Naruto: With Favorabiltity System

Chapter 295: Obito: What Is a True Dream?

"Collaboration?" Haneda was momentarily surprised.

The Akatsuki wanted to collaborate with Konoha?

Was this some kind of joke?!

The Nine-Tails was still in Konoha—didn't the Akatsuki want to collect all the tailed beasts?

Despite his confusion, Haneda kept his emotions in check. With a polite smile, he asked,

"Does your daimyo agree? I mean, the leader of the Land of Rain?"

"He is already under Amegakure's control. Anything beneficial to the Land of Rain and its people should naturally be approved and executed," Tendo Pain replied.

After a brief pause, Pain, mindful of the "Uchiha Madara" who was observing him from the shadows, decided to hint further.

"Amegakure highly appreciates Konoha's philosophy of mutual understanding and cooperation for shared prosperity."

"Constructing a railway connecting the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire would undoubtedly strengthen ties and collaboration, gradually dispelling past prejudices and hatred, and achieving true peace through mutual benefit."

???

Haneda couldn't reconcile this diplomatic, formal tone with the Pain he remembered.

Hadn't Nagato once been a shy, innocent youth? Even in the original timeline, the Pain controlled by Nagato had always carried himself like a lofty god.

And now? He sounded like a diplomat.

On top of that, he seemed to be subtly alluding to something…

Regardless, building a railway to the Land of Rain wouldn't harm Konoha.

On the contrary, it would allow Konoha's citizens access to more affordable goods from the Land of Rain.

Currently, the Land of Rain's industrial capabilities far outpaced those of the Land of Fire.

Many of their consumer appliances outperformed anything produced in the Land of Fire, both in terms of availability and quality.

Establishing a railway link with the Land of Rain would make importing such goods much easier.

Haneda nodded. "Very well. I'll assign professionals to coordinate with Amegakure and design the railway route."

"However, there's a mountain range between the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire. To lay tracks, we'll need to dig a tunnel."

"We'll require Amegakure's assistance during the process..."

…

While Tendo Pain and Haneda discussed the railway collaboration, a figure wearing a yellow tiger-patterned mask and a black cloak adorned with red clouds arrived at the Memorial Stone.

It was none other than "Uchiha Madara," the man Nagato feared most.

At that moment, Kakashi stood before Rin's grave, where a freshly placed flower bloomed by the headstone.

Ever since the Third Shinobi War ended, Kakashi had gotten into the habit of visiting the memorial stone each morning to pay his respects to Obito and Rin.

He had never noticed the hidden gaze watching him silently from behind a mask.

As usual, after Kakashi left, Obito stepped out, picking up the flowers Kakashi had placed for Rin and throwing them away.

He stood silently before Rin's grave for a long time before disappearing in a vortex.

When Obito reappeared, he was in the Uchiha clan compound.

Standing in the shadows of a corner, he quietly observed the place he had once called home.

Slowly, he stepped out of the shadow and into the sunlight, sitting on a large stone in the yard.

Obito looked around at the familiar sights—the yard, with its few scattered leaves, and the unspoiled, still-fresh foliage. His gaze froze.

After a moment of silence, he murmured,

"Someone comes here regularly to clean…"

"Even the footprints on the roof remain. You still never use the front door."

Obito raised his head, looking toward the Hokage Rock, where the faces of all five Hokage were carved.

On the far right was the newest addition: the face of the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Haneda, with his Mangekyō Sharingan etched into the carving, the sun pattern in his eyes clearly visible.

Obito stared at the carving for a long time before vanishing from the yard without ever stepping foot into the house.

He reappeared on Hokage Rock, gazing down at the entirety of Konoha.

His eyes scanned the village, moving from the Uchiha compound to the Ninja Academy, then to the Hokage's office, and finally to the guesthouse.

A lone leaf drifted in the air and was caught by a hand clad in a black glove.

Obito held up the leaf, examining the hole in its center.

Through the hole, he could see the edge of Hokage Rock, the village, and fleeting memories of the past.

"What is a true dream?"

His thoughts drifted back to the Valley of the End, where a voice he hadn't heard in years echoed in his mind once again.

"Why didn't you dodge?"

"Because we're friends."

His memories shifted forward, to the day Haneda became Hokage, and then to the moment Haneda declared his position as the leader of the Republic.

The promises Haneda had made—the two Five-Year Plans—played vividly in his mind.

Haneda had fulfilled his promises and made Konoha great again.

"This place is still hell…"

"But some people are trying to turn it into paradise."

"Let's wait and see what becomes of this place in ten years."

With one last glance at the guesthouse, Obito's Sharingan spun, and he disappeared. This time, he left Konoha for good.

…

Elsewhere, after concluding his discussion with Tendo Pain, Haneda led him to Konoha's prison, where Danzo was being held.

To improve Pain's impression of Konoha, Haneda decided to hand over one of the key figures responsible for the tragedy involving Yahiko and the original Akatsuki: Shimura Danzo.

By now, Root's personnel had been mostly dealt with, and its scientists had fully pledged loyalty to Haneda. Danzo's remaining value was negligible, so Haneda decided he might as well let Danzo contribute to Konoha one last time.

Tendo Pain followed Haneda through the prison and stopped outside Danzo's cell.

Inside sat an elderly man, blind in one eye, with his right arm missing and his other eye bandaged. He sat lifelessly in the corner.

"Who is he?" Pain asked. He found the man faintly familiar but couldn't recognize him.

"Shimura Danzo, a man born with a twisted heart. One of the masterminds behind the deaths of Yahiko and the original Akatsuki members," Haneda replied.

"Shimura Danzo?!" Pain, typically cold and composed, erupted with fury, his anger burning like a raging fire.

He glared at Danzo, exuding a murderous intent that he made no effort to hide.

"He's from Konoha, and you're giving him to me?" Pain asked, suddenly calm.

Haneda smiled faintly. "No, he's a criminal. He's been exiled from the Shimura clan and officially declared a rogue ninja by Konoha."

Hearing the familiar voice, Danzo's eyes cleared slightly. He raised his head to look at Haneda and roared:

"You evil Uchiha brat! My eye has seen through your genjutsu!!"

"When Hiruzen gets here, he'll kill you in the Forest of Death!!!"

Both Haneda and Pain exchanged confused looks at Danzo's outburst.

Gripping the iron bars of his cell, Danzo screamed and raged like a madman.

"Is he insane?" Pain asked, frowning. "I don't sense any genjutsu, and this is definitely not the Forest of Death."

Haneda didn't know how to respond and fell silent.

Apart from occasionally calling Danzo an old ghost, he hadn't paid much attention to him in a long time.

***

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