I'll Make Rin Feel That Bond Once More!

Konan, Kakuzu, and Itachi were standing on the road to Yugakure.

Just as they were about to set off, a voice suddenly interrupted their thoughts.

"Ah, Konan-senpai and everyone! My stomach hurts. You go ahead; I'll catch up. I'm really sorry!"

The Mysterious Masked Man came over, clutching his stomach and wearing a pained expression. Though his words sounded apologetic, Konan and the others could detect a hint of slyness in his eyes.

Konan frowned slightly as she looked at the Masked Man who had suddenly appeared. A trace of suspicion stirred in her heart.

She knew how important this mission was. They couldn't afford any mistakes. Madara had quietly gone to the bathroom?

She had no idea what he was up to now.

And the Masked Man's sudden stomachache made her uneasy.

"Are you sure you'll be all right?" Konan asked tentatively, watching the Masked Man's reaction.

The Masked Man quickly waved his hands and said, pretending to be at ease, "It's fine, it's fine. I just need to rest for a bit. You go on ahead. Don't let me delay the mission."

Kakuzu snorted, his voice unmistakably cold and warning. "Since you say so, we'll go ahead. But don't try anything funny, or you'll face the consequences." His words carried an unquestionable authority, making it clear that he was displeased and wary of the Masked Man's behavior.

Itachi remained silent, his gaze fixed on the Masked Man.

He knew that this Masked Man wasn't an ordinary person, but someone Madara Uchiha had inserted into their ranks under the guise of an intern.

The discovery stirred a wave of unease in Itachi, and he began to reassess just how complicated and dangerous the mission really was.

This mission really was unusual, considering they had a new Mangekyō intern.

The Masked Man stood before the three of them, his gaze shifting between Kakuzu, Itachi, and Konan.

He noticed Kakuzu's furrowed brow, Itachi's thoughtful expression, and the hint of suspicion in Konan's eyes.

He smiled to himself, but put on an awkward, helpless expression.

"I'll be back soon. I'm really sorry!" the Masked Man said apologetically, pressing his palms together in a gesture of apology.

Then he turned and headed into the depths of the forest. He walked steadily, as if he were genuinely enduring the pain of a stomachache.

His figure gradually disappeared among the dense trees, leaving only his back and a cloud of dust drifting in the air.

Kakuzu watched the Masked Man's retreating figure, then turned to Itachi. He frowned slightly and said in a low voice, "Then let's get going. We'll leave the intern behind." His voice was calm, but carried an unmistakable resolve.

Itachi nodded in agreement. He had no objection to Kakuzu's decision. After all, everyone in the organization had their own place and responsibilities.

Besides, Kakuzu was the oldest person in the entire Akatsuki.

Konan stood beside them, her gaze moving between Kakuzu and Itachi. As someone who was often with Pain, her authority within the organization went without saying.

She knew how important this mission was, and understood Kakuzu's concerns.

"Let's go, then." Konan's voice was clear and firm. She set off first, with Kakuzu and Itachi following close behind.

The Mysterious Masked Man's playful laughter gradually faded into the night, turning serious and somber. It was as if an invisible pressure had settled over the surrounding air.

He stood on the grass, looking down at the ground. His voice carried an unquestionable authority.

"Black Zetsu, is the girl from the remnant Uchiha clan in Yugakure really a Mangekyō wielder?"

The Mysterious Masked Man's voice echoed through the night sky. Even the wind seemed to still.

Black Zetsu, a presence concealed in the shadows, was always by his side in the Akatsuki. He was also the person he trusted most.

Black Zetsu silently appeared beside the Mysterious Masked Man and replied, "I went to Yugakure and confirmed it myself. The girl is real, and her Mangekyō Sharingan is genuine."

The Mysterious Masked Man nodded slightly, a satisfied glint in his eyes.

The Mangekyō Sharingan was the most mysterious power of the Uchiha Clan. Its wielder could unleash powerful ocular techniques, control life and death, and turn the tide of battle.

And this girl was the only one among the remnants of the Uchiha Clan to possess this power. Her value was self-evident.

The Masked Man had never expected a strange girl with the Sharingan—at the Mangekyō level, no less—to appear in a village that had broken away from the rest.

"I also found out something that might surprise you. In that peaceful village, the Uchiha girl is accompanied by two people. One is a white-haired man, and the other is..." Black Zetsu paused, then said in his hoarse voice, sounding amused, "That girl looks a lot like Nohara Rin. Are you sure you want to leave this mission?"

The Mysterious Masked Man spun around, uncertainty flashing in his eyes.

He stared at Black Zetsu, his voice trembling slightly. "What did you say? The Uchiha girl is accompanied by two people? One is a white-haired man, and the other... looks like Nohara Rin?"

Black Zetsu nodded, a strange amusement in his hoarse voice. "That's right. Even I was surprised. The girl seems to have a close relationship with them. They're always by her side, protecting her."

The Mysterious Masked Man fell silent for a moment, as if trying to process this sudden news.

He was stunned and confused. The Uchiha girl he had been searching for looked like Nohara Rin and had a close connection with two men. He couldn't help but reconsider the entire plan.

The Mysterious Masked Man asked in a low voice, his words echoing through the night with unquestionable authority.

His gaze was sharp as a blade as he stared at Black Zetsu, as if trying to read more from his eyes.

"Are you sure this is true?" he pressed, a barely perceptible urgency in his voice.

Black Zetsu nodded and replied with certainty, "Yes. I went to Yugakure and confirmed it myself. The villagers were talking about that Uchiha girl. What's even stranger is that she keeps her Mangekyō Sharingan activated all the time. She never turns it off, yet she uses very little chakra."

The Mysterious Masked Man frowned slightly. He knew how much chakra it took to activate the Mangekyō Sharingan. It required an enormous amount of chakra to sustain.

Yet this girl could keep hers activated for a long time without using much chakra. It was certainly surprising.

But he was more concerned with something else. Interrupting Black Zetsu, he said in a low voice, "We're talking about Nohara Rin, not the Uchiha girl. Have you learned anything new about Rin?"

Black Zetsu: "..."

I know you're in a hurry, but calm down first...

Black Zetsu seemed caught off guard by the Mysterious Masked Man's sudden change of focus. He paused, then replied, "As for Nohara Rin, I did discover something interesting. The girl with the Uchiha girl looks astonishingly like Nohara Rin. She's practically her double."

A strange glint flashed in the Mysterious Masked Man's eyes. Nohara Rin, the woman who had once moved his heart, had become the pain he carried within.

He had never forgotten her, and had always searched for any clue connected to her. Now a girl who looked like Rin had appeared. A sudden, inexplicable excitement stirred in him.

"You mean that girl looks a lot like Nohara Rin?" he asked again, his voice trembling slightly despite himself.

Black Zetsu nodded. "Yes. I saw her myself, and she really does look a lot like Nohara Rin. Not only that, she seems to have inherited some of Rin's qualities. She's gentle and kind, almost like Rin's very embodiment."

The Mysterious Masked Man took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

He knew this news could have a major impact on his plans.

Black Zetsu watched the Masked Man's agitation and couldn't help but reflect on it.

The intelligence Black Zetsu had brought was undoubtedly a bombshell for the mysterious Masked Man.

The Masked Man's quick, shallow breaths convinced Black Zetsu that his information had caught the other man's attention.

Although the Masked Man wore a mask, Black Zetsu could sense the emotions roiling inside him.

The Masked Man was extremely sensitive to anything related to Nohara Rin, and this time, the information he had brought was inextricably linked to her.

But the Masked Man was truly shocked to hear that Nohara Rin had been resurrected.

"Go on," the Masked Man said in a low voice. His tone was calm, but Black Zetsu could sense the tension and anticipation beneath it.

Black Zetsu nodded and continued, "The girl who looks like Nohara Rin resembles her not only in appearance, but also in personality and bearing. The strong, white-haired man beside her has unfathomable strength and seems to be protecting her from the shadows. The Uchiha girl is always with them, and the three of them are very close."

A glint flashed in the Masked Man's eyes.

He understood that this intelligence might finally help him unravel the mystery that had haunted him for so long and find Nohara Rin, the one who had occupied his thoughts all this time.

"Obito, you aren't actually falling for someone who looks like Nohara Rin, are you? The overall plan is what matters most. Even if that Uchiha girl with the Mangekyō joins us, she might not share our ideals. When I was disguised as a villager, she acted like she was just there for the fun of it, grinning the whole time. She never even turned off her Mangekyō."

Black Zetsu stared seriously at the Masked Man. The plan was already beginning to go awry. Unexpected developments had appeared.

For example, Liuli, disguised as Six Paths Sasuke. Black Zetsu had already concluded that she was connected to that little punk, Six Paths, because she was brimming with Six Paths Power.

Obito stood beside Zetsu, complex emotions glimmering beneath his mask. Black Zetsu's words had pierced him like a thorn.

He frowned slightly, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly. "Black Zetsu, are you questioning me?"

Black Zetsu's gaze was firm and serious as he stared at Obito's mask, as if he wanted to see through it and discover what Obito truly thought.

He said in a low voice, "Obito, I'm not questioning you. I'm worried our plan will be disrupted. That girl who looks like Nohara Rin is definitely an unpredictable factor. And although the Uchiha girl with the Mangekyō is powerful, her personality and behavior are hard to read. If she joins the Akatsuki, how can we make sure she'll act according to our wishes?"

Obito fell silent for a while, seeming to consider Black Zetsu's words. He took a deep breath, then slowly said, "Black Zetsu, I understand your concerns. But believe me, I don't have any romantic feelings for the girl who looks like Nohara Rin. She's just a pawn in the plan. I won't let personal feelings affect our overall objective."

Black Zetsu didn't seem entirely convinced. He continued, "Then what do you think of the Mangekyō girl? She always seems optimistic, able to smile no matter how difficult things get. Could that kind of personality interfere with our plan?"

Obito shook his head slightly and replied, "The Mangekyō girl is certainly unusual, but I believe she has her own goals and convictions. If we can find a common interest, she might become an asset to our plan."

"By the way, does she have any parents in that village? We could use her bonds." Obito's voice carried a note of deliberation and resolve, as if he were considering a workable strategy. To him, a shinobi's bonds were both a source of strength and an emotional shackle.

He knew that once those bonds were broken, the deep pain and despair could quickly plunge someone into darkness, allowing their will to be completely controlled.

Black Zetsu frowned slightly, seeming puzzled by Obito's idea. "The girl's an orphan. She has no parents, and the villagers are very friendly toward them."

His voice was calm and cool, as if reminding Obito that the girl had no bonds to exploit.

Obito sighed softly, as if Black Zetsu's answer didn't surprise him. "It's a peaceful village, after all. Of course the atmosphere is friendly."

A trace of sadness entered his voice, as if he were remembering the warmth and bonds he had once possessed.

"Let's get back to Nohara Rin."

As soon as Obito finished speaking, the air seemed to grow unbearably heavy.

He had too many feelings he couldn't let go of when it came to Nohara Rin. His profound love and endless longing had kept him from moving on.

Black Zetsu fell silent for a moment, seeming to consider how to respond.

He knew that, to Obito, Nohara Rin was irreplaceable. Her death had left him with a wound that could never heal.

But their goal now was to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan, not to wallow in memories of the past.

"Obito, I know how you feel about Nohara Rin, but our mission right now is to find that Mangekyō girl, not dwell on the past."

There was a note of admonition and reminder in Black Zetsu's voice.

Obito nodded slightly, as if trying to suppress his emotions. "I understand, Black Zetsu. But the Mangekyō girl's resemblance to Nohara Rin makes it impossible for me not to think of Rin. And her appearance might also bring unexpected changes to our plan. So, to prevent anything unforeseen, give me a White Zetsu as a backup body. I'll build a bond with the Mangekyō girl and then control her. An orphan girl with no parents would want nothing more than a family."

Black Zetsu's brows knitted together as he considered Obito's words.

He understood that Obito's idea made sense.

"By the way, preferably make it a young, handsome guy." Obito said solemnly.

Black Zetsu: "..."

Are you sure you don't just want to get close to Nohara Rin?