Obito's Conspiracy.

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The person who had just spoken fell into silence after Kirito's words.

This person was the old monkey who had just been forced to abdicate.

Today, Kirito had come to Sarutobi Hiruzen's house simply to collect the bonus he deserved. It was the money Sarutobi Hiruzen had promised him for defeating Orochimaru and Uchiha Obito.

The old monkey looked a little haggard that day. He wasn't wearing the Hokage cloak he once wore. Instead, he was dressed in casual clothes, with no decorations on his head. His Mediterranean face was framed by gray hair, and the pipe that was always by his side still hung from his waist.

"I know, Kirito, that you may have some resentment toward me, Sarutobi Hiruzen," the old man began. "But as a ninja of Konoha, you should be more tolerant."

"I hope you can inherit my position as Hokage," he continued, his eyes filled with sincerity. "You are capable enough."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's words were shrewd, yet they came from a place of true intention as he gazed at Kirito.

But Kirito, lounging on the leather sofa, didn't seem to hear him. He simply nodded slightly, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight that poured through the large French window in Sarutobi Hiruzen's home.

"Old monkey, your leather sofa is really nice. I think I'll take it with me later," Kirito said lazily, as he slowly stretched out his little finger to pick at the earwax in his ear, talking to himself.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth twitched slightly as he watched Kirito's indifferent actions.

What am I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, doing here for so long? Does he really not take me, the retired Hokage, seriously?

The old monkey began to wonder why his words seemed to fall on deaf ears. No one takes an old man seriously when he no longer holds power.

What he didn't know was that even when Sarutobi Hiruzen had been Hokage, Kirito had never taken him seriously.

"Kirito, you need to think this through," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, his tone more urgent. "I don't think my female disciple, Tsunade, is fit for the position of Hokage. I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, know just how important she is, but…"

Kirito ignored him completely. He casually slipped the check from the table into his pocket, stood up, and turned to leave the old monkey's house.

"No need to see me off, old monkey," he said, his voice calm and disinterested.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood there, his eyes flashing with a mix of thoughts. Even though he was no longer in a position of power, his concern for Konoha remained. He also wanted to find a way to control Kirito, a powerful ninja.

But his words had no effect on Kirito. The older man didn't know that Kirito hadn't paid attention to him at all. All he cared about was collecting his reward and heading home for a nice nap.

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Elsewhere, in the Rain Country, three figures wearing black cloaks with red clouds appeared at the entrance of a cave.

They were Hoshigaki Kisame, Uchiha Itachi, and Uchiha Obito, who had returned from the battle in Konoha Village. Orochimaru, who had left with them, had long since parted ways, his betrayal now evident as he became a member of the Akatsuki organization. Thus, it was impossible for him to return with them.

Kisame and Itachi exchanged a glance before leading Obito into the dimly lit cave.

As they moved deeper, rows of eyes from hidden figures watched them. Some of these eyes had strange expressions, especially when they landed on Uchiha Obito. It was clear that the Akatsuki organization had received word of the battle in Konoha Village.

More importantly, they now knew that the person who had been claiming to be Uchiha Madara within their ranks for all these years was not the real Madara. It was, in fact, Uchiha Obito, hiding behind a mask and pretending to be powerful.

The three of them reached the center of the cave, where the important members of the Akatsuki organization were gathered. A beam of light shone down from the top of the cave, illuminating the scene.

In front of them stood Nagato, his face covered in nails, calmly observing the group. Konan, with her hair styled in a bun, stood beside him.

Before Nagato, the leader of the Akatsuki organization, could speak, Deidara, with his dark gold hair and a lock of it covering his left eye, stepped forward. His gaze was filled with mockery.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you actually have the nerve to come back," Deidara said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Madara-sama, you actually lost? Was your opponent your lifelong rival, Hashirama Senju? If not, how could you have lost?"

Deidara smirked, his tone mocking, but Obito remained silent, his face unreadable. His eyes, hidden behind the mask, didn't reveal a single emotion.

Hidan, with gray hair slicked back and a forehead protector around his neck, joined in, his voice sharp and bloodthirsty.

"Uchiha Obito, don't you think you owe us an explanation?" he demanded. "How dare you hide behind Madara's identity for so long?"

"If this guy doesn't give us an explanation, I'll turn him into art."

Deidara tilted his head slightly and stared at Obito, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

The tension in the cave grew thick, and it seemed like a fight could break out at any moment.

However, Uchiha Itachi and Kisame, who had accompanied Obito, didn't say a word. They quietly moved away from Obito. Their mission had been completed the moment they rescued him from Konoha Village. Now, there was nothing more they needed to do.

"What do I have to explain to you?" Obito finally spoke, his tone calm and unbothered. He glanced at Deidara and the others, his eyes cold and unmoving.

Black Zetsu, who had a cactus-like object atop his head, watched in silence, his face grim. This revelation—Obito's true identity—had exceeded his expectations. Now, he would need to consider how it would affect his long-term plans.

He began thinking of possible countermeasures, his eyes shifting between black and white.

Just as the atmosphere in the cave grew more intense, Black Zetsu, ever the peacemaker, emerged from the ground and appeared before Obito.

"Hehehe," Black Zetsu chuckled. "Alright, everyone, enough arguing. Whether Obito or Uchiha Madara, none of that matters now. What's important is that we all work toward the Moon Eye Plan."

"I believe Obito has his reasons for hiding his identity, just as everyone here has their secrets…"

Black Zetsu's voice trailed off, but the message was clear.

Suddenly, the voices in the cave quieted, the tension easing as everyone contemplated Black Zetsu's words.

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