Teizawa had no intention of telling Jiraiya the secret of that Mangekyō Sharingan.
Kotoamatsukami, Shisui, the strongest genjutsu…
Every one of those names was taboo in Konoha.
Every one of them was enough to shake the shinobi world.
The fewer people who knew, the more valuable the bargaining chip in his hand became.
His gaze moved away from Jiraiya.
It fell on the blond boy still sleeping soundly.
The Nine-Tails. A jinchūriki. Naruto.
He really did want to seize the Nine-Tails outright.
Its power was far too tempting.
The strongest of the nine tailed beasts, with chakra that was practically endless.
If he could make that power his own, Suna's military strength would instantly rise to the peak of the shinobi world.
But he could not make a move yet.
Too many things were tied to the Nine-Tails…
The direction of the plot, the Sage of Six Paths' contingencies, Madara's plan.
And the deeper conspiracy hidden behind Kaguya.
Touching the Nine-Tails now would be the same as triggering every crisis ahead of schedule.
He was not ready yet.
At least, not before he had enough power to crush everything in his path.
Until then, he could not touch that card.
However, the other half of the Nine-Tails inside Minato came with far fewer concerns.
Minato was already dead.
The half of the Nine-Tails sealed inside the Shinigami's stomach was ownerless.
As long as Teizawa obtained the method to undo the Reaper Death Seal, he could extract it at any time.
Teizawa calculated silently.
That old thing Orochimaru… had he found the ruins of the Uzumaki Clan yet?
Teizawa needed the masks there. The ritual platform there. The…
Shinigami Mask.
Drawing back his thoughts, Teizawa turned and walked out of the building.
"Until next time."
Before his voice had fully faded, his figure had already vanished from where he stood.
Beneath the moonlight, that dark golden silhouette drifted like a wisp of smoke.
It was scattered by the wind.
Not a trace remained.
Jiraiya stood in the open space.
His expression was solemn as he stared in that direction.
He kept feeling that something was wrong, but he could not put his finger on it.
That young man was far too strange.
He made Jiraiya's back go cold.
What kind of person was he? What had he done to Naruto?
Countless questions churned through his mind.
Not a single one had an answer.
"That guy…"
Jiraiya murmured, "He's dangerous. Maybe I should return to Konoha and have Tsunade give Naruto a full examination."
He bent down and picked up the still-sleeping Naruto.
The boy was light.
So light it made his heart ache.
Under the moonlight, the tall and small figures disappeared along the forest path.
One by one, the lamps in the hot spring inn went out.
The night wind swept up a few dead leaves.
Little by little, it erased everyone's footprints.
…
Suna, Kazekage's office.
By the time Teizawa returned to the village, dawn had already broken.
He pushed open the door and saw Temari dozing off at the desk.
Several documents lay spread across the tabletop. The ink bottle was still open.
Her brush rested on the inkstone.
The ink at its tip had long since dried.
She had not gone back last night.
She had worried so much she stayed awake the entire night.
Only when she could no longer hold on had she fallen asleep at the desk for a while.
Teizawa walked over, took off his outer robe, and gently draped it over her shoulders.
Temari woke, opening her eyes in a daze.
When she saw that familiar face, her eyes suddenly stung.
"You're back?" Her voice was a little hoarse.
"I'm back."
Teizawa reached out and stroked her cheek, his palm warm. "Go sleep. Rest properly today."
"What about you?"
"I still have things to do."
Temari did not ask anything else.
Wrapped in his outer robe, she left the office.
Teizawa sat down in his chair.
He took out the sealing scroll from inside his robes.
When he unfolded it, a scarlet eyeball lay quietly inside. Its black pattern was eerie and magnificent.
Shisui's other eye was finally in his hands.
With both eyes, he could give Karin the other Kotoamatsukami.
Then both her left and right eyes would possess the strongest genjutsu power.
If he added the support of Hashirama cells as well…
Perhaps she might awaken an ability even stronger than Kotoamatsukami.
For example, the Eternal Mangekyō?
Teizawa stored the eye away.
Then he rose and left the office, heading to the hospital.
Karin was sitting beside a table in the medical room, reading a medical ninjutsu text.
Amaru lay beside her, using Karin's lap as a pillow while she slept.
Drool had soaked Karin's pants.
Karin did not push her away.
She only continued turning the pages in silence.
"Kazekage-sama…"
When Karin saw Teizawa come in, she hurriedly put down the book.
Amaru was startled awake and sat up, rubbing her eyes.
Still half-asleep, she mumbled, "Master."
Teizawa sat by the bed and took out the eye from inside his robes.
"Karin, I brought you a gift."
Karin's pupils contracted slightly.
This eye…
A Mangekyō Sharingan?
She stared at the scarlet eyeball in the culture dish, and her breathing quickened.
"This eye, like your left eye, came from Shisui."
Teizawa's voice was gentle. "Once both eyes are implanted, your genjutsu ability will rise to another level."
"When that time comes, even Kage-level powerhouses may not be able to resist your control."
Karin's fingers trembled slightly. Her voice shook as she asked, "Me? I'm afraid I won't do it well."
"You can."
Teizawa held her hand, his gaze soft but firm. "From today on, you are no longer Orochimaru's accessory, and you are no longer my tool."
"You are Karin of Suna. A descendant of the Uzumaki Clan. The bearer of the Mangekyō Sharingan. You need to believe in yourself."
Karin's tears finally fell.
They landed on the back of Teizawa's hand, burning hot.
She tried desperately to hold them back.
She endured and endured.
But in the end, she could not stop herself. She cried like a child.
Amaru stared at her helplessly.
Then she hurriedly handed over a handkerchief.
"Karin-nee, don't cry… You won't look pretty if you cry…"
Karin broke into a smile through her tears and wiped her face with the handkerchief.
"Who's crying…? I'm not crying… Sand just got in my eyes…"
Teizawa stood and patted the top of her head.
"Rest well. The surgery will be arranged in a few days."
Karin nodded hard.
Over the next few days, Teizawa began making the final preparations for Karin's double-eye transplant.
As for Hashirama cells…
After robbing Danzō, he had obtained some from him.
But…
After thinking it over for a long time, Teizawa ultimately decided to postpone it.
It was not that he did not trust Karin.
The risk was simply too great.
Danzō's example was right in front of him.
Teizawa did not want Karin to become a second monster with a body on the verge of losing control.
First, she would adapt to the two Kotoamatsukami.
Once her body had fully endured them, he would consider the next step.
On the day of the surgery, Teizawa stood outside the operating room.
Through the glass window, he watched the busy figures inside.
Karin lay on the operating table.
An oxygen mask was placed over her face, and an anesthetic was injected.
Her eyes gradually lost focus.
Teizawa did not leave.
He simply waited there in silence, motionless.
His gaze never once moved away from that pale face.
The operating room light went out.
The lead doctor pushed open the door and stepped out, removing his mask.
"Kazekage-sama, the surgery was very successful. Both Mangekyō Sharingan have fully fused with the optic nerves. There was no rejection reaction."
He paused, a trace of amazement in his tone.
"The patient's vitality is exceptionally strong. I've never seen a constitution like hers."
Teizawa nodded and entered the operating room.
Karin had not woken yet.
Her face was pale as paper, and bandages were wrapped around her forehead.
Beneath the bandages, two faint hints of scarlet could be seen.
Two Mangekyō Sharingan.
At this moment, they slept quietly in her eye sockets.
Waiting for the moment their master awakened them.
Teizawa gently held her hand.
Her fingertips were cold, but her pulse was steady.
"Sleep."
His voice was very soft.
"When you wake up, everything will be different."
Teizawa's eyes narrowed slightly as several bold guesses and plans formed in his mind.
Once Karin adapted to the eyes…
Perhaps, after Kotoamatsukami's cooldown ended, he could use it on Sasori and Deidara as well.
Otherwise, he really could not bring himself to fully trust those two turncoats.
Of course, that was a matter for later.
(End of Chapter)
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