"What are the Infinite Tsukuyomi and the Eye of the Moon Plan?" Pain asked, word by word.
Gensou looked at Pain and replied, "You, who possess the Rinnegan and founded the Akatsuki, don't know?"
Why should I know?
A flicker of confusion crossed Pain's eyes.
Then he heard Gensou continue:
"Then what is the purpose of capturing all the tailed beasts?"
Naturally, it was to create the ultimate tailed beast weapon, to conquer the shinobi world and bring about true peace.
Pain thought this to himself without hesitation.
However, he didn't say it out loud.
Not only because the plan to capture the tailed beasts was only halfway through and revealing the final objective would be premature, but also because there was something unusual in Gensou's words.
'Gensou knows a secret behind the Rinnegan, but it's completely different from what I know. It's not about a tailed beast weapon but about something called the Infinite Tsukuyomi and the Eye of the Moon Plan!'
For a brief moment, Pain's face showed a hint of confusion.
Although he didn't know exactly what Gensou was talking about, why?
Why, as the wielder of the Rinnegan, did he not know these things?
Or could it be that Gensou's information was incorrect? Or was Gensou deliberately trying to mislead him?
"Seems like you know nothing."
Noticing the change in Pain's expression, Gensou smirked.
As expected, Pain, who fancied himself a "god," was kept in the dark all along, merely a pitiful pawn in Uchiha Obito's grand scheme.
By mentioning the Eye of the Moon Plan now, Gensou wasn't just curious about Pain's reaction.
It also aligned with the persona he had built for himself.
After witnessing the "Eye of the Moon" Plan on the Uchiha Stone Tablet, "he" became increasingly interested in the idea. A world under the Infinite Tsukuyomi aligned perfectly with "his" vision.
Thus, after careful consideration, "he" decided to implement the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Even though the Akatsuki were also collecting tailed beasts and their leader possessed the Rinnegan, it seemed highly likely that they were also pursuing the Eye of the Moon Plan. Still, "he" intended to seize control of it.
After all, there could only be one leader of the Infinite Tsukuyomi. With "his" character and stature, how could "he" let someone else take the lead?
And so, this scene unfolded.
Having honed his performance skills in the game of wits with the system, Gensou now found it effortless to play his role in the Eye of the Moon Plan.
At that moment, Pain's expression darkened.
'You know nothing... you know nothing...'
Gensou's mocking, condescending words echoed in his mind.
Pain looked at Gensou once more.
Through Gensou's gaze, he felt as though he was being seen as a pitiful fool.
A pitiful fool?
This was the first time anyone had ever looked down on him like this, especially after he had already accepted himself as a "god."
At that moment, a massive surge of chakra pulsed through Pain's cold body via the black rods. He raised his head, the swirling purple Rinnegan emanating a powerful pressure as he locked onto Gensou. He coldly asked:
"I'll ask you one last time. What are the Infinite Tsukuyomi and the Eye of the Moon Plan?"
No one could regard him as a pitiful fool.
Even if someone dared, he would strangle them until they changed their mind.
Therefore, he had to know the truth behind the Infinite Tsukuyomi and the Eye of the Moon Plan!
He had to know how much had been hidden from him all along!
'Uchiha Madara!'
In Pain's mind, the image of the man who had helped him develop the Rinnegan and contributed greatly to rebuilding the Akatsuki emerged.
If what Gensou said was true, then the biggest suspect was that man.
Faced with Pain's repeated questioning, Gensou, sticking to his persona, responded indifferently:
"I thought you were the player, but it turns out you're just a pawn. And if you're just a pawn, then there's no need to explain."
"Your Rinnegan... I'll take it."
With those words, Gensou wasted no more time. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Pain, his five fingers spread wide, reaching for Pain's neck as though the man was nothing more than an afterthought.
Pain didn't flinch, though a subtle ripple stirred in his Rinnegan.
"Shinra Tensei!"
A tremendous repulsive force exploded from Pain's body, sending Gensou flying backward.
As Gensou was hurled through the air, he twisted his waist and landed on the ground, his feet digging into the earth as he skidded backward for about twenty meters, creating a long trench in the process, before coming to a stop.
"As expected of the Rinnegan."
Amidst the cloud of dust, Gensou pulled his feet from the ground and calmly remarked.
He had intentionally taken the Shinra Tensei head-on to test whether his current strength could ignore its effects.
It seemed that, for now, the Rinnegan, a powerful symbol of the Ōtsutsuki clan, was still something that even he couldn't fully negate.
Though he wasn't injured, he had still been repelled.
Swish! Swish!
Suddenly, a sharp sound cut through the dust cloud ahead.
Gensou looked up to see several small missiles shooting out from the cloud at high speed, heading straight for him.
They were too close to dodge.
Gensou watched with calm eyes as he swiftly extended his hands, catching all the missiles in his palms and crushing them with his fingers.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of explosions erupted in his hands.
Once the explosions had subsided, Gensou dusted off his hands. Aside from a bit of soot, there wasn't a single scratch on him.
"If that's all you've got, this battle will end very quickly."
A gust of wind swept through, clearing the dust. Gensou looked at Pain, stating the truth with calm certainty.
Pain gazed seriously at Gensou.
Up until now, no one had survived a direct hit from Shinra Tensei unscathed. Gensou was the first.
Before now, whether it was Kakuzu, Orochimaru, or any of the Akatsuki members or Jinchūriki he had personally subdued, none had withstood Shinra Tensei without suffering serious injury. Afterward, they either submitted or were thoroughly defeated.
"No wonder you're a man spoken of in the same breath as Uchiha Madara. In that case..."
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
One after another, figures emerged from the smoke around Pain.
The Hell Path, the Human Path, the Preta Path, the Animal Path, and the Asura Path, which had already appeared and attacked.
Amidst the drifting smoke, six figures clad in black cloaks with red clouds gradually became visible.
The Six Paths of Pain had fully assembled.
After the first exchange, Nagato, having realized that Gensou far surpassed any opponent he had faced before, didn't hesitate to go all out.
Standing at the forefront, the Deva Path Pain looked at Gensou and declared:
"After I defeat you, I'll extract the truth of the Eye of the Moon Plan from your soul."
Gensou smiled lightly.
"That's too much trouble. You'd never be able to accomplish it, not even in a lifetime."
"How about I find your real body and tell you myself?"
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For Only $5!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]