In a hidden room, Asuma and the others gathered around Kakashi, all exclaiming at once, "Rin isn't dead?"
"Shhh!"
Kakashi hissed, "Shhh!" firmly, "Keep your voices down!"
Guy asked in confusion, "Why are you so nervous?"
Kakashi's expression turned serious, "If Mist finds out Rin is still alive, they might even try to interfere with the birth of the jinchuriki. They'll definitely spare no effort to assassinate Rin!"
"Calm down!" Asuma patted his shoulder, "This is Leaf! Enemies can't just walk in!"
"Even a one-in-ten-thousand chance is too risky for me!" Kakashi spoke heavily, "Moreover, is Leaf really completely safe?"
The joy they felt at hearing about Rin faded quickly with Kakashi's words.
"You're right. Danzo is capable of anything!"
"Everyone must be careful. Absolutely don't leak any news about Rin!"
Seeing everyone reminding each other, Kakashi sighed in relief and thanked sincerely, "Thank you all!"
"What do you mean 'thank you all'? Rin is our friend too!" Shizune frowned in dissatisfaction.
"Exactly, keeping Rin's existence secret is really too much. We were all heartbroken for a long time back then!" Kurenai also spoke with a pout.
"Speaking of which, you secretly hiding Rin… You haven't done anything inappropriate to her, right?" Asuma nudged Kakashi's chest.
Kakashi looked helpless, "What do you take me for?"
"A pervert of course!" Guy replied matter-of-factly, "I even saw you sneakily buying an adult book last time!"
Kakashi's aging face turned red, "That's scholarly research... How can studying be considered perversion..."
After some playful teasing, everyone finally calmed down from their excitement.
Mizuki turned serious and asked, "Mist has many powerful experts. Besides, we were involved in the assassination attempt against the Mizukage. It's safe to say we have deep hatred with Mist. In this situation, seizing the Three-Tails from their hands won't be easy. Are you sure you don't want to contact Seiki beforehand?"
Kakashi hesitated for a long time before finally shaking his head lightly, "No, it's better not. Didn't you say senior is currently investigating a very dangerous group? If even senior finds them threatening, we shouldn't disturb him lightly!"
Guy nodded seriously, "Right, we can't rely on senior for everything. We need to play our part too!"
"Although we're far weaker than Seiki, we're still pretty strong in the shinobi world!" Asuma encouraged, "As for Mist? They're merely the weakest among the Five Great Hidden Villages. We're not without a chance… Most importantly, our teamwork is absolutely unmatched by those from Mist!"
Everyone nodded inwardly. Previously, Sand and Mist were equally at the bottom among the Five Great Hidden Villages. However, in recent years, Sand had been thriving while Mist had been thrown into chaos by the policies of the Land of Blood Mist.
Under these circumstances, seizing the Three-Tails from Mist was indeed possible!
Next to her, Kurenai suggested, "I heard there's a resistance faction within Kiri that opposes the Mizukage. Since rebellions happen frequently there, should we try contacting those rebels before taking action?"
"I think that's a good idea!" Shizune nodded in agreement. "After all, three tails aren't more important than village stability. But then again," she hesitated slightly, "would the Kiri rebels really cooperate with us? Helping us capture the Three-Tails would basically be betraying Kiri's interests, right?"
"That depends on how unpopular the Fourth Mizukage is within the village," Mizuki responded seriously. "If the threat he poses exceeds the loss from losing the Three-Tails, then Kiri should have no difficulty making a choice!"
Kakashi slightly nodded. "In any case, let's try contacting them first."
...
Two days later, at Kiri.
Obito, wearing a black cloak with red clouds, leaned sideways against the windowsill, gazing thoughtfully at the light drizzle outside.
Suddenly, a person with an aloe-shaped hairstyle emerged from the ground.
"You sure seem relaxed watching the rain like that," the figure teased.
Obito didn't turn his head as he asked, "Relaxed?"
Black Zetsu chuckled. "You don't seem very concerned about capturing the Three-Tails?"
Obito remained silent for a moment. "Just a mere Three-Tails? Not worth my attention!"
"It rightfully belongs to Kiri, and this revival happened near Kiri territory. Normally, we shouldn't have any interruptions, so we could take our time surrounding and capturing it."
Zetsu paused before continuing, "This time is different, though. Konoha's Hokage seems to have intentionally sent some people away by assigning them a mission to capture or kill the Three-Tails..."
"People?" Obito's eyes immediately sharpened.
"Your old friends, including none other than Kakashi Hatake!" Zetsu chuckled.
"Kakashi!" A complex expression crossed Obito's face—nostalgia and hatred intertwining.
Zetsu didn't rush him, just waiting quietly as he lost himself in memory.
After a long pause, Obito rasped, "Have they already arrived at Kiri?"
Zetsu grinned, "They're not just here—they've already hooked up with those rebels!"
"Rebels?" Suspicion flickered in Obito's eyes. "Some among them suspect Yagura. They must be completely eliminated!"
Originally, he had planned to build up Kiri as a base before officially taking over Akatsuki, but his manipulations had aroused suspicion among certain individuals, forcing him into yet another bloody suppression.
As a result, the number of Kiri rebels kept increasing!
"It seems your old friends care quite a bit about the Three-Tails..." Zetsu mused, "Should we seal it sooner rather than later?"
Obito didn't react to the sealing comment but instead asked, "You said they care about this matter?"
Zetsu laughed, "Mostly Kakashi himself. The others initially seemed to want to refuse the mission, but it was him who insisted they accept it!"
Official Account [Book Lovers Base Camp]
"Do you want to kill the Three-Tails as revenge for Rin?" Obito's expression turned complex, suddenly bursting into rage. "What's the point of thinking about this now? Can Rin come back to life?"
"Hmph! You think faking redemption will work? I'll never let you get what you want! I'll make damn sure you... live the rest of your life drowning in pain and guilt!"
Black Zetsu sighed helplessly beside them. Not this again.
"Then what do you plan to do?"
Obito coldly laughed. "Speed up the hunt for the Three-Tails. Let them in only when we're just about to succeed. Then seal the Three-Tails right in front of him... I want him to never attain redemption!"
Pointless... Black Zetsu inwardly grumbled, but still asked aloud, "Won't this make them suspicious?"
"So what if they get suspicious? Mist already hates them with every fiber of its being!" Obito said indifferently. "Even if they discover our plan, they'll only think it's Yagura deliberately leading them into a trap. No one will ever even think this was me!"
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