The New Year

Peace seems to have made everyone in the Shinobi World cherish this hard-won tranquility as much as possible.

Nonō's cooking skills improved by leaps and bounds in the past year. Away from the Root and without the threat of death, she seemed to have found a new life, a peaceful life that she longed for from the bottom of her heart.

"Dou... come quick, come try today's new dish..."

The Land of Grass, the center of the Kusagakure, the new landmark of the rebuilt Kusagakure, is the courtyard where the leader, Zabuza Momochi, resides.

During this year, the few remaining Grass Shinobi also came to a complete understanding of the current organizational structure of Kusagakure, as well as the fact that a rogue Mist Shinobi missing-nin named Zabuza Momochi had become the new leader.

Only a very few people probably understand that the real leader is someone else, but no one knows his specific identity.

"Yes, Mother..."

Kabuto was an orphan who lost his family after the Sand Shinobi Battlefield. Under the leadership of a new leader, the ninjas of the Land of Grass took in a large number of orphans who had been displaced by the war, and Kabuto was one of them.

Among these orphans, not many possessed the talent of a ninja, but Kabuto was the most talented of them all.

"Little Karin is asleep, so cute..."

Kabuto's main job now is to take care of Karin. Uzumaki Kana's body was already in a state of disrepair, and she passed away not long after giving birth to Karin. Fortunately, Kabuto is very sensible and, although he is young, he takes good care of the little one.

Karin, around one year old, probably possesses the powerful physique of the Uzumaki Clan. While other children her age are still toddling, she is already running around the yard alongside Kabuto.

"Go eat quickly, and don't forget to send some to Xu-jun..."

"Yes, sir! Mission accomplished!"

He teased Karin's face and grinned.

The morning sunlight, carrying a gentle warmth, slowly shone through the window. Nonō, leaning to the side, was bathed in the sunlight, smiling as she gently stroked Karin's back. Nonō.

The tranquility of time seemed to etch all the beauty into Dou's heart at this moment, and his eyes involuntarily became slightly sore.

"Don't cry, don't cry..."

Karin, suddenly awakened from her dream, broke the tranquility with a cry. Kabuto also came to his senses and swallowed the last of his food.

She cleaned the table, picked up the food box, and as she approached the door, she glanced back at Nonō, who was coaxing Karin, then smiled and walked out into the sunlight.

This year's life felt like a dream, and Dou was deeply immersed in it.

Kabuto and Nonō

There weren't many people in the village along the way. Most of the ninjas, led by Zabuza, were carrying out the mission of 'making Kusagakure great again.' Kabuto smiled and greeted those who greeted him, gradually moving away from the center of Kusagakure.

Deep in the jungle, closer to the north and slightly more remote, it could probably be considered a 'forbidden zone' of the Land of Grass.

Although there is no explicit prohibition, almost no one comes here now. It is unknown when it started, but those who come here always lose their way and wander back to where they started, which has led to strange rumors and made this nameless 'forbidden area' a restricted area of Kusagakure.

"Disperse!"

Even though the sun was high in the sky, a thick fog still lingered in the jungle, obscuring all visibility.

With the food box in his hand, Chakra gradually gathered. With a soft shout, the runes in his hand flashed, and the thick fog seemed to come alive, dispersing in a moment to leave a clear and open path.

"Lord Kato..."

As he walked deeper into the thick fog, a small pavilion gradually came into view. No matter how many times he had been here, each visit gave him a sense of novelty.

"Squeak..."

Seeing no one respond, Dou gently pushed open the attic door. A faint smell of blood mixed with the scent of disinfectant irritated his nostrils. His gaze fell on the man who seemed to be resting with his eyes closed, and he spoke softly with a hint of respect in his eyes.

"Lord Kato, Mother asked me to bring you lunch..."

"Today's dish is new... I..."

"Kabuto, you have great talent. Would you like to learn Medical Ninjutsu?"

Kato Osamu suddenly opened his eyes, a smile on his face, and quietly observed the boy in front of him. This very talented boy seemed to have some of his shadow in him, just like him when he was the same age, he was also very cautious.

"I... can I?"

A glint flashed in Kabuto's eyes, but he seemed rather insecure, looking timidly at Kato Osamu.

"You have great talent and a strong ability to control Chakra, making you very suitable to become a medical-nin and my assistant..."

"Haven't you already learned healing magic over the past year...?"

Slowly standing up, he touched Dou's head, and Dou seemed to have mustered up his courage, a determined look flashing in his eyes.

"Lord Kato! I'm willing! I'll do my best!"

"Okay... let's move in tomorrow..."

"Ah?"

Upon suddenly hearing Kato Osamu's voice, Kabuto's eyes widened in surprise. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but seemed hesitant. Kato Osamu simply chuckled and looked at him without speaking.

"I..., Lord Kato..., I..., could I still stay with Mother...?"

"I..."

"Karin, yes! I still need to take care of Karin..."

"Haha, that's fine. But I'll be going out of town for a while. If you're free, you can come over and read some books..."

"Is Lord Kato going out?"

Over the past year, Kabuto seemed to have never seen Kato Osamu leave the attic, and for a moment he seemed a little dazed.

"Hmm... you go back first, I'll let you know later..."

"Yes..."

Still a little dazed after leaving the attic, he couldn't hide the smile on his face and ran as fast as he could, eager to tell Nonō —his mother—the good news as soon as possible.

"Is this your new apprentice? You seem to really enjoy taking on apprentices..."

"Perhaps it's because I'm getting old; seeing these children reminds me of my younger self..."

The second floor of the attic was filled with a fragrant aroma and a slightly elegant hall. Two cups of hot tea were steaming, and on the table next to them was an orange-red Uzumaki mask. A man with half his face distorted and a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes as he gently picked up the teacup and took a sip.

"If I remember correctly, you're only about my age..."

"Yes, but I always feel like I'm already in my forties or fifties..."

Upon hearing this, Obito Uchiha said nothing more, but looked at Kato Osamu, the man with whom he had a 'slight' connection, with a slightly complicated expression in his eyes.

"Thump, thump..."

After a moment of silence, several noises suddenly came from the side. The door of the attic was suddenly kicked open, and a girl of about five or six years old appeared. Her face was a mixture of black and white, but her eyes were sparkling. She held a long scroll in her hand, which was so fully unrolled that it almost wrapped her up in a ball.

"Uncle Xu, look what I found!"

"Lin, stop fooling around..."

"Go and wipe your face clean!"

Obito Uchiha's eyes softened with an unprecedented gentleness as he gazed quietly at the girl's familiar face and reached out to pull her into his arms.

"What did Lin find this time? Can I see it?"

"Um..."

Although Rin had seen Obito Uchiha a few times and was no longer so afraid of his face, she still felt a little unfamiliar with him. She simply stood there, gently bit her lip, and nodded.

"Uncle Tu..."

Obito Uchiha's face stiffened, as if he had heard an incredulous address. He turned his head and looked at Kato Osamu with a murderous glare.

"Lin, call me 'brother,' remember?"

"Brother?" Her gaze involuntarily turned to Kato Osamu, seemingly puzzled.

Obito Uchiha seemed to realize something, his expression growing increasingly grim, but he still managed a smile and said to Rin, "That guy, you have to call him 'brother' too!"

"Oh..."

Obito Uchiha helped Rin untie the scroll from her body, then glared at Kato Osamu with a displeased expression Kato Osamu ignored him, gently ruffled Rin's hair, and Rin happily went off to play again.

"Did you do this on purpose?"

Obito Uchiha's expression was unfriendly, and his tone was tinged with resentment.

"So, you should ask yourself if you're a pervert who likes children..."

"You!"

Obito Uchiha didn't want to say anything more. Ever since he first met Rin, he had been mocked by this guy countless times. He sighed slightly, with a hint of resentment, and repeated the question he had asked countless times before.

"Lin..., does she really not remember anything? Is there really no way?"

"Lin's soul endured immense pain at the moment of her death; it's a miracle she didn't completely collapse. Perhaps there will be a way later, but right now, I'm powerless..."

"Damn it! It's all your fault!!!"

The thought of that scene Obito Uchiha's murderous intent rise again, his eyes turning slightly bloodshot as he stared intently at Kato Osamu.

"I told you, I did have that thought at the time. Although a head can indeed better preserve the soul, in reality, all that's needed is to extract the soul. In the end, the one who did it wasn't me, but Madara Uchiha, whom you've always longed for..."

"Aren't you right, Lord Madara?"

"If Lin weren't here, I would have turned you into a pulp!"

"Do as you please, I'm always ready..."

"You!"

It's highly likely that ever since Obito Uchiha mastered Wood Release and the Sharingan, and came to 'avenge' Rin, he has never been able to win a single argument against Kato Osamu.

"I see..."

A shadow crossed Obito Uchiha's eyes. His experiences over the past few years had not only matured him mentally, but also taught him many secrets of the Shinobi World. He had simply not thought about many things in detail, his mind clouded by hatred for a time. Now, upon reflection, he realized that there were too many illogical things about them.

"Madara left behind a pair of Rinnegan. In the Land of Rain, although I bear the name of Madara Uchiha, in reality, there are many things I cannot completely control."

"For Madara Uchiha to be resurrected, he will definitely need the help of the Rinnegan. Revenge is necessary, but not now. Besides, the power of the Tailed Beasts isn't just something he can utilize; we can too..."

"So, you've come today for Konoha..."

"It seems you're better informed than I am..."

Obito Uchiha glanced at Kato Osamu indifferently, without asking any further questions. Since learning about certain things, he no longer trusted Zetsu; he was merely pretending and feigning compliance for the time being.

"Kushina Uzumaki is about to give birth, and the Nine-Tails' power is easiest to obtain at this time..."

Kato Osamu's eyes seemed unmoved. From the day he defected from Konoha, he had completely severed ties with Minato Namikaze.

"Those were your former master and mistress, my former senior brother and sister..."

"Hmph, I'll pay more..."

"From now on, I will need a portion of my Chakra for each Tailed Beasts I acquire..." Kato Osamu chuckled softly and turned his head slightly to look at Obito Uchiha.

"What are you up to?"

Upon hearing this, Obito frowned slightly, a hint of caution creeping into his eyes. After learning about the Rinnegan and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, the Tailed Beasts were no longer the monsters he once knew, but rather beings concealing a deeper secret. Obito Uchiha told Kato Osamu some things, but he still kept some things from him...

"I have my own use..."

Kato Osamu's year wasn't wasted. Through the Eight-Tails 'Chakra, he made some discoveries, a major discovery that could very likely uncover the secrets of the Tailed Beasts.

"Make a deal..."

The attic seemed to fall silent, with only the two of them quietly sipping their tea. The building wasn't very large, but after nearly a year of continuous preparations, his sensory Soulfire Insect had filled the area around it, and a large Genjutsu barrier had been integrated into the Hidden Mist Technique. No one could sneak in without being detected by him—not even White Zetsu.

Time always flies, and even though Obito Uchiha was reluctant, he still had to leave. There were still many things he needed to do...

The mountain breeze carried a hint of chill. Beneath the pavilion, Obito Uchiha walked backwards with his back turned, his steps unhurried. Rin stood beside Kato Osamu, waving goodbye to Obito Uchiha.

This was the second person she had come into contact with besides Kato Osamu. Although she often saw a white-haired child, she had never interacted with him.

Seeing that they were about to enter the thick fog, Obito Uchiha reluctantly turned back. He knew that Rin couldn't follow him now.

He gently took the mask from his pocket and put it on his face. His eyes grew even more piercing. He could overturn the world for Lin, and he could also crush all enemies in front of him to protect her.

The forest was quiet and cold. Obito Uchiha's figure, shadowy and swaying, gradually disappeared from Rin's sight. For some reason, Rin was still not in a daze. She had lowered her waving hand at some point and was just staring blankly in the direction Obito Uchiha had left. Her face seemed to have a complexity that was not in line with her age. Tears kept flowing down her face. She squatted down on the ground and covered her face, sobbing.

"Lin... is this really okay?"

"Xu, don't tell him... okay..."

"I see..."

P. S.: The plot has sped up, super fast! Let's go!