Torchlight flickered against the rough stone walls, casting twisted, shifting shadows.
The air was damp and cold, thick with the scent of earth and a faint trace of blood.
Pain.
Pain everywhere.
His bones felt as though they had been shattered and crudely pieced back together. Every breath dragged sharp agony through his ribs.
Deeper still, there was a hollow ache—like a piece of his soul had been torn away.
Even in unconsciousness, it made the boy tremble uncontrollably.
"Rin…!"
A hoarse, broken cry tore through his dry throat.
Uchiha Obito's eyes snapped open.
What greeted him was not the blood-soaked battlefield beneath a crimson sunset, nor the familiar ceiling of Konoha Hospital—
But a jagged cave ceiling, lit by dim firelight.
The sudden movement tugged at his wounds. He let out a muffled groan as cold sweat soaked his tattered clothes.
Memories surged like a flood—
Kakashi collapsing…
That head flying through the air…
Rin's pale, bloodstained face…
The gaping wound in her abdomen…
Suikazan Fuguki's twisted grin…
And the mud-stained boot pressing down on his face…
"Rin! Kakashi—!"
He struggled to sit up. A burning pain flared in his eyes as his three-tomoe Sharingan activated instinctively.
His vision turned crimson. Firelight and memory overlapped, distorting his senses.
"Calm down, Uchiha."
A hoarse, sticky voice echoed beside his ear.
Obito turned sharply, forcing himself into a defensive posture despite the pain.
From the darkness, a black substance rose from the ground, forming a distorted humanoid silhouette. Only a dull orange eye and jagged teeth were visible.
"Who are you?!"
Obito shouted, instinctively reaching for his tools—only to find nothing.
His body was too weak.
Even forming hand seals felt impossible.
"Does it matter who I am?"
The figure—Black Zetsu—spoke slowly.
"What matters is that I saved you."
"The hell I needed saving?!"
The outburst surprised even Black Zetsu.
"Kakashi is dead! Rin's still there—she's in danger! She needs me!"
Obito's eyes were bloodshot. The Sharingan spun wildly, its crimson glow pulsing in the cave.
He tried to stand—
But collapsed instantly.
"You… monster! Give Rin back! If anything happens to her—"
His voice trembled with rage.
"I'll kill you!"
Another Uchiha madman…
Black Zetsu sneered inwardly.
It had no interest in arguing with a tool destined to break.
It watched coldly as Obito fell from the stone bed, crashing onto the ground.
A mocking chuckle followed.
"With your pathetic condition, you still want to save someone?"
Obito gasped in pain—
Then suddenly froze.
"…Rin…"
He forced his head up, voice shaking.
"How is she…?"
Black Zetsu smiled.
"Why don't you guess?"
It watched his expression twist—fear, hope, despair.
"That girl of yours… maybe she was taken as spoils of war."
"Or maybe—"
"…her head is already hanging somewhere in Kirigakure."
"N-no… impossible…"
Obito's voice broke.
His entire body trembled.
"I have to go back… I have to save her!"
He tried again—
And collapsed again.
Crying.
Broken.
"Go back?" Black Zetsu mocked. "You can't even stand."
"Even if you went, what could you do?"
The words crushed him.
Like ice poured into his veins.
Obito lay there, breathing heavily, tasting blood.
His Sharingan glowed—
Bright.
Empty.
Black Zetsu watched silently.
Then moved closer.
Voice low.
Insidious.
"However…"
It paused deliberately.
"I think I saw something… at the very end."
"Your Uchiha forces… wearing dark red armor… rushing in like a tide."
"!"
Obito froze.
"The… Red Guard Army?"
Hope ignited.
Faint.
Fragile.
But real.
"They arrived… so Rin—maybe—"
He stared at the shadow, eyes trembling.
Black Zetsu saw everything.
Give an Uchiha even a spark—
And they would cling to it.
"It seemed…"
"…a girl was rescued."
Obito's eyes lit up instantly.
There was only one girl.
"Rin… was saved…"
The thought numbed everything.
Pain.
Fear.
Despair.
His body gave out.
Darkness swallowed him.
Silence returned.
Only the crackle of fire.
Black Zetsu hovered above his unconscious form.
The cave wall rippled.
A pale, boneless white mass emerged—
Spreading like living moss.
It wrapped around Obito's body—
Fusing.
Becoming part of him.
Time to report to Madara-sama.
And that Uchiha Anlan… troublesome.
Infinity Castle — Eastern District Hospital.
Cold white lights illuminated the corridor.
The air smelled of disinfectant.
Medical staff passed quietly.
At the end—
The red "In Surgery" light went out.
The door opened.
Tsunade stepped out.
Blood stained the hem of her coat like dark petals.
She removed her goggles, brushing damp hair aside.
Fatigue lingered beneath her sharp focus.
Even for her—
This had been taxing.
She closed the door behind her.
Then paused.
At the end of the corridor—
A figure stood by the window.
Bathed in sunlight.
Uchiha Anlan.
Sharp.
Calm.
Dangerous.
Tsunade approached.
Her steps steady.
Her figure—
Graceful.
Mature.
Refined.
"Pulled me out just for that girl?"
"Someone important? Someone you like?"
Anlan's expression didn't change.
"I'm married."
That answer nearly made her snap.
"Oh? Married?"
She stepped closer.
"Does your wife know what you've done to me?"
Smack.
A kiss.
Tsunade froze.
Her mind blank.
Warmth lingered—
Then shock hit.
"You—!"
Smack.
Another kiss.
She stepped back instantly, scanning the corridor.
No witnesses.
She exhaled.
"You bastard!"
Anlan smiled lazily.
"How's the patient?"
Tsunade clicked her tongue.
"Nohara Rin. Thirteen. Genin."
"Severe abdominal wound from a high-pressure water blade."
"Internal bleeding. Organ damage."
"Broken ribs. Concussion. Chakra depletion."
She crossed her arms.
"But the first aid was well done."
"Surgery was successful."
"She's out of danger."
"Recovery should be smooth."
"In theory."
Anlan raised a brow.
Tsunade's tone turned serious.
"No surgery is perfect."
Anlan nodded.
"Did she wake?"
"Briefly."
"She kept calling for Kakashi and Obito."
"Nothing coherent."
She looked at him.
"What are you planning?"
"Strengthening the clan."
"Improving my life."
"Heh."
She didn't believe him.
"I'll leave her to you."
"That's my job."
Then—
"And my payment?"
Anlan smiled.
"I'll accompany you tonight."
"Go to hell."