Even that good-for-nothing son of his, Sarutobi Asuma, could never muster words like those in a lifetime, always bickering with him. If only Asuma had half the awareness of Shimizu, things would be different.
"Shimizu, before Obito died, he entrusted his Sharingan to Kakashi. We should respect the wishes of the departed, but I'd like to hear the Uchiha's thoughts. The Sharingan, after all, is your clan's kekkei genkai."
Hokage-sama, this is about Obito passing on the Will of Fire to Kakashi—a legacy of传承, not something to be narrowly confined to a clan's kekkei genkai."
Shimizu spoke up.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had already said they should "respect the departed's wishes," so what else could be said? Respect it, of course.
"Good, good. I'm planning to have you officially join the Anbu in some time, and Kakashi will be joining alongside you. I believe White Fang's spirit in the heavens will be pleased."
Sarutobi Hiruzen laughed heartily, clapping Shimizu on the shoulder.
Shimizu smiled as well, though his eyes held no trace of mirth.
Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to protect Kakashi, the sole heir of White Fang, and said nothing about returning the Sharingan.
So, the burden would fall on the Uchiha. They'd have to open their perspective.
At Namikaze Minato's home.
Minato, in the midst of cooking, suddenly heard a knock at the door. He set down the iron pan and quickly went to answer it.
Could it be Kushina?
Minato murmured to himself.
When he opened the door, it was none other than Nohara Rin standing there.
"Uh… Rin, it's late. Is something wrong?"
Minato glanced at the clock on the wall, its hands pointing to eight.
"Minato-sensei, I wanted to ask about the issue with Kakashi's Sharingan."
Nohara Rin voiced her concerns.
Minato listened quietly. The half-cooked food in the pan had gone completely cold, but he didn't move to leave.
He hadn't expected something like this to happen to Obito.
But he bore an undeniable responsibility.
"Kakashi should return the Sharingan, shouldn't he? This precedent can't be set. If it is, it'll put the Uchiha in a difficult position."
Minato, always one to consider others' perspectives, gave his answer.
The Third Hokage might make a proposal to the Uchiha out of respect for Kakashi's father.
But one precedent leads to another. Many Uchiha clansmen have unstable temperaments, and who knows what they might do? It's best to let this matter fade quietly.
"Then Kakashi would lose an eye, wouldn't he?"
Nohara Rin said, her voice filled with anguish.
Even their Minato-sensei wouldn't stand up for Kakashi?
This was clearly about the bond between Kakashi and Obito, yet others kept trying to erase it.
Minato fell silent for a moment before saying hesitantly:
"I bear an undeniable responsibility for this."
Minato recounted the tactical setup of the Kannabi Bridge mission.
Despite orders from Konoha's higher-ups, he had his own confidence.
He was hailed as the fastest ninja, the Yellow Flash, unmatched in reputation.
He was confident he could oversee both battlefronts simultaneously, and indeed, things had gone as planned, with casualties kept to a minimum.
In the entire operation, only Obito had died. Obito wasn't even a member of Minato's squad but had temporarily joined from another team for the mission.
Yet a faint sense of guilt lingered in Minato's heart.
"So… that's how it was."
Instead of the answer she'd hoped for, Rin received an even sadder truth.
Nohara Rin hung her head.
Minato had only been following orders, and Konoha's leadership had acted strategically for peace.
In the end, the Kannabi Bridge mission was a victory, and Iwagakure was forced to retreat.
The oppressive atmosphere in Konohagakure had lifted, and everyone got what they wanted.
The cost was merely one hero's life and Kakashi's eye.
Nohara Rin bid farewell to Minato and staggered away.
Minato opened his mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing.
His perspective was pure.
Born among commoners, neither his grandparents nor parents had any conflicts or entanglements with the ninja clans.
Thus, Minato could view these matters from an outsider's perspective. The policy issues left by the Second Hokage ran too deep.
Konoha's leadership, deeply tied to the Second, was heavily influenced by his ideologies.
The Uchiha were constantly marginalized and suppressed.
If this continued, a coup might not be far off.
The Sharingan issue could serve as a gesture of appeasement.
It would signal that Konoha respected the Uchiha.
Having witnessed the horrors of war, Minato had no desire to relive them.
He wanted Konoha and the Uchiha to reconcile, to resolve decades of grudges.
"What will the Third Hokage do?"
Minato sighed, unsure whether the Third leaned toward returning the Sharingan or not.
Personally, he hoped for its return. Kakashi's left eye could be replaced with a normal transplant.
Forcing the Sharingan on him was a burden, a drag that would hold Kakashi back.
Minato hoped this matter could be resolved peacefully, without continuing the high-handed policies against the Uchiha.
Nohara Rin wandered the streets alone.
In the vastness of Konohagakure, she felt not a trace of warmth.
This was the ninja world. Perhaps from the day she became a ninja, she was destined to bear this burden.
What is a ninja?
One who endures is a ninja.
Ninja were never a glamorous profession but a lifetime entwined with violence and bloodshed.
Even medical ninja weren't pure healers; they still had to follow orders and undertake various missions.
Some medical ninja, under the guise of wandering physicians, used their skills to infiltrate or assassinate.
Such people were not few.
"Kakashi deeply treasures his bond with Obito."
Rin's steps had unconsciously brought her near Kakashi's home.
That morning, Shimizu had specifically called her out to discuss this matter.
He pressured her. They hadn't finished talking, but knowing Shimizu's nature, he would undoubtedly use this to his advantage.
But… what if this was her only chance?
Shimizu was an Uchiha clansman, known as Instant Shimizu, and likely held some sway within the clan.
Only Shimizu had the standing to voice an opinion. With his mediation, there might be a turning point.
But the cost she'd have to pay would likely be greater than anything she'd given before.
The only thing she hadn't yet given Shimizu was her chastity.
"Kakashi, are you there?"
Nohara Rin knocked on the door.
With the sound of footsteps, Kakashi's haggard face appeared through the crack of the door.
He'd been in the hospital for days and had only regained clarity today.
Physically, he was fine, though his left eye occasionally throbbed with pain.
Shimizu had said this was normal, so Kakashi followed him to complete the discharge procedures and returned home to rest.
"Rin, it's late. It's not safe to be wandering outside."
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