Bonds Make People Weak

"The Hatake Clan's swordsmanship truly is remarkable."

There was a hint of exhilaration in Genkawa Uchiha's voice as he slightly raised the Ninja Blade in his hand, its tip pointing at Kakashi.

"Again!"

As soon as he spoke, his eyes changed.

His pitch-black pupils swiftly turned crimson, and three tomoe slowly emerged within his irises, beginning to rotate at a steady pace.

Kakashi Hatake's pupils contracted slightly.

He saw those Sharingan and understood what it meant for his opponent to activate them.

But he did not back down.

Even after being dormant for so long, he still possessed his own pride.

Kakashi Hatake reached up and pulled aside the mask covering his left eye, exposing that crimson Sharingan to the air.

Three tomoe, exactly the same as Genkawa Uchiha's.

Obito had given him that eye, and it was also the thing he had least wanted to face all these years.

Yet now, he revealed it without holding anything back.

"Heh heh, so that's Obito's eye? By the way, you should be able to sense the power contained within it, right?"

Kakashi Hatake's expression changed slightly.

"Looks like I was right. When did you notice?" Genkawa Uchiha asked with a smile.

Kakashi Hatake said nothing. He merely stared at him, their three Sharingan locked on one another.

The next moment, they moved at the same time. This clash was even fiercer than before.

Blade light flashed as their figures continuously crossed paths, moving so quickly that only afterimages remained.

Genkawa Uchiha's Sharingan clearly captured every one of Kakashi Hatake's movements.

The rotation of his wrist, the shifts in his footing, the angle of his blade, even the rhythm of his breathing.

He dissected the essence of Hatake Style Kenjutsu stroke by stroke, then absorbed it and incorporated it into his own blade techniques.

Kakashi Hatake was observing as well.

He truly deserved to be called a genius. Even though that Sharingan had come from Obito, and even though he was not a natural-born Uchiha, his use of the Sharingan surpassed that of many within the Uchiha Clan.

Honestly, even if Kakashi Hatake had been placed in the Uchiha Clan, reaching this level of Sharingan development at his age would have made him a true genius.

His Sharingan was likewise analyzing Genkawa Uchiha's blade techniques. That unique style, which fused Uchiha Style Kenjutsu, Strength of a Hundred, and Lightning Style Chakra Mode, gradually took shape in his mind.

But his body could not keep up.

After several exchanges, their movements began to resemble one another.

Genkawa Uchiha slashed diagonally, and Kakashi Hatake did the same.

The two blades collided, scattering sparks.

Genkawa Uchiha withdrew his blade and swept it horizontally. Kakashi Hatake swept horizontally as well.

Another collision.

The two were like reflections in a mirror, trading blows, each slash nearly identical to the last.

But the difference in strength could not be made up through technique.

With every collision, Kakashi Hatake's wrist went numb from the shock, and the web between his thumb and forefinger throbbed faintly.

His breathing grew heavier and heavier, and his steps began to drag.

Genkawa Uchiha's breathing remained steady, while his steps stayed light.

He possessed the physical constitution of a natural Sage Body, something Kakashi Hatake could not compare to. With the same movements and the same techniques, he was simply faster, heavier, and more ruthless than Kakashi Hatake.

Kakashi Hatake gradually fell into a disadvantage.

He began to retreat, shifting from active offense to passive defense.

But even defending was not enough. Genkawa Uchiha's blade was too fast—fast enough that his Sharingan could see it, but his body could not keep up.

Another horizontal sweep came.

Kakashi Hatake raised his blade to block, only to be sent staggering back several steps. His footing faltered, and he nearly fell.

He barely steadied himself. The short blade remained in his hand, but the hand gripping it was already trembling slightly.

Genkawa Uchiha did not continue his pursuit.

He stood with his blade lowered, then sheathed the Ninja Blade with a crisp sound. Standing beneath the sunlight, a few beads of sweat dotted his forehead, but his breathing was calm and he wore a smile.

"That's about enough," he said.

"You've shown me Hatake Style Swordsmanship. I'm satisfied."

Kakashi Hatake did not speak.

He bent over with both hands braced against his knees, gulping down breaths. Sweat dripped from the ends of his hair, soaking the yellow earth beneath his feet.

Only after quite some time did he barely calm his breathing. He straightened up and slid the short blade back into the sheath on his back.

Then he raised his head, his exposed eye staring fixedly at Genkawa Uchiha.

"Was that really Obito?"

His voice was hoarse, carrying an urgency he could not suppress.

Genkawa Uchiha looked at him with a half-smile.

"Don't you already have the answer in your heart?"

Kakashi Hatake's lips moved, but no words came out.

Did he have an answer? Of course he did.

That day on the battlefield, he had seen that face with his own eyes, that left eye, that familiar yet unfamiliar feeling.

He did not want to believe it, but he had no choice but to.

Genkawa Uchiha did not wait for his answer and continued, "On the other hand, I have a question. Can you answer it for me?"

Kakashi Hatake froze for a moment before instinctively asking, "What question?"

"If you encountered a beast like Obito Uchiha, would you kill him?"

The air seemed to freeze.

Kakashi Hatake fell silent.

He stood there without moving, like a stone statue.

His eyes were hollow, as though every emotion had been hollowed out of him. That Sharingan remained open, its three tomoe turning slowly, but it reflected nothing.

Genkawa Uchiha looked at him and already had his answer.

"As expected."

He gently shook his head.

"The bond between you needs to be severed by your own hand. Take my advice—give up sooner rather than later. He's a complete bastard. He isn't worth remembering."

Genkawa Uchiha had no illusions about Obito Uchiha.

That guy might have had his reasons, but that had nothing to do with him. He was merely giving an honest assessment.

So in his eyes, Obito Uchiha could not be redeemed.

After all, even someone like him, who did not care much about the Uchiha, had never considered wiping out the Uchiha Clan. Doing something like that was truly idiotic.

Kakashi Hatake remained silent.

His hands hung at his sides, trembling faintly. The hands that could wield a blade had turned white at the knuckles, as though he were using all his strength to restrain something.

Genkawa Uchiha turned around, took two steps, then stopped again.

"If I see him again next time, I'll kill him outright."

He did not look back.

"When that time comes, is there anything you need me to tell him?"

Kakashi Hatake's hands trembled even harder.

He opened his mouth, his lips moving several times beneath the mask, but no sound came out.

What did he want to say? He wanted to say, don't kill him. He wanted to say, he must have had his reasons. He wanted to say, he used to be such a kind person—

But he could not say anything.

Because even he found those words laughable.

Genkawa Uchiha waited for a moment but received no answer.

He let out a soft laugh. "Bonds can give people strength. Likewise, bonds can make people weak. That's why I never form bonds with anyone."

He turned back and glanced at Kakashi Hatake before withdrawing his gaze.

"This is what you're like now. It seems the White Fang's son is nothing special after all."

With that, he turned and left.

His footsteps gradually faded away, soon disappearing into the depths of the Forest of Death.

Kakashi Hatake stood where he was for a long time without moving.

In his eyes, that Sharingan continued to turn slowly, but it no longer seemed quite so crimson.

At the same time, in the Hokage Office, the image in the Crystal Ball froze on Kakashi Hatake's solitary back.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at that image with a grave expression.

"I wonder whether Kakashi can pull himself together this time."

Jiraiya stood beside him with his arms crossed, but his gaze was not on Kakashi. His eyes followed the figure that had already gone far away, carrying a trace of contemplation.

"I'm rather interested in that kid," he said.

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to look at him.

"Can I meet him?" Jiraiya asked.