Nohara Rin closed her eyes.
Her breathing turned uneven, chest rising and falling as pain tugged at her wounds.
"You don't have to force yourself."
"If you can't remember right now, it's fine."
Hearing that—
Rin forced her eyes open.
She met Uchiha Anlan's gaze.
Warm.
Concerned.
The panic in her eyes slowly faded.
Replaced by something else—
Determination.
"You asked me that…"
Her voice was soft, but steady.
"…because Obito might still be alive, right?"
"If I avoid remembering… just because I'm afraid…"
"…then I might lose the chance to find him."
She took a deep breath.
As if burying all pain deep inside—
Then began picking up broken memories.
The Memory
"…I…"
Her voice trembled at first.
Then stabilized.
"After I blocked that water blade for Obito…"
"My abdomen hurt… my vision went dark…"
"I couldn't stand… and fell."
Her gaze drifted—
Back to that battlefield.
"Before I lost consciousness…"
"…Obito caught me."
"He held me tightly."
"He was calling my name…"
Her lashes trembled.
But no tears fell this time.
"After that…"
"I couldn't see or hear anything."
"When I woke up again…"
"…I was already here."
She raised her head.
Looking straight at him.
"I did not see Obito die."
"The last time I saw him…"
"…he was alive."
A Crucial Answer
"…I see."
Anlan's eyes lit up.
Like stars cutting through darkness.
A genuine smile formed.
"That's… very good."
He looked at her gently.
"Thank you, Rin."
"This information… is extremely important."
What It Means
No body.
No capture.
No confirmation of death.
That only meant one thing—
Uchiha Obito was taken.
Taken by something lurking in the shadows.
A path had already been prepared for him—
Pain.
Loss.
Betrayal.
All to nurture—
Those eyes.
Reassurance
Anlan's expression softened again.
Like warm sunlight.
"Rest well, Rin."
"We'll handle Obito."
"The Uchiha never abandon their own."
"And we don't abandon comrades either."
His gaze was unwavering.
Rin blinked.
Her heart warmed.
"Thank you…"
"When you recover more…"
"I'll have Lady Tsunade come see you."
"You can thank her yourself."
He gently brushed her bangs aside.
Rin flushed.
Lowering her head.
"…Okay."
Return to Tsunade
Anlan left the hospital with Shizune.
They returned—
To the underground laboratory.
This time—
They went straight to the third level.
The heavy door opened.
Shizune froze.
Inside—
Cold light.
Sterile order.
And—
Monstrosities.
Twisted creatures inside sealed containers.
Muscles distorted.
Eyes hollow.
Bodies unnatural.
Her breath hitched.
This wasn't medicine.
This was something else.
Reunion
"Master—!"
Shizune ran forward.
Tsunade turned.
Her eyes first met Anlan.
Then—
Shizune.
The moment she saw her student—
Her expression softened.
Shizune rushed into her arms.
"I… I took care of Rin…"
"She woke up…"
Tsunade stiffened slightly—
Then gently patted her back.
"You did well."
Unspoken Tension
Their eyes met again—
Tsunade and Anlan.
Something passed between them.
A silent exchange.
Tsunade's face flushed faintly—
Annoyance.
Embarrassment.
She quickly lowered her head—
Hiding it in Shizune's hair.
The Research
Soon—
She composed herself.
"This isn't just observing corpses."
"It's about understanding forced vitality."
"If we can analyze it…"
"…we might create something that sustains life at the brink of death."
"A bridge between life and death."
Her voice carried conviction.
A dream.
To save lives.
Shizune's Spark
Shizune listened.
Eyes shining.
"Master…"
"That's incredible!"
"If this works…"
"How many people could be saved…!"
She clenched her fists.
"I want to help!"
"I'll do anything—data, preparation, care—"
"Please let me join!"
A Decision
Tsunade hesitated.
This place—
Was dangerous.
But—
Shizune's eyes were too bright.
Too sincere.
"…Alright."
"But you must follow every rule."
"Start with observation."
"Yes!!"
Shizune beamed.
Anlan's Perspective
From the side—
Anlan watched silently.
Teacher.
Student.
Dream.
Hope.
None of it mattered.
Not the emotions.
Not the ideals.
Only one thing did—
The result.
Whether born from hope—
Or illusion—
Didn't matter.
As long as it reached—
His desired outcome.
Elsewhere — Underground Cave
Darkness.
Flickering firelight.
A body slammed into the ground.
Uchiha Obito.
Breathing ragged.
Body broken.
Half of him—
No longer human.
Pale.
Distorted.
Cells not his own—
Devouring him.
He had just lost again.
To the one called—
Afei.
Obsession
His Sharingan spun slowly.
But what he saw—
Wasn't the cave.
It was her.
Rin.
Her smile.
Her voice.
Her warmth.
Her blood.
The moment she fell.
The moment everything broke.
"Rin…"
His voice cracked.
His hand clawed into the ground.
He wanted—
To see her.
To hear her.
To know she was alive.
That desire—
Overwhelmed everything.
Even grief.
Even fear.
Rising Again
He forced himself up.
Staggering.
Burning.
Eyes blazing red.
"I'll defeat you… Afei!"
"I'm going to find Rin!"
His voice echoed—
Like a vow.
Like the beginning—
Of something far more terrifying.
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