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Tobi and Zetsu witnessed Sasuke's second fight. Then they split up.
Zetsu went to report to Nagato about the deaths of Kakuzu and Hidan, and the fact that… their hard-earned funds had been plundered by Orochimaru.
Tobi, meanwhile, returned to the underground nest where Madara once dwelled. A new scheme was about to begin.
Akatsuki had lost Kakuzu and Hidan. As replacements, he had new candidates in mind.
SWOOSH!
Space twisted. Two figures tumbled out—disheveled, beaten.
It was Jūgo and Suigetsu! The two who had gone missing after the Northern Base assault.
Tobi stood before them, arms crossed. "Had enough time in the dark to think about things?"
Jūgo looked utterly defeated. Suigetsu's blood boiled.
He'd been living a quiet life at the Northern Base. Then out of nowhere, a demolition maniac shows up, blows the whole damn base to hell without a word of explanation! He was forced by Karin to flee with this walking murder-risk Jūgo, only to get captured by the masked maniac's partner! Then thrown into a pitch-black cell for days! He was almost starved to death!
But… he knew this masked freak was strong. Strong enough to suck them back into that void at any moment. So, despite the rage simmering in his gut, Suigetsu didn't dare get too lippy.
"Just who the hell are you people? I don't remember pissing you off."
"We are Akatsuki."
"Akatsuki… Orochimaru… That terrorist organization he used to work for!?"
Suigetsu's heart sank. He'd heard Akatsuki was full of monsters on par with, or even stronger than, Lord Orochimaru. And now… these monsters had come for him!?
He clasped his hands together, a sickly-sweet smile plastered on his face. "O-oh, so you're… from Akatsuki? I'm just a small fry, really! Look, an eye for an eye, you know? If you want to kill someone, go find Lord Orochimaru! I can even show you the way!"
Tobi's voice was cold. "The Lord Orochimaru you speak of… killed three of my comrades not long ago."
That news turned Suigetsu's blood to ice.
That damn snake!!! What the hell have you done now!? You can go raise hell all you want outside, but at least clean up your own mess, you bastard!!!
His mind raced, scrambling for a way out.
Tobi leaned his hip against a stone platform nearby, holding up two fingers. "So. I'll give you two choices. First… become my subordinates."
Suigetsu didn't hesitate. "I'll take it!!!"
Tobi slowly lowered his finger. Amusement flickered behind the mask. "I heard Orochimaru's followers were fiercely loyal. You betray him awfully fast."
Suigetsu waved his hands frantically. "Don't lump me in with those brainwashed idiots! I ran from the Bloody Mist and Orochimaru caught me. He wanted my abilities. I figured, better to lay low with him than keep running from Kiri's hunter-nin! It was a transaction! Not loyalty. So there's nothing to betray!"
"Hmph. Honest, at least." Tobi's tone shifted. "Suigetsu Hōzuki. You're Mangetsu Hōzuki's brother, aren't you?"
Suigetsu stiffened. "You… knew my brother?"
Tobi's mind drifted to his years controlling Kiri. To that bold boy who dared challenge Yagura, who refused to submit… and paid with his life.
"In a manner of speaking."
Suigetsu immediately tried to cozy up. "Ohhh! A friend of my brother's! We're practically family, then! All this was just a big misunderstanding~!"
"Heh." Tobi gave a cold laugh, offering no further explanation.
Suigetsu ventured carefully, "So… being your subordinate. Does that mean joining Akatsuki?"
"Joining Akatsuki?" Tobi said. "Your strength might not be up to that standard yet."
"Uh… right."
"But you can consider yourselves… reserve members."
"I… refuse."
Before Suigetsu could respond, Jūgo, who had been silent all this time, spoke coolly.
Tobi's brow furrowed behind the mask. "Oh?"
Jūgo said, "I wasn't truly loyal to Orochimaru. But Kimimaro… my most important friend… genuinely admired him. If I turn against Orochimaru, I betray Kimimaro."
Suigetsu facepalmed internally. This stubborn fool! Can't you read the damn room!?
Tobi pondered for a moment. "Jūgo. You were Orochimaru's cursed seal test subject, correct?"
Jūgo nodded. "Yes. But I volunteered. I hoped his research into my cursed seal would find a way to suppress my murderous impulses."
"And did he find one?"
Jūgo shook his head. "Not… not yet."
"So you live, tormented by an uncontrollable urge to kill." Tobi leaned forward slightly. "Let me ask you this: Can you kill?"
"Killing isn't difficult for me. I am, after all, a shinobi." Jūgo met his gaze. "I just don't want to hurt innocents when I lose control."
"Heh. Then it's simple." Tobi's voice dropped. "If I can suppress your murderous impulses… will you become my subordinate?"
Jūgo frowned. "If Orochimaru couldn't do it, how can you?"
Behind the mask, a crimson light gleamed. "Don't underestimate the power of the Sharingan… of our Uchiha clan."
Suigetsu's jaw nearly dropped. This guy… is an Uchiha? Aren't they all wiped out except for Itachi and that Sasuke kid? Is he Itachi? But he said he knew my brother… can't be Itachi…
Jūgo was silent for a long moment. "If you truly have a way to suppress my impulses… I will consider your offer. But on one condition. I will not fight Orochimaru. If you plan to kill him, I will not take part."
"Heh… We won't need you for that. Come with me."
SWOOSH!
Space distorted, swallowing all three.
They reappeared inside the space-time dimension.
But not in the featureless void where they'd been imprisoned.
This was a separate room, carved out within the dimension. One wall was lined with dozens of cabinets.
On the night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre, Tobi, as Itachi's accomplice, had harvested a vast collection of Sharingan eyes.
He walked to a cabinet labeled 'Izumi', opened it, and retrieved a porcelain vial containing a pair of eyes.
Jūgo stared. "Those are… Sharingan?"
"Correct." Tobi held the vial. "The eyes awakened by the Uchiha. They grant the host powerful Yin Release chakra. Yin Release is the manifestation of spiritual energy. It should be more than sufficient to suppress the murderous impulses brought on by your cursed seal chakra…"
Jūgo's eyes widened. "You… want to transplant these eyes into me?"
Suigetsu recoiled. "Whoa! No way! I don't want those creepy things!!"
Tobi ignored him. "A Sharingan only reveals its true power when wielded as a pair. You lack the Senju physique. Transplanting two eyes is ill-advised. So… each of you will bear one. The optimal arrangement."
Suigetsu pointed at himself, horrified. "Wait… that means I… don't get a choice?"
"If Jūgo's own Sharingan proves insufficient to control his impulses," Tobi explained, his voice chilling, "you will serve as the secondary safeguard. A failsafe. Any other questions? I have little patience for those who receive a gift and still complain…"
Suigetsu slumped, defeated. "Fine. If I have no choice… I'll take the right eye."
Jūgo simply nodded silently.
Tobi's gaze was deep, unreadable. "Then… let the transplantation begin."
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