After finishing his conversation with Nagato, Obito stood in the shadows deep inside the cavern, his back to the dim oil lamp.
Its light stretched his hunched silhouette across the uneven stone wall, making him resemble a massive beast lying in wait.
Black Zetsu silently emerged halfway from a crack in the ground.
No emotion could be seen on his black-and-white face, but an indescribable gleam flickered in his yellow eyes.
"Are you really going to restore Nagato's power?"
His voice was low and raspy, like a chill seeping up from underground.
"Don't forget, he's..."
"Of course I know what his purpose is."
Obito cut him off, his sinister voice tinged with impatience.
He turned around. His exposed Sharingan swept over Black Zetsu's face before looking away again.
"Compared to Nagato regaining his power, Teizawa is far more unpredictable."
"He knows every trump card I have, from Kamui to Izanagi, from White Zetsu to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. He knows everything."
His voice grew strained.
"I don't know where he obtained that information, but he isn't simple."
"If we don't deal with him, forget collecting the Tailed Beasts. He might even hunt us down one by one."
Black Zetsu fell silent.
"If we want to deal with Teizawa, we have to restore Nagato's power," Obito continued, his voice calm once more. "The Rinnegan is currently the only power capable of suppressing him."
"That man has almost no weaknesses. Nagato is the strongest Rinnegan wielder I've ever seen. He's the only one capable of defeating Teizawa in a direct confrontation."
He paused.
"Otherwise, our original plan will be severely compromised."
"Let's hope you're right."
Black Zetsu said nothing more and slowly sank into the ground.
His yellow eyes gave one final gleam in the darkness before disappearing beneath the earth.
They both understood that their entire plan had been thrown into chaos because of a Kazekage who had appeared out of nowhere.
Nagato should have remained safely in Amegakure while collecting the Tailed Beasts.
The Akatsuki should have carried out the Eye of the Moon Plan one step at a time.
Obito should have controlled everything from behind the scenes.
But now Nagato was on the brink of death, Amegakure had been destroyed, Deidara and Sasori had defected, and Kakuzu and Hidan were dead...
All because of that man.
Obito stared at the spot where Black Zetsu had disappeared and remained silent for a long time.
Then he turned and slowly walked toward the cavern's exit.
The glow of the oil lamp gradually faded behind him until the darkness swallowed it completely.
From the depths of the cavern came the steady sound of dripping water.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
It echoed through the darkness like some ancient clock counting down the seconds.
...
With the situation in the Land of Rain temporarily settled, everyone began departing one group after another.
The flags of the various villages were lowered throughout the ruins of Amegakure.
Tents were dismantled, and campfires were extinguished.
Within a single morning, the temporary encampment had been reduced to an empty field, leaving behind only a chaotic trail of footprints and trampled blades of grass.
Several shinobi selected from the different villages remained behind.
They were responsible for monitoring the ruins, recording any suspicious activity, and regularly reporting back to their respective villages.
Mei stood at the front of Kirigakure's contingent.
Her reddish-brown hair fluttered gently in the wind, and the morning sunlight gleamed against her blue dress.
Her face revealed no emotion, but an unreadable light filled her emerald eyes.
Teizawa approached her.
He looked down at her, the corners of his lips curving upward.
"Mei..." His voice was soft. "The next time we meet, I hope you'll already be the Mizukage."
Mei's eyelashes trembled.
The Mizukage...
It was the position she had always dreamed of.
The goal she had spent more than a decade pursuing.
She had once believed she would have to wait much longer, endure much more, and continue pretending to be obedient in front of that decrepit old Elder.
But now...
Hearing those words from Teizawa suddenly made her feel that the day might not be so far away after all.
"I hope so," she replied softly, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
Teizawa shook his head.
"Don't hope. You will."
His tone was filled with certainty.
"The Five Kage Summit requires every village to send its Kage. That half-dead old Elder in Kirigakure can barely walk, so who do you think he'll send?"
He paused, his smile deepening.
"He certainly can't hobble all the way to the Land of Rain on a cane, can he?"
A gleam flashed through Mei's eyes.
She suddenly realized that Teizawa's prediction was entirely possible.
The Elder was old and in poor health. A long journey to the Land of Rain for the Five Kage Summit was simply unrealistic.
Furthermore...
Kirigakure needed someone influential enough to attend the summit.
It couldn't be an ordinary jōnin.
Nor could it be a mere mouthpiece for the Elder.
She, Mei, was the only suitable choice.
If she attended the Five Kage Summit as Mizukage, then upon her return to Kirigakure, the Elder would have no choice but to formally hand the position over to her.
It would be the natural course of events.
The inevitable trend.
Something no one could stop.
Anticipation suddenly welled up inside her, accompanied by a trace of nervousness.
Mizukage...
She had waited for it for far too long.
Now it was finally within reach.
Teizawa watched her thoughtful expression and knew she had figured it out.
He said nothing more. He merely reached out and gently squeezed her fingers.
"The next time we meet, you'll be the Mizukage."
His voice was soft.
Mei returned to her senses and looked at him, meeting those eyes that seemed especially bright beneath the sunlight.
She nodded.
"Goodbye."
Teizawa released her hand and turned toward Sunagakure's contingent.
After taking a few steps, he stopped without looking back.
"Mei... don't keep me waiting too long."
Mei's face reddened slightly, but she didn't answer.
After saying goodbye to Mei, Teizawa headed toward Konoha's camp.
Kakashi was sitting on a rock.
His left eye was still wrapped in bandages, and his face remained pale.
Guy stood beside him with his thick eyebrows knitted tightly together.
Kurenai watched from a distance with her arms crossed.
Ino, Tenten, Shikamaru, and the other genin were gathered nearby.
"Kakashi..."
Teizawa walked over and stopped in front of him.
He studied Kakashi's exhausted face and remained silent for a moment.
"Losing the Sharingan may not necessarily be a bad thing."
Kakashi raised his head and looked at him.
Teizawa's reflection appeared in his remaining right eye.
"Your father..." Teizawa paused. "Sakumo didn't die in vain."
"He had no Sharingan and no kekkei genkai. All he relied on was a blade, the blood in his veins, and his determination to protect Konoha."
Teizawa's voice was quiet.
"You're his son. His blood flows through you."
Kakashi said nothing.
His lone eye narrowed slightly.
His lips moved, but no words came out.
Yet his hand unconsciously settled on the hilt of the short sword at his waist.
Teizawa patted him on the shoulder.
"Don't let the White Fang's legacy end with your generation."
Kakashi lowered his head and stared at his hand.
The hand that had formed Raikiri countless times.
The hand that had been stained with the blood of countless enemies.
The hand that had lost the people most precious to him.
He clenched it into a fist, then slowly released it.
"Thank you."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
No need to thank me. I'm the one who stole your eye, after all.
Teizawa muttered silently to himself.
(End of Chapter)
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