Chapter 173: Obito: I Am Not Lying To You

Nagato looked at Konan: "What do you think?"

Konan replied: "Nagato, just make the decision; I trust you."

Nagato hesitated.

Ever since Yamanaka Chujiu snatched away the Pain Deva Path and used Yahiko's body to pierce through his obsession with meticulous logic, Nagato had reverted to his old, insecure self.

It was not that he did not want to continue realizing peace, but this failure proved that he was not invincible in the Ninja World and could not do as he pleased.

Therefore, Nagato was completely at a loss as to how he should achieve peace, and even less able to answer the question of how to maintain peace once it was achieved.

Thus, the appearance and proposal of Uchiha Obito easily led him astray.

Nagato's mind was in chaos, and Konan's trust was not a help to him, but rather a burden that made matters worse.

After thinking for a long time, he still had not figured anything out, and could only go with the flow and ask: "Tell me your specific plan..."

Uchiha Obito smiled: "The plan is simple, but every step is difficult."

"The core of the Eye of the Moon Plan is to gather the nine Tailed Beasts scattered across the Ninja World, reseal them into the Gedo Mazo, and resurrect the Ten-Tails, which has lost its origin..."

Konan frowned and asked: "What is the Ten-Tails?"

Obito replied: "The Ten-Tails is the strongest Tailed Beast. Before the Sage of Six Paths died, he split its soul into nine parts and, combined with the Ten-Tails' chakra, created the nine Tailed Beasts we are familiar with."

"And the remaining husk of the Ten-Tails is the Gedo Mazo behind Nagato."

"So, Nagato is the Child of Prophecy chosen by fate to implement the Sage of Six Paths' Eye of the Moon Plan."

Nagato and Konan were both stunned: "Child of Prophecy, why does this term sound so familiar to us?"

Obito sneered and replied: "Of course it's familiar. Your teacher, Jiraiya, does not serve Konohagakure but wanders the Ninja World precisely to find the Child of Prophecy who can determine the fate of the Ninja World according to the prophecy."

"But he is a blind man. He clearly already met him and even personally taught Nagato Ninjutsu, yet he had no idea that he was the Child of Prophecy."

"If you ask me, it's a good thing he wasn't recognized."

"Jiraiya wasn't looking for the Child of Prophecy for Konoha, but following the instructions of a group of toads."

"If he had truly confirmed that Nagato was the Child of Prophecy and reported the intelligence to the toads of Myoboku Mountain, no one would know what those non-human, alien beings would do to Nagato."

"In any case, I would never trust a group of cold-blooded existences that aren't even human."

"I don't believe a single word!"

Nagato and Konan nodded simultaneously: "What you say makes sense."

"Let's continue talking about the Eye of the Moon Plan..."

Obito spoke at a steady pace, dismantling every step of the plan with clear logic, every word and sentence precisely striking Nagato's obsession with peace.

"Once the Ten-Tails is fully revived, I will seal it into Nagato's body, making him the strongest Ten-Tails Jinchuriki in the Ninja World, controlling the most massive source of chakra in the world."

"After obtaining the Ten-Tails' chakra, Nagato's body will be able to recover, able to run and jump like a normal person."

"Once Nagato fully masters the power of the Ten-Tails, he will be able to manipulate the Ten-Tails to take the form of the God Tree, allowing the branches, leaves, and roots of the God Tree to spread to every inch of the Ninja World."

"When the giant flower bud at the top of the God Tree fully blooms, there will be enough power to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, summoning the moon in broad daylight to reflect the light of the Infinite Tsukuyomi and pull everyone into a Genjutsu."

Obito looked at the moved Nagato, his tone becoming increasingly earnest, carrying a powerful seductive force, precisely manipulating the pain and long-cherished wish of Nagato's entire life.

"At that time, the God Tree will extend its branches to wrap around those trapped in the Genjutsu, providing them with chakra and nutrients to maintain the operation of their lives forever."

"Nagato, what you have sought your whole life is peace without conflict and without pain."

"But the reality is that human hearts change, and the essence of human nature is rotten to the core and not worth saving."

"The sacrifices of the Akatsuki organization, the efforts of the First Hokage, and the pure ideals of Yahiko have all failed to achieve true peace and tranquility."

"Since reality can never be perfect, we shall create a perfect, ideal world for everyone within a Genjutsu."

Nagato was silent for a long time before asking: "How do I know that you, Madara Uchiha, are not lying to me?"

Obito sneered with a hoarse voice: "I, Madara Uchiha, would not stoop to lying to a child!"

"You possess the Rinnegan and are the core key to controlling the Gedo Mazo and advancing the plan."

"You are the cornerstone for realizing this ultimate peace, an absolute controller that even I cannot shake."

"Rather than worrying about me lying to you..."

Obito took half a step forward, his Sharingan glowing red, staring at Nagato's Rinnegan and saying: "You might as well worry about your own cowardice and the enemies who caused your miserable failure this time."

"Nagato, I know you are tired of bloodshed, hate betrayal, and cannot bear to watch everything you cherish be destroyed by the evils of the Ninja World."

"Instead of sitting here, guarding a broken body, suffering in doubt and helplessness, why not join the Sage of Six Paths' plan, end this absurd reality, and achieve eternal peace in a Genjutsu?"

"Let us join forces to complete the Eye of the Moon Plan, so that everyone living in suffering can break free from the shackles of reality and indulge in eternal beauty."

"Believe me, abandoning the false reality and creating eternal tranquility is the only true and thorough salvation."

The room was silent, Obito's low voice seemingly still echoing.

Nagato lowered his eyes and remained silent for a long time; the pain, slaughter, and regrets of his past experiences all surfaced and surged in his mind.

When Yahiko committed suicide, when the Land of Rain was filled with wailing, when he became crippled after summoning the Gedo Mazo, when he struggled bitterly only to be pierced through by a single sentence...

Finally, the memories turned into an infinite burden that crushed his reason.

Nagato felt more and more that compared to the endless pain of reality, the Genjutsu world claimed by Madara Uchiha and the eternal, perfect personal peace did not seem like such a bad idea.

After all, the Rinnegan was in his own eye sockets, and the Gedo Mazo was behind him, connected to his own life force.

Everything was in his own control; why not give it a try?

Nagato slowly raised his head, the doubt gone from his Rinnegan, leaving only resolute certainty: "I think what you say makes some sense."

He firmly made his choice: "Madara Uchiha, I will join the Eye of the Moon Plan."

"Let us end this world full of pain together."

Uchiha Obito laughed out loud: "Good, I have waited for this day for too long!"

Nagato said coldly: "Do not laugh."

"If I find that you have lied to me, I will immediately terminate the plan and kill you!"

Obito's wild laughter did not stop: "Fine, but you won't do that, because I am not lying to you!"