As soon as he returned, he had visitors waiting for him.
Uchiha Sogetsu was dressed in casual clothes with a towel draped over his head. His skin was still giving off steam—he had just finished showering.
"Brother Sogetsu!!!"
The loud, cheerful voice from outside the door was unmistakable—it could only be Uchiha Obito.
"Can't catch a break, can I?" Uchiha Sogetsu sighed softly, went to open the door, and a look of surprise flashed across his face.
Obito wasn't alone; he had brought two other people with him.
One of them was instantly familiar to Sogetsu. A young man with blonde hair and a friendly, handsome face, exuding a warm and approachable aura.
It was Namikaze Minato, one of the elite Jonin in Konoha Village, and a disciple of Jiraiya, the legendary Sannin.
He was also the future Fourth Hokage, famously known as the "Yellow Flash" for his incredible speed.
The other visitor caught Sogetsu's eye as well—a shy girl standing behind Minato. It was Nohara Rin, the perfect example of the saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder."
Without this girl, the Naruto story would probably have taken a very different turn.
Noticing Sogetsu's gaze, Nohara Rin blushed slightly and said quietly, "Hello, my name is Nohara Rin, I'm one of Minato-sensei's disciples."
"Long time no see, Sogetsu," Namikaze Minato greeted him with a big, hearty smile and a hint of apology. "Sorry to bother you right after your mission."
"Not at all, please come in," Uchiha Sogetsu replied with a warm smile, stepping aside to let them enter.
"The three of them stepped into the house, taking off their shoes and finding their places in the living room with polite nods.
Uchiha Sogetsu served three cups of green tea, changed into more relaxed clothing, and then sat down across from his guests. With a serious expression, he asked, "Minato, what brings you here today?"
Minato Namikaze had a somber look on his face. He seemed hesitant to speak, starting and stopping a few times before finally finding his words. "I need your help with something," he said.
Seeing Minato's hesitation, and noticing Obito and Rin sitting beside him, Uchiha Sogetsu took a sip of tea, pondering the situation.
"Let me guess," he said, his voice even, "does it have something to do with the late White Fang's son, the prodigy of the Hatake clan, Kakashi?"
"You're sharp as always, Sogetsu," Minato replied with a sigh. "We're hoping you can help that boy. He's been struggling since his father's death."
Obito Uchiha, with a rare display of solemnity, sat down on the tatami and bowed his head. "Please help, Sogetsu-san! Kakashi is my best friend, and I can't stand seeing him like this."
"Please help him, Sogetsu-san," added Rin Nohara. "He's been shut in for days. The villagers won't stop talking about the incident, and he's refusing to come out. We're really worried."
Uchiha Sogetsu was about to respond when a transparent line of text appeared before his eyes.
[Side Mission: Shattered Faith]
[The once steadfast belief has been shattered. Guide the boy toward the path you believe is right.]
[Reward: Tinder
Corresponding Characteristics: Error Path - Sequence 6 Prometheus
Appearance: Red Gloves
Abilities: These gloves can enhance the user's charisma, making their words exceptionally persuasive, and can steal a Beyonder ability or ninjutsu from any target within a range of 50 meters. The more familiar you are with the target, the easier it is to take what you want. If you're less familiar, the outcome becomes more random and depends on luck.
Once successfully stolen, the target loses the Beyonder ability/ninjutsu for at least 12 hours. Meanwhile, the user can use the ability proficiently for about 10 minutes.
Negative Effects: While wearing these gloves, there's a small chance of randomly losing an item on your person, and one of your own Beyonder abilities may also be lost for 12 hours, though only one at a time.]
"I know this makes you feel really awkward. After all, the situation with White Fang involves a lot of issues."
Seeing that the other person wasn't responding for a long time, Namikaze Minato's expression grew increasingly apologetic, as if he'd made some kind of difficult decision.
"But if you're willing to help, I can agree to one principled request within my power."
A glint of curiosity flashed through Uchiha Sogetsu's eyes behind his glasses. He hadn't expected his silence to be misinterpreted by Namikaze Minato as reluctance to get involved in the sensitive matter surrounding White Fang.
However, this misunderstanding was actually quite convenient.
"Man, Minato, you really put me in a tough spot."
Uchiha Sogetsu put on a dramatic expression, pretending to be troubled. "But since it's you asking, how can I say no?"
"Really?" Obito's face lit up with excitement.
"Yes, I'll help."
Uchiha Sogetsu nodded with a grin. "We all belong to the same village, after all. Plus, White Fang has always been kind to me, so how could I just look the other way?"
"Thank you, Sogetsu," Namikaze Minato said, gratitude in his eyes.
"No need," Uchiha Sogetsu replied with a smile. "However, I just got back today and need some rest. Can we meet again tomorrow?"
"Of course, no rush." Namikaze Minato gave a gentle smile. "We'll leave you to it then."
"Goodbye, Sogetsu-san~"
"Goodbye, Brother Sogetsu!"
After sending Minato and the others off, Uchiha Sogetsu barely had a chance to sit down when a letter from Tsunade arrived. It was short and to the point, asking him to meet her at a specific tavern on a particular street—it seemed important.
"Always something," he sighed. With little choice, he changed clothes and headed out.
The tavern wasn't busy in the daylight, and Tsunade was alone in a corner, drinking heavily. The sight made him a little uneasy.
"Tsunade-sama, why did you call me here?" he asked as he sat across from her. As he did, he activated his Spirit Vision.
The aura around her was filled with a gray sadness, with hints of red anger and deep black despair mixed in. It didn't take much to guess this had something to do with the Third Hokage.
Uchiha Sogetsu grabbed the bottle from her hand and said calmly, "Tsunade-sama, when you're in a bad mood, alcohol only makes it worse. I don't want to see you wreck this place like you did last time."
Tsunade's gaze was hazy, her cheeks flushed like ripe apples, giving her an air of mature allure. "Kid, why do you think people change?" she asked, her voice soft but with an edge of uncertainty.
Sogetsu raised an eyebrow, looking straight at her. "Environment, experience, desire, emotion," he replied, matter-of-factly.
"Time changes people in a lot of ways. Very few remain unchanged from start to finish."
Tsunade let out a hollow laugh, leaning back in her chair and covering her eyes with her hand.
"I just can't understand why everything is different now," she murmured. "Jiraiya, Orochimaru, even the teacher. None of them are the same. Yet here I am, stuck in the same place, not changing. Is that wrong?"
Listening to Tsunade's faint words, Uchiha Sogetsu shook his head, "There's no absolute right or wrong in many things. If you believe it's right, then hold on to it."
"Heh, seems like you're pretty good at giving advice."
Tsunade smiled, wiping her eyes. They were still a bit red and swollen. She bit her lip and looked at him with a puzzled expression. "What about you? Will you change?"
Uchiha Sogetsu paused for a moment. After a brief silence, he adjusted his black-framed glasses on the bridge of his nose. In the dimly lit izakaya, he pursed his thin lips, then gave a faint smile. His eyes were calm and indifferent, like a bottomless lake.
"No, I won't change, Tsunade-sama," he replied.
"I've always been this way, and I will stay this way. This is who I am."
********
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