Dark clouds blanketed the sky, blocking out the sunlight. The gloomy weather made everything seem dim and dreary.
As a torrential downpour suddenly began, the entire sky disappeared behind a curtain of rain.
Tokino lowered his head, letting the rain soak him without moving an inch. Beneath his black bangs, a blood-red glimmer flashed and vanished.
Amid the wreckage, Sosuke stood in the distance, watching the pale blue light slowly fade into the rain. A smile tugged at his lips, and a strange glint shone in his eyes.
"Hogyoku, keep this man's soul. It may... come in handy someday..."
"The Hogyoku understands, Lord Aizen!"
After their secret exchange came to an end, Sosuke slowly walked toward Tokino.
Hearing the footsteps behind him, Tokino turned around. He looked at Sosuke with a respectful yet expressionless face.
"So... what are your plans now...?"
Sosuke glanced at his impassive face and smiled gently.
"I'll go to Amegakure and reopen negotiations with Konoha over a ceasefire. If all goes well, this war will soon be over."
At his words, Tokino's rain-soaked face turned slightly pale, but his voice remained cool.
"It's ironic that Konoha would send you to negotiate this."
Sosuke smiled faintly, paying no heed to his words. He raised his head slightly and gazed at the gloomy sky.
"End the battle against the Sand Ninja here as soon as you can. This war has gone on for years. It's time for it to end..."
Tokino nodded.
Seeing him nod, Sosuke started toward the forest's edge. Then he turned his head, a faint smile on his face, and said softly,
"By the way, while I was in Amegakure, I encountered a strange fellow named Zetsu. If you run into him, you can choose to join his organization. I'm very interested in the one