The Ninja World Scientist

Tonight, Kakashi did not need to work, so naturally, he was not wearing his cat-shaped mask.

He looked toward the sound and saw Eiji strolling over.

"It's Eiji. Why are you still up so late?"

Kakashi felt a little embarrassed. He had not expected to be caught talking about someone behind his back by that very person.

Amid his embarrassment, a trace of surprise flashed through his mind.

Could it be that he had let his guard down? He had somehow failed to notice Eiji's arrival.

Years of wartime experience made him draw a sharp breath.

If this had happened on the battlefield, he would have suffered badly.

Eiji stopped two paces away from Kakashi. "It's my turn to patrol tonight, so I have to look around."

Kakashi let out an inquisitive sound. "Does the Security Division's work include patrolling the cemetery?"

Eiji thought about it. "Why not? If someone happens to be resurrected, we have to report it to the Hokage immediately."

A crow flew over Kakashi's head.

That lame joke was not funny at all.

"Ahem." Eiji cleared his throat twice, trying to hide his embarrassment.

He looked toward the Memorial Stone. As expected, the name Obito Uchiha was written on it.

Eiji felt that Kakashi was actually a rather tragic person.

When he was young, his father had taken his own life because he could not bear the village's gossip.

His friend Obito had "died" right in front of him, and he had personally killed Rin.

Later, even his respected teacher, Minato, had died.

If you put all those experiences on any modern person, it would have been a miracle if they had not jumped off a building.

And yet Kakashi had eventually managed to pull himself out of it with Might Guy's help.

It was hard to tell whether Might Guy's counseling skills were incredible or Kakashi's resolve was simply unshakable.

Eiji asked, despite already knowing the answer, "Was he Senior Kakashi's friend?"

Kakashi's fingertips brushed over the stone. "The person buried here is my best friend, Obito."

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

"We couldn't even find his remains."

Kakashi touched the scar over his left eye. "As he was dying, he gave me this Sharingan and told me to live on carrying his will."

As he said this, Kakashi lowered his head.

Even after all these years, he still often woke from nightmares.

The deaths of Obito and Rin had become nightmares he could never escape.

Eiji fell silent for a while. Actually, your friend Obito isn't dead. He's been silently watching over you from the shadows all this time.

Perhaps sensing that the atmosphere had grown too heavy, Kakashi immediately changed the subject.

"Why are you carrying a fishing rod while you're on duty?"

"You mean this?" Eiji showed it off in front of Kakashi. "It's a gift for Naruto."

Kakashi took the fishing rod and glanced at it. He knew this brand. It was expensive—very expensive.

Not to mention Eiji; even Kakashi could not bring himself to buy one.

A dangerous thought surfaced in Kakashi's mind. "Stealing from villagers is a serious crime. Hurry up and return it to him."

Eiji shot Kakashi a sidelong glance. "What are you talking about? As a member of the Security Division, I always keep protecting the villagers in mind. Would I really do something so outrageous?"

"That unscrupulous merchant swindled Naruto out of all his living expenses, so I went to reason with him."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Reason?"

He did not believe Eiji was the sort of person who liked talking things out.

Eiji's so-called reasoning had probably involved threatening the shopkeeper thoroughly.

Eiji continued spinning his tale. "After an open and heartfelt exchange, the shopkeeper voluntarily handed this over as compensation for Naruto."

Kakashi could not listen any longer.

Are you seriously boasting like this?

Do you think you're the Hokage? He handed it over voluntarily? You must have beaten that shopkeeper so badly that even his mother wouldn't have recognized him.

Kakashi had already figured out most of the truth and wanted to lecture Eiji a little.

But Eiji was stubborn as a rock. He insisted that if Kakashi did not believe him, he could go ask the shopkeeper himself.

Kakashi was utterly speechless.

This shameless attitude of yours is really...

"Senior Kakashi."

"Hmm?"

"Please deliver the fishing rod to Naruto for me."

Eiji rubbed his brow. "Whenever I interact with Naruto, the Hokage and Danzo seem to have some objections."

There was a hint of sadness in his voice, which left Kakashi feeling somewhat troubled as well.

Eiji really was good to Naruto.

At the very least, he was better than Kakashi.

But why did Eiji have to be an Uchiha?

As an Anbu squad leader, Kakashi had accepted quite a few missions targeting the Uchiha.

He also knew that the Hokage and the others did not truly trust the Uchiha.

But could there really be no good people among the Uchiha clan? His friend Obito had even been given the title of war hero.

Kakashi's thoughts were a mess.

"Eiji..."

Eiji cut him off. "Senior Kakashi, I have to go patrol. Also, you should read fewer Little Emperor Uncle stories. Your body can't take it."

"Wait, that's not it. I didn't..."

Kakashi still wanted to explain, but Eiji had already waved and walked away.

He stood there, looking at the fishing rod, then at the gravestone.

After thinking for a while, he took out a piece of paper and carefully wrote a few lines. Then he went to Naruto's front door.

After quietly setting it down, he left just as silently.

At the same time, inside the Hokage Building, Hiruzen used the Telescopic Jutsu and saw the entire sequence of events clearly.

"Eiji... What an interesting little fellow."

Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe, forming an entirely new opinion of Eiji.

In his view, Eiji was somewhat different from the other Uchiha.

He always felt that when Eiji used ninjutsu, he resembled his teacher Tobirama, while his way of thinking resembled his dear friend Kagami.

If that was the case, could Eiji also think about problems from the Hokage's perspective, just as they had?

Hiruzen felt that if Eiji could do so, perhaps he could become a bond between Konoha and the Uchiha.

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

After waking up, Naruto gulped down a large bottle of milk and shoved some food into his mouth.

He had already blown through his living expenses again. He would have to go pick some little mushrooms in the Back Mountain to eat.

He wondered how Big Brother Eiji was doing. Had those strange, fierce-looking ninjas given him any trouble?

But Big Brother Eiji was a good person. He probably would not be bullied, right?

Naruto pushed down his doubts, picked up his little basket, and opened the door.

He had taken only one step when he tripped and fell, his bottom making intimate contact with the hard ground.

"Ow! Who left trash outside my house?"

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

Wait, a fishing rod?

Naruto's eyes widened.

He noticed that a note was still attached to the fishing rod.

Naruto, this is a gift for you.

Also, the fish soup was delicious.

Uchiha Eiji.

Naruto was so moved that his eyes instantly reddened.

During this time, Eiji had made him feel something called warmth.

[Progress Update: Naruto sincerely believes that you are a good person who keeps his word]

[You obtained a passive skill, Ninja World Scientist. You can easily master and create ninjutsu that conforms to scientific theory]