Year 43 of Konoha.
A piece of news spread like wildfire. What should have been a top-secret mission was now known to everyone.
Hatake Sakumo had abandoned his mission to save his comrades.
Ninja Academy.
Over the past two years, Kakashi had trained diligently, but he still couldn't defeat that person.
In fact, he felt that the gap between them hadn't narrowed over time—instead, it had only grown wider.
Sometimes, he couldn't understand why Kagami didn't choose to graduate early. After all, his strength far surpassed that of the academy instructors.
But now, Kakashi had no desire to challenge Uchiha Kagami…
Father…
Kakashi had never seen his father so defeated, so devoid of life.
For some reason, he found himself walking to the large tree where Uchiha Kagami was eating his lunch. He stopped in front of him.
"Kagami…"
"Between comrades and missions, which is more important?"
Kagami swallowed a bite of chicken leg and looked up at the confused Kakashi.
He had also heard about Hatake Sakumo's situation. As for the internal strife and political maneuvering behind it, he was more than happy to watch it unfold.
Stir it up, stir it up.
The more chaos there is, the easier it will be to pluck out the few rotten ones left in the end.
"Of course, missions are more important. What we're training to become are ninjas, after all."
Kakashi's face twisted with conflict. This was the answer most people gave, and even he himself believed it.
"Then… what should we do if we have to abandon our comrades for the sake of a mission…"
Putting down his lunchbox, Uchiha Kagami spoke calmly, "That depends on the importance of the mission and the level of the comrade in question."
"If you're talking about your father's situation, then I think he made the wrong choice."
Kakashi lowered his head in despair. "You think so too…"
"Of course."
"As a powerful ninja, he allowed a bunch of weaklings to freely criticize him."
"If he had just killed a few of the loudest villagers, there wouldn't have been any (public backlash)."
"My father would never raise his blade against weak villagers!"
"No, he's about to do just that."
After two years of growth and the benefits of medicinal baths, Uchiha Kagami was now slightly taller than Kakashi.
He stood up, grabbed Kakashi by the hair, and forced him to look directly into his eyes.
"Your father is weak. He let his ideals shatter and chose to wallow in despair. If he had any courage, he should have raised his blade against the mastermind behind all this."
"Instead of targeting the weakest one."
"What... do you mean..."
The corners of Uchiha Kagami's mouth curled up slightly. He thought that Sakumo Hatake might be a combat force worth winning over.
From the perspective of an outsider like him, the cause of Sakumo Hatake's death was definitely not the villagers' abuse. He wasn't that fragile.
What led to Sakumo Hatake's suicide was the denial of the Will of Fire that he had believed in all his life.
The Konoha high - level officials, who had repeatedly emphasized that comrades were the most important, yet allowed him to be humiliated, which already showed their stance.
The Hatake clan was originally a samurai family in the Warring States period. Sakumo Hatake was more like a samurai than a ninja.
The reason for his self - harm was that he realized he had pledged allegiance to the wrong people.
His belief had collapsed.
Lacking the courage to draw his sword against the Third Hokage and others, he could only choose to end his own life.
"Let me make it clear." Uchiha Kagami grabbed Kakashi's hair and shook it. Only at this moment would Kakashi not get angry.
He stroked Kakashi's head. The feel was quite good.
"Your father wants to commit suicide. Instead of asking around here, you'd better go and see your father."
Kakashi's pupils constricted in shock. He had never expected such a possibility.
The situation was indeed serious, but he never thought that his father would commit suicide because of this!
He suddenly let go and rushed out of the school gate without even having time to say goodbye to Uchiha Kagami.
Watching Kakashi's disappearing figure, Uchiha Kagami narrowed his eyes slightly.
He wouldn't expend a great deal of energy to save Sakumo Hatake. If Kakashi couldn't persuade him, then let him die.
If he could survive, presumably he wouldn't side with the Third Hokage and his group anymore.
Obito and Rin, who had always been concerned about Kakashi, approached.
Although Obito really didn't want to talk to Uchiha Kagami, for the sake of Kakashi, he still opened his mouth and asked,
"Kagami... what did you say to Kakashi?"
"Kagami - kun, Kakashi he..."
Glancing at the two of them, Uchiha Kagami asked Obito in return, "Goggle - boy, if you have to sacrifice your clansmen for a mission, what would you choose?"
"Needless to say! Of course, I can't sacrifice my clansmen!"
"I will definitely complete the mission without harming my clansmen!"
It has to be said that time and experiences can change a person.
Obito was the kindest Uchiha. It was precisely because Madara Uchiha saw this that he chose him.
An Uchiha with such rich emotions would indeed be terrifying once falling into darkness.
"Rin, what about you?" Uchiha Kagami turned to Rin Nohara.
After thinking for a while, Rin said with a smile, "If there must be sacrifices to complete the mission, I hope it's me."
What a... rather pure Will of Fire.
"Rin! I will definitely protect you!"
There is no right or wrong in the Will of Fire; it only depends on the actions of those who practice this will.
Sacrificing oneself for the peace of the next generation is worthy of praise.
However, many superiors have forgotten this original intention, even Hashirama Senju.
The village was clearly established to protect children, but later... in order to protect the village, he could even kill his best friend and children.
One cannot have everything in the world. Madara Uchiha saw this and chose to leave.
It's impossible to achieve victory without sacrifice, and it will inevitably breed hatred.
"So, Kagami, what about you?" Obito summoned up his courage and asked.
"What would you choose between the mission and your clansmen?"
"If one side is bound to be sacrificed, I'll kill the person who issued the mission." Uchiha Kagami replied straightforwardly.
"... That's really something Kagami would do."
"Ah, wait, weren't we asking you about Kakashi?"
Uchiha Kagami shook his head. "There's no need to know. Whichever choice one makes in such a situation is both wrong and right."
"That's so hard to understand..."
"After all, you're an idiot with goggles. It's normal that you don't understand."
"Calling me goggles is fine, but why add 'idiot'! Can't you just call me by my name properly!"
"At least when you have eyes like mine, come talk to me about this."
A pair of three - tomoe Sharingan slowly spun, and the powerful pupil power directly knocked Obito unconscious.
"Again... it's like this again..." Before losing consciousness, Obito instinctively moaned.
Every few days, Uchiha Kagami would hit him with a burst of pupil power.
So what if he has the Sharingan!
Is it necessary to show off like this!
Uchiha Kagami does like to show off, but using the Sharingan on Obito Uchiha so frequently isn't to show off anything.
Obito Uchiha is the key to getting in touch with Madara Uchiha and those White Zetsu.
By using the Transcription Seal and injecting a little bit of pupil power each time, one day...
He will be able to meet that legendary ninja.
Obito, you're just a messenger.