Inside the dimly lit store, the air was thick with an almost tangible tension. Peter stood behind the counter, watching Black Zetsu leave with a sly smile playing across his lips. The words Black Zetsu had just spoken still echoed in his mind, stirring a strange mixture of emotions.
Peter found it hard to suppress a bitter chuckle. It was ironic, really—Kaguya's two biological sons, Indra and Ashura, had trusted the words of a mere toad, turned their backs on their own mother, and ultimately chose to seal her away. Meanwhile, Black Zetsu, who was said to be the "aunt's blood" of Hikaru Yoruichi, had been loyal for more than a thousand years, secretly plotting to resurrect his mother.
This twisted loyalty was something Peter found fascinating. While Indra and Ashura's descendants—those chakra reincarnations who had passed down their conflicts from generation to generation—were locked in endless battles, Black Zetsu remained patient, weaving his intricate web over centuries.
He had succeeded in fooling Uchiha Madara, convincing the great shinobi that Black Zetsu was the very embodiment of his will. Before Madara's death, he entrusted the foolish boy Obito into Black Zetsu's care, unaware that the ancient being had been vexed with Obito's idiocy for years. Now, having discovered new ways to resurrect Kaguya, Black Zetsu was ready to disregard the silly dreams of these boys and let them drown in their own illusions of Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Obito, standing a few feet away, was visibly confused. "What did Black Zetsu just say?" he muttered under his breath, bewildered. He had believed all this time that Black Zetsu was Madara's will itself—how could there be a mother behind it all? Was Madara hiding some secret? His mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of this revelation.
Peter noticed Obito's confusion but smiled calmly. He knew Black Zetsu well enough to predict that the ancient entity would return with an order worth tens of billions. The sheer volume of profit waiting to be made made Peter's heart race. A commission of forty million taels was no small fortune.
Peter shook his head at the irony of his situation. As the store manager, he was the gatekeeper of weapons and powers beyond imagination, yet now, when he stepped outside this realm, he was nothing but an ordinary man forced to buy goods at full price. The Koosou system gave him no discounts anymore—no special treatment. Who would have thought that the mighty store manager would have to spend his own money to purchase items from his own store?
Obito's distracted expression snapped Peter's attention back to the present. Clearing his throat, Peter said, "Sir, is there anything you need?"
Obito blinked, suddenly reminded of where he was. He quickly gathered himself, though the doubt and bewilderment still lingered in his eyes. He realized that Peter was no ordinary merchant—his presence was commanding, and the weapons he carried were rumored to be capable of world-ending devastation. It was difficult to imagine someone so powerful acting like a simple businessman.
Peter noticed Obito's silence and took the opportunity to speak again, his voice low and tempting. "Listen, as long as you have the money, I can do anything. I can grant you power beyond your wildest dreams—strength to conquer, the ability to rejuvenate, and even resurrection… the power to bring your dead loved ones back to life."
He emphasized the last part deliberately, watching as Obito's eyes widened with disbelief.
Obito's breath grew heavier. After a moment, he lifted his masked face to look at Peter with a mixture of hope and desperation. "Boss… is everything you just said… true?"
The raw excitement in his voice betrayed the calm, collected image Obito usually tried to maintain.
Peter nodded slowly. "Of course it's true. But resurrection—bringing back the dead—is a heavenly forbidden act. It demands a huge price."
Obito's face fell. He understood this all too well. The Rinnegan's Rinne Tensei Technique could revive the dead, but at the cost of the caster's life. This grim truth was ingrained in his mind.
He lowered his head, disappointment flooding his features. Hope was fading fast. It was clear that resurrection was out of his reach, and so he resolved to focus on his plan—Project Tsuki no Me.
"But…" Peter changed the subject with a sly grin, "it doesn't come cheap. The price for such a miracle? Twenty billion taels."
Obito's reaction was not what Peter expected. He thought the young shinobi would be as thrilled as Black Zetsu had been with the prospect of making money on such a scale. Instead, Obito remained silent, his posture stiff and unmoving.
Because Obito wore a mask, Peter couldn't see the turmoil playing across his face. But beneath the mask, the conflict raged. Obito knew full well it would take decades to amass eighty billion taels, and yet his Project Tsuki no Me was already underway. He was convinced the project would finish in a few years, paving the way for a world where pain, war, and suffering were nothing but distant memories—a world created by the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Caught in a brutal ideological battle, Obito weighed the pursuit of the true Rinnegan against succumbing to the beautiful illusion conjured by Infinite Tsukuyomi. Should he chase power or embrace the dream?
Peter watched in confusion, unable to understand why Obito was standing so still, staring off into the distance as if lost in a trance.
He wondered if Obito had just realized the possibility of resurrecting Lin—the woman he held dear—and was stunned by the revelation.
After a long silence, Obito finally raised his head and locked eyes with Peter, his voice cold and resolute. "No need. Compared to this cruel, broken ninja world, I'd rather she live in a beautiful dream."
Peter was shocked by Obito's sudden declaration. Could it be that this boy, so filled with hatred and pain, had been crushed so deeply by reality that he was now willing to live in a lie?
He doubted it. How could someone be so easily fooled, just like Uchiha Madara?
Yet, Madara had been reckless in his final moments—he had unplugged the Ten Tails' oxygen tube without fear, leaving everything to Black Zetsu and Obito. Perhaps he had truly believed Black Zetsu was his will and Obito his trusted pawn.
Little did they know, Black Zetsu was the true mastermind behind the scenes, while Obito was merely a pawn and, in some ways, a traitor.
If Yakushi Kabuto hadn't taken control of Madara's body during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Obito might never have had the chance to appear in such a crucial role.
Peter imagined the original plan: as Obito was about to betray his allies, Black Zetsu would reveal his true intentions and bring Kaguya back to life.
Peter had long suspected Black Zetsu was the hidden hand guiding the chaos, planning for every possible contingency.
The Hokage ninjas might as well have been renamed Black Zetsu's minions to save his mother.
Obito, sensing Peter's distraction, frowned. "Boss, don't you believe what I'm saying?"
Peter snapped out of his thoughts. "Sorry, I was just thinking…"
Obito's patience snapped. His voice rose, filled with fury. "I will create a perfect world without war!" he shouted, voice echoing off the stone walls.
Peter scratched his ear, unsure how to react. What was this silly boy doing?
Obito's frustration grew. Seeing Peter's nonchalant reaction, his eyes twitched uncontrollably. The three magatama in his right eye began spinning rapidly until they transformed into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Peter froze, the legendary eyes hypnotizing him.
Obito's voice dropped to a confident whisper. "This is the capital I'm investing in for Project Tsuki no Me."
Peter's mind buzzed with the system's sudden alert:
"A B-rank Mangekyō Sharingan (single) has been detected. This system is willing to offer 100 million taels to purchase it. Please negotiate with the host!"
He realized the Koosou system had no products from the Hokage world and had to buy everything, which explained the vast inventory from other worlds.
Obito continued babbling about his grand plan, trying to recruit Peter—the big boss—to his cause. After all, Peter already possessed a world-destroying weapon. If Obito could get him on their side, no one in the ninja world would stand a chance.
Peter finally regained his composure and opened his mouth, cutting Obito off mid-sentence. "Are you… selling your Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Obito's eyes gleamed behind the mask as he considered the question. The wheels were turning in his mind, and Peter could see the spark of a deal forming.
The room was filled with the faint hum of anticipation. The fate of many might just hinge on what happened next.