"That's that overpowered?" Obito was genuinely stunned by the Twin Flowers' second ability.
Akira smiled and raised both hands, gesturing in the air.
"Yes. As long as I touch two individuals of equal soul strength at the same time and activate the Twin Flowers, I can establish a connection between them."
"Once linked, they can synchronize thoughts in real time, just like Pain. No matter how far apart they are—even across different dimensions—they can communicate freely."
"And there's more. If one of the connected parties dies, the other will die instantly as well."
"Die…" Obito pondered deeply. "Then what about injuries?"
"Injuries are fine," Akira replied. "That's the difference from linking through body replication."
"With a simple two-way connection—without duplicating bodies—even if one side is gravely wounded, the other won't be affected in the slightest."
"But if one side dies, the other dies immediately."
They spoke casually as they walked back into the streets of Hidden Shadow Village.
Morning had arrived. Several breakfast vendors were already open.
Akira stopped at a pan-fried dumpling stall and leaned against the counter.
"Uncle Ji, two orders of tofu potstickers and two lean pork congees. To go."
"Got it! Two tofu potstickers! Two lean pork congees! Coming right up!"
Uncle Ji looked up and instantly beamed.
"Well I'll be! Akira! Haven't seen you in over half a year, have we?"
Akira smiled warmly.
"Six months and thirteen days, to be exact."
"Hahaha! Still as precise as ever! Your wife must keep you on a tight leash!"
Akira laughed vaguely and changed the subject.
"How's business lately?"
"Business? Thriving! All thanks to Lord Shadow!" Uncle Ji said with heartfelt gratitude.
Then he added earnestly, "Akira, I'm no ninja, but let me say this—you're young. Work hard! Aim to become one of Lord Shadow's trusted generals someday!"
Akira nodded repeatedly. "Absolutely. I will."
Uncle Ji noticed Obito behind him.
"And this young man?"
Akira stepped aside.
"This is 'Tu.' You could say he's my… distant cousin."
Uncle Ji blinked. Cousin? Not uncle or something?
Obito scratched his head and grinned awkwardly.
"Uh, hello! I'm Tu! Heard a lot about your famous potstickers!"
Poor kid… white-haired at such a young age. Must've been through hardships.
Uncle Ji's heart softened.
"Life's never easy, son. Whatever happened, it's in the past!"
"Work together, you two! Brothers united can cut through gold! Strive to become Lord Shadow's right and left hands!"
"And when people say you always ate at my little stall, that'll make this old man proud too!"
Obito felt Uncle Ji had misunderstood something… but he couldn't bring himself to ruin the man's enthusiasm.
"Of course. Definitely."
They paid, each taking a set.
Obito hesitated. "You don't need to give me one. I can't even taste it."
Akira smiled gently.
"Obito, you shouldn't treat yourself like a dead man. Living that way takes the joy out of things."
Obito fell silent.
Not treat myself like the dead…
There are still so many things I want to do.
He took a large bite.
No taste reached his tongue—but as he swallowed, something warm stirred inside him.
A trace of human warmth.
They ate as they approached the southern district.
"By the way, where exactly are we going?"
BOOM!!
An explosion erupted atop one of the southern towers.
A white figure flew through the air in a graceful arc.
Then came the exaggerated cry:
"Uwaaaaaaaah~~~~! I-I'll be back~~! I won't give up until I see you poop~~~~!"
Akira raised a brow.
"Oh my, what a heartwarming sight."
The townsfolk glanced up casually and continued working. Clearly, this was nothing new.
CLANG!
The white figure slammed headfirst into a reinforced metal fence.
Who else but A-Fei?
Obito immediately recalled A-Fei's "greatest interest."
Watching Konan in the bathroom.
And the slogan he just shouted.
"You're serious?! A-Fei, you actually tried?!"
A-Fei dusted himself off, impressed.
"She hid Explosive Flame Formation inside the bathroom wall! I tried phasing through and got blown away! Her concealment skills are getting scarier!"
Obito sighed.
"You're asking to get killed one of these days."
Akira asked calmly, "Is Konan in?"
"Yep! Can't see or hear her, but I know she's still in there! Same time every day!"
Akira tossed the empty food packaging into a bin and checked his watch.
6:40 a.m.
Bathroom meant washing up next.
"Let's wait. We'll go at exactly seven."
Obito blinked. "Wait—you're going to see her?"
"Mhm. Got something to discuss. And I need to borrow something."
"Borrow? This whole village is yours. What could you possibly need to borrow from her?"
Akira only smiled.
Naturally, something that truly belonged to Konan.
"So? Coming?"
Obito hesitated.
Curiosity won.
"Fine. I'll watch."
At 7:00 a.m., Akira, Tu, and Fei arrived beneath the southern tower.
Konan had already finished washing up and stood atop a sculpted tongue ornament, gazing at the rising sun.
She gestured them up.
Inside, the layout mirrored the old Rain Village tower exactly.
Even her Akatsuki cloak was unchanged.
Aside from longer hair, she hadn't changed at all.
Some things time cannot erase.
Obito shivered inwardly.
Four long sofas surrounded a round table.
"Please, sit," Konan said warmly, even serving tea herself.
All seemed normal.
Then she looked at Obito.
"Did 'your Sharingan' not come?"
Obito froze mid-sip.
"What? My Sharingan? I'm here! How would my Sharingan not be here?"
Akira nearly choked.
"Konan… did you mean to ask whether Madara came?"
Konan nodded.
"Yes. That works too."
Obito frowned.
"Then just say Madara! What's with 'your Sharingan'? That makes no sense."
Konan calmly wiped spilled tea and explained:
"Because someone once said, 'The power of the Sharingan is my power, Uchiha Madara's power.'"
Obito spat his tea.
"That was—! That line was part of my masked persona! What does that have to do with anything?!"
Konan began listing calmly:
"Sharingan's power = My power as Uchiha Madara."
"Power = power."
"Of = of."
"Remove redundant terms."
"Sharingan = I, Uchiha Madara = I + Uchiha Madara."
"Therefore."
"I + Uchiha Madara = Sharingan."
"Rearrange."
"Uchiha Madara = Sharingan – I."
"–I = You."
"So."
"Uchiha Madara = You + Sharingan."
"Which means."
"Uchiha Madara = Your Sharingan."
Silence.
Obito's mouth opened… but no words came.
After a long pause:
"You win."
At that moment, Madara climbed in through the sculpted window ledge.
"Well, everyone's here."
He glanced around.
Obito stiff.
Konan wiping table.
A-Fei thinking deeply.
Akira burying his face in tea, shoulders trembling.
Madara narrowed his eyes.
Did I just miss something magnificent?
Obito slowly turned, grinning wickedly, gesturing toward Konan.
"See? Your Sharingan has arrived."
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