Chapter 55: I Want to Partner with Senior Zetsu!
"Argh!"
After finishing his business and leaving in a hurry, Uchiha Yi left a fuming Mei Terumi alone, raging in frustration.
With a few spatial jumps, Yi quickly returned to the Rain Village.
"The weather here is as terrible as ever," he muttered, glancing at the perpetual gloomy skies and unending drizzle.
Though a drizzle might feel refreshing at first, constant rain had a way of making the atmosphere oppressive and tiresome.
At that moment, Yi's ring began to vibrate slightly, signaling that Pain had noticed his return. Yi wasn't sure what this meeting would be about but decided not to dwell on it. Without further hesitation, he headed to the Akatsuki base.
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By the time he arrived, many of the members were already present.
Apart from the missing Orochimaru, who had defected, and Zabuza, who had died, all the familiar faces were there. There were also three newcomers.
The first was Kisame Hoshigaki, who shivered involuntarily upon seeing Yi. The memory of their previous encounter still haunted him, and he nearly dropped to his knees in submission.
After Kisame had been saved by Uchiha Obito, he had gone to handle other matters. Yi wasn't sure if Kisame had ended up working directly with Obito, but it seemed likely.
The second was Zabuza Momochi, which surprised Yi. Zabuza had actually taken his suggestion and joined the Akatsuki.
Yi couldn't help but wonder, though—did Zabuza's power really meet the organization's strict standards?
The last was a blond youth around Yi's age. The young man was deep in conversation with Sasori, excitedly discussing the intricacies of "art." Their exchange was incomprehensible to anyone without a creative inclination.
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"Alright," said Pain as he entered the room, his commanding voice cutting through the chatter. "Everyone is here."
"Before we begin, I have a question for you, Tobi. What exactly did you do in the Mist Village?"
Pain's tone was sharp, a clear sign of displeasure.
"…"
Obito remained silent, his expression unreadable. Yi raised an eyebrow, intrigued. What could Obito have done to warrant such a direct confrontation from Pain?
Pain soon provided the answer.
"The Three-Tails Jinchūriki is dead," he stated coldly. "Because of this, our plans must be postponed indefinitely."
Pain's voice remained calm, but his words carried an undeniable edge of frustration.
Obito's actions in the Mist Village had not gone unnoticed by Pain. In fact, Pain was furious.
The plan to capture the tailed beasts had been initiated by Obito himself, and yet, his reckless behavior had caused a major setback. It was nothing short of infuriating.
Despite the rebuke, Obito remained silent, offering no defense.
To be fair, even Obito hadn't anticipated such an outcome. By his calculations, the Three-Tails should have been resealed without issue. However, Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, had chosen to take his own life rather than let Obito continue manipulating him. This was a scenario Obito had not accounted for.
With the death of the Jinchūriki, the Three-Tails' chakra would take an unknown amount of time to reassemble and reform. This effectively disrupted the Akatsuki's timeline for capturing the tailed beasts.
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"Adjustments will be made," Pain announced. "From now on, the Akatsuki will focus on taking on mercenary missions and hunting down Orochimaru."
He continued, "Additionally, new members have joined us, so there will be a reorganization of teams."
Pain then listed the new team assignments:
Sasori and Deidara
Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki
Kakuzu and Hidan
Zabuza Momochi and Uchiha Yi
Tobi and Zetsu
"Any objections?" Pain asked, scanning the group.
Yi raised his hand, a sly smile on his face. "Leader Pain, I'd like to partner with Senior Zetsu instead. I'd like to work with him and learn from his expertise."
The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to Zetsu.
Even Obito, who had been hiding in the shadows, was stunned. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. While it wasn't openly acknowledged, everyone in the organization knew that Zetsu and Obito were closely aligned. No one had ever considered "breaking up" their partnership.
Pain turned to Zetsu. "What do you think?" he asked.
Zetsu chuckled darkly. "Sure. I'm curious to see what Uchiha Yi has in mind."
The tension in the room eased as Pain nodded. "Then it's settled. This meeting is adjourned."
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After the meeting, Zetsu approached Yi, with Obito quietly watching from the shadows.
"Heh. You clearly have something in mind," Zetsu said, his voice dripping with curiosity. "So, what's your game, Yi?"
"Zetsu," Yi said with a faint smile, "how would you like to destroy the Leaf Village?"
"What?" Zetsu blinked, caught off guard. "Destroy the Leaf Village? Are you serious?"
"If you're not interested, we can drop the subject," Yi replied, his tone casual yet firm.
Zetsu paused, intrigued by Yi's confidence. "Alright," he said, his smile growing darker. "What's the plan?"
Yi's eyes gleamed. "I'll need your intelligence network and infiltration skills. In return, I'll provide the strategy."
Zetsu couldn't help but laugh. He was eager to see what this bold young Uchiha had in store.
Meanwhile, Obito, still hidden, clenched his fists. He couldn't shake the feeling that Yi was up to something far beyond what he was letting on.
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