Two days later.
"Come, taste your master's Iron Fist of Love!"
"AHH!"
…
That exact exchange had already occurred fourteen times, and Obito was now lying on the bed for the fifteenth time, with Rin reducing his swelling.
Akio sat nearby, nodding in satisfaction.
"Obito, that's solid progress. The first time you lasted ten seconds. This time you lasted ten minutes. That's a tenfold oh, wait, that's not right."
"Sixty times, Master…" Rin whispered.
Akio nodded.
"Yes, a sixtyfold improvement. The math may not work that way, but your taijutsu has improved."
Obito looked exhausted. Fourteen beatings over two days… no, today was only the first one; yesterday had thirteen in a row.
Sure, he was improving, but imagining another twelve beatings today made him feel anything but happy…
Obito didn't respond. Akio ignored him and instead turned to Yahiko, who was unwrapping his bandages.
"So? You watched for two days. Picked up anything?"
Yahiko nodded.
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior."
"Good. As long as you learned something."
Akio stood up. Obito panicked instantly.
"Master, you're resting only five minutes?! My injuries aren't healed yet!"
Akio glanced at him and shook his head. He dispelled the shadow clone Obito had trapped in his Kamui space.
"No time to hit you anymore. Yahiko has recovered, so I've summoned the elite jōnin of the Land of Rain. They're to gather at noon at the Central Tower."
Obito blinked.
"Master, why so sudden?"
Akio was helpless, Hanzō's coffin lid could barely stay down anymore.
In the past two days, after brushing off the Iwagakure envoys several times, not only had Iwa increased covert presence near the Central Tower, but even Konoha had increased their surveillance ninja. The atmosphere screamed "war is about to restart."
If they delayed any longer, war would begin, and Hanzō's peaceful abdication would look extremely suspicious…
And honestly, Akio was bored of pretending to be Hanzō. Time to hand the throne over and clock out.
Before leaving, he reminded them:
"Yahiko, with me appearing as 'Hanzō' today, things should go smoothly. But once war begins and Hanzō stops showing up, you'll have problems. You aren't strong enough to suppress them yet. Ringo Ameyuri is strong, but she can't represent you."
Yahiko nodded.
"I'll manage."
"Then let's go."
Land of Rain, Central Tower
Just as Akio expected, the abdication went smoothly. The Rain's elite jōnin seemed mentally prepared and didn't dare oppose Hanzō's command.
"Chief!"
Under Akio's gaze, the jōnin greeted Yahiko one by one.
Akio stroked his chin, satisfied.
"As a senior of the ninja world, sowing seeds of peace everywhere suits me well."
The news spreads, Iwagakure Camp
Ōnoki smashed another table with practiced ease.
"What is wrong with Hanzō?! Why abdicate at a time like this?!"
After a long silence, he sighed.
"Contact the new leader. That brat Yahiko."
"Understood!"
Konoha Camp
They had paused fighting for a full week. Now they finally understood what "Hanzō" had been hiding.
Shikaku flipped through the fresh intelligence.
"Everything is clear now."
"Based on the battle seven days ago… Hanzō the Salamander died on that day."
Everyone was stunned.
"Seriously, Shikaku?" Jiraiya frowned.
Shikaku nodded.
"He died there. The next two 'Hanzō' appearances were impersonations, both done by Elder Akio."
"Why would Great-Granduncle do that?" Nawaki asked.
Shikaku pushed the report forward.
"To ensure the orphan Yahiko of the Land of Rain becomes the new leader."
"Yahiko?!" Jiraiya exclaimed.
After cross-checking memories and intel, he slowly reacted.
"So he really pulled it off…"
The group exchanged looks. None expected such a connection.
"How did Elder Akio know Yahiko was my student?" Jiraiya muttered.
Shikaku shook his head.
"He didn't. But everyone knew that Senior Sakumo came searching for Akio's two disciples, Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin. Yahiko must have been the one who saved them."
Everyone nodded. With Shikaku laying it out, the picture made perfect sense.
"So Obito and Rin were part of killing Hanzō… but their strength shouldn't have been enough. Even with Yahiko."
Shikaku turned to Uchiha Kagami.
"Elder Kagami… congratulations."
Kagami froze.
"…Obito… is that so?"
Some understood; some didn't. But they all quickly moved on to the more pressing issue, how to deal with the new Land of Rain.
A student of Jiraiya and disciples of Akio… troublesome indeed.
Night — Rain's Central Tower
Akio said goodbye to Yahiko and his two disciples.
"Master, are you returning to Konoha?"
Akio snorted.
"The shop was sold by Hiruzen. Where am I supposed to return to?"
"Sold?!" Rin blinked.
"Why?"
"For war funds. It's fine, he'll compensate me. When we meet again in Konoha, I'll give you two a surprise."
"What surprise?"
Of course Obito asked.
Akio chuckled, nodded at Yahiko, and vanished.
"Eh? Master?! He left just like that?!"
Silence lingered until Ringo Ameyuri broke it.
"Brat. Girl. When are you leaving?"
Rin hesitated.
"Ringo… Yahiko… we'll head back first thing tomorrow morning."
Yahiko nodded.
"That's fine."
Obito scratched his head, finally saying something decent.
"Yahiko… I hope you achieve your dream."
Yahiko smiled, looking over both of them.
"I hope you achieve yours as well."
He turned and walked to his room. The others also returned to theirs.
Back in her room, Ringo Ameyuri froze. On her table sat a small unfamiliar bottle, filled with a very familiar medicine.
"So it was you, old bastard!" she shouted.
Under the bottle lay a note:
Do not stop the medicine. Also, don't tell my two students.
Ringo snorted.
A knock sounded at the door. Yahiko's voice followed:
"Ringo? What happened? You were shouting earlier."
"Nothing." Ringo said.
"Just found out an old bastard isn't dead. Feeling a bit…"
She looked at the medicine and shook her head, refusing to continue.
Yahiko entered, taking the crumpled note from her hand.
"Obito and Rin's master…?"
Ringo let out two cold laughs.
"The Grand Elder of Uzushiogakure, Uzumaki Akio."
"He's alive?!" Yahiko's eyes widened.
"Heh? Judging by your reaction, do you have a grudge against him? That old man causes trouble everywhere. The whole world is his enemy. If I could beat him…"
Yahiko frantically shook his head.
"No, someone like him… how could I have a grudge?"
Ringo glanced at the crushed paper in his hand.
"For your sake, I hope not."
Yahiko slowly released it, smiling faintly.
"…No grudge at all."
---
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