Ninja World Scientist

Tonight Kakashi didn't need to work, so naturally he wasn't wearing his cat-shaped mask.

He turned toward the sound and saw Eiji strolling slowly in his direction.

"It's Eiji. Why aren't you resting at this hour?"

Kakashi felt a bit embarrassed, never expecting to badmouth someone behind their back and run straight into them.

Amid his embarrassment, a flicker of surprise crossed his mind.

Had his attention slipped? He hadn't even noticed Eiji's approach.

Years of war experience made him draw a sharp breath.

If this had been on the battlefield, he would have paid a heavy price.

Eiji stopped two steps away from Kakashi. "I'm on night duty today, so I have to make the rounds."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Does the Security Division's work include patrolling the cemetery?"

Eiji thought for a moment. "Why not? If someone comes back to life, I'd need to report it to the Hokage right away."

A crow flew over Kakashi's head.

That lame joke wasn't funny at all.

Ahem. Eiji coughed twice to cover his awkwardness.

He looked at the Memorial Stone and, as expected, saw Obito Uchiha's name carved on it.

Eiji felt that Kakashi was actually a pretty tragic person.

As a child, his father couldn't bear the village's rumors and took his own life.

His friend Obito "died" before his eyes, and he himself killed Rin with his own hands.

Later, even his respected teacher Minato died.

Any one of these experiences on a modern person, and not jumping off a building would be a miracle.

Yet Kakashi later managed to move on with Might Guy's help.

Eiji wasn't sure whether to call Guy's psychological counseling amazing or Kakashi's willpower unshakable.

Eiji asked knowingly, "Was he Senior Kakashi's friend?"

Kakashi's fingertips traced the stone's surface. "Buried here is my best friend, Obito."

"During the Third Shinobi World War, he lost his life saving me."

"We didn't even find his remains."

Kakashi touched the scar over his left eye. "Before he died, he gave me this Sharingan and told me to live on with his will."

As he said this, Kakashi lowered his head.

Even years later, he still woke from nightmares.

The deaths of Obito and Rin had become a nightmare he couldn't shake.

Eiji was silent for a moment. Actually, your friend Obito isn't dead. He's been watching over you from the shadows all along.

Sensing the atmosphere was too heavy, Kakashi quickly changed the subject.

"Why are you carrying a fishing rod on duty?"

"This?" Eiji showed it to Kakashi. "It's a gift for Naruto."

Kakashi took the rod and glanced at it. He knew the brand. It was expensive. Very expensive.

Not even Eiji, let alone Kakashi himself, could afford it.

A dangerous thought crossed Kakashi's mind. "Stealing from a villager is a serious crime. Return it to him right now."

Eiji shot Kakashi a sideways look. "What nonsense. As a member of the Security Division, I always keep the villagers' protection in mind. Would I do something so unforgivable?"

"That swindler cheated Naruto out of all his living expenses, so I went to have a talk with him."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "A talk?"

He didn't think Eiji was the type to reason with people.

His so-called "talk" was probably a serious threat to the shopkeeper.

Eiji kept spinning his tale. "After a heart-to-heart exchange, the shopkeeper voluntarily handed this over as compensation for Naruto."

Kakashi couldn't listen anymore.

You're full of it.

Who do you think you are, the Hokage? Voluntarily handed it over? That shopkeeper probably got beaten so badly his own mother wouldn't recognize him.

Kakashi had already figured out most of it. He wanted to scold Eiji a bit.

But Eiji was stubborn, saying if he didn't believe it, he could ask the shopkeeper himself.

It left Kakashi completely speechless.

Your shamelessness is really...

"Senior Kakashi."

"Hm?"

"Please pass this fishing rod to Naruto."

Eiji rubbed his brow. "Every time I contact Naruto, the Hokage and Lord Danzo seem to have some objections."

There was a trace of sorrow in his tone, which made Kakashi feel a bit down as well.

Eiji was indeed good to Naruto.

At the very least, better than him.

But why did Eiji have to be an Uchiha?

As a squad leader in the Anbu, he had taken on many missions targeting the Uchiha.

At the same time, he knew that the Hokage and the others didn't trust the Uchiha.

But weren't there good people in the Uchiha clan? His friend Obito had been given the title of battle hero.

Kakashi's mind was a mess.

"Eiji..."

Eiji cut him off. "Senior Kakashi, I need to go on patrol. Also, read fewer of those Little Emperor Uncle books—your body can't take it."

"Hey, no, I didn't..."

Kakashi tried to explain, but Eiji waved his hand and left.

He stood there, looked at the fishing rod, then at the tombstone.

After thinking for a moment, he took out a slip of paper, wrote a few lines seriously, and went to Naruto's doorstep.

He quietly set it down and left just as silently.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage Building, Hiruzen used the Telescopic Jutsu to watch the whole scene clearly.

"Eiji... what an interesting little fellow."

Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe, forming a new assessment of Eiji.

In his eyes, Eiji was different from other Uchiha.

He always felt that when Eiji used ninjutsu, he resembled Teacher Tobirama, and his way of thinking was like his old friend Kagami.

If that were the case, could he also think like them, with the mindset of a Hokage?

Hiruzen thought that if Eiji could manage that, he might become a bridge between Konoha and the Uchiha.

The next morning, the weather was clear, not a cloud in the sky.

After waking up, Naruto chugged a big bottle of milk and stuffed down some random food.

His living allowance was gone again—he'd have to head to the Back Mountain to pick some mushrooms to eat.

He just wondered how Big Brother Eiji was doing. Had those weird, fierce-looking ninjas given him a hard time?

But Big Brother Eiji was a good person; he probably wouldn't get bullied.

Naruto pushed aside his doubts, picked up a small basket, and pushed open the door.

The moment he stepped out, he tripped and fell, his butt making close contact with the hard ground.

"Ouch! Who left trash at my door?!"

Naruto clutched his butt, grabbed the fishing rod, and was about to throw it away.

Wait, a fishing rod?

Naruto's eyes went wide.

He noticed a note stuck to the rod.

Naruto, this is a gift for you.

Also, the fish soup was delicious.

Uchiha Eiji.

Naruto was instantly moved, his eyes reddening.

In this time with Eiji, he had felt something called warmth.

[Progress Update: Naruto genuinely believes you are a man of your word and a good person]

[You have obtained a passive ability: Ninja World Scientist. You can easily learn and create ninjutsu that conforms to scientific theory]