Hearing this, Kakashi looked up.
He said calmly to Leo:
"I didn't think much about it. You're the first person who agreed to continue the mission with me after forming a team."
Leo froze, then finally understood.
The Kakashi in front of him… it was because of his father's suicide.
Before joining Minato's team, he was completely withdrawn, always changing teammates.
Leo remembered the Minato team. And when he did, something clicked.
Namikaze Minato. Uchiha Obito.
The "golden" potential of those two was no joke.
Minato was already practically a complete product. A prodigy through and through.
Obito was even more exaggerated. The moment he awakened his Sharingan, it came with a double magatama!
Even Sasuke, the reincarnation of Indra himself, wasn't that fast!
Thinking about the Minato team, inspiration struck Leo.
If he remembered correctly, Kakashi graduated early and entered Minato's class. Obito and Rin joined only after they graduated later. The team wasn't complete until Kakashi filled the missing spot.
Could Uchiha Fugaku have arranged something similar for him?
Maybe he should ask Fugaku directly. Maybe he could help smooth things over.
For now, Leo turned toward Kakashi.
He nodded and said, "Then… Kakashi, call me if you get another mission. I'll return to the clan for now."
"No problem," Kakashi replied without emotion.
Then, with a blur and a soft whoosh, he vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.
…
What Leo didn't know was that, while he was talking with Kakashi—
Inside the Hokage Tower, Sarutobi Hiruzen was observing them through his Crystal Ball using the Telescope Technique.
The old Hokage, still hale despite his age, tapped his pipe and thought for a moment.
Two scrolls sat open before him.
He waved to the nearby Anbu.
"Deliver one scroll to Minato, and the other to the current team's Jōnin."
"Yes!" the kneeling Anbu accepted the order with a bow and vanished with both scrolls.
Sarutobi walked to the window and took a long drag from his pipe. After exhaling a cloud of smoke, he muttered:
"…It's not easy to find a teammate who can truly accept Kakashi…"
He genuinely cared about the boy.
He didn't want this rare genius—who had broken so many records at such a young age—to continue spiraling downward.
As it happened, Minato had just been promoted to Jōnin instructor, and his class only had two members so far.
One was a mediocre Uchiha, the other a sweet-natured girl with healing potential.
It was a good time to add Kakashi to the team. If he acted now, he could assign him directly.
But what surprised him most—Kakashi didn't reject Leo.
If that boy managed to earn Kakashi's recognition, that meant something.
So, it was settled.
Let them both join the Minato team.
An Uchiha was already in the class anyway—what's one more?
Besides, Minato's strength was needed more urgently elsewhere in the village. He couldn't spend all his time guiding Genin.
Kakashi was already a Chūnin at six. Four years had passed. At ten, he had experience beyond his age.
He'd make a fine temporary leader if Minato was away.
And as for the two Uchiha boys becoming Minato's disciples?
Sarutobi scoffed inwardly.
He was the "Professor," wasn't he?
Handling two average Uchiha boys? That should be simple.
They weren't prodigies from the Academy, not like Itachi would one day be.
There shouldn't be any danger in this arrangement.
…
The next day at noon, Leo walked toward Fugaku's mansion, full of excitement.
He was looking forward to his "gift."
If his guess was right, it'd be some kind of secret clan ninjutsu. A reward for being added to a squad.
It was perfect timing.
He had no parents. He was an orphan.
And from what he recalled before awakening his unique ability, his late parents were both ninjutsu specialists.
The Uchiha-ryū Nintaijutsu was very distinctive.
Not like the brutish Chakra-Mode types used by Kumo shinobi.
This style was more refined—blending genjutsu, shurikenjutsu, fire release, and taijutsu into one flowing combat form.
Shisui, only three years old right now, would one day master that style.
Leo himself lacked advanced Fire Release techniques above B-rank. He needed that now.
Besides, with his sights set on the Minato team, he needed to be as useful as possible.
If Fugaku could help push things in that direction, great.
If not… then Leo would find another way to bond with Kakashi. That guy might be cold, but he wasn't heartless.
While deep in thought, Leo finally arrived at the mansion.
But something strange was going on.
Outside Fugaku's gates, a small crowd of Uchiha had gathered—some old, some young.
Fugaku stood among them.
Next to him stood a boy wearing distinctive goggles.
He looked familiar…
Goggles? That had to be Obito!
What was this about?
Before Leo could make sense of it, Fugaku spotted him.
The clan head actually smiled.
"Leo-kun, you're here…" Fugaku greeted him warmly and then pulled the goggle-wearing boy beside him.
"This is Uchiha Obito. You two will be teammates from now on. Make sure to get along."
"Wait, Clan Head Fugaku? What do you mean?" Leo was confused.
Why the sudden enthusiasm?
And… "get along"? Was this guy saying—
"Let's talk inside," Fugaku said, placing a hand on Leo's shoulder and guiding both boys toward his house.
But they didn't get far.
One of the older Uchiha, a gray-haired man with spiky hair, narrowed his eyes and muttered:
"Fugaku… are you really doing this?"
He gestured toward Leo and Obito, both of whom looked confused.
"Everyone here knows what kind of shinobi these two are. Are we really pinning our long-cherished hopes on them?"
The words hung in the air like poison.
Fugaku's expression darkened.
He turned around and replied in a firm voice:
"This is the village's arrangement. It's not something we can defy."
"And personally—I don't think Leo-kun is weak."
Leo's heart pounded.
"Clan Head Fugaku… what's going on?" he asked.
Could it be? Had the village already placed him into Minato's team?
Fugaku sighed and explained everything.
"What? I was assigned to Minato's team already?!" Leo nearly shouted.
Before he even got to ask for help, the arrangements had already been made?
So this was it.
The village had quietly made its move.
"And now you understand," the elder Uchiha sneered.
"You'd best give up that spot."
"The Hokage's line is allowing two Uchiha to become their disciples. That alone is rare."
"You, as bottom-rung Uchiha, don't need to understand what this means."
"All you have to do is obey."
Leo and Obito heard it clearly.
Obito, slow though he often was, immediately knew which side the elder was on.
He stepped forward with clenched fists.
"Who do you think you're talking to, old man?!"
"Obito—" Leo reached to stop him, but it was too late.
A brown-haired teen among the group suddenly moved.
"Impudent brat!" he roared.
Before Obito could react, the older boy lunged forward and raised his hand to strike.
Snap!
A sharp crack echoed across the courtyard.
Leo had blocked the blow, his scarlet Sharingan spinning in his eyes.
"Huh~" He exhaled slowly, then said coldly:
"You dare raise your hand here? At the doorstep of Clan Head Fugaku's house?"
With one hand, he pulled Obito behind him protectively.
At that moment, a faint red glow shimmered in Leo's vision.
Only he could see it.
A red entry?!
Leo's eyes widened.
Something had just awakened inside Obito.
And he had a feeling—
This was only the beginning.