Konoha Hospital, Special Ward.
Karin lay in her hospital bed, breathing steadily as though sound asleep. The Life Crystal kept her alive, but her consciousness remained buried deep within, waiting for the day she would awaken.
Lin Ye sat beside the bed, wiping her hands with a damp towel. Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura stood in the doorway, watching in silence.
"Lady Tsunade said Karin's condition is stable, but she doesn't know when she'll wake up," Sakura said softly.
"Big Brother Ye said he needs to fulfill 1,000 last wishes to wake her up," Naruto said. "How long will that take?"
"At our current pace, at least a year," Lin Ye said. "But I'll pick up the pace."
"I'll help you," Sasuke said suddenly.
Lin Ye looked at him. Sasuke's gaze was firm. "I'm an Uchiha orphan too. I have a responsibility to fulfill the Uchiha's last wishes. Besides, Karin is our teammate."
"I'll help too!" Naruto said.
"So will I," Sakura said.
Warmth welled up in Lin Ye's heart. "Thank you. But your first priority is to get stronger. The Akatsuki is still out there, Orochimaru might not be dead for good, and Obito's Eye of the Moon Plan is still moving forward. We need strength."
"Understood."
The ward door opened, and the Third Hokage walked in. He looked much older, but his eyes remained sharp.
"Ye, we have intelligence," the Third Hokage said. "Kumogakure's Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito, disappeared during a mission three days ago. There were traces of the Akatsuki at the scene. It may have been Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki's work."
"The Two-Tails was captured too..." Lin Ye frowned. The attempt on the One-Tail had failed, but the Two-Tails, Three-Tails, Four-Tails, Five-Tails, Six-Tails... the Akatsuki was progressing faster than he had imagined.
"Also, Iwagakure's Four-Tails Jinchūriki, Roshi, declared his defection, and his whereabouts are unknown. Kirigakure's Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata, has disappeared as well," the Third Hokage said. "The only Jinchūriki we can confirm are safe now are Kumogakure's Killer B of the Eight-Tails, Takigakure's Fū of the Seven-Tails-though she has lost her tailed beast-and our own Naruto of the Nine-Tails."
"The Akatsuki is targeting every Jinchūriki," Lin Ye said. "They need all nine tailed beasts to revive the Ten-Tails. They've already captured at least four-the Two-Tails, Three-Tails, Four-Tails, and Six-Tails. They're more than halfway there."
"So we must act faster," the Third Hokage said. "Ye, I hereby appoint you captain of Konoha's Special Operations Team. You may select your own members. You have just one mission: protect the remaining Jinchūriki and stop the Akatsuki from collecting the tailed beasts."
"Yes."
"Also, regarding your Wish System..." The Third Hokage paused. "Jiraiya went to Mount Myōboku to ask the Great Toad Sage. The sage said your system does indeed have the potential to break the curse. But to synthesize the Rinnegan, you must fulfill all the Uchiha's last wishes, and... find the reincarnations of Indra and Asura and reconcile them."
"Indra's reincarnation is Sasuke, and Asura's is Naruto," Lin Ye said. "Reconciling them..."
"It will be difficult, but not impossible," the Third Hokage said. "So, Ye, your task is not merely to collect last wishes. You must also guide Sasuke and Naruto so they become true comrades rather than enemies."
Lin Ye looked at the two boys in the doorway. Sasuke and Naruto were arguing quietly about something, but their argument seemed more like brothers squabbling.
"I will."
"Then go prepare. In three days, you'll leave for Kumogakure to protect the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer B. He is currently the most likely target of an attack."
"Understood."
After the Third Hokage left, Lin Ye walked to the window and gazed into the distance. Through his Transparent World vision, the threads of fate above Konoha had grown even more tangled. The black threads representing the Akatsuki were spreading, the gray thread representing Orochimaru remained, and the red thread representing Obito was drawing closer...
Meanwhile, his own thread was intertwining with Sasuke's, Naruto's, and Karin's, forming a web.
"System, display the high-value last wishes currently available."
[Scanning...] [S-Rank last wish: Madara Uchiha's regret (0/1)] [Objective: Find Madara Uchiha's body and bury him in the Uchiha Cemetery] [Reward: Rinnegan Fragment ×100, fragmentary scroll of the forbidden jutsu "Limbo: Border Jail"] [Location: Valley of the End] [A-Rank last wish: Mito Uzumaki's request (0/1)] [Objective: Deliver the Uzumaki Clan's legacy to its true heir] [Reward: Rinnegan Fragment ×50, Complete Adamantine Sealing Chains Training Method] [Location: Ruins of Uzushio Village] [A-Rank last wish: Hashirama Senju's ideal (0/1)] [Objective: Establish a shinobi alliance and prevent the Fourth Shinobi World War] [Reward: Rinnegan Fragment ×50, Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands Training Method] [Location: Konoha]
Three high-value last wishes with generous rewards, but all were extremely difficult. Madara Uchiha's body was in the Valley of the End, where Obito might have laid traps. The ruins of Uzushio Village were overseas, a long journey away. Establishing a shinobi alliance would be harder still.
But Lin Ye had no choice. To fulfill enough last wishes quickly and awaken Karin, he had to accept difficult missions.
"Accept Madara Uchiha's last wish."
[Accepted successfully] [Notice: A powerful barrier surrounds the Valley of the End. Traveling with a team is recommended]
"Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, get ready. We're leaving for the Valley of the End tomorrow."
"The Valley of the End? What are we going there for?" Naruto asked.
"To fulfill a last wish," Lin Ye said. "And while we're there, I'll show you where the Uchiha forefather fought the First Hokage."
That evening, Lin Ye paid his respects to his clansmen in the Uchiha Cemetery. Standing before his parents' gravestones, he said quietly, "Father, Mother, I'm setting out again. This time, I'm going to the Valley of the End to find Madara Uchiha's body. I don't know what I'll face, but I will fulfill the Uchiha's last wishes and break the curse. Please watch over me from the afterlife."
The night breeze swept past, and the names on the gravestones glimmered in the moonlight.
Meanwhile, beneath Konoha, a small white snake crawled out of the ruins of Root and took human form-it was Orochimaru. He had survived, using a Snake Clone to die in his place while his real body escaped.
"Uchiha Ye... you destroyed my life's work..." Orochimaru's expression was dark. "But no matter. I still have a backup plan. Obito, it's time you honored our agreement."
Obito stepped out of the shadows. "Orochimaru, you really suffered a crushing defeat."
"Enough talk. I'll give you what you want. But you have to help me capture Uchiha Ye."
"Deal."
The two slapped hands. A new conspiracy took root in the darkness.
Lin Ye knew nothing of this. He stood in the cemetery, looking toward the Valley of the End, the Mangekyo in his eyes turning slowly.
The storm had never ceased.
But this time, he would face it head-on and see it through to the end.
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