Orochimaru's thoughts echoed Nagato's earlier sentiments. It was akin to the appearance of a miniature black hole on Earth, inexorably expanding. What was humanity left to do? Try to destroy it? Or pray for it to disappear on its own? There seemed to be no other options.
Or perhaps run up, fall to their knees, and try to negotiate with the black hole?
However, Uchiha Yue wasn't a blind natural disaster. He was a living person. Which meant there was a faint hope of persuading him to voluntarily stop destroying the world.
However, to do so, they would have to break through his defenses, shout to the god hovering in the sky until their own chakra ran out, and pray that he would be in a good mood and decide to simply watch them die rather than strike them down personally.
But even Nagato himself didn't believe in success. Perhaps it would have been possible earlier, before Yue had acquired his monstrous power. But now... now it was too late.
"Is this a joke? How could someone so powerful exist in this world? So monstrous! Have I fallen into some kind of sophisticated genjutsu?"
Sasori stared at the map pinned to the board. The core in his chest—the only thing left alive—shuddered, and his mind went blank. It was like gaining eternity, only to learn the next day of the end of the world. He had only recently completed the modification of his body, but before he could even boast of his creation, the world was on the brink of destruction. Everything he had achieved—his puppets, his eternal art—all of it crumbled to dust in the shadow of the coming apocalypse.
"Kill him... If you kill Uchiha Yue, then the 'end of the world' will end, right? Then..."
But as soon as he uttered these reckless words, the leader's confession surfaced in his mind: the wielder of the Rinnegan himself was no match for Yue. What could he, Sasori?
If he were capable of such a thing, he himself would be the leader of Akatsuki right now.
At that moment, Sasori was overcome by a ringing emptiness. He couldn't understand the meaning of his existence. His ideals, his striving for eternal art—all of it proved no more sturdy than a sand castle in the face of an approaching tsunami.
Not only he—even Orochimaru felt a suffocating confusion. He suddenly realized how fragile the immortality he had so craved was, how insignificant his ambitions and dreams were. And for the first time in many years, he felt so acutely how vulnerable human life truly was.
Unless...
Orochimaru suddenly raised his head. His gaze seemed to pierce the ceiling and reach for the stars, for other worlds beyond their own. Unless... they transcended this world.
"If Uchiha Yue is truly as terrifying as you describe, then I have an idea. We must leave this planet. Go into space and find a new home."
Orochimaru's words left a deathly silence in the room. Nagato, seeing their state, decided the ground was set and was about to offer them their last hope, but the bold proposal made him pause and reflect.
"Wait, Nagato, what are you thinking about?" Black Zetsu panicked at the sight. Everything had gone wrong. Why had the conversation turned to escaping the planet just when Uchiha Obito was supposed to take the stage?
This plan... Black Zetsu froze for a moment, realizing the logic behind it. He knew of other planets, of course—the shinobi world had a concept of space.
But after thinking a bit more, he breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, interstellar migration was a great plan, but they didn't have the time to implement it. By the time they developed the necessary technology, the shinobi world would be nothing but ashes.
Black Zetsu understood this, and of course, Nagato and the others understood it too.
"Orochimaru's plan won't work," Obito Uchiha stepped forward, shaking his head. "It requires time, which we don't have. While you're busy building your ship, the shinobi world will perish."
Unlike Black Zetsu, whose plan was inextricably linked to this planet, Obito didn't care. Even on another world, as long as there were people, he could create an illusion of Rin.
But the plan was unrealistic. They lacked the technology. What if this monster's power wasn't limited to this planet? What if it could pursue them into the void of space? Then escape was pointless.
"Hhh..." Orochimaru let out a quiet, snake-like laugh, utterly helpless. No matter how brilliant he was, he saw no way out now. Killing was impossible. Negotiating was unthinkable. Escape was impossible.
What was left? Just wait for death? Just imagine, he, Orochimaru, would die because of that old fool Danzo Shimura's fatal mistake. The more he thought about it, the more absurd the situation seemed. He wanted to laugh. Alas, he couldn't travel through time. Otherwise, he would have returned to the day of the Uchiha clan's destruction and personally finished off that old bastard. "Hmph. No need to despair. No need to panic. The world stands on the brink of destruction, but we, Akatsuki, will not perish with it. For we have an ark that will take us to the shores of a new world!"
Seeing the despair on the faces of his comrades, Nagato smiled faintly. Overcoming the pain, he tried to rise from his wheelchair, but his weakened legs gave way, and he sank back awkwardly. But like a prophet, he spread his healthy arms and, with boundless compassion in his voice, delivered his speech.
The gaze of Orochimaru and the others instantly focused on him.
Afterwards, Nagato outlined his salvation plan and revealed the dimension of Kamui to Obito Uchiha.
"This catastrophe is our greatest opportunity. As members of the organization, you will be able to take those you choose with you onto the 'Ark.'" When the new era dawns, you will become gods at my side, my comrades in governing the new world. Rejoice! You are witnessing the birth of a new era! You will become deities, close to the Supreme Kami!
"And I... I will grant this world true peace. From now on, there will be no wars or suffering, for I will bring final and eternal peace!"
Nagato spoke with growing enthusiasm. Finally, the power of the Rinnegan lifted his emaciated body from his chair. He slowly rose into the air and stood there, arms outstretched, as if crucified on an invisible cross.