---
"Heh! You'll see," Tobi said, looking at the lifeless clone of Naruto lying on the ground. "I sometimes don't get what's going on in that extraordinary brain of yours," Zetsu sighed lightly. "So what are we going to do now?" Zetsu asked.
"Well, we're going to make a vessel," Tobi answered.
"You don't mean...?!" Zetsu asked, slightly flustered and surprised.
"Yes. Given his Uzumaki origins, he's going to make the perfect sealing vessel until we can control that thing," Tobi replied. "It is true that he could possibly make the best sealing vessel, but something is still bothering me," Zetsu said.
"What might that be?" Tobi questioned Zetsu, knowing what his next words would be. "Why go to such lengths just to kill the boy in the end?" Zetsu asked.
Tobi was silent for a few moments before answering. "I was originally going to recruit the boy, but after seeing his fate in the 'Infinite Tsukuyomi,' I changed my mind."
"What did you see that changed your mind?" Zetsu asked, suddenly curious about the reason. Tobi eyed Naruto's clone and said, "His potential. Or more accurately, his astonishing growth rate. If we take him under us, he would be like a ticking time-bomb. He could prove to be useful in many ways, but at the end of the day, we will need the Kyuubi, and when that time comes, things will get difficult if we just leave him be, even under the Akatsuki. And..." Tobi stopped mid-sentence, not wanting to say the rest. "And..? What?" Zetsu questioned.
Tobi sighed and said, "As much as I hate to admit it, there's something about the brat that rubs me the wrong way."
"I see," Zetsu simply nodded, understanding what Tobi meant.
"What about the Nine-tails then?" Zetsu asked. "How are we going to proceed without the Kyuubi now?"
"Well, it turns out the Nine-tails is bound to Naruto's soul, not just a temporary vessel, and it is impossible to extract it without removing the seal. And I can't control the Nine-tails because of my last fight with 'The Yellow Flash,'" Tobi answered.
"So the seal still remains strong even after so much time," Zetsu remarked, surprised by the high-level seal.
"But we have nothing to worry about," Tobi said. "What do you mean?" Zetsu questioned. "Although it might cause some complications, we don't need all of the Nine-tails for our goal, and we already have what we need," Tobi said, looking at the clone Naruto.
"Oh! So that's why you wanted this clone," Zetsu said, everything making sense to him now. 'But still, it's quite a wonder how he comes up with such plans.'
"Now, let's get to work. This is going to take a few years to complete, but with the Nine-tails and Naruto out of the picture, we can focus on other Tailed Beasts and their Jinchuriki."
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POV change:
There was darkness everywhere, and in that darkness, someone was floating lifelessly. Suddenly, two dark red eyes opened, and a growling sound echoed. The lifeless body stirred, and slowly, he opened his eyes.
"Yo kid! Ready to get up?"