My Father

After sending Orochimaru away, Danzo began to attend to his own business.

He summoned a subordinate and asked if there were any unusual movements from the Uchiha.

On this point, he and Hiruzen had thought along the same lines.

After confirming that Fugaku Uchiha was indeed seriously investigating the matter, Danzo's perception of him changed somewhat.

This is a standard appeasement-faction Uchiha, he thought, it seems appropriate to implement some high-pressure policies.

Danzo rubbed his chin, thinking furtively.

"If I ever come looking for you to play again, I'm a son of a b*tch!"

Lying flat on the ground, Obito closed his eyes, looking completely resigned and unwilling to move.

"Hah, hah, O-Obito, you're too weak..." Kazashiro beside him was better off, only clutching his legs and gasping for air.

Only Kakashi looked calm and composed, showing no sign that he had just climbed halfway up the mountain and back down with one arm.

Is this a four-year-old?!

Glancing at his uncontrollably trembling arm, then at Kakashi, who looked like nothing had happened, Kazashiro could only attribute it all to the almighty Chakra.

"So why did what was supposed to be a fun outing turn into training!" Obito struggled to roll over, finding it uncomfortable, and rolled back, still grumbling.

"Didn't you say you wanted to compete? Isn't climbing a mountain a form of competition?" Kakashi struck a smug pose, hands in his pockets, and walked up to Obito.

In this three-person one-armed mountain climbing competition, Kazashiro came in last, giving up as soon as he felt his arm ache. Only Obito, with his stubborn refusal to lose, gritted his teeth and climbed upwards, eventually almost falling from exhaustion. It was Kazashiro who blocked him with his own body, preventing Obito's premature demise.

"Besides, if you don't work hard now, you might not even pass the Ninja Academy's assessment, Obito." As if remembering something, Kakashi suddenly leaned down, looking at Obito with disdain.

"You guy..." Although he really wanted to punch Kakashi, Obito was so exhausted that he could barely roll over, let alone fight Kakashi. Thus, he could only try to kill Kakashi with his eyes.

"Speaking of which, Kazashiro didn't make it up either, and he slacked off halfway. Why aren't you mocking him?" Unable to bear the mockery any longer, Obito suddenly remembered Kazashiro beside him and struggled to point a finger at him.

Kakashi froze at the words, and Kazashiro was also stunned.

The two exchanged an awkward glance. A moment later, Kakashi cleared his throat, deliberately looked away, and asked Obito a fatal question: "Do you think he won't be able to get into the Ninja Academy?"

Obito fell silent.

Kazashiro was even more silent.

Yeah, no matter how weak I am, I shouldn't be unable to get into the Ninja Academy, right?

When others assess me, I just need to say, "My father is Shimura Danzo," and I'm guaranteed admission.

Obito also understood the key point and glared resentfully at the two: "You bunch of damned ninja second generation!"

After resting for a while longer, Obito finally had the strength to stand up, but he still couldn't walk normally.

Seeing that the sky was getting late, the two had no choice but to help Obito back to the streets of Konoha.

"Did you have fun, Kakashi?" Sakumo, who was waiting at their meeting point, was first taken aback when he saw Obito. He then stepped forward to support Obito and greeted Kakashi.

"Well, it was okay, if it weren't for these two burdens." Kakashi let go and handed Obito over to Sakumo.

"Uncle Sakumo." Kazashiro politely greeted Sakumo.

Sakumo nodded in response, then crouched down to examine Obito's injuries.

"The swelling on his face has gone down. The rest is muscle strain from overtraining. He should be fine after a night's rest." Seeing that Obito was not seriously injured, Sakumo stood up, preparing to take Obito to the Uchiha compound.

"Dad..." Hearing that Sakumo planned to go to the Uchiha compound himself, Kakashi frowned, intending to explain what had happened today.

Sakumo gently stroked Kakashi's head and nodded with a smile, "I know, Kakashi. Lord Third has already told me about today's events. It was just a bit of roughhousing between children."

Seeing that Sakumo already knew the reason, Kakashi said no more. The group, chatting and laughing, took Obito to the outskirts of the Uchiha compound.

Konoha had not yet experienced the Nine-Tails attack at this time, so the Uchiha compound was not too far from the center of Konoha. It was just slightly more secluded than other ninja clans, with no neighbors nearby. Only the Military Police Force headquarters and a prison stood beside the compound.

"Lord Sakumo." The two Military Police officers on duty at the entrance straightened up upon seeing Sakumo.

"I'm here to take this child home." Sakumo pointed to Obito beside him.

"Please leave it to me." Not intending to let Sakumo enter the compound, one of the Military Police officers stepped forward and took Obito from Sakumo's hands.

Sakumo did not insist and smoothly released his hand, watching as Obito was led into the compound.

"Let's... let's play together again tomorrow?" Obito suddenly turned his head, struggling to raise his arm, and tentatively bid farewell to the group.

Kakashi turned his head away, not looking at Obito, while Kazashiro smiled and waved in response, "Sure, see you at the usual spot then."

"Yeah, yeah!" Obito visibly brightened upon receiving a response, while the surrounding Military Police officers' expressions turned grim.

Next...

As the only adult present, in brackets: the only adult on the surface, Sakumo felt it necessary to send the "lone" Kazashiro home.

Even though Konoha's public safety was good, even though one person had already been sent home, even though Konoha's number one human trafficker was Danzo himself, and even though there were probably two squads of Root ninjas nearby...

Amidst Kakashi's disgusted grumbling, Sakumo took Kazashiro's hand and prepared to take him home.

"Uncle Sakumo, you seem quite idle lately. Don't you have any Anbu missions to do?" Seeing that Sakumo had time to escort him home, Kazashiro asked curiously.

"I-idle..." Sakumo's steps faltered, clearly choked by Kazashiro's words.

"Um, Kazashiro, I'm actually not part of the Anbu anymore," Sakumo said, looking at Kazashiro with a complicated expression before sighing and explaining.

"Lord Third has already removed me from the Anbu roster. Right now, I'm just a regular Jonin in Konohagakure. Oh, and a regular father too," Sakumo added, glancing at Kakashi beside him.

A regular Jonin?

If Konoha's White Fang, whose fame overshadowed the Sannin, was a regular Jonin, then old man Danzo would be just a regular elder in Konohagakure, and the Third would be just a regular village chief?

"I never expected you, Uncle Sakumo, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, to be so Versailles when you talk," Kazashiro couldn't help but tease.