Itachi, Don't Be a Burden to the Team

[Detected Host's Lie "Uchiha Inheritance", obtained approval from Kakashi and Uchiha Itachi]

[They are half-believing, rewarded 200 Deception Points]

[Current Deception Points: 500]

While Kakashi and Itachi were feeling overwhelmed by Youhu's words, Youhu was busy counting the Deception Points that had just arrived.

Kakashi and Uchiha Itachi are truly important plot characters. Just by being "half-believing" about the Uchiha Inheritance, they provided 100 Deception Points—several times more than the Jonin within the clan.

It was worth it to deliberately guide Kakashi to the Grass Country and then pretend to have an epiphany while staring blankly at a mural.

However, making Kakashi and Uchiha Itachi believe he had obtained the Uchiha Inheritance and letting that rumor spread was only the first step in his plan.

His next plan was to guide out the ancestors of the Senju and Uchiha clans: Asura and Indra.

Because Asura and Indra were at odds over their ideologies while alive, they remained endlessly entangled as chakra after death. It would be easy to fabricate some compelling conspiracies to corroborate his lies.

Seeing that enough time had passed, Youhu opened his eyes again. He rose from the stone bed and said, "Captain Kakashi, what just happened to me? My body feels very heavy, and my head is spinning."

Kakashi sighed and said:

"You sat on that stone bed for a full half hour. It must have been an overexertion of your mental power. Tell us, what is going on with the Uchiha ancestor and the Senju ancestor? Why were they kneeling before an old man?"

"I don't know..."

Youhu shook his head. "I only saw that one scene here. Perhaps it's because my mental power isn't strong enough yet."

"It's good that you're alright. Being able to obtain the inheritance left behind by Uchiha Madara is your luck."

Seeing that Youhu truly seemed to know nothing, Kakashi didn't press further.

The Senju ancestor and Uchiha ancestor were figures from an ancient era. Even if they had some connection to modern-day Konoha, it wasn't significant enough to warrant getting to the bottom of it.

At this moment, Youhu walked over to Itachi and said with an embarrassed look:

"Senior Itachi, I'm really sorry for stealing your inheritance this time. If you had been the one to accept it, you might have already awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan and taken action against your parents and clan members."

Don't call me Senior...

And why are you so certain that if I awakened the Mangekyo, I would take action against my father and clan members?

Itachi's expression was extremely ugly, but for the sake of team harmony, he could only force a smile:

"Brother Youhu, it was your luck that you entered this room first. Besides, this thing didn't belong to me in the first place, so how could it be considered you stealing from me?"

Youhu's expression changed instantly. He placed his palm on Itachi's shoulder and said earnestly, "That's good. Brother Itachi, you still need to work harder and strive not to become a burden to the team."

"..."

"..."

A phrase popped into Kakashi's mind: A villain's triumph.

Itachi looked at Kakashi with an innocent expression. What exactly had he done to deserve being placed in the same squad as Youhu?

Was the Third Hokage, who trusted Youhu so much, truly a good Hokage? Could the Third be trying to use Youhu to indirectly destroy the entire Uchiha Clan?

After his customary pastime of teasing Itachi, Youhu headed toward the other rooms.

After packing up all the furniture, weapons, and equipment in the base, Youhu returned to the vicinity of the stone wall and asked Kakashi for help:

"Captain Kakashi, could you use Earth Style to cut this stone wall down for me?"

"Is that really necessary..." Kakashi frowned. He had quite a few complaints about Youhu's packing habits; they were here to find Obito, not to loot the place.

"I've heard that Captain Kakashi's Earth Flow Wall actually has other meanings."

Youhu folded his arms across his chest and said, feigning a casual tone.

"Fine!"

Kakashi was concise and to the point. Under the threat of Youhu's words, he began to use his Earth Style ninjutsu, separating the stone wall from the rest of the structure.

Youhu didn't stay idle either. He pulled out his largest storage scroll and packed the entire stone wall directly into it. Only after everything was organized and put away did he nod in satisfaction.

"That's more like it, Captain Kakashi."

"Uchiha Madara is a rogue ninja of the village, so his belongings naturally belong to the village's property. They must all be brought back."

"Yes, yes, yes..."

Kakashi's tone was extremely perfunctory. He simply felt that Youhu was wasting Anbu resources.

However, the Anbu's funds came from the Hokage, so why should a squad captain like him worry about it? In the future, he wanted to take more Anbu weapons for himself anyway; if he saved them, they would just end up being wasted by Youhu in the end.

Walking out of the underground space, Kakashi began to explain the next step of their plan.

"We've already searched the Uchiha base near the Kannabi Bridge and haven't found any traces of Obito or the forces behind him. Next, we'll head to Kusagakure to see if it has already been controlled by Obito."

"Finally, I can let loose! I've been wanting to test the ocular power I just upgraded!"

Youhu raised his hands in a cheer, looking as if he were ready to go on a killing spree the moment they entered Kusagakure.

"Don't just start attacking, and don't go around killing people..."

Kakashi was somewhat worried about Youhu's mental state. He had heard many rumors about Uchiha members whose personalities changed drastically after evolving their Sharingan.

Although this time Youhu only improved his Chakra, it was practically the same as evolving his Sharingan.

He was genuinely worried that Youhu might start a massacre in Kusagakure while laughing and joking. Just the thought of such a scene made him shudder.

Itachi was different. Although he was usually reticent, he was unexpectedly reliable at critical moments.

Moreover, Itachi possessed a virtue that Youhu lacked: he was sufficiently honest and obedient, strictly executing the orders of his superior without ever questioning them or performing unnecessary maneuvers.

"Captain Kakashi, I have never killed anyone. I am a kind Uchiha."

Facing Kakashi's frame-up, Youhu immediately began to refute.

"Fine, fine, fine. You've never killed anyone..."

Kakashi didn't want to argue with Youhu and casually chimed in, though he didn't believe for a second that Youhu had never killed anyone.

Once someone joins the Anbu Ninja, whose hands aren't stained with blood?

He became a Genin at six and started killing at seven. Itachi had even gone to the battlefield at the age of four, fighting bravely against enemies, which laid the foundation for his reputation as an Uchiha Prodigy.

Why does no one believe me when I tell the truth for once?

Youhu grumbled inwardly, feeling somewhat helpless. He could only follow behind Kakashi and Itachi as they headed toward Kusagakure.

However, just before the three of them were about to arrive at Kusagakure, a figure blocked the middle of the mountain path.

The stranger wore a black robe with red clouds and a Takigakure Headband with a slash through it across his forehead. His burning gaze was fixed intently on Kakashi, much like a wild beast examining its prey.

Seeing this, Kakashi signaled with his hand, and the three-man squad came to a halt.