being spread throughout the Ninja World, plus Tsunade sending word that the Five Kage Summit will resolve the matters of the Hidden Rain Village; otherwise, these two villages might have already invaded the Land of Rain!
If that were to happen, they might have perished...
After all, spreading along with the news about the Akatsuki, was Uehara Naraku wreaking havoc in the Battle of Konoha, defeating the Reanimation's Second Hokage, Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, Fourth Kazekage, and Fourth Hokage single-handedly!
This news is nothing short of astounding!
In the turbulent situation of the Ninja World, the soon-to-be leader of the Hidden Rain Village, Uehara Naraku, received a few titles, which somehow allowed the Ninja Villages of the great countries to save face.
Of course, these titles are not just the new generation Ninja Demigod, since this title alone cannot be used by the great country Ninja Villages as a cover for their shame.
Uehara Naraku felt a bit embarrassed.
The Hidden Rain Village.
Atop the tower.
Uehara Naraku and Konan sat here.
Uehara grasped a scroll in his hand, his eyes fixated on it, and his face turned dark as if it could drip water: "What kind of ridiculous titles are these?!"
"Let me have a look."
Konan's expression softened a bit as she gently took the scroll from Uehara Naraku's hand and murmured: "Ender of the Old Era, is this title because Naraku defeated those who were reanimated?"
"Perhaps so..."
Uehara Naraku slowly lay down on the tower, with his palm supporting the back of his head, looking up at the sky, and said in a low voice: "This one seems somewhat normal..."
"Indeed."
Konan nodded slightly, her brow furrowing slightly as she continued softly: "The First Amekage, this must be what Hanzo of the Salamander has been dreaming of!"
"Probably just shouted out by those ninjas from small countries!"
Uehara Naraku gazed at the clouds in the sky, casually explaining: "The foundation of the Hidden Rain Village is too weak. The Five Great Countries wouldn't acknowledge the title of Amekage, adding another village to divide interests in the Ninja World, let alone I haven't yet assumed the position of leader of the Hidden Rain Village."
Honestly speaking, the Land of Rain's territory is not small.
If more ninjas gathered in the Hidden Rain Village, and another Ninja World War were to occur, perhaps the Five Great Countries would reluctantly acknowledge the title of the First Amekage.
"Hmm? This one seems okay..."
Konan's fingers landed on the scroll, lightly reading out the title she favored: "The Man Standing at the Pinnacle of Ninjas..."
"Isn't that too embarrassing!"
Uehara Naraku shook his head speechlessly, sighed, and said: "I'd rather they call me a Hexagon Warrior than this title!"
Indeed, the Ninja World uses polygons to denote ninjas.
For example, Yakushi Kabuto once made such a Ninpo Scroll during the Chunin Examination, where he used polygons to represent the areas where ninjas excelled.
Uehara Naraku could probably achieve a flawless hexagon.
Konan slowly shook her head, and her voice gradually became somber as she saw the highly humiliating title on the scroll.
"Sin of Hidden Rain..."
Konan's expression became somewhat unpleasant.
Uehara Naraku, however, nonchalantly spread his palm and said softly: "They aren't wrong, given that I destroyed so many Ninja Villages of the great countries. To them, I should be the source of sin for the Hidden Rain Village..."
"Naraku..."
Konan's body leaned over on Uehara, her forehead touching his forehead closely, quietly soothing his negative energy: "Don't say that..."
"...Alright."
Just as they were quietly together, a voice interrupted them: "Angel-sama, Uehara Naraku, someone sent a letter!"
Below the tower.
Ajisai raised her hand and called loudly toward the tower: "Angel-sama, Uehara Naraku, someone sent a letter!"
"I know."
The person who came to send the letter was a Konoha Ninja.
This was a letter personally written by Tsunade, mainly to seek Uehara Naraku's opinion, asking whether he agreed to make the Hidden Rain Village the location for the Five Kage Summit.
Indeed, the Five Kage Summit was finally scheduled.
This was also due to Uehara Naraku.
In order to make Konoha deeply realize the immense threat posed by Orochimaru, Yakushi Kabuto, and Uchiha Obito's group, Uehara Naraku secretly manipulated the reanimated Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Obito to launch an attack on Uzumaki Naruto.
Though Uzumaki Naruto was unharmed under the protection of Hatake Kakashi and Jiraiya, it still made Tsunade aware of the severity of the situation.
Due to the Space-Time Jutsu, Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Obito could launch an attack on Uzumaki Naruto at any moment, and obviously, all of Konoha couldn't possibly protect Uzumaki Naruto twenty-four hours a day.
Guard against a thief for a thousand days, there's bound to be a mishap.
Tsunade finally contacted the other Ninja Village leaders and initiated the talks for the Five Kage Summit, while also beginning to scout for a meeting place.
The Land of Iron, the Land of the Samurai, which upheld absolute neutrality, was also quite suitable; in terms of distance, the Hidden Rain Village, located at the center of the Ninja World Continent, was also a very suitable village.
It's just that the Akatsuki is entrenched here, which is somewhat troublesome.
However, Tsunade's intention in convening the Five Kage Summit was also to use this opportunity to resolve the hatred between the great country Ninja Villages and the Hidden Rain Village, hoping to unite all forces in the Ninja World against the ever-hidden threat posed by Orochimaru's group.
Anyhow, the relationship between the Hidden Rain Village, the Akatsuki, and the major Ninja Villages is a tangled mess; Tsunade might as well resolve it all in one go by placing the meeting in the Hidden Rain Village!
Since Tsunade wants to hold the talks in the Hidden Rain Village, she definitely needs to communicate in advance with the Hidden Rain Village's current actual leader, Uehara Naraku.
Thus...
Uehara Naraku received a personal letter from Tsunade.
After reading the letter, Uehara Naraku's expression gradually became subtle: "This woman, Tsunade, isn't really planning to hold the Five Kage Summit in the Hidden Rain Village, is she?"