Thump.
Seeing Minato Namikaze take care of all the enemies, the tension that had been coiled tight in his heart finally released.
Exhaustion washed over him like a tide, engulfing Kakashi’s body and mind, and he collapsed on the spot.
“Kakashi!”
Rin Nohara called out.
She hurriedly checked on Kakashi’s condition and only relaxed once she found he had merely overexerted himself.
“Genma, you carry Kakashi.”
Minato Namikaze said.
Rin Nohara and Kurenai Yuhi were both girls, which made it inconvenient, and Kiyohara had just contributed the most effort, having exhausted his stamina.
So the heavy responsibility of carrying Kakashi fell on Genma Shiranui’s shoulders.
“Yes, Minato-sama.”
Genma Shiranui nodded and went over to carry Kakashi.
“Should we leave now?”
Kiyohara asked after seeing Kakashi be hoisted up.
“It’s too late tonight.
Let’s rest for the night, and tomorrow we’ll go destroy the bridge.”
Minato Namikaze said.
“Is that so…”
Kiyohara thought it over, but ultimately didn’t voice the question nagging at his mind.
That question being: why was no one going to recover Obito’s body?
Neither Kakashi, Rin Nohara, nor Minato Namikaze had brought it up.
Even in the *Kakashi Gaiden*, Minato Namikaze had, just like now, cleared the field of enemies in one sweep, which suggested they weren’t pressed for time.
If Minato Namikaze had rushed over right away, found a way to clear away the buried rubble, and brought Obito’s “body” back for a proper burial, maybe none of the later trouble would have happened.
Even if they ran into Madara Uchiha, Minato Namikaze had the Flying Raijin Jutsu, so escaping wouldn’t have been difficult.
Madara Uchiha was powerful, sure, but he was too old now, kept alive solely by the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
Even if some kinjutsu allowed him to temporarily restore his strength, there was no way he could chase Minato Namikaze across great distances.
The Flying Raijin Jutsu didn’t have the long wind-up that Kamui had.
In the end, Kiyohara kept his mouth shut.
This matter wouldn’t bring him any benefit anyway.
If it came to a real fight, Minato Namikaze might be able to get away, but Kiyohara wasn’t so sure about himself.
Before leaving, Kiyohara didn’t forget to loot the bodies.
After patting down all the Iwagakure shinobi corpses, Kiyohara didn’t have time to count his spoils and had to follow the others away first.
…
Meanwhile, far below, Madara Uchiha slowly opened his eyes, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan seeming to gaze at something in the darkness.
Sure enough, at the spot where he was looking, the wall rippled like water, and White Zetsu came through carrying an Obito who only had half a body.
The cross-section of his body was covered with a thin layer of white flesh, stanching the bleeding.
“I’ve brought him here, Madara-sama.”
One White Zetsu was trailed by another, shorter one, whose build was about the same as Obito’s.
“Begin the surgery.”
Madara Uchiha’s voice was aged, his pale, long hair draped behind his waist.
“Yes, Madara-sama.”
The White Zetsu in front cut off half of the shorter White Zetsu’s body, its size corresponding exactly to the portion Obito was missing.
Soon, the suturing surgery began, as Obito’s ribs and internal organs started fusing with the other White Zetsu.
The White Zetsu’s body contained a vast reserve of Hashirama cells, rapidly repairing the connected areas, and they seemed to have excellent compatibility with Obito.
“This brat…”
Madara Uchiha found Obito’s ability somewhat interesting; he hadn’t been crushed by the rocks but instead seemed to have passed right through them, landing at the bottom.
“Madara-sama, why are you so fixated on the Uchiha clan?
Didn’t this war produce plenty of fine shinobi?
Not to mention those far away—Kakashi and Kiyohara on their team are pretty good, aren’t they?”
The White Zetsu was somewhat puzzled.
In fact, ever since the Third Shinobi World War began, Madara Uchiha had been sending them to monitor a large number of Uchiha clan members.
The goal was to select a suitable candidate.
Today, however, the White Zetsu discovered that the Sharingan could be transplanted to outsiders; that brat named Kakashi had successfully transplanted Obito’s left eye.
So then, why not transplant a Sharingan onto Kiyohara, or someone as gifted as him, and use them as a substitute for the Uchiha?
After all, both would merely be driving the Sharingan with the same ability.
“You don’t understand the power of the Uchiha.”
Madara Uchiha gave the White Zetsu a cold glance.
Above the Three-Tomoe lay the realm of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
It was just a pity that none of these disappointing juniors had been able to awaken it.
Only by awakening the Mangekyō could one truly be said to have mastered the power of the Uchiha.
“Neither Kakashi nor Kiyohara have a Kekkei Genkai.”
Madara Uchiha was also aware that Kakashi and Kiyohara had considerable talent, able to trade blows with many Iwagakure shinobi and improve quickly.
Unfortunately, neither bore the Uchiha name.
“In the Warring States Period, I saw countless geniuses.
These brats still fall short, and in the end, they are outsiders.”
Madara Uchiha shook his head.
Those who weren’t Uchiha, even if they had a Sharingan transplanted, could never awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan through their own power.
Many of his subsequent plans would require the Sharingan, and when transplanted into outsiders, the results would very likely be purely detrimental.
Kiyohara was just a civilian; his shortcomings were too obvious.
“So those who aren’t Uchiha are completely useless?”
The White Zetsu nodded, planning to follow this standard from now on.
“No, Kiyohara still has his uses.
He’s just as important as Kakashi.”
Madara Uchiha said with an unreadable expression.
To awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, one needed intense emotional stimulation.
From the intelligence relayed by the White Zetsu’s network of eyes, Madara Uchiha also learned that Obito had feelings for Rin Nohara.
Including how Kiyohara touched Rin Nohara’s hand, and how Obito flew into a rage over it.
So, as long as Obito was made to lose Rin Nohara permanently, he would inevitably suffer the strongest emotional shock.
And that was death.
“They can draw out the darkness within Obito, make him taste the ultimate agony.”
Madara Uchiha said.
“I see.”
The thick-skinned White Zetsu half-understood.
Did Madara-sama mean having Kiyohara take Rin Nohara away, making Obito feel the pain of losing his beloved?
As expected of Madara-sama, the White Zetsu admired him inwardly, easily coming up with plans they could never conceive.
…
Night deepened.
On a grassy plain, Kakashi lay on a rock beneath a boulder.
His eyelashes trembled slightly, and he opened his eyes in a daze.
‘Where is this…
Am I dead?’
That was Kakashi’s first thought.
“You’re awake, Kakashi.”
The surgery was a complete success—you’re a girl now.
Kiyohara didn’t voice that half-joking remark, just looking at Kakashi instead.
Kakashi was filled with grief at this moment, recalling the memories of his time with Obito, and couldn’t help the tears welling up.
Men don’t easily shed tears—it’s just that they haven’t yet reached the point of true heartbreak.
Kiyohara slowly shook his head.
This was the unique “bond” between men of Konoha.
“It’s all my fault.”
Kakashi blamed himself inwardly.
“No, you’ve already done your best.”
Kiyohara patted Kakashi on the shoulder.
There was nothing to be done; he had been manipulated by the capital.
Madara Uchiha was constantly monitoring the Land of Grass, watching for the right person.
It could only be said that this was simply Obito’s fate.