First Meeting with Uzumaki Naruto

Konoha Anbu.

After eight hours of monitoring surveillance in the Anbu, Youhu was just about to clock out and get some sleep when he was held back by Kakashi.

Kakashi told him to familiarize himself with Anbu patrol duties first and that he could go home for a good rest once daybreak arrived.

Youhu detested working overtime and complained, "Captain Kakashi, back when I was in the Guard Division, I only needed to work eight hours a day. Why does the Anbu have a twenty-four-hour work system?"

"That is exactly why you Uchiha are so resented..."

Kakashi helplessly spread his hands, then said with a straight face, "The Anbu is an assassination special forces unit; we are the military in times of peace. If we implemented an eight-hour workday, do you think we would still have any combat power? Only by remaining at our posts twenty-four hours a day can the Anbu fulfill its purpose."

"Captain Kakashi, what you say makes a lot of sense."

"How about this, Captain Kakashi? Why don't you apply to join the Guard Division and try enjoying a normal schedule for once?"

Youhu nodded slightly. Unable to find a reason to refute him, he could only take the opportunity to try and recruit Kakashi.

However, the Guard Division was indeed too comfortable. Once he gained control of the Guard Division in the future, he would definitely have to ruthlessly spur on those clan members who were resting in their comfort zones.

If even the Anbu, who were directly under the Hokage, were working this hard, what excuse did you Uchiha, who wanted to seize power, have to slack off?

"You want me to join the Guard Division?"

Kakashi pointed at himself, doubting if he had heard correctly. You are asking an Anbu squad captain to join the Guard Division? If the Guard Division is so great, why don't you go there yourself?

"Captain Kakashi has a Sharingan, so you count as half an Uchiha. If you joined the Guard Division, Brother Obito would be very gratified in the underworld."

Youhu nodded with a serious expression.

"..."

This kid really cares about Obito.

Whenever Obito was brought up, Kakashi felt a bit helpless and could only change the subject. "Let's stop talking about this for now. We need to execute our mission. Yamato, Itachi, you two continue patrolling according to the original plan. I will personally take Youhu around the village."

"Yes."

Yamato and Itachi quickly acknowledged the order and disappeared from the spot using the Body Flicker Technique.

After Yamato and Itachi had left, Kakashi said with a hint of fatigue, "Youhu, can you stop asking such difficult questions from now on? Since when does a subordinate recruit their superior?"

"I don't want to ask these things either, but I'm just afraid Captain Kakashi might be bored, aren't I?"

Youhu wore a look of deep concern for Kakashi, then continued:

"By the way, Captain Kakashi, now that Yamato and Itachi are both away on missions, could you tell me more about the stories of you and Brother Obito after you graduated?"

"As long as you promise not to be so talkative in the future, I'll keep telling you stories about Obito."

Kakashi stated his condition, then added with genuine curiosity, "I don't know why you're so interested in Obito. I remember he wasn't exactly well-regarded within the Uchiha clan."

"Because Brother Obito is a hero of the village. And he was different from the other clan members; he was an Uchiha who truly wanted to become Hokage. Sacrificing himself to protect his comrades—that was just so cool."

After saying this, Youhu revealed a look of admiration, as if Obito, who had sacrificed himself for the village, was his own hero.

"So that's how it is..."

Kakashi smiled from the heart. It had been a long time since he heard anyone mention Obito, and even longer since he had seen an Uchiha regard Obito as a hero.

This kid Youhu really is different from other Uchihas.

Thinking this to himself, Kakashi began to recount the subsequent stories of him and Obito:

"Ever since I graduated early and became an official ninja, Obito and I gradually drifted apart. It wasn't until three years later that we were together again."

"At that time, Obito, Rin, and I became the subordinates of Teacher Minato..."

While listening to Kakashi's story, Youhu followed behind him on patrol. The area they were responsible for patrolling was the section of Konoha near the back mountain.

Although there were barriers here, there were no ninja clan settlements nearby, making it an area with weak defenses for Konoha.

After arriving at the back mountain of Konoha, Youhu became more vigilant. Relying on the perception brought by his awakened Mangekyo, he observed his surroundings to see if any White Zetsu were hiding in the shadows.

He didn't mind if a White Zetsu heard him chatting with Kakashi, but letting a White Zetsu hear certain things was another matter entirely.

Upon searching, Youhu actually sensed the location of a White Zetsu. The creature was hiding underground, secretly listening to the conversation between him and Kakashi.

Youhu didn't attack the White Zetsu; instead, he listened to Kakashi's story and asked:

"Captain Kakashi, during the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, did Brother Obito really awaken his Sharingan to protect you?"

"That's right. Unfortunately, not long after, Obito sacrificed himself in another battle. This Sharingan of mine is the final gift he gave me."

Memories of that day flooded his mind. Kakashi revealed the Sharingan he couldn't deactivate to Youhu and sighed with regret.

"If only Brother Obito hadn't sacrificed himself. With his talent and his status as the Fourth Hokage's disciple, he might have already risen to the high ranks of the village, and the relationship between the clan and the village wouldn't have fallen to the state it's in today."

Youhu also sighed, his face filled with pity.

In a way, he wasn't wrong. If Obito hadn't turned evil and become the Second Uchiha Madara, he wouldn't have launched the Nine-Tails' Rampage, and the Fourth Hokage wouldn't have sacrificed his life.

With the Fourth Hokage around, the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha would never have reached this point.

"Yeah, it would be great if Obito and the others hadn't sacrificed themselves."

Beyond sighing, Kakashi could only hate himself in his heart for being too weak.

When Obito, Rin, and Teacher Minato sacrificed themselves, he had been nearby for all of it, yet he lacked the strength to change the tragedy. Rin had even been killed by his own hand.

The blood that stained his hands that night could not be washed away, even to this day.

After patrolling the Konoha Rear Mountain, Kakashi and Youhu sat down on a blue stone, intending to rest for a while before heading to the next area.

Just then, Youhu saw a figure moving by a stream not far away.

Youhu squinted and saw a blonde child fiddling with a fishing rod, a bucket beside him containing a few scattered, thumb-sized fish.

"Captain Kakashi, it's almost ten o'clock, why is there a child nearby? I'll go ask what's going on."

"Youhu..." Before Kakashi could finish his sentence, Youhu had already vanished, leaving only the rustle of wind in his wake.

"Squad Captain! What about us?"

After Youhu left, an Anbu ninja who had recognized Kakashi's identity appeared to ask for his instructions.

"He's a newcomer to the Anbu; he doesn't know Naruto's identity yet..."

Kakashi waved his hand, signaling the Anbu ninja to withdraw, then immediately activated the Body Flicker Technique, rushing toward the location of Youhu and Naruto.

At that moment, with a rustle in the bushes, a wild boar the size of a calf burst out.

The wild boar took a breath, its nose locking onto the fishy smell from Naruto's bucket. It dug its hind legs into the ground and charged toward where Naruto was sitting.

Naruto, immersed in his fishing, didn't notice the danger approaching at all.

One second. Two seconds.

Just as the wild boar was about to slam into Naruto, Youhu made his move.

A flash of blade light cut through the air, and the wild boar collapsed on the spot. Youhu arrived at Naruto's side, frowned, and said, "You brat, why are you out here instead of going home at this hour?"

"Aren't you afraid of being attacked by wild beasts?!"