During this time, people traditionally honor their deceased family members. In Akatsuki, everyone had experienced loss, and to help shift the emotional weight of mourning back into work mode, Nagato decided to hold a team-building event. Of course, the matter of Obito had to be addressed as well. The location was still the rooftop, and the activity remained the open-air barbecue.
Everyone arrived on time. People ate and drank, and judging by their expressions, any supposed sorrow over the departed was entirely absent. Kakuzu, as usual, was in charge of everyone's food—who ate what, who avoided what—remembering every detail clearly. Unlike previous team events, Nagato appeared in her true form this time; previously, she only did so during New Year celebrations.
Everyone chatted about recent missions. The most talkative was Deidara, whose childlike curiosity made everything seem new and exciting—far more lively than Itachi, who, though older, was far more mature. Most of the time, everyone listened quietly, occasionally asking questions about local customs, like "Gensai," proving they were participating in the team-building activity.
"By the way, what's wrong with you?"
The question came from Kakuzu. It was directed at Kita, who had remained silent the entire time, quietly eating and drinking beer—uncharacteristic of her. Kita had always been talkative, sharing amusing stories from missions. But now she was silent, almost nonexistent.
Kakuzu noticed but refrained from asking further. He cared about her well-being, but he knew better than to intervene when a woman's mood was off—a lesson learned from experience.
Kita sniffled, swallowed a piece of peppered grilled meat, and her eyes reddened. Deidara's eyes widened, mouth dropping open.
"I'm—wow, Sister Kita, you're crying! Uh huh!"
His exclamation drew everyone's attention. Konan turned from the barbecue and truly saw the moisture in Kita's eyes.
Wait… this isn't in the script!
Her initial thought flashed by, and she hastily set down her beer to wipe Kita's tears, asking in surprise, "What happened? Are you okay?"
The script had called for Kita to recount a beautiful story about Uchiha Obito's love, but there was no part about crying.
Kita had only intended to add a touch of moisture to make her expression seem realistic, but when Konan asked, she couldn't hold it back. Big teardrops rolled clearly down her cheeks.
Even Nagato was slightly taken aback. Truthfully, it was the first time he had ever seen Kita cry—and everyone present had never seen it either.
Kakuzu's first reaction:
"Someone bullied you? Who? Kill them."
A friend crying from mistreatment was justification enough.
Normally, Kita would have quickly explained and the scene would have proceeded as planned. But emotion took over; her ninja rationality couldn't suppress it. Tears kept flowing. What had started as a performance to depict a love story now became a real release of emotion. Reading through the memories of White Zetsu, reflecting on the people of the past and present, Kita felt more the helplessness of the world—or perhaps the helplessness against Uchiha Madara—than mere sorrow.
Obito should have been a leading man: energetic, sunny, resilient. But at the crossroads of fate, Madara had rerouted him from paradise to hell.
"Sister Kita, are you okay?"
Itachi, aware of the intended story, asked, perplexed. His words tried to correct the scene, but emotional Kita didn't receive them. Konan, meanwhile, wasn't concerned with scripts—she only cared why Kita was crying. These large teardrops were real, not an act, prompting her to anxiously ask, "What happened? Tell me, don't cry."
The atmosphere was awkward. To break it, Deidara, always mischievous, quipped, "Ah! I know! Kakuzu-sensei's barbecue must be awful!"
Obito would never have guessed that these tears were for him.
Kita, however, broke into a smile. Perhaps Infinite Tsukuyomi was the only redemption for Obito at this moment. For him, if it had been by coincidence rather than Madara's manipulation, all of this would have justified his survival.
——It's nothing. I just saw a story about friendship and love a few days ago.
Ah, smoothly back into the script. Itachi relaxed.
"Just because of that?" Konan asked, surprised. Kita nodded while dabbing her tears.
——Sorry. I got a little distracted.
Kakuzu's lips twitched.
"I guess she's just… emotional," he said.
"Yes, women are emotional creatures."
"I see. So, Sister Kita, what's the story?" Deidara asked eagerly. Kisame couldn't care less and muttered, "Forget it. Stories meant to make women cry are all fake."
"I want to know too!" He said excitedly. Kita smiled, steadying herself. She thought: Even if you don't want to know, I'm going to tell you anyway.
——The protagonist isn't a particularly strong ninja.
"Spare me. I'm not interested," Deidara quickly complained, though his pleading starry eyes betrayed him.
——Let's call him 'Obito.' He's cheerful, kind-hearted, and the kind of boy who could be the protagonist of a shōnen manga. Justice is his thing. But he has flaws.
Nagato, subtly supporting the story, nodded in appreciation.
——He's unlucky, caught in a war. His dream was to lead the village and end the conflict. He tries so hard, but his clumsy nature makes him a fool despite his efforts.
——Obito has two friends: one male, Kakashi, a genius who excels effortlessly and became a jonin at twelve; ruthless and mission-focused, willing to abandon friends for objectives. One female friend, Rin, ordinary but kind and gentle, has cared for Obito since childhood. He's always liked Rin.
Kita described everything in detail. She thought it would be difficult, but once she started, everything flowed naturally. She even recalled Rin's pale green wristband from White Zetsu's memories, Obito's catchphrases, and the deep value he placed on friendship.
——Obito said, "I will be your eyes and help you see the future."
Deidara was entranced, tears filling his eyes. He blew his nose and asked, "Then what happened?" Kita shrugged.
——Then the author left it on a cliffhanger.
Itachi remained silent, understanding the story but not its details. If this had truly happened to Obito, disregarding schemes and manipulation, his actions would be understandable—but all of it occurred under Madara's plots. Who was more tragic? Itachi thought: Obito's life was unbearably cruel. Unlike himself, Obito had no choice. Madara cut off every path, pushing him toward an abyss.
Infinite Tsukuyomi—a beautiful, dreamlike world.
——His most important friend killed the one he loved. What would that feel like? I don't know, but in that environment, I'd probably go mad. Killing friends for revenge is meaningless. Rin is gone. Even if revived, life has lost its meaning. Later, Obito killed many innocent people, destroyed many lives. From my perspective, I should hate him—but from Obito's perspective, his world consisted only of Kakashi and Rin. That's why he could kill his teacher. Sadness doesn't end there—it was all man-made. Madara manipulated it, exposing everything to a still-immature Obito. Complete despair.
Kita finished her long narration in one breath, draining a bottle of beer.
"What do you mean?" Kakuzu asked. Kita shrugged.
━━━━ ❖ ━━━
If you're enjoying the journey so far and want to read ahead, you can check out 50+ advance chapters on Patreon: Patreon.com/Crimson_Lore
Every 100 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter
Add to Library!