Having nowhere to go, no home to return to, was not Kisame's plight alone. His former superior shared the same fate. Once, he could wander Kirigakure in aimless haze. Now, that chance was gone.
Return to the bright and warm Konoha? Before the Fourth Hokage died in battle, it was possible. But now… not anymore. He thought of seeking out Madara's corpse for Edo Tensei and demanding answers—but Madara had turned to ashes, swept through the sewers into the sea, leaving nothing behind. Infinite Tsukuyomi, or anything else—without Madara's shell, Uchiha Obito was nothing.
Like a wandering wraith in the world, he sobbed in the downpour, repenting the death of Rin, yet even after crying, he was left with nothing.
Rin would not return. The world remained unchanged. And Uchiha Obito… was still nothing.
Desolation. Emptiness.
Half his life had been spent for the Hokage, for comrades, pouring out half his soul. The latter half, for Infinite Tsukuyomi, for a lie, draining the rest of his soul. And now, Obito has become a hollow shell.
It was Konan who picked him up.
After resolving the incident with the real and fake Madara, Konan remembered there was still White Zetsu to handle. Whether a creation of Madara or a fragment of his will, the Black Zetsu could not be treated lightly. While searching for a way to eliminate these "consciousnesses," she spotted Obito lying in a garbage heap, a pitiful mess. If not for the tiger-striped mask, she might not have recognized him.
Drunk, filthy, and foul-smelling.
Obito, the figure she had pursued for years, now fallen so low, gave her an almost surreal feeling. Not much guilt arose, only a deep, empty sense of futility.
Describing Obito as "a hopeless wreck" was the most fitting. Nagato, having combed through Obito's mind, knew exactly how to strike him most effectively. That's how Obito had been broken with just a few words. Yet even Nagato had not anticipated how fragile Obito's heart truly was. He thought Obito would collapse for a few days like he had, but a month passed, and he had not recovered.
Obviously, Nagato had forgotten something—he had Konan and Kita by his side. Obito had only his Eye of the Moon Plan.
Obito refused contact with anyone. His unusual physiology meant he didn't need to eat, drink, or relieve himself. He could languish in dark corners indefinitely, no hunger or thirst forcing him to confront reality, no need for social interaction.
Konan, staring at the drunken Obito clutching a bottle, found it hard to believe this man had caused Yahiko's death. Any thought of provoking him to force a semblance of life vanished. She reached out and touched his hair—it was coarse, prickly, yet there was something soft beneath. They say people with hard hair have soft hearts. She wasn't sure about Obito's, but as a woman, hearing him whisper "Rin, I will create a world with you again" was too striking.
Ugh, it's greasy and disgusting. She needed to wash her hands.
Still, she didn't forget to pull a spare blanket over him on the cold floor.
Autumn was approaching. The floor was chilly.
Nagato knew this couldn't continue. Having broken Obito, he was responsible for piecing him back together. Infinite Tsukuyomi might refuse him, but he had to find a way to deal with Obito. One day, he brought the drunken wreck to the village's open-air hot spring. Men speak honestly when bathing together. Meanwhile, Konan had time to clean the rooms Obito had occupied but refused to tidy.
As she cleaned, she thought: why bother picking up Obito at all?
But the fact remained—he had been brought back.
Nagato's efforts were impressive. The hot spring time was long, lasting until the next afternoon, but Obito—whose mind had been shattered by Nagato's words—was gradually pieced together.
Later, Konan and Kita saw Obito in a clean Akatsuki cloak. He still wore a mask, but his manners were impeccable.
"Sorry for troubling you these past days."
Konan didn't know how to respond, but Kita gave Nagato a thumbs-up. "Impressive." Obito, for his part, offered no reply.
"Akatsuki's Uchiha Obito. Still haven't found a dream to pursue, but cannot die—perhaps good things happen simply by living."
This was during another team-building activity shortly after the last. The difference this time: hotpot.
"Scum, pass the soy sauce." Kakuzu didn't mince words—an assessment of Obito's crimes. Obito, nearest to the soy sauce, wanted to retort "I could crush you as easily as an ant" but grinned and handed it over instead.
Perhaps this was part of living seriously. At least those he had harmed were still alive and trying.
But Nagato made clear the true purpose of this gathering amidst the laughter and food.
"Obito's affair with Madara is settled. Kisame, Itachi, staying means you've made your choice, understood?"
Kisame nodded with his crab stick down his throat. Itachi had food in his mouth but nodded earnestly.
Nagato continued, addressing the group. "Internal issues resolved. Next are potential threats from Madara—Zetsu, whose Black half contains Madara's consciousness. To eliminate future problems, Konan, Obito, this is yours to handle." He picked up a piece of beef from his plate. "Konan, you have the advantage of tracking Zetsu. Obito, you know Zetsu. Kill as necessary. Work it out yourselves."
Konan nodded. Obito ate while nodding rapidly. Removing his mask, half his face was scarred, a remnant from saving Kakashi, the other half handsome—his original self.
"Better to seal the consciousness. How to properly deal with it, honestly, even I'm unclear."
"That's your problem," Nagato said simply, then continued. "Obito joined the organization, but many positions remain vacant. The positions of Kū and Santai are still empty. I have someone in mind for Santai; you'll meet them soon. Kakuzu, this person will be your partner."
"Good, better make sure they're solid," Kakuzu replied, throwing vegetables into the pot. Kita interjected, "Very solid. You'll be satisfied." Nagato nodded. "Yes. Kakuzu, Itachi, Kisame, you leave tomorrow to find them."
"Me too?" Itachi asked, surprised—splitting teams was rare. Nagato nodded. "Yes, this mission, you go together." He continued: "Akatsuki's reputation in the underworld has grown. Rewards have increased. While the plan to capture the tailed beasts is feasible, the members' solo power is slightly lacking. During downtime, train. This is part of the plan. Deidara, Itachi, Kisame, your strength is below average. Train without hindering missions. Kakuzu, assist them if possible. Konan, accompany them as sparring partners."
Nagato instructed in detail, and everyone nodded repeatedly.
"One final emphasis—stay low-profile. Do not create unnecessary burdens for the future tailed beast plan. Understood?"
"Understood!"
In unison. Nagato was pleased.
━━━━ ❖ ━━━
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