Somewhere Deep Underground
At the center of the chamber Madara was resting comfortably in a well-cushioned wooden chair. Thick tubes still extended from his back, connecting his frail body to the Gedo Mazo looming silently behind him.
Footsteps echoed through the cavern.
Nagato and Konan entered, each carrying bags filled with food.
"Sensei," Konan said, placing the food on the table. "We brought something for you."
The stone wall beside them suddenly rippled.
A White Zetsu emerged with his usual cheerful expression.
"Nagato! Konan! You're back with food for Madara-sama! And have you brought p—"
"Shinra Tensei."
BOOM!
An invisible force slammed into White Zetsu.
He flew backward across the chamber and crashed headfirst into the opposite wall.
Nagato didn't even look in his direction.
"You had better not speak until we finish eating."
Madara watched silently.
Somehow, this had become normal.
A short while later, the three sat around a wooden table. Bowls of hot porridge rested before them. Madara remained connected to the Gedo Mazo through the tubes extending from his back, making the otherwise ordinary family-like dinner considerably more disturbing.
Madara slowly lifted his spoon.
"Nagato."
Nagato looked toward him.
"What is the current condition of the Land of Rain?"
Nagato's expression became serious.
"We have established complete control. Both the Daimyo's palace and Amegakure are under our authority."
He paused.
His eyes lowered toward the thin porridge in his bowl.
"But..."
Madara stopped eating.
"But what?"
Nagato tightened his grip around his spoon.
"The Land of Rain is starving."
Silence filled the chamber.
"There isn't enough food for the common people," Nagato continued. "After taking control of the country, we finally gained access to the Daimyo's financial records. The situation is worse than we expected."
Konan continued for him.
"The treasury barely has enough money to maintain basic administration. We don't have enough funds to import sufficient food from another country."
She placed her spoon down.
"And the country has almost no reliable source of income. The economy never truly recovered from the Second Great Ninja War. Every time the Land of Rain begins rebuilding, another conflict between the Great Nations destroys whatever progress was made."
Nagato stared silently into his bowl.
For someone who wanted to change the shinobi world, controlling an entire nation had revealed an unpleasant reality.
Conquering a country was considerably easier than feeding one.
Konan looked toward Madara.
"That's why we're waiting for an alliance proposal from Ren Uchiha."
Madara's Sharingan shifted toward her.
"Ren?"
Konan nodded.
"Ren Uchiha has something the Land of Rain desperately needs."
"Food," Nagato said.
Madara remained silent for several seconds.
He had already received reports about the agricultural transformation occurring within the Land of Rice Fields and its allied nations.
Finally, he spoke.
"Very well."
Nagato and Konan waited.
"But you will not approach Ren yourselves."
Nagato frowned slightly.
Madara continued.
"Let him come to you. Do not reveal the full extent of your situation immediately. Make it appear as though you are reluctant to accept his alliance."
From the other side of the chamber came the sound of someone quietly eating porridge.
The White Zetsu Nagato had blasted into the wall earlier had somehow returned to the table.
He raised his spoon.
"Even though you're actually desperate for the alliance."
Nagato's Rinnegan shifted toward him.
"Shinra Tensei."
BOOM!
White Zetsu disappeared across the chamber for the second time.
Konan continued eating as though nothing had happened.
Nagato then turned toward Madara.
His expression became considerably more serious.
"Sensei."
Madara looked at him.
"What about the Seven-Tails?"
Madara's expression didn't change.
"You don't need to concern yourself with the Seven-Tails."
Nagato waited.
"It has been secured."
Madara slowly raised another spoonful of porridge.
"Someone has already captured it, you'll meet him soon."
Nagato's eyes narrowed slightly.
There were several questions he could have asked.
How had someone captured an entire Tailed Beast without attracting attention?
But Nagato ultimately remained silent.
If Madara wanted him to know, he would tell him.
For now, Nagato had a more immediate problem.
He had a starving country to feed.
Meanwhile, in Konoha
Hokage's Office
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, reading a report marked with the highest level of confidentiality.
His expression grew increasingly serious with every line.
Finally, he lowered the document.
"Is the information in this report confirmed?"
The ANBU captain kneeling before his desk nodded.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.
"The Seven-Tails Jinchūriki is dead?"
"Apparently by suicide," the ANBU captain replied. "Our investigation found no evidence of combat."
"No evidence at all?"
"None."
The ANBU captain hesitated before continuing.
"If someone had fought the Jinchūriki or attempted to forcibly extract the Seven-Tails, there should have been considerable destruction. It would be nearly impossible to subdue or steal a Tailed Beast without leaving evidence behind and there are several eye witnesses too."
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair.
That was precisely what bothered him.
A Tailed Beast Jinchūriki had simply committed suicide.
And now the Seven-Tails would eventually reform somewhere in the world.
Before Hiruzen could continue questioning the ANBU, someone knocked on the door.
"Enter."
The door opened.
Orochimaru stepped inside.
The ANBU captain immediately bowed.
"Hokage-sama."
He vanished in a Body Flicker.
Orochimaru watched him leave before turning toward his teacher.
"So, Sensei..."
A thin smile appeared on his face.
"I heard the interesting news."
Hiruzen didn't respond.
"The Seven-Tails Jinchūriki committed suicide," Orochimaru continued. "How fortunate."
His voice carried unmistakable sarcasm.
"Especially considering we received this news while we were discussing plans to assassinate the Jinchūriki ourselves."
Hiruzen's expression hardened.
"Orochimaru."
The smile disappeared from his student's face.
"We cannot allow Ren Uchiha to obtain a Tailed Beast under any circumstances."
Apparently Hiruzen had been cautious and planted spices in Takigakure and if the hidden village reached any consensus on forming alliance with Ren Uchiha they would eliminate the jinchuriki.
Hiruzen stood and walked toward the window overlooking Konoha.
"Of all the remaining Jinchūriki, the Seven-Tails was the least protected and therefore the easiest target."
He looked toward the village below.
"Fortunately, we no longer need to act directly."
Orochimaru's golden eyes narrowed.
"Focus your attention on locating the Seven-Tails when it reforms."
Hiruzen turned toward him.
"And the One-Tail as well."
With Bunpuku dead, One-tail would eventually reform somewhere in the world.
Two Tailed Beasts would soon be without Jinchūriki.
Two weapons waiting to be claimed.
"We cannot allow Ren Uchiha to interfere with either of them."
Orochimaru gave a small nod.
"Understood."
Then his expression shifted.
"By the way, Sensei..."
Hiruzen immediately recognized that tone.
"I heard another interesting piece of news."
"What is it?"
"Two Uchiha prodigies have applied for early graduation from the Ninja Academy."
Orochimaru smiled faintly.
"And they're only six years old."
Hiruzen's expression became thoughtful.
"Itachi Uchiha and Shisui Uchiha."
"The Clan Head's son," Orochimaru said.
"And Shisui is a descendant of Kagami Uchiha," Hiruzen continued. "My former comrade and one of Lord Second's students."
Orochimaru studied his teacher carefully.
"So?"
Hiruzen looked at him.
"Will you allow them to graduate?"
For several seconds, Hiruzen said nothing.
Then he returned to his desk.
"I have made my own arrangements."
Orochimaru's smile returned.
Yakiniku Restaurant
Four people sat around a table.
Kushina Uzumaki.
Kakashi Hatake.
Obito Uchiha.
And Kuso Uzumaki, the Uzumaki survivor Jiraiya had brought back from the Land of Grass.
Despite the smell of grilled meat filling the restaurant and the lively conversations coming from the surrounding tables, their own table remained painfully quiet.
Kushina looked toward Obito.
The sight hurt more than she wanted to admit.
The loud, cheerful boy who had once constantly argued with Kakashi was gone.
Ever since Rin's death, something inside Obito had changed.
He rarely smiled.
He barely argued.
His eyes carried the distant, hollow expression Kushina had seen far too many times in shinobi who had lost someone precious.
He had become, in Kushina's mind, frighteningly similar to the stereotypical image people had of the Uchiha clan.
Quiet.
Cold.
Withdrawn.
Obito finally broke the silence.
"Sensei."
Kushina looked at him.
"Why did you call us here?"
She wanted to say something about his condition.
She wanted to tell him that isolating himself wouldn't bring Rin back.
But she knew forcing the conversation wouldn't accomplish anything.
Instead, she focused on why she had called them.
"Hokage-sama contacted me earlier."
Kakashi looked up.
"Tomorrow, he wants both of you to report to the Ninja Academy."
Kakashi frowned.
"Why?"
"Two Academy students have requested early graduation. Hokage-sama wants you two to participate in assessing them."
"Who are they?" Kakashi asked.
Obito didn't ask.
He simply stood.
"Okay."
He turned toward the exit.
"I'll be there."
"Obito."
He stopped.
Kushina looked at the untouched food in front of him.
"At least eat something before you leave."
Obito remained silent for a moment.
Then he shook his head.
"I'm not hungry."
He walked away.
Kushina watched him disappear through the restaurant door.
The empty chair remained behind.
A few seconds later, Kakashi quietly stood as well.
"Kakashi?"
"I should go too."
Without another word, he followed Obito outside.
Kushina remained seated, staring at the two empty chairs.
Tomorrow, two six-year-old Uchiha prodigies would stand before Kakashi Hatake and Obito Uchiha.
And somewhere beyond Konoha's borders, two Tailed Beasts were waiting to be reborn.
While in the Land of Rain, another force was waiting for Ren Uchiha to make his next move.