Five weeks had passed from Kakashi and Obito's heated fight. To most nothing had changed but for Kakashi and Obito the ground they seemed to walk on was like glass. Anytime they were on a mission together Obito would always prove his superiority to Kakashi. Whereas Kakashi would brush it off, he knew that his victory over Obito was a miracle. If Obito didn't hesitate then he would've won.

But there was something else that changed the dynamic of team Kakashi, Konan was more open and flirtatious with Obito. This almost always resulted in a flustered and speechless Uchiha. But behind closed doors, he began to open up to her more. To the point that his name didn't sound like a curse when she said it. Was this what actual love felt like? To have a true connection with someone and be accepted no matter how damaged you are?

"No. You should already know how it'll end, Obito. Either the world will eat her up, or she'll eat your heart. Such is the way of the world."

He knew Madara was right, but yet deep down Obito clung to that love, he wanted it for as long as it lasted. That was the optimism of the old Obito, not the mask. But maybe this newfound bond and growing feelings for Konan wasn't a bad thing like Madara deemed it.

After having been assigned a mission, Obito was somewhat intrigued. The mission that Hiruzen was sending them on was commissioned by the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura the jinchuriki of the three tails. But Yagura was subtly under Obito's control already so what was so important that he'd openly seek help from another shinobi village? That was what they were to find out. But of course, the mission had to be very important to send Anko, Guy, and Kurenai as well. What was it that required two teams from Konoha?

"It's strange, the Hidden Mist hasn't communicated with the Leaf since that incident several years ago," Kurenai said.

Anko shrugged, "They probably just want us to be errand boys for 'em." Anko retorted.

Kakashi wanted to think logically, "Why hire Hidden Leaf ninja when you have your own Shinobi to do errands? It would cost way more because of travel fees."

"Unless you didn't have the manpower," Tobi interrupted. "It's harder for anything to be done in your village when you're in the midst of a civil war." That was the only logical reason Obito could think of, and if true he was partly to blame.

Konan felt that Obito was correct, especially with the terrible state the Mist always seemed to be in. It was pure luck that no rogue Mist Shinobi joined the Akatsuki.

Kakashi agreed with Obito, "Tobi's right. The Mist would only bring in outside help if absolutely necessary. But if there is a civil war then we'll have to be very cautious."

Guy ran in front of Kakashi and started walking backward, "Don't worry Kakashi, careful is my middle name." He pointed at himself with a bright smile, Guy then tripped on a tree branch but caught himself mid-air. He laughed about it while Kakashi just sighed.

Anko disliked Guy's happy-go-lucky attitude most of the time but she did laugh at his expense.

Naturally, Obito was the reason Guy tripped and fell, he used wood style, no matter how subtle it was he smirked at getting revenge on Guy for the gumball incident. But his smirk soon turned into a frown because what lay ahead of him was going to be a very slippery slope.

The six ventured into the Hidden Mist village accompanied by one Mist Shinobi, their resources were cut thinner than they thought. They were escorted into a large room with no windows with the Mizukage, Yagura.

Yagura was overlooking a war table with one of the seven ninja swordsmen of the Mist, Mangetsu Hozuki. The war table showed the entirety of the elemental nations. But it was focused on the land of water. Yagura's forces were represented by silver coins and his enemies as blue rocks, there were more blue rocks than silver coins, the ratio being one to three.

Yagura perked up when he heard multiple footsteps, he turned around to see the Leaf ninja. "So the Hokage actually took me up on that offer? Well, I'll put you to good use."

Kakashi spoke up, "From what we've gathered you're in the middle of a civil war, so what business do you need from us?"

Yagura narrowed his eyes on Kakashi, "The copy ninja Kakashi Hatake." He smirked, "Well, as I've asked for outside help I will accept your request. During my tenure as the Mizukage, the people have grown distasteful of my leadership, and now we're in the midst of a civil war. Thankfully he sent just the right amount of people needed for my plan. I need some of you to infiltrate the insurrectionists and dismantle them from the inside. So which of you are specialized in genjutsu?"

Kakashi stepped forward, "I have a Sharingan which gives me resistance to genjutsu."

Yagura shook his head, "You're too well known to do what I ask. I need others."

Obito was the only one who stepped forward, "Tobi has some genjutsu immunity with a special jutsu of mine."

Yagura nodded, "Very well. Anyone else?"

Kurenai stepped forward, "I'm a genjutsu specialist. I know how to counter most genjutsu."

Konan stepped forward, "I do not have genjutsu resistance but both me and Tobi were once mercenaries before joining the Leaf, we could use some connections to help in any way."

Yagura turned around and looked back at his war table, "So two of you will follow Mangetsu to a special bunker below this building, from there he'll give you anything you need from then on."

Mangetsu bowed, "If you please." He walked to a door on the opposite side of the room.

Obito had an idea, but it would make it so he had to do less work. "Lord Mizukage, I have an idea of bringing Kakashi with us."

The Mizukage turned around, "And what is that?"

Obito couldn't believe he was saying this, "He can take my mask." It didn't quite feel right, handing his mask off to someone else, Kakashi no less. But in reality it was going to be a different mask, his spare. "Tobi's face has never been seen."

Yagura was contemplating it, "I suppose you could. Your mask isn't standard Mist attire. Please talk amongst yourselves about who will go, the rest will stay and do different tasks." He turned back to his war table again.

The Leaf Shinobi began deciding who'd go on the infiltration, the girls were quiet as they wanted the boys to decide.

Kakashi was wondering why Obito stood up for him. "Tobi, I appreciate the thought but you don't have to."

Obito knew that it would've been better to have Kakashi infiltrating the insurgents than anyone else, even Konan. "Tobi believes Kakashi would do the best at infiltration."

Kakashi knew Obito was being rational, and the only rational thing Kakashi could do was bring Obito with him. "If Tobi nominates me, then I'll nominate him. His jutsu could come in handy."

Everyone except Konan agreed but even she had to agree that they were the best two of the six for this assignment. But still, Konan worried that those two would fight with each other like they always do.

Obito sighed hearing that he was voted to go with Kakashi, it wasn't that he was sad that he was going but rather that he'd be forced to leave Konan and be with Bakakashi. He stopped using that nickname but of all times it seemed appropriate now, oddly enough.

Mangetsu cleared his throat because the Leaf ninja were taking too long. Kakashi and Obito walked over to the other side of the room and followed Mangetsu.

A man who almost looked like a shark walked into the room, he took notice of the Leaf Shinobi but of course, that was to be expected. "Lord Mizukage, the others are ready."

Yagura smirked but didn't turn around, "Thank you, Kisame. Please escort the remaining Leaf Shinobi for their parts to play."

Without another word, the Leaf Shinobi followed Kisame for whatever Yagura had planned for them.

Kakashi and Obito followed Mangetsu down a stairwell that led to a crossroads of many different paths. Mangetsu stopped and walked to the wall and unlocked a hidden room, "There's a trunk full of different clothes in there. From there take the path on the left and you'll be far enough away from the village. After that, you're on your own." Mangetsu walked back up the stairs.

Kakashi looked at Obito, "So you have a plan I'm guessing?"

Obito stared at Kakashi, "Somewhat. But I need to know that this won't blow up in my face if I do."

"I've already kept your secret safe, what more do you want?"

"Your full cooperation, just this once. Because as Konan said we were a part of a mercenary group, and through it we can infiltrate these insurrectionists."

Kakashi conceeded, "Alright do what you have to."

Obito focused his chakra and activated his Sharingan and evolved it to the Mangekyou. He activated Kamui and pulled certain items from his dimension, two Akatsuki cloaks fell onto the ground and Obito was now holding a white mask with three black tomoe on it. Obito made this white mask in case his orange one got damaged but right now there were more important things than that. "This is for you." Obito tossed it to Kakashi who caught it with ease.

"A spare I presume?" Kakashi asked placing it on and tying a knot to keep it in place.

"Just change out of your Jounin gear and put on something else with that cloak, for today I'm temporarily making you a member of the Akatsuki." Obito walked up to the hidden room and grabbed a shirt and pants. "I already hate this mission."

Meanwhile, Guy and Kurenai were assigned to help fight insurrectionists on the front lines with Fuguki Suikazan the current wielder of samehada, and his subordinate Kisame. The insurrectionists they were fighting were no joke, five of the seven ninja swordsmen, and remnants of the Yuki clan.

Kurenai didn't know if they would even survive this battle but Guy had a bright smile on his face, if his dad could kill three of them then he'd be able to beat five no problem. His skin turned red and pupils disappeared, "Eight inner gates, Gate of shock, open!" He rushed forward and slammed into the wielder of the helmet-splitter sword, sending him flying. Guy readied a stance before the owner of the twinsword hiramekarei lunged at him.

Kurenai tried to assist Guy but as she did so she wondered what Anko and Konan were doing.

Instead of being put on the front lines Anko and Konan were assigned to oversee the full sealing of the six tails into a jinchuriki. Konan was curious because she had never actually known how the process of sealing a tailed beast worked. Though if Nagato and Obito were still dead set in their ways then whoever was chosen as the jinchuriki would die anyway, it was sad to know one's fate before even meeting them.

They stood in a secluded room waiting to meet the person who was going to become the jinchuriki of the six tails. But as they were waiting Konan felt like something was off, like she was waiting for hours. At first, she thought it was her but then she looked around and noticed something, the floor was ceramic which normally gave it a reflection but now it didn't. Konan's eyes narrowed, "This is a genjutsu!" She mustered all of her strength to break out, and with determination she was successful. Konan's brain started to ache and then her stomach felt like it was split open. She couldn't see as her eyes were adjusting to the now darkened room.

"Impressive. You're still conscious, but don't worry that just makes this easier." It was the voice of Yagura, "Don't worry, it'll only hurt a little bit."

Konan blinked several times and she saw the dark ceiling above her, she felt cold stone underneath her, she looked to her left and realized she was in the center of a dark room with candles all around her.

Two men stood over her, the Mizukage and Mangetsu. Konan struggled to look at her stomach, the pain unbearable. She braved through it and saw black goo pouring into her through a block hole.

"Be still," the Mizukage said. "If you move too much you'll die and so will your friend."

Konan looked beyond the candles and saw Anko strung up on the wall unconscious. Konan laid her head back and continued to deal with the immense pain. She wouldn't scream no matter how bad the pain would get, these bastards didn't deserve her screams.

Yagura decided to continue speaking, "You might be wondering why we're putting the six tails into you. The truth is I don't want my usurpers to obtain it because I myself am a jinchuriki, and if they obtained a jinchuriki they would most likely use it against me and I can't have that. So instead I'm going to take a note from the Third Mizukage's book." There was a look of apathy on his face, "The Third once used the Anbu to kidnap a Hidden Leaf girl and seal the three tails inside of her, with a seal that would be undone when she was inside the Leaf. However that plan was thwarted by Kakashi Hatake then, and I won't make the same mistake. But if you're thinking that you could just tell one of your allies, you're mistaken. There's a seal on your heart that'll prevent you from telling anyone about this."

Terror enveloped Konan, she was a ticking time bomb. She worried that if Yagura's plan succeeded both Nagato and Obito would be filled with more anguish. Those two couldn't bear any more sorrow.

She had to stop him, do something, anything. But in her current state, she couldn't, she was at their mercy. The six tails was already being sealed within her and it couldn't be reversed without her death.

The only thing on her mind to ease some kind of pain was his face, the face of a man she thought could do anything. "Obito, please help..."

After Kakashi and Obito put on their new clothes and the Akatsuki cloaks, they ventured through the tunnel until they reached the end and saw the dusk sunset. Obito couldn't help but think about Konan, she was very important to him now, whether he wanted her to or not. The fact remained that with her light didn't seem so awful, the world seemed less like hell. He wished he could be with her now but as a Shinobi he had a mission to complete, and technically it was to uphold his Hidden Mist regime. It was interesting to him that the people of the Hidden Mist finally snapped, they had enough of his and Yagura's blood Mist. And in order to keep his blood Mist he'd have to get down and dirtied.

As Kakashi and Obito walked through the forest to the main path Kakashi finally asked, "These cloaks, they're too high quality to be a normal run-of-the-mill mercenary group. What exactly did you get yourself into?"

"When I said I didn't want this to blow up in my face that included no questions." Obito was speaking with his Madara voice.

Kakashi sighed, "Alright, fine. But at least you could tell me why you're speaking with a voice so deep?"

Obito turned around, "Because, it strikes fear fear into the hearts of my enemies."

Kakashi sweat dropped, "He does it because he thinks it makes him cool, huh?"

Eventually, as they walked they reached a main road, and from there they continued walking south. However, as they walked both of them noticed someone watching from the shadows. Both of them stopped before there seemed to be a very thick fog enveloping them. Sound couldn't be heard and neither could they see. Obito and Kakashi took a defensive stance and stood back to back.

In response Obito used wood style to mat the ground around them, he performed a few hand signs that would envelope both of them in a protective barrier. Obito placed his hand on the ground, "Fire style, Uchiha Flame formation." A barrier of fire surrounded the two. Kakashi was intrigued that Obito could make Fire style both offensive and defensive.

Obito started to feel multiple footsteps around them using his wood style, "Four enemies." Obito said in his Madara voice.

Kakashi readied himself, he was about to open his Sharingan but the mist disappeared and four Mist Shinobi stood around them, one of them had bandages covering his face. He seemed to be the biggest threat of the four, but to Obito, he was an ant.

"That's enough," a woman's voice cut through the air. "These are the ones we've been waiting for." Kakashi perked up at that, while Obito worried about the implications of her statement.

The woman jumped down from a tree, her eyes were green, her hair was brown, and she wore the Mist Anbu uniform. One of her eyes was hidden by her hair, "You're the Akatsuki, right?"

Obito eased up and answered, "We are."

The woman smirked, "My, you boys work fast. We only sent the request yesterday."

"We were in the land of Fire when we received word from our leader that a request about a civil war in the Land of Water," Kakashi answered.

The woman nodded, "Alright, follow us to a more secluded area. From there we'll continue our conversation."

Kakashi looked at Obito and gave him a very questioning glare, Obito glared back which meant "Don't question me."

The five mist Shinobi headed into the forest while Kakashi and Obito followed, they soon reached a forest clearing.

The woman and her men stopped in the center of the clearing, the woman was now glaring at Obito. "Introductions are in order, I am Mei Terumi and these men were the upcoming candidates for the seven ninja swordsmen. The one you'll be working with will be the youngest among them, Zabuza Momochi."

It was the man wearing the bandages around his face who took a step forward, "Hmm." Zabuza grunted.

Kakashi decided to step in and ask, "And just what exactly will we be doing? Our leader didn't give us that detail."

Mei sighed, "And here I thought you were professionals. Regardless. Your mission is to capture the six tails or whoever they're turning into its jinchuriki."

"So you don't know who the six tails is? And here I thought you were professionals." Obito mocked.

Zabuza stepped forward and grumbled, "Shut up. All we know from our contact is that the six tails is being sealed tonight, but where is only kept to the Mizukage himself and his right hand Mangetsu."

"It almost sounds like a suicide mission," Kakashi said.

Mei nodded, "It is. But the front lines should take up the bulk of Yagura's forces because there are more Shinobi that hate him than loyal to him."

Obito started thinking. He knew that Nagato didn't fully know how to seal the tailed beasts into the Gedo statue but maybe if Obito gained control over this six tails jinchuriki then he'd have two jinchuriki under his control, no matter how subtle it was. But at the same time they needed to end the civil war by killing the insurrectionists, which they probably wouldn't take them to their base without the six tails jinchuriki. So unfortunately, they had to find the six tails jinchuriki and bring it to Mei Terumi. "We'll do it. Just say when."

Zabuza walked past them but pushed Kakashi out of the way, "Don't hinder me or try to save me, just do what you were paid to do."

Kakashi glared at Zabuza, the man was no older than Kakashi yet he was far more cold and callous. Kakashi didn't want to be outdone by him, especially with Obito at his side. "Let's go, Tobi." Kakashi followed Zabuza.

Obito turned to Mei, "If you're wondering how you'll know when we succeed, just look for a large explosion. We won't be far behind." Obito disappeared into the ground, he always knew how to make things dramatic. But if he played things right his words wouldn't be hollow, instead made into reality.

Mei shuddered, "That man gives me the creeps. But he would be good husband material..." She said out loud which made the rest of her men shudder.