Obito stared in shock at the Uchiha clan head smiling so warmly in front of Kairen.
He still didn't know just how strong his buddy had become. In his mind, Kairen was still that guy at the bottom of the rankings.
The most shocking thing that had ever happened to them in school was their final exam scores.
One scored 91, the other scored 81. The two had been thrilled—until the homeroom teacher coldly reminded them that they had taken each other's test papers.
Kairen took off his fluffy coat and handed it to Canon, revealing the Senju clan crest on his back.
He then smiled at Uchiha Fugaku.
"Senju Kairen has come to visit the Uchiha clan!"
Uchiha Fugaku fell silent.
Senju—the clan that had vanished entirely from the village—had appeared again.
Then Uchiha Fugaku showed a gracious smile, shook hands with Kairen, and personally led him toward the center of the Uchiha compound.
Behind them, Obito reached out.
"Kairen! Kairen!"
Kairen turned his head. "I need to handle something. My shadow clones will keep you company."
"Oh!" Obito nodded.
Uchiha Fugaku slowed his pace, glanced at Obito, then at the Senju crest behind Kairen, and asked softly,
"Kairen-kun, you know Obito?"
In the clan, Obito was practically invisible. If not for his teacher being the Yellow Flash, Namikaze Minato, Fugaku wouldn't remember him at all.
Kairen nodded. "He's my classmate."
Fugaku recalled Kairen's intel—he'd indeed hovered at the bottom of the rankings for years, so it made sense they would have bonded through mutual suffering.
Fugaku smiled. "Since he's Kairen-kun's friend, Obito must have exceptional talent. I'll be sure to keep an eye on this Uchiha prodigy."
Kairen gently smiled. He knew Fugaku was flattering him, trying to curry favor.
But this kind of flattery could benefit Obito—he lived with his grandmother, and his family circumstances weren't good. Fugaku giving him support would help him immensely.
Kairen then activated his Byakugan and observed Fugaku's Sharingan. In the original story, Fugaku awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan but never got to use it before being filial-pietied to death by Itachi.
All Kairen's Byakugan could see now was a chakra cluster slightly stronger than the other Uchiha jōnin—clearly not Mangekyō yet.
Judging from Itachi awakening his own Mangekyō on the battlefield, Fugaku should awaken his around that time too.
They continued walking toward the center of the Uchiha clan.
The Uchiha jōnin silently observed Kairen with their three-tomoe Sharingan. Although their eyes lacked Byakugan's x-ray vision, they could see chakra levels and chakra flow.
This was also how copying worked—by observing chakra nature transformation and hand seal flow and reproducing it with their own chakra.
The Uchiha jōnin saw the immense chakra inside Kairen and were deeply shocked. No wonder even the clan head personally welcomed him.
...
Outside the central living area—
A group of gangster-like shadow clones surrounded Obito.
"Isn't this Tobi? How's life treating you lately?"
"Obviously great! Someone like Tobi always rises high!"
Obito was embarrassed by their praise and waved his hands.
"Low profile! Stay low profile!"
"Come! Tobi, let me light your smoke!"
Bold Kairen shoved a cigarette into Obito's mouth and lit it.
Obito inhaled twice, choked violently, then threw the cigarette away, shaking his head.
"No, no! I'm not an adult yet! If Rin sees me smoking she'll call me a delinquent!"
"You still haven't won Rin over?!"
Obito nodded. "Rin's defenses are strong. Not just anyone can be her boyfriend."
One clone suggested, "Just drug her. Pitch-black night, a barrage of random shots—done."
Bold Kairen kicked him.
"Is that something people on the path should do?! We're civilized now! Civilized people don't use such cheap tricks!"
Bold Kairen draped Kairen's fluffy coat over Obito and hung several gold chains around him.
A mirror was held up.
"Tobi, your aura is totally upgraded! With this classy vibe, that girl will definitely curl up in your arms calling you 'big bro'!"
Obito looked at his transformed appearance—no longer tacky, now flashy—and hesitantly asked,
"Really? This will really make Rin see me differently?"
Bold Kairen nodded. "Of course. Yesterday our boss used this exact setup to pick up the orphanage director."
"Kairen already has a girlfriend?!"
"Of course. He has two exclusive girls already, and two more in development. Give it five or six years—they'll be done."
"Damn it! While I'm still waiting, he already has two?! No way, I need to speed up my Rin strategy. Please help me!"
"Tobi, what kind of talk is that? You give the order—we'll naturally assist you!"
...
After walking through seven or eight small paths, they finally reached Uchiha Fugaku's estate. A huge ping-pong paddle hung over the gate.
Kairen squeezed his chin. One of these days, he'd introduce table tennis and challenge the Uchiha. Who was better?
Of course, how could these comfortable-living people beat him?!
Fugaku led Kairen through the gate. The sound of shuriken hitting wooden boards echoed—Kairen saw a three-year-old Uchiha Itachi practicing.
Itachi noticed them and politely bowed to Fugaku.
"Father!"
Then he looked at Kairen with delight.
"Kairen-san!"
Kairen nodded at him. His Assistant Kairen had trained Itachi several times in the woods, so Itachi naturally knew him well.
Fugaku looked at Itachi, then at Kairen.
"You two know each other?"
Itachi said crisply, "Kairen-san has guided my training."
Fugaku turned to Kairen. Kairen simply nodded.
Fugaku's thoughts stirred—someone from the Senju clan training his son?
In the Warring States era, that would be malicious. Even now, though a millennium of hatred had faded, the deep-rooted divide remained.
He couldn't figure out Kairen's aim. There was nothing to gain—just a pair of three-tomoe Sharingan and a pretty wife in the house. So what did Kairen want?
Possibly forming an alliance to counter the village leadership—to help the Senju regain the Hokage position?
Fugaku sensed a faint trace of intent but hid his expression, smiling as he led Kairen inside.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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