At Konoha Hospital, Lin Ye found himself in a ward again. His injuries were even worse this time: three broken ribs, internal bleeding, and depleted eye power. Tsunade operated on him herself, taking six hours to stabilize his condition.
"If you keep risking your life like this, even I won't be able to save you next time," Tsunade said wearily.
"Sorry, Lady Tsunade," Lin Ye said.
"If apologies did any good, what would we need medical ninja for?" Tsunade glared at him. "Rest properly. No missions for a month."
"But..."
"No buts." With that, Tsunade left the ward.
Lin Ye lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Although his vision was temporarily blurred, his perception through the transparent world remained intact. He could "see" outside the window: Konoha was being rebuilt, people were busy, and children were laughing.
A peaceful scene, but it was only the calm before the storm.
Madara had been sealed, but Obito was still out there, as was the Akatsuki, and the threat of the Ōtsutsuki Clan remained. Moreover, he vaguely sensed that something greater was awakening.
"System, display my current status."
[Host: Uchiha Ye] [Age: 9 (one and a half years since the Night of the Massacre)] [Strength: Kage Level (Mangekyō Sharingan · approaching the Rinnegan)] [Unfulfilled wishes completed: 411/1344] [Rinnegan Fragments: 80/1000] [Current abilities: Kamui (complete), Amaterasu (complete), Limbo: Border Jail (incomplete), transparent world, Divine Dominion, Time Reversal, Uzumaki Sealing Technique · advanced, etc.] [Physical condition: severely injured (30 days required for recovery), vision: 40% (slowly recovering)] [Special status: Karin asleep (unfulfilled wish progress: 411/1000)]
He needed another 589 unfulfilled wishes to awaken Karin. Progress was too slow. And he needed 1,000 Rinnegan Fragments, yet he only had 80.
"I have to pick up the pace..."
The ward door opened, and Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura walked in. All three had been injured too, but only lightly.
"Big Brother Ye, are you feeling any better?" Naruto asked.
"Much better," Lin Ye said. "How about you?"
"We're fine," Sakura said. "Sasuke's eyes evolved to three tomoe, and Naruto can control five tails now. We all got stronger in this battle."
"Good." Lin Ye said, "Sasuke, what did you think after watching Madara fight?"
"He was powerful, but lonely," Sasuke said. "He chased power, but lost everything. I don't want to become like that."
"What about you, Naruto?"
"Me..." Naruto scratched his head. "I think Madara was pretty pitiful. He was so strong, but all he had in his heart was hatred. I'm going to become Hokage and make everyone happy. That way, there won't be another Madara."
Lin Ye smiled with relief. These two children were growing into the people he hoped they would become.
"Ye, there's something I need to tell you," Sasuke said. "My father... Uchiha Fugaku left behind a scroll before he died. It's about the Uchiha's secrets. I didn't tell you before because the time wasn't right. But now, I think I should give it to you."
He took a scroll from inside his clothes and handed it to Lin Ye. Using chakra to sense its contents, Lin Ye found a record of Uchiha history, from the era of the Sage of Six Paths to the Night of the Massacre. One passage sent a chill through him.
"The source of the Uchiha's curse wasn't Indra. It was 'Kāma,'" Lin Ye murmured. "The Ōtsutsuki Clan engraved 'Kāma' into Indra's chakra, forcing each generation of reincarnations into a fate of brothers killing each other. They used it to gather combat data and select a suitable 'vessel'..."
"A vessel?" Naruto asked, puzzled.
"A container to hold the power of the Otsutsuki Clan," Lin Ye said. "The battles between Indra's and Asura's reincarnations are actually how the Otsutsuki Clan selects the most suitable bodies for resurrection. Madara and Hashirama, Sasuke and you... you're all candidates."
"Then what should we do?" Sakura asked.
"Break the 'Kāma,'" Lin Ye said. "My wish system is a tool for breaking it. Every unfulfilled wish I complete purifies part of the curse. Once I've completed every wish and assembled the Rinnegan, I can sever the 'Kāma' and set you free."
The three fell silent. It was too much information to take in.
"So, Big Brother Ye, you're collecting unfulfilled wishes not just for the dead Uchiha, but for us too?" Naruto asked.
"Yes." Lin Ye nodded. "For everyone bound by fate."
"I'll help you," Sasuke said.
"Me too!" Naruto said.
"And me!" Sakura said.
"Thank you," Lin Ye said. "But right now, we have something more urgent to deal with. The Akatsuki is collecting tailed beasts, and its next target will most likely be Killer B of Kumogakure. We have to protect him."
"But Lady Tsunade told you to rest for a month," Sakura said.
"I can't wait," Lin Ye said. "Three days. Give me three days to recover. Then we leave for Kumogakure."
"That's reckless!" Sakura protested.
"Sakura, sometimes we have to be reckless," Lin Ye said. "If Killer B gets captured because I hesitated, the Akatsuki will have gathered eight tailed beasts, leaving it just one step away from the Eye of the Moon. More people will die then."
Sakura bit her lip, then finally nodded. "Then I'm coming with you. I'm a medical ninja. I can help."
"I'm going too!" Naruto said.
"And me," Sasuke said.
"All right. We leave in three days."
After the three left, Lin Ye lay in bed, considering his next steps. The journey to Kumogakure would be fraught with danger, and the Akatsuki might already have laid a trap. Moreover, Orochimaru and Obito might join forces, complicating matters.
He needed more power.
"System, is there a way to obtain Rinnegan Fragments quickly?"
[Special mission: During the battle to protect the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, defeat Akatsuki members to receive 50-100 fragments per member] [Mission limit: 500 fragments]
Five hundred fragments! If he could complete it, he would have half the required amount.
"Accept."
[Mission accepted successfully] [Notice: The Akatsuki may deploy multiple members. Proceed with caution]
Three days later, Lin Ye could barely get out of bed. He set off for Kumogakure with Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, and Tenzo (Yamato). Accompanying them was Samui, an envoy from Kumogakure who had come to escort them.
Along the way, Samui explained the situation.
"Lord Killer B is currently training in the Valley of Clouds and Lightning. It's restricted territory in Kumogakure, guarded by a large force. But unidentified individuals have been active nearby recently. They may be Akatsuki scouts."
"What's the terrain like in the Valley of Clouds and Lightning?" Lin Ye asked.
"It's a canyon, easy to defend and difficult to attack. But ninja who can fly or travel underground would pose a problem."
"Among the Akatsuki's members, Deidara can fly, Sasori can travel underground using puppets, Kisame uses Water Release, and Itachi has genjutsu... any of them could come," Lin Ye analyzed. "We need multiple layers of preparation."
Five days later, they reached Kumogakure. Raikage A received them personally.
"You're the brat from Konoha who defeated Madara Uchiha?" A was a burly man who spoke bluntly.
"I only sealed him temporarily," Lin Ye said.
"That's impressive enough," A said. "Killer B is my younger brother. I won't let anyone hurt him. I appreciate Konoha's willingness to help. But let me make this clear up front: if you have any ulterior motives, I'll be the first to tear you apart."
"We're only here to protect the jinchūriki and stop the Akatsuki," Lin Ye said.
"You'd better be," A said. "Samui, take them to the Valley of Clouds and Lightning. Darui, follow them with a squad and be ready to provide support."
"Yes, sir!"
The Valley of Clouds and Lightning lay fifty li from Kumogakure. It was a vast canyon shrouded in thunderclouds all year round. Killer B was training beneath a waterfall deep inside it, and his rapping could be heard from far away.
"Yo~ foolish brother~ sent a crew~ to guard me too~ Lord Killer B~ needs none of you~"
Killer B was a muscular, dark-skinned man wearing sunglasses and carrying seven swords on his back. He was doing push-ups beneath the waterfall, rapping as he went.
"Lord Killer B, this is Uchiha Ye from Konoha. He's here to help protect you," Samui introduced him.
"Uchiha~ Sharingan~ sounds kinda fun~" Killer B rose and looked Lin Ye over. "But Lord Killer B~ is strong, you see~ no guards for me~"
"These are Lord Raikage's orders," Samui said.
"All right, all right~" Killer B shrugged. "Do what you like~ just stay out of sight~ while I train, all right~"
Lin Ye activated the transparent world and studied Killer B. Within him, the chakra of Gyuki, the Eight-Tails, was dense and steady. The jinchūriki and tailed beast shared a harmonious relationship. No wonder he could control that power perfectly.
"Lord Killer B, have you noticed anything unusual lately?" Lin Ye asked.
"Unusual~ no~" Killer B said. "But a few days ago~ crows flew to and fro~ suspicious, though~"
"Crows... Uchiha Itachi." Lin Ye's gaze sharpened. Itachi had indeed come.
"Sasuke, did you sense it?"
"Yes." Sasuke nodded. "It's his chakra. It's very faint, but he was definitely here."
"It looks like the Akatsuki already has its eye on this place," Lin Ye said. "Tenzo, set up a Wood Release barrier around the canyon. Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, guard the east, west, and south respectively. I'll take the north. Signal immediately if you detect an enemy."
"Understood!"
Everyone spread out. Lin Ye stood on a cliff on the canyon's northern side, activated his Mangekyo, and scanned the surroundings. In his field of vision, several chakra signatures lurked within the canyon's thunderclouds.
One was in the clouds: Deidara. One was underground: Sasori. One was in the water: Kisame. And another was in a distant tree: Uchiha Itachi.
Four of them, all Kage Level.
"They really came in force." Lin Ye tightened his grip on his kunai. "But that works too. I'll deal with them all at once."
He looked up at the sky, where thunderclouds churned.
The storm was coming.
Before you continue