Time: one month after Yorin vs. Rinyo.
Place: Kirigakure again, in the secret base beneath the Mizukage Tower. Akatsuki is holding its second roundtable.
…
"What? You suspect I have Senju blood? No way. Just because we're familiar now doesn't mean you can slander me."
Hearing Second Hokage-geezer say that, Uchiha Yorin shot back, "Isn't Wood Release the Senju trademark? I don't even know that."
"Wood Release is just the outward expression. The key is the Senju bloodline itself—that's what you said, isn't it?"
Tobirama hadn't even spoken yet when Orochimaru, smiling, chimed in.
Yorin: "Out of all the stuff I've said, that's the one sentence you remember?"
Orochimaru: "It's not the only one, Yorin-kun. You also said you'd give me extra research funding."
Yorin pulled a "you win" face, then said to Orochimaru:
"You'll get your funding. But what about your results? Just so we're clear, I'm not Danzo—I won't be fobbed off with random junk."
"Fine, fine. Honestly, even if you didn't ask, I wanted to show you anyway—the things you asked me to research, several of them are showing real progress.
Power grid infrastructure, large-scale power plants, chakra storage devices… and, of course, your favorite: computers."
Orochimaru said this calmly, then handed Yorin a 3.5-inch floppy disk.
By 2025 standards that thing's basically a fossil, but here it still counts as sleek, cutting-edge tech.
"It's all in there. As for your 'natural energy circulation system'… that's a giant project. Even with Second's help, we're not going to map the global natural-energy flow in the short term."
"Zetsu, what do you think?" Uchiha Yorin turned to the low-presence Black Zetsu. "If I remember right, doesn't the Land of Wind being a sandblasted hellscape have to do with the after-effects of your clan planting that God Tree?"
"That's true, but… natural energy and Ōtsutsuki-style power are two different systems," Black Zetsu replied helplessly. "More importantly, when are you going to rescue Mother?"
"No rush on that," Yorin turned back to Orochimaru. "So, what about the Zero-Tails, chakra armor, and those chakra cannons?"
"Artificial tailed beasts and emotional-energy systems are excellent research subjects. But as for chakra armor and chakra cannons—those purely destructive toys don't interest me."
Orochimaru smiled lightly. "On the former, with Second Hokage's help we've made breakthrough-level progress. But if we could get our hands on a real Zero-Tails as a sample, research would leap forward."
Yorin: "That's no problem. Our next stop is the Land of the Sky anyway… Zetsu?"
"They haven't run, and they haven't realized I'm watching them," Zetsu said, sounding even more resigned. "The Zero-Tails is still in pieces. Their only noteworthy thing is the chakra-powered personal flight rigs.
But those are just good for mowing down small fry. Against a monster like you, they're worthless.
If you want their tech, just rob them."
"You make it sound like I'm some bandit," Yorin muttered. "I am clearly acting in the name of world peace, cleaning up megalomaniacs—and 'safely controlling' tools that endanger humanity."
Everyone present had to admit, with that righteous tone, he really did have a certain… American flavor.
If he actually were America, they'd be dunking on him nonstop. But since Yorin was on their side, suddenly it was all fine.
Uchiha Yorin: "So next, we kill that Hidan-wannabe—grab the Chimera Technique—and then?"
He looked back at Zetsu.
Faced with Yorin's burning stare, the poor, small, helpless Black Zetsu could only sigh.
"He ran. He keeps changing locations, cautious as hell. But don't worry, I'm still tracking him. Right now he's in the Land of Lightning… looks like he's planning something."
Yorin: "Got it. Then we go to Lightning and cut him down on the way."
His voice was full of energy. "Everyone, here are the adjustments.
The Kirigakure branch—continue deepening education for prospective members. No change.
The Research branch—keep stepping on the gas. Also unchanged.
For the External Operations branch—halt attacks on the Land of Water for now. Instead, we're turning our sights on rogue-nin networks, clearing the ground for a 'clean and blue' world. We'll recruit external forces from the Land of Rain, expand our combat strength.
Lastly, the Konoha branch will be led personally by yours truly—marching on the Land of Lightning to take Hiruko's head and seize the Chimera Technique, preparing the way for an open-source future in which everyone can access bloodline limits!"
Yorin's speech was passionate enough to make even those who weren't Tsunade, Mei, or Pakura-level fangirls clap for him.
There were a few exceptions—Second Hokage, who just snorted, and Jiraiya, who clutched his head with a look of profound spiritual distress—but in general, Akatsuki was still charging down the path of "justice," or at least their own version of it.
The Land of Water situation was now under control. As the Yorin vs. Rinyo fight tape kept spreading, more countries would be awed by Yorin's power and terrified of the threat Rinyo represented.
Even though the Rinyo persona wouldn't be making another appearance for a while, more and more people in Akatsuki would be operating under that mask—attacking anyone who went too far or posed a threat to Konoha/Uchiha/Akatsuki.
Yorin had also anticipated that, besides them, plenty of opportunists would put on the same cloak and do whatever they wanted while blaming it on Akatsuki.
Nagato and his external ops team were tasked with wiping out every rogue-nin group they could find, effectively monopolizing the "Akatsuki" brand.
…
And so, everything was falling neatly into place, heading in exactly the direction Yorin wanted.
Under Akatsuki's pressure, daimyō and nobles had no choice but to ease up on their restrictions on Konoha.
And when others saw that Konoha's capital was facing the fewest obstacles, more merchants, fresh capitalists, and factory owners would flock under Konoha's banner, growing fat in the shade of the Uchiha umbrella.
Little by little, a powerful, tightly organized, power-hungry capitalist bloc would form. Under the names of Konoha, Akatsuki, and the Uchiha clan, they would pull off a magnificent betrayal of the old aristocracy—and build a world that was more chaotic, more brutal, more insane…
…but with much higher productive capacity.
When that new ruling class grew fat and complacent, it would be time for Yorin's "good sons" to step up—wiping out the new nobles, and finally building a better, fairer, gentler world.
Yorin: "That's what should happen, yeah. Those brats better not pull any 'Kingdom of True Peace' or Empire crap, or your old man will have to come back from the moon and kill you himself."
He couldn't help thinking that as he sighed.
After he handed the world off to his "kids," his own next step would be to venture into endless space and hunt down the so-called high-dimensional Ōtsutsuki God. A long, long campaign. Who knew what the world would look like by then?
Forget it. No point thinking that far ahead. First, handle the current issue. For example: Konan. Konan. And Konan.
…
"Damn you, Nagato."
Looking at the purple-haired, technically-a-virgin "widow," the Angel of Akatsuki, the beautiful kunoichi whose eyes were now locked on him in tangled confusion, Yorin couldn't help cursing Nagato.
He'd still wanted to keep things ambiguous with Konan for a while longer. But Nagato had gone and ripped the curtain down in one go.
So, fine. Before leading troops to the Land of Lightning, he had to settle things with Konan.
Figure out why, understand what she wanted, give her an answer. If it got passionate enough, maybe push her down and see what happened.
He had no idea why Konan liked him, but since she was a beautiful woman, Yorin felt obligated to take responsibility.
…
The air grew more and more awkward. One by one, the Akatsuki members made excuses and slipped away, kindly leaving Yorin and Konan some privacy.
That part Tsunade wasn't thrilled about; she wanted to stay and cause trouble. But Mei and Pakura grabbed an arm each and dragged her bodily out.
"You bastard harem king! This isn't over! I swear it isn't over!!"
Tsunade shouted as she was hauled away, more exasperated than actually angry.
Yorin: "Ah… yeah, it's… a lot."
"Tiring, isn't it?"
He was still watching the direction Tsunade had disappeared in, sighing helplessly, when Konan's gentle voice washed over him like a spring breeze.
"So… I'm a little curious." Yorin scratched his cheek. "I mean, I know I'm handsome enough, but…"
Asking a woman "why do you like me" is inherently cringe. Even someone as shamelessly self-confident as Uchiha Yorin felt a flicker of embarrassment.
"Maybe it's just that I'm easily drawn to men like you," Konan said.
Her eyes flickered, and she spoke more softly.
"Handsome men?"
"Not exactly. Exceptional men." Konan smiled gently at him. "Men with ideals. Men who want to save the world. Men who carry too much on their shoulders."
As she spoke, she reached out and brushed his cheek with her fingers.
"When you're brimming with confidence, pulling all the threads together, I can't help but look into your eyes."
"When you achieve something—when your plans bear fruit—I feel genuinely happy for you."
"And when you're held back, when you run into resistance and setbacks, when you're hurting and frustrated… I can't help wanting to go to you, to comfort you gently…"
It was true they hadn't spent that much time together. They hadn't even talked that often, let alone had deep private conversations.
But everything about Uchiha Yorin pushed exactly the right buttons for Konan.
It was love at first sight—but not for his face. For his core.
At this point, someone might ask: if Konan likes "driven, idealistic, powerful men," then Nagato fits that description too. So why him and not Nagato?
For one thing, the feeling was different. Konan had always thought of Nagato as a brother—as family. Try as she might, she simply couldn't see him in a romantic light.
More importantly, Nagato's methods were extreme, and his path was a dead end. He was a man fated to walk a road with only one possible destination.
Nagato knew that. Konan knew that.
Her loyalty to him came partly from their bond as family, and partly from pity and compassion.
Konan was the kind of woman who gave, and gave, and gave some more. Once she realized Nagato was doomed to go down with the ship, she resigned herself to going down with him, whatever the cost.
But now, thanks to Yorin, Nagato's path had changed.
Akatsuki's future looked bright. Nagato wasn't spiraling down to his doom. Konan no longer had to follow him to the bitter end. She could keep being his comrade, his family—and then carve out space for a life of her own.
Originally this wouldn't have been so smooth. But the one who'd changed Nagato's fate happened to be exactly Konan's type.
So everything that followed was "inevitable." Not even the invincible Uchiha Yorin could stop a woman from falling hopelessly in love with him.
"Ah…"
Confirming all that, Uchiha Yorin could only sigh.
That sigh made Konan arch a brow.
"What is it, Yorin-kun?" she asked. "Is… being liked by me such a troubling thing?"
"Not at all. Not even a little."
Even someone like Yorin had to raise both hands in surrender in the face of Konan's displeasure.
"I'm just marveling at my own luck. I'd never imagined someone like me could be loved by someone as remarkable—and as beautiful—as you."
"Is that really how you feel? You're pretty popular, you know… in every sense…" Konan murmured. "Honestly, I did tell Nagato not to say anything to you about this.
But that man… whatever it is, he never talks to people first, he just charges ahead on his own… So, Yorin-kun, you still haven't given me an answer."
Her face was flushed now, her tone shy but steady.
"So… you won't shame a girl, will you? Whether you accept me or reject me—please, say it clearly. Don't leave room for me to overthink. All right?"
Uchiha Yorin: "Mm. Yeah… how should I put it… If I have to give an answer, then this is mine.
Konan, you've… stirred my heart."