After hearing Orochimaru's suggestion to Danzo, the Root leader remained uneasy. Jiraiya might not have a hand in Konoha's political schemes, but Hiruzen Sarutobi was another matter entirely.
"The third Hokage doesn't need a strategic thinker; he needs a controllable puppet," Danzo muttered, eyes narrowing. "He wants someone who will follow his commands, someone he can wield as he sees fit."
Danzo turned to Orochimaru with a tense expression. "You need to strengthen your presence in the village. It's time to step up in the public eye. Stop your experiments for now, and make yourself visible."
Orochimaru nodded indifferently and vanished in a swirl of small serpents. Danzo exhaled sharply, contemplating the strange string of events unfolding in Konoha. Tsunade's rising influence through her promising disciples, Jiraiya's sudden involvement in village affairs, and now Minato's newly selected team—all involving notable clans and potential connections to the Uchiha. Something big was brewing.
He summoned Root operatives, issuing a covert directive, and resumed his plans.
---
Meanwhile, the four future teammates were leaving a barbecue restaurant, still savoring their celebratory meal.
"Kakashi, Obito, Rin," Reiki began as they walked. "All of you have great potential. You're about to start a new path with Minato-sensei, but remember: stay focused on your growth. There'll be influences around you, but keep your priorities clear."
"Got it, boss!" Obito replied, as enthusiastic as ever. "I'm ready to train harder than ever!"
"Reiki, I'll catch up to you soon," Kakashi smirked. "And maybe even surpass you."
Rin beamed at the group. "I'm just excited to be with both of you again. Thank you, Reiki."
After bidding farewell to Kakashi and Rin, Reiki motioned for Obito to stay with him.
"Boss, why did you ask me to stay back? And thank you for arranging for Rin to be on our team," Obito said eagerly. "If you ever need anything, I'm there—first in line!"
"Alright, alright," Reiki interrupted, smiling at Obito's spirited gratitude. "I called you over because I want to check your Sharingan. When you first awakened it, I didn't sense anything unusual, but I want to make sure everything's fine."
"My eyes?" Obito repeated, eyes widening in surprise. "Boss… how did you know?"
Reiki watched as Obito activated his Sharingan, revealing two tomoe in each eye.
Reiki raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. Obito had reached the two-tomoe stage, yet as far as he knew, Obito hadn't experienced any recent trauma or stress.
"Have you been training with your Sharingan activated regularly?" Reiki asked, intrigued.
"Yeah," Obito replied, nodding. "I can keep it open for about three hours, though if I'm using ninjutsu at the same time, it varies."
"And… have you felt anything strange?"
"Nope. Just feels… normal," Obito replied, scratching his head.
Reiki spent the next two hours examining Obito's Sharingan and asking questions, his expression growing more serious with each answer.
"Reiki…" came a quiet voice from nearby. Nozuki had come to see Reiki but stopped short, noticing his concentrated focus.
"Don't disturb him," Shisui whispered, stopping Nozuki. Shisui, remembering his role in Obito's initial Sharingan awakening, had a sense of what Reiki might be looking for. Nozuki sat quietly, waiting for Reiki to finish.
After an exhaustive examination, Reiki finally stepped back, a look of contemplation on his face.
"Obito," he said, voice serious, "I want you to keep paying attention to any changes in your Sharingan. If anything feels unusual, come to me immediately."
Obito nodded, looking a bit bewildered but grateful for Reiki's concern. With this quiet agreement, a new awareness began to settle over them, knowing that the Uchiha's power might hold even more mystery than they'd initially thought.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 290 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
Gimme power stonesssss
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