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TCoH—Interlude I: A Game of Shadows [62]
🕑 Added 2025-05-23 21:03:29 +0000 UTC- - -
Interlude I - A Game of Shadows [62]
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The cavernous chamber fell silent as the final holographic projection flickered into existence. Nine silhouettes stood atop massive stone fingers, their forms illuminated only by the pale blue light of the jutsu connecting them across vast distances. Zetsu observed from the shadows, his consciousness split between his true form hidden within the cave walls and the white half-creature standing among the Akatsuki members.
Pain’s rippled eyes surveyed the gathering. “Report,” he commanded, his voice echoing through the chamber with divine authority.
Itachi’s projection remained perfectly still, his Sharingan gleaming in the darkness. “The mission yielded... mixed results.”
Zetsu’s attention sharpened. He had witnessed everything.
“Elaborate,” Pain said.
“The Leaf maintains only one Jinchuriki within its walls,” Itachi reported. “The Nine-Tails’ container, Naruto Uzumaki, was not there according to Zetsu. However, intelligence regarding Gaara of the Sand was correct—he has been imprisoned following the failed invasion. According to Zetsu, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, Fuu, has indeed fled with Zabuza Momochi.”
Kisame’s shark-like grin flashed through his hologram. “The little genin wasn’t as helpless as reports suggested. When we confronted him, he was under the protection of two of the Sannin—Jiraiya and Tsunade Senju.”
“You failed to capture the Nine-Tails,” Konan observed, her tone neutral but no less condemning.
Itachi’s expression didn’t change. “We encountered complications in Tanzaku Town. Orochimaru sought to heal himself through Tsunade Senju’s expertise.”
A ripple of tension moved through the gathering. Zetsu watched as Sasori’s hunched form shifted slightly—the puppet master had unfinished business with his former partner.
“And?” Pain prompted.
“I eliminated him,” Itachi said, the statement hanging in the air like a blade. “With Amaterasu.”
Besides Kisame, Zetsu alone had witnessed from his hiding place how thoroughly Itachi had destroyed Orochimaru—not a clean kill, but an obliteration that left Itachi nearly crippled with exhaustion afterward.
“You let the Jinchuriki escape,” Kakuzu stated flatly, his glowing green eyes narrowing. “That’s a costly failure, and with no snake hide to turn in for money to boot.”
“The unexpected confrontation with Orochimaru depleted my chakra reserves,” Itachi replied. “When Jiraiya and Tsunade arrived to reinforce the Jinchuriki, a tactical retreat became necessary.”
Another deception through careful wording. The Nine-Tails boy had displayed abilities far beyond what their intelligence suggested—remarkable combat awareness, unpredictable strategy, and chakra control that had even Jiraiya looking surprised. Itachi had overextended himself against Orochimaru, and, it seemed, the Crystal-Release woman fled in the chaos, providing the Leaf ninja with a weapon of Itachi’s making.
Coupled with his exhaustion, the failure landed squarely on his shoulders. Zetsu considered Kisame from his spot inside the wall. Despite his loyalty, the swordsman had forged a strange kinship with the clan killer. A shared bond wrought through the massacre of one’s comrades, he supposed.
And his pride at being routed was wounded besides.
“At least that snake is dead.” Deidara laughed. “Saved me the trouble.”
“Is he truly eliminated?” Pain asked, his gaze fixed on Itachi.
“The black flames consumed his true form,” Itachi confirmed. “His regeneration techniques proved insufficient in the end.”
Kisame chuckled. “Like watching a snake writhe in a fire. Though I must say, the Nine-Tails brat was surprisingly formidable.”
The edge the man’s voice took was enough to confirm Zetsu’s idle musings.
“There were... other developments,” his misbegotten partner interjected, his voice cheerful. “We gathered valuable intelligence during the commotion. The Leaf has undergone significant political change. Danzo Shimura was moving towards it while we were there, it seemed, but, as we know, he has assumed the position of Fifth Hokage.”
This sparked immediate interest. Kakuzu leaned forward slightly. “The war hawk? Interesting.”
“Indeed,” the white puppet continued. “His appointment has created factions within the village. The jonin council is divided, and there are those who remain loyal to the Third’s ideals rather than Danzo’s changes despite his amusing schemes.”
Pain’s expression remained impassive despite his history with the man. “How does this serve our interests?”
“Instability creates opportunity,” Zetsu replied from outside of eyeshot. “Their fractured leadership provides multiple avenues for manipulation.”
The white half-creature smiled. “And we’ve identified key pressure points within their command structure. For one, Fuu of the Waterfall’s partnership with Zabuza has been discounted by many of the Great Five in favour of pressuring the Leaf. Accusations of hoarding Tailed Beasts, made only the worse by the imprisoned Gaara, have been levied thus far by the Cloud.”
Kisame chuckled but said nothing.
“Hidan,” Pain spoke up after a moment, “and Kakuzu. You two will be tasked with capturing the Seven-Tails. Her absence will allow the current tensions to fester into more than just veiled threats while also furthering our plans.”
“Suits me just fine,” Hidan said, stifling a yawn.
Kakuzu shrugged. “More money for me.”
As the conversation shifted to discussing the implications of the Leaf’s political upheaval and newfound military weaknesses, Zetsu observed Itachi carefully. The Uchiha’s face betrayed nothing, but his silence was revealing. When the meeting concluded, the projections flickered out one by one.
Pain’s voice resonated one final time: “We will adjust our timeline. Kisame, Itachi—recover your strength. The Nine-Tails will wait.”
As the chamber emptied, Zetsu re-attached to his white puppet and slithered through stone and earth, traversing the land in well-fought for silence until he reached the hidden mountain sanctuary where Obito awaited.
The masked figure stood before a massive stone tablet, a copy of the one in the Leaf, his single visible Sharingan tracing the ancient inscriptions that only Uchiha eyes could fully comprehend.
“He failed deliberately,” Zetsu announced without preamble, emerging from the cavern floor.
Obito didn’t turn. “As we’ve always expected he might.”
“This time it’s more than our suspicions,” Zetsu replied. “The evidence is mounting. Remind me again why we keep him?”
“His usefulness outweighs the risk,” Obito answered. “For now. Detail his supposed betrayal.”
“Itachi’s confrontation with Orochimaru was unnecessarily thorough,” Zetsu reported, his formless body rippling with subtle movement. “He used Amaterasu to such excess that he was incapable of effectively engaging the Jinchuriki afterwards. When Jiraiya and Tsunade Senju arrived, he had already depleted himself.”
“Not exactly damning evidence,” Obito noted. “Itachi has his own personal issues with Orochimaru, after all. Attempting to steal his body and now going after his little brother’s is reason enough for Itachi to put his personal vendetta against Orochimaru over the mission. We’ve always known that his split loyalties may create some complications.”
“Yes,” Zetsu agreed. “The bargain he struck with you as Madara always suggested divided loyalties. But now we have something more substantial than our longstanding wariness. Or at least, it’s something to keep a further eye on.”
“Explain further.”
“The Nine-Tails boy was different from what our reports indicated. Not fast like the Fourth Hokage, but he was smart and adapted well. His techniques were unpredictable—a curious amalgamation of styles, and once he used the Nine-Tails’ power, he could put up a half-decent fight.”
Obito’s mask gleamed in the dim light. “Different how? A bloodline trait we weren’t aware of?”
“No,” Zetsu replied. “But there’s more. I remained in the Leaf after Itachi and Kisame withdrew for an hour or so. There are connections we weren’t aware of. Sasuke Uchiha has been promoted to chunin rank and invited into the ANBU.”
Obito’s posture stiffened slightly. “Under whose authority?”
“Danzo Shimura.” Zetsu paused, letting the implications settle. “I believe Itachi has maintained communication with the Leaf, just as we’ve suspected since he massacred his clan. His actions in Tanzaku Town confirm what we’ve long feared—he’s actively working to protect the Nine-Tails while appearing to fulfil his mission.”
“We’ve always known about his arrangement with the Third Hokage and his elders,” Obito said, moving to a stone seat. “His willingness to become a scapegoat for the Leaf while ensuring Sasuke’s safety was the very foundation of our agreement. But he’s not done anything overt, even now. This is simply another suspicion to add to our list of suspicions.”
“Until now, he’s not had to directly act against our interests. Danzo’s appointment as Hokage wasn’t merely opportunistic following Sarutobi’s death. It was calculated. His so-called ROOT has been systematically eliminating opposition in Hiashi Hyuuga and Tsunade Senju.”
A small laugh escaped from behind Obito’s mask. “The old bastard’s finally made his move after so many years in the shadows.”
“With the Uchiha boy in the ANBU, Danzo holds both the last loyal Sharingan and control of the Leaf’s military power,” Zetsu continued.
Obito stood, pacing slowly before the ancient tablet. “We’ve tolerated his divided loyalties because his skills were valuable and his actions advanced our goals, even if his motivations differed from ours.”
“But now the balance has shifted,” Zetsu said. “His sabotage is becoming more overt.”
“Sasuke in the ANBU...” Obito mused. “Danzo would never trust an Uchiha without leverage.”
“Unless that Uchiha believes he’s working toward avenging his clan against the very person Danzo wants eliminated: his brother.”
“What else did you discover about Danzo’s plans?”
“Most concerning is his focus on the remaining Jinchuriki. He’s established a specialised ANBU unit—ROOT operatives primarily—dedicated to tracking and monitoring the Seven-Tails.”
Silence stretched between them as Obito processed this information. “We need to accelerate our plans. Stoking the current tensions and turning things up to a boiling point is a good start. So long as a conflict breaks out soon, the parties involved will be easier to manipulate.”
“What of Itachi?”
“The question has never been if Itachi was loyal to us,” Obito said, his voice hardening. “We’ve known since the beginning that he wasn’t. The question is whether his duplicity has now become too dangerous to ignore.”
“The deal you struck with him as Madara guaranteed the possibility.”
Obito stood still for a long moment before responding. “For now, we keep on watching. His skills remain valuable even if his loyalty doesn’t.” He turned to face Zetsu fully. “Increase surveillance on Sasuke. As we’ve always known, he is Itachi’s weakness and the key to controlling him.”
“And if the evidence becomes irrefutable?”
“Then Pain will know and will deal with him accordingly,” Obito said.
Zetsu’s form shifted slightly. “As for Danzo?”
“His ascension creates an opportunity,” Obito replied. “The Leaf under Sarutobi was unified by idealism. Under Danzo, it will fracture along ideological lines between those who have seen his ways or suffered beneath his thumb and his loyalists. Once conflict breaks out, this tension will bubble to the surface.”
Zetsu sank partially into the floor, his voice echoing in the chamber. “And the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?”
“Leave him for the time being,” Obito said. “If he’s truly as unruly as you suggest, I have... personal interest in evaluating his capabilities. For now, he’s not an immediate concern. Besides, the Seven-Tails is a much more pressing issue. Zabuza Momochi is very good at hiding when he doesn’t want to be found, so aid Hidan and Kakuzu as required, Zetsu. That will be all.”
As Obito turned back to the stone tablet, Zetsu observed him silently. The human believed himself to be the mastermind, the puppeteer pulling the strings of Akatsuki and the shinobi world. How little he understood that he himself was merely another piece on a board whose game had begun centuries ago.
The true plan remained on course. Itachi’s betrayal, which they had anticipated from the moment he agreed to massacre his own clan while insisting his brother be spared, was simply another variable in an equation spanning generations. Danzo’s ambition, even Obito’s manipulations—all would ultimately serve Mother’s return. The scattered pieces of the Sage’s legacy were slowly being gathered, just as Zetsu had orchestrated across generations.
“In any case, I’ll continue monitoring things across the lands,” Zetsu said finally.
“Ensure Pain is aware of your concerns, but carefully,” Obito instructed. “We’ve managed Itachi’s divided loyalties for years now. A little longer won’t hurt, so long as we’re prepared.”
With that parting revelation, Zetsu disappeared into the stone, leaving Obito motionless before the tablet, his mind racing with implications and possibilities that would reshape their approach to Project Tsuki no Me.
In the darkness beneath the earth, Zetsu moved like a shadow through soil and stone, the essence of his form condensing with satisfaction. The seeds of doubt had long been planted regarding Itachi. Now they were finally bearing fruit.
The Will of Kaguya moved through the night once more, patient as always. Time was on his side. It always had been.
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Comments
Xardas2995
Obviously I would have loved to get more PoVs and words. Sill a nice chapter to provide clarity on Orochimarus fate. Also interesting to have Zetsu's PoV here and how Obito and him are handling Itachi's double agent occupation. I am really torn on Itachi here. I would love to see him healed and live a happy life and later join Konoha again. Especially since here his work at helping Konoha even after what the massacre is made visible. On the other hand since Sasuke here is still loyal to Konoha I kinda also want his plan to die to Sasuke and the truth never getting out as well since it is Itachi's preferred outcome. Never had this thought in another fic really. I would really love to see the SI's PoV on this issue sometime. During his encoutner with Itachi and Kisame he was focused on survival which made sense. However, with the SI's strong feelings for Minato and Kushina I wonder how he feels on the pain Itachi went through. The SI would probably also have loved to either have or be an older brother. Zetsu's thought on Kisame's loyalty being shifty was also a nice detail. In the show this was briefly shown that Kisame was kinda directionless after Itachi's death. It makes sense. Many members of the Akatsuki have their own agenda and most are just tagging along so to speak and kept in line because deserters are hunted down. The Akatsuki also probably provides some nice resources the usual missing nin lacks. The comments on Naruto's skill were interesting. It hints at Naruto becoming an opponent not to underestimate in the future and one that is not just another coming of a previous shinobi but how he is becoming something else/new due to learning/taking inspiration from multiple different sources.
Eternal Yujin
Glad you enjoyed!
Curiosity44
Fun POV chap. Thanks for writing it!
