After reporting to the Lord Third, Kakashi Squad received permission to leave the village and officially set out for Grass Country.
After leaving the village, Youhu noticed that Yamato hadn't joined the mission. Curious, he asked:
"Captain Kakashi, why didn't Senior Yamato come with us?"
Kakashi didn't hide the reason from Youhu. "Yamato has to stay in the village. His Wood Style is best suited for protecting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Even if the Jinchuriki goes berserk, he can forcefully subdue him."
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? You mean that kid we saw fishing in the Back Mountain last time?"
"So he's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. I thought he was just a homeless street kid. No wonder he had a few Anbu protecting him..."
"That's a bit harsh. Naruto isn't a street kid."
Faced with Youhu's sharp jab, Kakashi sounded a little defensive.
Naruto really had lived like a street kid all these years. He wondered if the Lord Third had ever properly raised him.
Still, they had all come through the same sort of thing.
He, Teacher Minato, and Ancestor Jiraiya had all been orphaned as children, but they'd grown up healthy. In an era of turmoil that had only recently ended, simply being alive was already something to be grateful for.
After a pause, Kakashi seemed to remember something. "Youhu, did you really not know Naruto was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"
"I really didn't. If I'd known Naruto was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, I would've gone over and given him a gift ages ago. Then, when he becomes Hokage in the future, I can ride his coattails."
Youhu shook his head and sighed. "Who would've thought that street kid was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"
Could Naruto really not escape being called a street kid?
Kakashi rubbed his forehead. He felt like Youhu was making snide remarks about him, blaming him and the rest of the Fourth Hokage's Old Guard for doing nothing. What were they supposed to do?
Stand guard by Naruto all day? Then they wouldn't have time to work or eat.
Just then, Youhu glanced at Itachi, then leaned close to Kakashi's ear and said:
"Captain Kakashi, you have to be very careful of Itachi and Itachi's Father. They might be like Obito and want to use Naruto's identity as a Jinchuriki to find an opportunity to launch a coup."
Youhu, are you really that desperate to become Guard Captain?
You're even willing to frame your own Clan Head...
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm."
Kakashi selectively went deaf and quickened his pace, trying to get ahead of Youhu. He didn't want to hear any more of Youhu's words. Who knew what outrageous thing he might say next?
The more you know, the faster you die.
He was only a lowly Jonin, somewhat renowned in the Ninja World as the "Konoha Technician." But in front of the big shots of the Ninja World, he was nothing.
Youhu, however, had no intention of letting Kakashi off the hook. He gathered his breath and hurried after him.
"Captain Kakashi, don't you want to hear me tell a story? I want to hear one from you, though. You still haven't told me what happened between you and Senior Rin after Brother Obito faked his death."
How is Youhu even faster than me... Kakashi was secretly alarmed.
He remembered that Youhu hadn't been this fast a few days ago. Back then, he'd thought Youhu's strength was close to that of a Jonin, putting him at the level of a Special Jonin in combat ability.
But now, Youhu seemed to have surpassed quite a few Jonin.
Could that kid have been hiding his strength when he sparred with me to join the Anbu?
That's a little terrifying.
There were fifteen-year-old Uchiha Jonin, but a fifteen-year-old Jonin who could hold his own against Obito was a rare find—and Obito was an Uchiha, too.
Kakashi could only marvel at how many geniuses the Uchiha Clan had. No wonder Danzo always seemed to harbor some inexplicable malice toward the Uchiha.
"Captain Kakashi, why did you stop talking? Did something happen between you and Senior Rin?"
At that, Kakashi's expression changed. He stopped at once and sighed softly. "Since you want to know, I'll tell you what happened after Obito faked his death."
Kakashi was a little afraid of Youhu, so he had no choice but to tell him about those painful memories.
He was worried that if he didn't explain things, Youhu would make up whatever he pleased, and who knew what sort of rumors he might invent about him and Rin?
He didn't care what people said about him, but if Obito heard about it, he might try to kill Youhu.
Watching Kakashi and Youhu whispering ahead of him, Itachi felt deeply uncomfortable. He felt like he was being subjected to Cold Violence by the team. Those two were definitely isolating him.
Especially Uchiha Youhu. Was that guy making up stories about his father again?
His father was somewhat old-fashioned and inflexible, and sometimes indecisive in his actions. At clan meetings, he'd even believed rumors and accepted the idea that a coup could give the Uchiha a future.
But those were flaws in his abilities. Itachi believed his father was morally beyond reproach.
And Youhu had never criticized his father's abilities. He always resorted to personal attacks—saying things like his father should sacrifice himself, or suggesting that he might secretly target the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
His father wouldn't do that.
Night fell.
Kakashi Squad found a spot by the mountains and water to rest.
Kakashi's throat was hoarse from talking. He made an excuse about fetching water and stepped away for a while. When he returned, he found Youhu staring at him with bright, eager eyes.
"Youhu, I've told you everything about my past with Rin. Stop pestering me."
"Got it, Captain Kakashi..."
Youhu pondered for a while, then asked with a curious look, "I just think there's something strange about the relationship between you, Brother Obito, and Senior Rin."
"Brother Obito had a crush on Senior Rin, and Senior Rin was interested in you, but you weren't interested in her."
"Going by the love triangles in books, could there have been something between you and Brother Obito?"
"He even gave you his Sharingan."
Kakashi's face turned ashen. He was gripping the water flask so tightly it looked ready to shatter. "There was nothing between Obito and me, and nothing between Rin and me, either. Don't make things up. Besides, Rin is already dead."
"Is Rin really dead?"
Ignoring the rattled Kakashi, Youhu went on, "Why do I get the feeling that your accidental killing of Rin was like some kind of test someone set for Brother Obito?"
"Senior Rin wasn't that strong. Why did those Mist ninja make her the Three-Tails Jinchuriki?"
"After you were knocked unconscious, who rescued you from the Mist ninja's encirclement? Could all of this have been meant to make Brother Obito awaken his Mangekyo?"
"Captain Kakashi, I'm only guessing. Don't take it to heart."
"..."
His words were always shocking.
Youhu's offhand remark struck Kakashi's heart like a boulder dropped into a lake, and the ripples refused to settle.
Could Rin's death really not have been an accident, but a plot aimed at Obito? If that was true, had Obito watched me kill Rin with his own eyes?
Could Obito have known it was a plot?
If Obito had guessed the truth, why hadn't he returned to the village? Why had he continued to inherit Uchiha Madara's name and will instead?
Was Obito really still Obito?
Before you continue