Obito was stunned, 'Rin's second uncle, addressing me with honorifics? And twice in a row?'
Although because he had just ended the Fire–Earth War, his reputation had spread across the entire shinobi world, and Konoha had even announced it throughout the whole village, making him the center of attention for a time, but Rin's elders were, after all, also his elders. For them to treat him with such a deferential, inferior attitude was still somewhat too strange.
Combining this with the way Rin's father had acted earlier, he quickly deduced that Rin's second uncle was most likely here to ask him for some big favor.
Moreover, this matter had already been discussed with Rin's father. Rin's father had felt it wasn't too appropriate, but because of old debts of gratitude, he couldn't outright refuse, and so ended up in that awkward situation just now.
Once he understood this, Obito calmed down.
Rin's second uncle had shown her great kindness before. As long as the favor didn't touch his bottom line, he would help.
And as long as he was willing to help, in the entire shinobi world, there was probably nothing he couldn't cover up.
So, he slowly said, "You don't need to use honorifics with me. Whatever it is, just say it directly."
Rin's second uncle was overjoyed. When Nohara Haruki made a motion to stop him, he had already spoken.
"Jonin Obito, I've heard all about your relationship with Rin. For Rin's second uncle's sake, please save our family."
"Our family doesn't even know who we offended. Today, all of a sudden, many ANBU came. They want nothing more than to turn our household upside down."
"Jonin Obito, can you talk to those ANBU? Tell them not to investigate further?"
Obito frowned, and he also noticed that Nohara Haruki's expression had darkened.
He asked, "The ANBU wouldn't investigate people for no reason. Speak. What exactly did you do to make Lord Hokage's direct forces mobilize?"
Rin's second uncle hesitated for a while before saying, "Jonin Obito, you just finished the Fire–Earth War, so you know very clearly that many Konoha shinobi died on the front lines."
"Among these shinobi, some had no remaining relatives at all. They left behind plenty of property, with no one to claim it."
"Our family used some connections to claim it for ourselves."
"But in the process… there were some irregularities that can't withstand scrutiny…"
Once those words came out, Rin was already in extreme anger, "Second uncle, what you mean is, your family seized the inheritance of frontline warriors?"
"They worked so hard to protect the village, and you, how could you do this!"
Second uncle's expression became extremely awkward, "Rin, it's not like we wanted to. But this matter was initiated from higher up. Even if our family didn't do it, another family would. Since it was going to happen anyway, why let others profit instead of us?"
Rin shouted in anger, "But this is going too far! Second uncle, your family did wrong! Such a thing cannot be forgiven. Obito won't help you!"
However, second uncle fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "But Rin, back then, I was also the one who operated to get you into the Ninja Academy's Class A…"
Rin's whole body trembled, unable to believe it, "Second uncle… what did you just say?"
Second uncle said, "For the Academy's Class A, aside from the children of big clans, the only other slot went to one civilian prodigy with extremely outstanding grades, and there was only one slot."
"Rin, back then your grades were indeed outstanding, and you were among the candidates."
"But you weren't the only one that good. If your theoretical knowledge stood out more, then the other prodigy's physical abilities were even more remarkable."
"In fact, when choosing between two, the Academy would prioritize the one with superior physical qualities. After all, what matters most to shinobi in the end is combat strength, and physical ability is more straightforward."
"It was through my maneuvering that you took that person's place and entered Class A."
Rin began trembling all over, instinctively looking toward Nohara Haruki.
"Dad, is this true?"
Nohara Haruki said in a deep voice, "There's no need for your second uncle to lie about this."
Rin swayed as if about to collapse, "So… I also obtained everything I have now by infringing on someone else's rights?"
However, Obito saw through the trick.
"Rin, just based on your connection with Kakashi and me, you also had a high chance of getting into Class A. Your second uncle's maneuvering only played a minor role."
But perhaps because of the sudden blow, Rin mocked herself, "So in the end it was still through connections, still by taking away someone else's rights?"
Before, when it came to seizing fallen soldiers' inheritances, Rin hadn't felt it personally. But now, she suddenly realized this was wrong.
Obito stayed silent.
'If not connections, then what else? Where in this world is there fairness?'
Still, Rin was the girl who had stood by Obito through the entire Fourth War, who even schemed to capture Black Zetsu.
She quickly steadied her mindset.
"Second uncle, although there's something questionable in my case too, it's nowhere near comparable to yours."
"Even though you've shown me enormous kindness, seizing the inheritance of fallen warriors is too filthy, too shameful."
Second uncle grew anxious, "Rin, please, your uncle begs you. Our whole family knows we were wrong. But this time the ANBU are serious, if they keep investigating, perhaps… our whole family will die."
Rin was torn. On one hand, she wanted to repay kindness. On the other, she felt the deed was too outrageous. She truly didn't want to trouble Obito.
Obito sighed. Rin didn't want him troubled, so how could he want her troubled?
In his past life, something like this hadn't happened. So was this a disturbance after his rebirth?
Judging from Yuki's earlier case, it was likely that the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, had started the investigation precisely because of those dozen villagers who died.
And then… once the investigation began, the problems came out.
Some things, you never know the weight until they're put on the scale. And once they are, the scale can't hold them.
During wartime, while the frontlines were still fighting hard, such vile acts occurred in the rear. This was practically shaking the village's very foundation, indeed a capital crime.
You had to remember, Konoha's war with Kumogakure and with Kirigakure still hadn't ended.
Obito looked at Rin's second uncle and said coolly, "Actually, it's not that you realized your wrongs, you're just scared."
Second uncle's eyes were hollow, "Yes, we're scared. But how could we not be? Jonin Obito, give me a straight answer. With your ability, can you help us?"
Obito thought for a moment, then said, "It's not that I don't want to help. It's that I already know the cause, and I'm afraid I can't help much."
Pausing, Obito continued.
"Do you know about one of the houses listed as inheritance, the Sato family's house?"
Second uncle was shocked, "How do you know about that? My… my older brother died today precisely because of that matter…"
Obito guessed something, "So… are you from the Matsugi family, or the Yamagi family?"
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