Rin Was Captured Again

Masaichi instantly became the Uchiha clan's hottest commodity.

Every day, the moment he opened his eyes, dozens of Uchiha came knocking, begging him to help awaken their Sharingan.

They could awaken a Sharingan just by reading books—something that might not evolve even after witnessing the death of a loved one!

One tomoe guaranteed Chunin, two tomoe guaranteed Jonin, three tomoe guaranteed Elite Jonin...

What Uchiha wouldn't be tempted?

But Masaichi was picky. He did not accept just anyone.

They said the face reflected the heart, and that was especially true in the Ninja World. You could guess eighty or ninety percent of a person's personality just by looking at their appearance.

Masaichi only chose relatively gentle Uchiha.

Gentle Uchiha were hard to find, like picking bones out of an egg. But a big forest had all kinds of birds, so there had to be a few gentle oddballs. Yes, in the Uchiha clan, anyone gentle was treated as an oddball.

So which Uchiha did Masaichi favor most?

It had to be a little Uchiha boy named Shisui. Sometimes, Masaichi summoned him three times in a single day.

He had gone numb.

Shisui had truly gone numb.

What had he done wrong to deserve watching these melodramatic stories over and over again?

"That's not right. Why haven't you awakened your Sharingan after watching so many times?" Masaichi was deeply puzzled. Some less talented Uchiha could awaken a one-tomoe Sharingan after watching, yet Shisui could not.

This was Shisui! Shisui of the Body Flicker!

Though he was only seven, he should have awakened at least one tomoe by now, right?

Then Shisui opened his pair of two-tomoe Sharingan.

Oh~

You had one already.

Then why didn't you say so sooner?

Was this what it meant to be a genius? When Obito was seven, he had still been running around picking up shells for Rin. This one already had two tomoe and a modest reputation.

"Shisui, I have a mission for you. I know this will be difficult! But it's an order."

Finally! Orochimaru-sensei had always said that to him before!

Now it was finally his turn to say it to someone else.

"Please tell me, Lord Masaichi." Shisui gave a slight nod.

Oh~~ It had been so long since he had seen an Uchiha this polite.

"I want you to protect the medical ninjas!"

"I'm a little worried that the Hidden Mist Village may launch a surprise attack on our medical outpost."

"The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility, Shisui. I'm counting on you."

"Huh?" Shisui grumbled inwardly and secretly rolled his eyes. You mean protect Nohara Rin, right?

Only newborn babies in the entire Uchiha clan had not heard Obito's big mouth publicize that Masaichi was his irreconcilable rival in love.

Still, the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility? He liked those words.

"Hey, Rin-chan, what exactly is your relationship with that Masaichi?"

At the medical outpost, a group of medical ninjas surrounded a little girl with face paint on both cheeks, teasing her.

They gestured in one direction.

Two Uchiha stood over there, chatting while keeping watch for enemies.

And there! There was another one.

Three over here!

After asking around, they learned from a little boy named Shisui Uchiha that they had been ordered by Masaichi to guard the medical ninjas.

But Shisui had quietly explained to her that they were here to protect Rin.

Tch.

"I don't know either."

Did Rin like Masaichi? Of course she did. She felt one sentence could sum up why she had fallen for him.

Masaichi was someone who was clearly considerate, yet never very honest about it.

What a pity.

She did not know whether Masaichi was protecting her because he liked her, or whether, like Kakashi, he was fulfilling Obito's promise to protect her well.

"Then do you like her?"

"Mm, a little."

Recently, Obito had been sleeping soundly every day.

Mostly because the protein powder had screwed him over.

Poor Obito. He had nearly developed a resistance to Tsunade's poison, yet he still never suspected the protein powder was poisonous. He kept thinking he was simply intolerant of that tub of protein powder.

"Madara-sama..."

Spiral-Faced White Zetsu poked at Madara, who had fallen asleep from boredom. His voice was faint, as though he did not want to wake Obito.

Old people tended to get sleepy. After waking up, Madara looked at Spiral-Faced White Zetsu in confusion. "Still haven't found an opportunity?"

White Zetsu asked Madara to shift their field of vision.

Seeing another group of Uchiha standing guard, Madara had the urge to destroy the Ninja World.

"What is going on?" he asked coldly.

White Zetsu hurriedly explained, then cursed angrily, "It's because of that Masaichi again! He ruined our plans again! Damn it, that huge idiot..."

Zetsu were being worked far too hard. Madara did not need to move, but the White Zetsu had to keep watch twenty-four hours a day.

"My will, what do you think we should do?"

Madara asked Black Zetsu, who dwelled in his shadow.

In his mind, Black Zetsu was a lifeform he had created using Yin–Yang Release, the embodiment of his will. He intended to leave it behind for Obito, so it could guide Obito after his death.

"Have White Zetsu imitate someone Nohara Rin knows and lure her out."

Black Zetsu's single sentence enlightened Madara.

So that was it.

He immediately ordered White Zetsu to do it.

After staying in Madara's shadow these past few days, Black Zetsu was truly tired. Why did this Madara only know how to use force? Did he not know how to use his brain?

Forget it!

He would be dead soon anyway. When the time came, Black Zetsu would just have Obito use his head.

White Zetsu's Transformation Technique was powerful. Only the malice-sensing of a Perfect Jinchūriki and the Uzumaki Clan's Kagura Mind's Eye could see through their disguises.

Nohara Rin obviously had nothing to do with either a Perfect Jinchūriki or Kagura Mind's Eye.

After one White Zetsu transformed into Masaichi and came to invite Rin for a walk,

Rin took the bait without any guard up.

After knocking Rin unconscious, that White Zetsu hurriedly contacted the White Zetsu that had already infiltrated the Hidden Mist Village and attained a certain status there.

According to Lord Madara's orders, they had to stuff the Three-Tails into Rin's body, then place a seal on her heart that prevented her from harming herself.

The plan was perfect.

However, only ten minutes after Rin disappeared, an Uchiha noticed something was wrong and reported it to Masaichi. Rin could not be found anywhere in the medical ninja outpost.

Then there was only one possible truth!

"Hidden Mist Village!!"

"Gather up!!!"

Commander Masaichi issued the highest order: charge into the Hidden Mist Village and take Rin back.

If it had been anything else, Minato might have listened to Shikaku and stood aside with his subordinates.

But Rin, who had been captured, was his student too!

Minato reached a temporary agreement with Masaichi. They would get Rin back first, then talk.