Kakashi's Probing

Kurenai Yuhi finished dressing and sat up on the bed, her limbs still feeling weak as she struggled to support her body with her hands.

Watching Kurenai's recent movements, it was clear that even getting dressed was a struggle; her body must still be quite frail.

He took some soldier pills, specially formulated to replenish stamina, out of the drawer.

"Here, these are soldier pills I had custom-made by the Nara clan. Eat them to replenish your strength."

Kurenai snatched them up, examined them—they were perfectly round and plump—and popped one into her mouth to chew.

"These soldier pills actually taste pretty good, much better than the standard ones."

Having said that, she departed through the window.

Senya followed her out the window and watched her retreating figure, noticing that her lower body was still trembling slightly and her gait was somewhat strange.

I should take it slow; some things are still too difficult for Kurenai. After all, taijutsu has always been her weak point...

He looked up to admire the full moon in the sky, bright and clear, and couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy; such peaceful days were numbered.

Just then, from the direction Kurenai had left, Senya sensed a chakra signature approaching rapidly.

Did Kurenai come back? No, she isn't moving that fast right now. Who would come looking for me in the middle of the night?

Soon, a white-haired figure appeared before him.

"Senya Uchiha, I apologize for the late-night visit."

Looking at the white-haired, spiky-headed man in an Anbu uniform with a mask on his face, Senya knew exactly who this was.

"What business does the famous Anbu 'Copy Ninja' Kakashi have with me so late at night? Don't tell me the Third has assigned you all to monitor the Deputy Clan Head of the Uchiha again?"

Kakashi removed his mask and shook his head.

"Lord Third did not issue such an order. This is a personal matter, and it has nothing to do with the Hokage."

Senya became interested upon hearing Kakashi say this.

"Then what could you possibly want with me?"

"Itachi asked me about my Sharingan when we were on a mission together half a month ago."

"I told him that this eye carries the will of my dearest friend, and that I must carry it forward for Obito."

Senya recalled the original plot—did this happen? Perhaps it was in a flashback; he couldn't remember clearly. Who had the time to stare so intently at the flashbacks behind the Hokage anyway!

"So, what is it you want to ask me?"

Senya looked at Kakashi, thinking to himself that Kakashi had likely deduced some important information. He had to find a way to pull Kakashi into his camp, otherwise...

"As Itachi's Anbu captain, I do know some things related to him, such as the news about Shisui a while back."

"Shisui was always Itachi's best friend. Coupled with Shisui's suicide and the questions Itachi asked me, I suspect Shisui's eye is currently in Itachi's possession, isn't it?"

"If that is the case, then Shisui's death could not have been a simple suicide. Please tell me, who moved against Shisui? There is a traitor in the village harming their own kin; this is something the Anbu absolutely cannot tolerate!"

Senya sized up the Kakashi before him. He hadn't expected Kakashi to deduce this much. It might be better to play along; letting him know the truth might be the best way to win him over.

"Are you certain you can bear the cruelty of the truth?"

Senya threw this heavy, meaningful question at Kakashi.

Kakashi nodded, signaling his desire to know the truth of the matter. Ever since Obito and Rin died before his eyes, he had been consumed by self-reproach, wondering why he couldn't protect his comrades. Now that Itachi was a member of his squad, he could not let history repeat itself, nor did he want to watch Itachi fall into the same state he had, living in self-blame.

That was what Kakashi thought, but what he didn't expect was that the moment he prepared to accept the answer, he was already being dragged into a massive vortex—one that even touched upon the shadows of his own childhood.

"On the night of the Uchiha clan meeting, Danzo stole Shisui's Sharingan. To prevent the other eye from being taken, Shisui entrusted it to Itachi Uchiha. That is the truth!"

Kakashi stood frozen, staring daggers at Senya, utterly horrified by this revelation.

Danzo? The Hokage's advisor? The leader of Root? He was the one who moved against Shisui?

His brain couldn't process it for a moment. If this news got out, it would absolutely trigger turmoil in Konoha. Did Lord Third know about this? It was likely Danzo acting in secret, behind the Hokage's back.

Kakashi couldn't help but recall the incident years ago involving the Wood Style user "Kinoe." Danzo had brainwashed "Kinoe," made him forget, and then ordered "Kinoe" to kill him and steal his Sharingan.

He clenched his fists, his nails digging into the flesh of his palms.

Kakashi hadn't expected Danzo to be so obsessed with the Sharingan. He had thought that after his own experience, Danzo would have abandoned the idea, but he never imagined Danzo would escalate it, directly moving against Shisui Uchiha to seize his Sharingan!

Then, Senya dropped another piece of news.

"I don't know if you are aware of the cause of death of the 'White Fang of the Leaf,' your father, Sakumo Hatake."

!!!

It was as if lightning had struck Kakashi's mind, leaving it a blank slate.

His father's death? Wasn't his father's death a suicide? Could there be another reason for his father's passing?

Senya's words stopped Kakashi in his tracks; his thoughts froze, and only the phrase "cause of death of Sakumo Hatake" echoed in his mind.

At that moment, an image surfaced in Kakashi's mind: he had returned home to find his father kneeling on the floor, a short blade in his hand, his abdomen already sliced open. The blood had drained away, and the floor was covered in his father's blood.

No matter how he screamed, he could never wake his father again...

Young Kakashi had fainted after seeing his father, who had lost all signs of life.

Recalling that gentle and caring father, Kakashi had spent all the time since his death hating the fact that his father had left him alone in this cruel world.

He gradually froze his own heart, and just like the villagers around him, he came to view his late father as a "disgrace" to the ninja world, holding only one belief in his heart—a ninja who cannot complete their mission is trash!

It wasn't until the Third Shinobi World War that Obito's words jolted him awake: "Those who fail to complete their mission are trash, but those who don't cherish their comrades are even worse than trash!"

Afterward, the successive deaths of Obito and Rin dealt him a devastating blow, leaving him numb day after day, with a Sharingan that wouldn't shut off and bloodstains that could never be washed away...

Tears flowed from Kakashi's right eye, tracing a path down his cheek and soaking the mask on his face.

"Uchiha Senya, tell me the truth! Who was it! Who caused my father's death! My father was absolutely not trash! But why, when he cherished his comrades and abandoned his mission, did he suffer betrayal from those very comrades!"

Kakashi roared these words, venting the grief in his heart along with an undisguised hatred.

Even Kakashi himself did not notice that the Sharingan hidden beneath his forehead protector had already transformed into a shape he had never known before; the original three tomoe were gone, replaced by the pattern of the Mangekyo Sharingan...