Born to Babysit

Black Zetsu made his decision.

He would abandon all bottom lines. Even if he had to make a deal with a tiger, even if the other party turned on him, he had to borrow Isshiki's power to turn things around.

As long as Mother could escape, whatever Isshiki wanted could be dealt with later!

With the resolve to stake everything on one desperate gamble, Black Zetsu's body writhed violently and rapidly softened.

After one final look at the empty platform, he slipped through the cold cracks in the stone, searching for deeper darkness within the Shinobi World.

At dawn the next day, at Konoha's gates.

The sky had only just begun to pale, and the cold wind swept loose snow from the ground toward both sides of the road.

"Keep up!"

Ye stood on the stone steps by the village gates, a bulging pack on his back. With a grand sweep of his hand, he spoke in an especially heroic tone.

"The S-Rank mission officially begins. Let's go! Whoever complains about being tired first treats everyone when we get back!"

The biting wind howled past them, carrying fine grains of snow that stung their faces.

Obito hauled his heavy backpack, sucked in a cold breath, and hunched his neck. His face was full of reluctance as he muttered under his breath.

"This is an S-Rank mission, okay? We might end up losing our lives out there!"

Kakashi, who had already checked the travel documents and walked out through the village gates, glanced back at him.

"You can choose to stay."

"Who said I was staying?!"

Obito glared and hurried after him, refusing to back down.

Rin retied her medicine box and covered her mouth as she laughed behind them.

Fine snow fell over the four of them, while their