109 Set Into Motion.

(Kei-clone POV, Two days later. Konoha.)

Paperwork was… an experience—a boring one, to be sure, but an experience nonetheless. Unlike the original, clones like me couldn't simply delegate mountains of paperwork to thousands of minds that all shared the same level of knowledge… no there was only one person doing mountains of paperwork. Every ounce of chakra was a strategic resource for a clone like me as an attack at any moment against them had to be repelled without so much as grazing me, or I would simply disappear, revealing the fact that the Hokage was a clone, leading to numerous speculations as to what or where the real one was doing or going to.

Farfetched… perhaps, possibly… definitely. As long as I didn't use the shadow clone technique for a long time in front of others, people just started to forget that a shinobi could even use it in the first place, leading them all to believe that the Hokage was constantly inside the village, working and watching over them at every moment.

'Well… ignorance is bliss.' – I thought as the sound of running feet reached my ears.

Constant possibilities flashed inside my head as the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan flared in my eyes, with hints of red and black chakra bursting around my body as I prepared for the worst possible outcomes.

'These damn fickle smoke bodies. I cannot smell, sense, or even properly hear the specific details of the pests heading toward me. The most I can tell is that they do not appear to be showing any hostile intent… but that's about it.'

The door promptly burst open as a flock of spiky yellow hair greeted me…

"Yo, Kei, something has hap…" – a glare froze him in place as I saw terror in his eyes for a split second before something else shut him up more permanently. *BANG!*

… followed immediately by a flock of pink hair.

"NARUTO, show some respect towards the Hokage!" Then she turned to me.

"I'm very sorry for his continued behavior Hokage-sama, but this time it's urgent!" – Sakura said with a bow.

'Then why did you hit him.' – My thoughts spun for a bit as a third figure with black raven hair entered.

"Sasuke, am I to presume that you are here to report an emergency as well?" – I asked as the raven-haired teen nodded.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Though it does not affect the village much, I would like to request your advice on the matter. I cannot seem to be able to contact my summon for some time now." – Sasuke said as he glanced at Sakura and Naruto, whose eyes widened as they looked at each other.

Sakura was first to jump as she turned her head to me with urgency.

"Hokage-sama, since yesterday, I have not been able to contact my summons as well, while the toads just arrived in the outskirts of the village, not wishing to cause panic as they communicated through Naruto." – Sakura explained as she nudged Naruto with her eyes.

Naruto nodded as he looked at me.

"Yes, Hokage-sama, Fukasaku is currently leading them. he is waiting to talk with you as soon as you give your permission."

'It's clear they do not trust me, hiding Jiraya's message regarding Pain and keeping their distance from me… but now they are in a corner. Without the slugs and the snakes, I am their only possible choice for support.'

My thoughts spun as I considered my options very carefully, not that I could change anything at this point. Since the original had begun moving, we could only advance.

'I have been waiting for Pain for months, yet there has been no sign of him. Did I overplay my hand at some point? Did the original? Obito had constantly contacted the "Red Demon"… but not Pain, not once, and neither had Konan. It was as if they simply disappeared when they were supposed to be moving towards Konoha. The Rinnegan we had was… lacking in comparison to Madara's, both in power and efficiency, not to mention that it lacked the special power it usually granted to the wielder. Obtaining Pain's, or rather Madara's Rinnegan, would let us correct what went wrong during the evolutionary process. However, without it, we will have to compensate for the deficiency in power by using far more chakra. We would have to use quantity to compensate for the quality gap. Was it really a problem… no, but it left a bitter aftertaste for us.'

Nevertheless, now that the original had begun to move, it was time for me to also play my part. Without any real opposition, it was time to reveal the 'true culprit' behind the attack on the summons.

'After my talks with the toads and an "investigation" in this case, it will be time to call the Five Kage Summit. Black Zetsu will ensure that Obito gets an invite, and with his declaration, the Fourth Great Shinobi War will be set in motion. Together with it, so will my Ascension begin.'

"Let Fukasaku in. This is not a simple matter anymore. I believe someone might be targeting Konoha, beginning to chip away slowly at our power." – I said as Naruto and Sakura quickly bowed and hurried outside, leaving Sasuke and me in the room.

"So it begins…." Sasuke said as he looked sadly at his teammates' backs.

"It will be but a momentary pain, followed by more than a lifetime of peace. We will create a new world where all of us will no longer have to suffer the pain of losing someone, nor the pain of losing everyone. Remember, well, Sasuke, we are doing this, so no one has to suffer as we did… and that we do not ever suffer once again as we once already did." – I said as I slowly made my way to Sasuke, putting a hand in his shoulder while smiling.

Sasuke steeled himself as he nodded, his body slightly relaxing as he nodded, this time, with a smile of his own.

"Yes… Nii-san." – And who said that revealing the truth only worked in favor of the good guys.

'Spin it around enough, and the act of killing the entire world can be seen as salvation. After all, everyone will still be alive, reborn in the original to further our advancement. Though it is not a lie that everyone will be free of pain and of death… hmm… maybe Sasuke is not the only Uchiha I can convince to accept my plan willingly….'

As I was left alone debating that thought, a casual smile emerged on my face.

'Well… it is food for thought. Though in the end, it won't matter much. Ensuring Kaguya's return to this world cements my Ascension. And with Sasuke on my corner, opposition becomes… marginal.'