Where I Go Is for Me to Decide

Seeing the name of Raiga Kurosuki names, Kou couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

He was no stranger to this man.

I had fought this guy quite a few times back during the Third Ninja World War.

In a sense, this guy was also his former "nemesis" (the mat).

But since the end of the Third Ninja World War, he has never seen this person again.

Later, I heard about his defection from Mist Village, but at that time I was busy carrying out the "Saving Private Rin Nohara Plan" plan, so I naturally didn't bother with such trivial matters.

After stabilizing the situation in Mist Village under the identity of "Shiina Sora", he did try to investigate Raiga Kurosuki, who was missing-nin.

After all, putting aside the Thunder Sword in that guy's hand, the boy beside him with the Red Eye Kekkei Genkai — Ranmaru —is, in a sense, even rarer than the Uchiha.

But for some reason, information about him has been deliberately erased over the years, and even the Mist Village Intelligence Network, which he personally trained, has not been able to find any clues about him.

"I was originally planning to find some time to go see him myself, but I never expected that this guy would be targeting me..."

Koko raised his eyes and glanced at Obito on the sofa out of the corner of his eye, muttering to himself.

Obito seemed to catch a glimpse of Kotori's fleeting absent-mindedness, and his single eye beneath the mask narrowed slightly:

"What, do you have any objections to the people on the list?"

"If I had any opinions, I wouldn't say."

Kou turned his gaze back to the list in his hand and commented on each item:

"I've heard of Deidara from Iwagakure before; he's definitely a promising talent worth recruiting."

Hidan from the Land of Hot Water, I also have some knowledge of the secret techniques that the Jashin Cult has been secretly researching.

If he truly succeeded in mastering that forbidden technique, then he certainly possesses the necessary strength to join the Akatsuki.

But this Raiga Kurosuki...

He paused deliberately here, feigning doubt, and said:

"Although this guy is a decent fighter, if you don't count the boost that rainy days give to his Thunder Sword, he's at best an elite Jonin."

"Can he really be of any help in the mission to capture the Tailed Beast?"

"Given his abilities, he certainly wouldn't be of much help."

Obito answered matter-of-factly:

"There are other reasons why I included Raiga Kurosuki on this list."

Stop with the riddles, just say what you want to say!

Sensing Koko's impatient gaze, Obito stopped keeping him in suspense.

You should remember, right? That thing I mentioned to you before.

He raised the hand that was resting on his knee, gently tapped the mask on his face, and said meaningfully:

"Find a trustworthy guy to be Itachi's partner and keep an eye on that troublesome brat to prevent him from doing anything out of line."

"... So, he's the 'trustworthy guy' you found."

Kou frowned slightly, a deep wariness flashing in his eyes:

"You told him about the Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan?"

"Good."

Obito nodded, as if stating something utterly mundane, and calmly said:

"The reason why Raiga Kurosuki defected from Mist Village was because he had grown weary of Mist Village and this cruel Ninja World."

I found him recently and, after confirming that he indeed possessed sufficient value, informed him about Eye of the Moon Plan.

Obito narrowed his single eye beneath the mask, and a genuine hint of pleasure crept into his hoarse voice:

"His expression at the time was quite amusing."

Hearing Obito's tone, as if he were reliving some good show, Kotoko's lips involuntarily curled down.

While silently lighting a candle in his heart for Raiga Kurosuki, who had been tricked into joining the thief's ship, he replied without any politeness:

I naturally have no objection to you finding a new colleague.

Are you sure Raiga Kurosuki has the ability to monitor Uchiha Itachi?

What were you thinking, assigning him this kind of job? Do you think he's got too long to live?!

"Hmph, if it were the old him, he naturally wouldn't have had that ability, but now, that's a different story..."

Obito leaned forward slightly, as if sharing a secret, and slowly continued speaking to Koko:

When I found him, I discovered that he was accompanied by a rather amusing little devil.

That brat's eyes are very peculiar... they seem to be a kind of Kekkei Genkai called "Red Eye."

Kou maintained his indifferent and composed expression, but his heart sank slightly.

"Obito, so he did notice that child after all."

Obito, seemingly oblivious to the unease in Kokoro's heart, continued speaking with great interest:

"At first, Raiga Kurosuki was very interested in the Eye of the Moon Plan."

But later, it seemed that it was because of the little devil beside him that his heart began to waver a little.

To ensure he could work for us without worry, I temporarily took the child away from him.

I promised him that I would spare the child's life until the day the Eye of the Moon Plan was finally completed.

But until that day comes, he must be used by us!

As he listened to Obito recount his despicable methods in that indifferent tone, his expression remained unchanged.

What you're saying has no direct connection to his strength.

What exactly... are you trying to say?

"Heh, with your abilities, you should already have a pretty good idea."

Obito met Kotori's gaze into his cold, emotionless eyes, and a cold, sharp smile slowly curved his lips beneath the mask.

"To ensure that Raiga Kurosuki could successfully complete his mission of monitoring Uchiha Itachi, I transplanted one of that child's Red Eye into him."

While that wasn't enough for him to contend with Itachi, it was more than sufficient to secretly monitor that man and ensure he wouldn't do anything inappropriate behind our backs.

"... That's just like you."

Kou said coldly, then stopped looking at Obito and focused his gaze on the list in his hand, saying in a dismissive tone:

"Alright, you've said everything you needed to say. If there's nothing else, you can leave now."

Regarding recruiting new members, either of these two people will do; I don't mind.

Seeing that Kou had given the order to leave, Obito, unusually, didn't say anything more.

He simply shrugged, slowly stood up from the sofa, placed the cookbook he was holding back on the shelf, and then raised his hand and casually waved at Kou:

Sweet dreams.

A spatial Uzumaki spread out from the Mangekyo in his right eye, Obito Obito's tall and aloof figure, along with the last meaningful gaze beneath that orange Spiral Mask.

In the huge living room, only Kou remained.

After confirming that Obito had really left, Kō slumped heavily onto the sofa, his brows furrowed, and slowly closed his eyes.

He wasn't particularly angry about Obito's despicable behavior, after all, no one knew better than him just how low that guy's morals were.

This operation, which didn't even involve any deaths, wouldn't even rank in the top three of Uchiha Obito's list of crimes.

Moreover, he himself is not exactly a clean person. Having spent twenty-two years in the Ninja World, not to mention how much blood he has on his hands, his resistance to this kind of dirty business has long been maxed out.

Although he might feel some resistance deep down, it wasn't enough to break his guard.

What truly resonated with me was the deeper meaning Obito's journey.

The deeper meaning didn't need to be explicitly stated by Obito; he already understood it the moment Obito chose to come before him at that moment.

"You don't need to say anything more."

"... Mist Village Shiina Sora of Kirigakure never existed from the very beginning."

Kowtowing, staring at the sofa where Obito had just sat, murmured to himself:

"From the very beginning, there was no place for me here."

The Kirigakure were so enthusiastic towards him, Zabuza and his friends playing around in the streets today, the children in the orphanage gazing longingly at their parents, and Mei Terumi saying to him at the edge of the road, "Do your best at work tomorrow..."

These memories were so real they couldn't be more real, so real that at one point he almost forgot he was standing there wearing a mask.

But Obito's appearance brought him back to his senses.

All of this is just a dream, a dream that will end sooner or later...

"But the place where I find refuge will definitely not be some false dream."

He spoke in a firm, low voice, then turned his gaze to the direction outside the window— the Land of Rice Fields shrouded in night—and said:

"If you're uncomfortable anywhere, why not just build your own?"

Kō recalled Obito's figure just as he left, a cold glint flashing in his eyes:

"Where I go is my own decision!"

Those who think they can easily manipulate the fate of others will one day become the ones being manipulated.

Uchiha Obito, one day... you'll regret this!