After his moment of pure joy, Sasori thought gratefully, "Lord Aizen really kept his promise. After my mission failed, he actually risked his life sneaking into Konoha just to get the Impure World Reincarnation technique for me!"
Obito, meanwhile, felt conflicted inside, "I've targeted him a few times before. What if he refuses to teach me how to use Impure World Reincarnation?"
"What should I do? What should I do?" Black Zetsu's mind raced, then calmed moments later, "There's only one way to stop Obito—this is it!"
Compared to those three, the others focused more on the mission itself.
"You managed to learn even Kinjutsu like Impure World Reincarnation. Predecessor Aizen, did you happen to steal a technique from an important figure in Konoha?" Kisame asked.
"He stole it from the Scroll of Seals. You don't need to know who it was. With Seiki Shimaseki out there, he doesn't want to officially defect from the village yet!" Aizen explained. "I have to consider the new guy's feelings!"
"That's right. The risk of Konoha ninja defecting is much higher than ours!" Kisame laughed.
After hearing everything, Yahiko sighed, "Uncle Aizen, you really went all out for us!"
Truth is, the others just didn't care as much—none of them had the same drive as Uncle Aizen!
If everyone was like Uncle Aizen, how could the mission to reform the shinobi world ever fail?
"I didn't take part in the last great war, so I need to contribute something during times of peace," Aizen replied with a slight shake of his head.
"You can't say that. Without your help in bringing Haku, we would've been in serious trouble this time!" Yahiko said, then suddenly asked, "By the way, Uncle, how are we supposed to give the Kekkei we collected to your friend?"
"Just give the Kekkei to me, and I'll pass it on!"
"Okay, okay." Yahiko nodded, then said, "Today's meeting is over. Does anyone have further questions?"
"I do!" Obito raised his hand high and asked, flattering Aizen with a smile, "Predecessor Aizen, could I possibly get a copy of the training method for Impure World Reincarnation?"
Under Obito's nervous gaze, Aizen smiled gently, "Of course you can. We're comrades in the same organization!"
Obito's eyes filled with emotion, "I misunderstood him before. Predecessor Aizen really is a good person!"
...
After the meeting ended, beneath the Grass Country:
Obito opened his eyes, stood up, and excitedly threw out a messy series of martial arts moves.
"Great! Finally, I'll be able to see Rin again!"
"That's right, Obito! Congratulations indeed!" Black Zetsu said with a sardonic smile, then asked, "Oh, by the way, are you going to start training in Impure World Reincarnation right away?"
Obito nodded firmly, "The faster I master it, the sooner I can reunite with Rin!"
"I see! Then I won't disturb you for the next few days!" Black Zetsu said, heading toward the exit.
Seeing this, Obito asked in confusion, "Where are you going?"
"Didn't I just say during the meeting? I'm planning to recruit Danzo!" Black Zetsu explained calmly.
"Oh right!"
Obito nodded slightly, "Then you should hurry. Once he returns to Konoha, it'll be risky trying to convince him."
"Haha, yeah! Then I'll take off first!"
After Black Zetsu left, Obito sat down and got to work practicing the Impure World Reincarnation.
Half an hour later, Obito irritably opened his eyes.
"Damn it, I was too excited to calm down!" Obito shook his head. "I'll go ahead and start preparing Rin's resurrection ritual!"
"The vessel I had Sasori make is an exact replica of Rin's appearance and build from my memories!"
"Wait a second... does that mean Sasori saw Rin's...? No, no, don't read too much into it — it's just a puppet body!"
Obito forced himself not to dwell on that thought, continuing to mutter to himself, "But what about obtaining a certain amount of the deceased's flesh? Where on earth am I supposed to find that?"
"Right, the graveyard!"
...
The next night.
Inside Konoha's War Memorial Cemetery, a pitch-black figure was sneaking around, frantically searching the graveyard.
"Sanmaru, Imakai, Kusaka... damn it, where is it?"
"I found it, Rin Nohara!"
Looking at the gravestone before him, Black Zetsu quietly exhaled in relief.
After cautiously glancing around to ensure he was alone, Black Zetsu dug up the gravestone and quickly discovered a small coffin.
"Just destroy Rin's corpse... no, doing too much might make Obito suspicious. I'll just take some decayed flesh and leave him with a complete skeleton! After all, after a few years, the body would have almost turned into bones anyway!"
Thinking this, Black Zetsu pushed open the coffin lid.
But the next moment, he was shocked beyond measure.
"What? How could this possibly be gone?" Black Zetsu stared in disbelief at the sight before him. Not only was the body missing, there weren't even any bones to be seen!
"Could I have mistaken the grave?" Immediately, Black Zetsu turned back to confirm the gravestone indeed bore Rin's name, then probed around inside the coffin again, hoping to find a hidden compartment or secret passage.
Finding nothing after his search, he simply sat down.
"Why is there no body?" Black Zetsu murmured, suddenly recalling Kakashi's intense reaction when the Three-Tails was killed. A lightning-like realization struck his mind, making him tremble with shock.
"Could it be... Rin never actually died?"
To anyone else, seeing the Three-Tails come back wouldn't make them connect Rin to it.
Because everyone knows, the tailed beast and its jinchuriki live and die together — it's an unbreakable law!
But Black Zetsu was different. As a descendant of Kaguya Otsutsuki, he knew this world contained too many godlike abilities.
If the Rinnegan could perfectly resurrect the dead, then preserving someone's life would surely not be difficult?
He hadn't considered this possibility before, entirely misled by preconceived notions.
"The first one to arrive after we left was Seiki Shimaseki. With his abilities, it's entirely possible he saved Rin from death!"
"And judging by their reactions, Rin is very likely in a dormant state now. And the key to awakening her lies with the Three-Tails!"
Thinking this through, Black Zetsu felt a chill run down his spine.
Fortunately, Obito acted decisively back then. Otherwise, if they had captured the Three-Tails, Rin might have woken up!
Just at that moment, a voice filled with suppressed rage, as if ready to explode, came from behind him.
"You destroyed Rin's body?"
"It's Obito!" Black Zetsu inwardly trembled. The shocking truth that Rin wasn't really dead had distracted him so much that he failed to keep watch on his surroundings.
"Hear me out—it's actually not me..." Black Zetsu began, but his voice suddenly faltered. Suddenly, a thought hit him.
If he revealed the truth, wouldn't that expose the fact that Rin wasn't dead?
Even though Obito might not be smart enough to figure it out, he couldn't afford to take the risk!
Damn it! I have to take the blame for this!
Thinking this, tears welled up in Black Zetsu's fierce eyes. Overcome with sorrow, he solemnly declared, "That's right! It was me!"
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