"But this is the only way to solve the problem!"
Obito understood what Uchiha Ren meant and even admitted that the Eye of the Moon Plan was somewhat extreme. Yet he still stubbornly believed it was the only possible solution.
In a certain sense, Obito's thinking wasn't entirely wrong. When a problem cannot be solved, eliminating the person who raises the problem can indeed become the only answer.
But not every problem in the world needs to be solved perfectly.
A faint glint flashed in Ren's eyes as he asked seriously,
"Do you truly believe that?"
Obito nodded firmly.
"Even though Madara deceived me, I've traveled to many places in the past days. Everywhere I went, people were suffering—fields of misery, endless grief."
"Everyone is living in hardship."
"What's the point of letting a world like that continue to exist?"
"This is the answer I arrived at myself."
"So I will carry out the plan Madara left behind. And if Madara's plan fails, then I will find another way to carry this ideal forward."
Obito's fall into darkness had indeed been guided by Madara.
But Madara's methods were extraordinarily clever.
He never forcibly imposed his ideology onto Obito. Instead, he allowed Obito to see what he saw, hear what he heard, and eventually arrive at the same conclusion on his own.
In that way, Madara's thoughts gradually became Obito's own beliefs.
Even if Obito later realized that he had been deceived by Madara, it would not easily shake those beliefs.
And thus Obito would still continue walking the path Madara expected of him.
One had to admit—Madara's method of cultivating a successor was masterful.
Ren shook his head and sighed softly.
"But have you ever considered the thoughts of those people who are suffering?"
"Have you ever asked yourself why they continue struggling to live in this world after enduring so much pain?"
"Even ants struggle to survive. Have you ever truly thought about the meaning of life?"
Ren's questions instantly left Obito speechless.
It was true.
He had only seen the suffering of those people—but he had never asked why they continued to live so stubbornly despite that suffering.
Confusion filled Obito's eyes.
For thousands of years, wars had never ceased. Yet humanity still endured.
Why?
Seeing his expression, Ren continued,
"The answer to that question is actually very simple. Just think about why you yourself haven't chosen death after experiencing so much pain."
Obito frowned.
"That's because I want to change everything. I want to end all conflict."
"And that," Ren said with a faint smile, "is the meaning of life."
"In the vast and boundless universe, within the endless flow of time, a human lifespan of less than a hundred years is insignificant—barely enough to create even the smallest ripple."
"From that perspective, human life is no different from the ants we see beneath our feet."
"So in that sense… life has no inherent meaning."
"But each of us can give our own life meaning."
Ren looked directly at Obito and continued,
"You said you don't want to die because you want to change this world."
"Essentially, what you want is to make this world better than it was before."
"And that is the meaning you've given to your own life."
"The people you see suffering are no different."
"They may not possess power like yours. So what they can do is work with their own hands to improve their lives—and create a better life for their children."
"That is the meaning of their lives."
"As long as hope and dreams still exist, people will continue to live stubbornly—even in the midst of suffering."
"And yet, without ever asking for their consent, you want to destroy them."
"Do you really think that's appropriate?"
A struggle appeared on Obito's face.
But changing a deeply rooted belief was never easy.
Still, he stubbornly replied,
"Their limited perspective restricts their understanding. I don't need them to understand me."
"I only need to do what is right."
Ren's voice suddenly grew cold.
"'I destroy you, and it has nothing to do with you.'"
"That arrogance of yours… is exactly the same as the Ōtsutsuki Clan."
"You truly are worthy of being their descendants."
"And what makes you so certain that what you're doing is correct?"
"Just because the Uchiha Clan's Stone Tablet claims the Eye of the Moon Plan is the guidance left behind by the Sage of Six Paths?"
Obito stubbornly nodded.
"Isn't that enough? The Sage of Six Paths founded Ninshū. He's a legendary sage said to possess limitless power."
"If even he acknowledged this plan, how could it possibly be wrong?"
In the shinobi world, the Sage of Six Paths—the legendary founder of Ninshū—held a status nearly equal to that of a creator deity.
People like Obito often possessed an almost blind faith in him.
"How ridiculous," Ren scoffed.
"I've seen the Uchiha stone tablet myself. To think people still believe such an obvious lie… it's truly pathetic."
Obito's face flushed with anger.
"And what gives you the right to say that?!"
Ren replied expressionlessly,
"The tablet says that in order to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, one must first become the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki."
"And the previous Ten-Tails' jinchūriki was the Sage of Six Paths himself, correct?"
"That's right," Obito said. "But what does that prove?"
Ren sneered.
"Calling you Uchiha Number Two Fool really isn't wrong. Can't you see the obvious flaw?"
"If the Infinite Tsukuyomi truly worked…"
"Then why didn't the Sage of Six Paths—who had already become the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki—simply cast it himself?"
"Why would he leave something he could easily accomplish to future generations?"
"Why allow the shinobi world to remain trapped in warfare for a thousand years?"
Ren's words froze Obito in place.
It was an undeniable contradiction.
If the stone tablet were telling the truth, why didn't the Sage of Six Paths do it himself?
With his power, it should have been effortless.
Which meant there was only one possible truth.
The contents of the tablet were false.
They were never left by the Sage of Six Paths.
At that moment, Ren spoke again:
"Black Zetsu has been lurking in the shinobi world for thousands of years, manipulating events from the shadows."
"For it to finally encounter two fools like Madara Uchiha and you…"
"It must have waited a very long time."
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