Qianyu severed the visual link. Kakashi asked curiously, "Sensei, what's wrong with your eyes?"
"Ah, it's a technique of mine," Qianyu said casually. "It allows me to share vision with my snakes. I was just scouting the area."
"Oh, I see." Kakashi nodded in understanding. "You should rest then, Sensei. I'll handle watch duty."
Qianyu went along with it. "Alright. Wake me when it's time."
…
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
The situation in Amegakure had settled back into a tense three-way stalemate.
Nagato and Konan were lying low, slowly supplanting Hanzo's control over the village.
Everyone knew this war couldn't last much longer.
But that was exactly when you couldn't let your guard down. The enemy loved a surprise attack when you got complacent.
Whenever he had a free moment, Qianyu would use his visual link to check in on Obito Uchiha and Madara Uchiha.
Obito was getting used to his new body. He still couldn't leave the underground base, but the kid never gave up on his dream of returning to Konoha.
Qianyu activated the link during his usual rest period. What he saw snapped him to full attention.
Obito was fast asleep on his stone bed. A White Zetsu emerged from the ground.
"Madara. Minato Namikaze has left on a solo mission."
Madara opened his eyes. "Is that so. Then we move."
He suited up in a Zetsu spore, left a shadow clone behind, and exited the cave.
Madara's life was tethered to the Gedo Statue. The Zetsu shell granted him limited mobility, just enough to move briefly. It was the same method he'd used to survive after Nagato summoned the statue away, waiting for its return.
Qianyu's gaze sharpened.
So it was time. Madara was going to manipulate Kiri's Anbu to capture Rin and seal the Three-Tails, Isobu, into her.
He didn't take any new missions. He stayed at the camp, watching.
His snakes were just ordinary snakes. They lost Madara's trail almost immediately.
All he could do was keep watching Obito.
Four days later.
Madara returned to the cave without a sound. He dispelled the clone and reconnected to the Gedo Statue.
A Zetsu suddenly phased through the wall. "Just got back from outside! That Rin girl you mentioned—she's in trouble!"
Obito jolted up. "What happened?!"
"She and two other Konoha shinobi are surrounded by Kiri-nin!"
Obito launched himself off the bed and slammed his fist into the rock wall.
His right arm splattered against the stone like wet clay and dropped to the floor.
Pain twisted his face.
"Your current body can't break rock."
"I have to save her!" Obito gasped through the agony.
The Zetsu spread itself open. "Then wear me."
It enveloped Obito.
"Aren't you Madara's underlings?" Obito asked, confused. "Is this okay?"
"What a nice kid. Don't you want to save Rin?"
"Thank you!" Obito's gratitude was raw and genuine.
He faced the rock wall again. One punch. Stone shattered.
Madara opened his eyes. "Leaving?"
Obito's gaze was steel. "You saved me. I'm grateful. But I have to go. Now."
Madara watched his back. "You rush. It may be too early to thank me."
Obito glanced back. "I don't think I'll be coming back. Anyway, I said my thanks. I'm leaving."
"You… will return." Madara's voice was absolute. "I will accept your true gratitude then."
Obito ignored him, turning to the Zetsu. "White one! Where's Rin? Take me there! Now!"
"The one on you is my clone. We can communicate telepathically within a certain range. Other clones are scattered underground, exchanging intel. I'll use them to guide you."
A tentacle from the Zetsu shell pointed through the broken wall. "Outside first."
Obito grabbed a cloak, threw it on, and left the cave.
Madara watched him go, then closed his eyes again.
"How is she? What's happening?" Obito demanded as he moved.
"According to my comrades… it looks bad. They're talking about a 'Kiri experiment.' I don't really get it."
"Experiment?"
"Bottom line, Rin and the two Konoha guys are surrounded. Dozens of them. All elite jōnin and Anbu."
"Where's Sensei?"
"Who?"
"The Yellow Flash! What's he doing?"
"Apparently on another mission."
Obito gritted his teeth. "Of all times… What about Kakashi?"
"That idiot Kakashi of yours is fighting in the Land of Rain!"
Obito's brow furrowed tightly. "I knew it!"
…
Not long after Obito left, Madara suddenly stood. He walked to the shattered rock.
His hand shot out, fast. Dug through the rubble. Grasped something.
He pulled back. A white snake writhed in his grip.
"Seen enough, have you? Qianyu."
Far away in the Land of Rain, Qianyu's serpentine pupils contracted to slits.
Exposed?!
He forced himself to calm down. Actually… what was there to panic about? Madara was a walking corpse on life support.
A moment later, a different snake slithered before Madara. This one pulsed with chakra.
Qianyu's voice issued from it. "Madara Uchiha. When did you notice?"
"Not long ago. Four days ago. And there aren't many who play with snakes."
Qianyu was stunned into silence.
So he must have sensed me when he put on the Zetsu shell…
"You seemed to know Obito would survive," Madara's voice rumbled. "What do you know?"
"That was an accident," Qianyu lied smoothly. "I was just sending snakes to look for his body. I found the tunnel, and then I found you. If you noticed me four days ago, why wait until now to expose me?"
"And you?" Madara countered. "Knowing I live. Why not report it to Konoha?"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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