"Nothing..." Sasuke almost instinctively said he had nothing, but then he suddenly remembered the Uchiha Clan and quickly changed his answer. "Actually, there is! I'd like to ask you for a favor!"
"A favor?"
After Sasuke spoke, Obito Uchiha asked in confusion.
"The Konoha High Command is going to move against the Uchiha Clan. The clan just held a meeting and decided that everyone would leave Konoha. I'm worried they'll send a lot of ninja to hunt us down, so I'd like you to help us in secret!"
Sasuke's expression grew serious as he spoke slowly.
"Heh... The Konoha High Command certainly won't let the Uchiha Clan leave so easily. They'll naturally send quite a few ninja. Fighting them would be risky, so I can't agree to help you with this."
Hearing this, Obito Uchiha smiled and then flatly refused.
Sasuke wasn't too disappointed by Obito Uchiha's response. He would have refused too, if their positions were reversed.
After all, who would risk their life to help a stranger they'd known for less than a few minutes?
But Sasuke had no intention of giving up, so he continued, "I know you're incredibly strong, and you can definitely handle a few ninja. Besides, you're a member of the Uchiha Clan too. The clan is in trouble right now, so it's only right for you to help!"
"Don't try to persuade me with talk of family. Although I'm an Uchiha, I have nothing to do with the clan anymore! I couldn't care less whether they live or die!"
Obito Uchiha replied coldly.
Obito Uchiha's parents had died when he was young, and he had grown up living with his grandmother. The clan had never given him any meaningful help, so he didn't feel much attachment to it.
On top of that, Obito Uchiha was determined to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan and create a dream world. The Uchiha Clan didn't matter to him now. Even if the whole clan was wiped out, they could still "come back to life" in the dream world!
Hearing this, Sasuke couldn't help frowning. He knew Obito Uchiha wasn't just saying those things. In the Naruto anime, when Obito Uchiha slaughtered members of the Uchiha Clan, he hadn't shown the slightest mercy.
"If that's the case, then name your price! What would it take for you to help me?"
There was no point in trying to persuade him further, so Sasuke spoke bluntly.
"What do you have that's worth helping you for?"
Obito Uchiha didn't answer. Instead, he asked a question of his own.
Sasuke activated his Sharingan and drew a deep breath. Then he said earnestly, "The most precious thing I have is this pair of Sharingan. If you help me, I can give one of them to you!"
Sasuke wasn't joking. Compared to the safety of the Uchiha Clan, what was one Sharingan worth?
Sasuke's words plunged Obito Uchiha into silence. He stared at Sasuke in shock, his heart churning like a storm-tossed sea.
Everyone knew what the Sharingan meant to Sasuke. To protect his clan, he was willing to give away his most precious possession. It was hard to believe!
"Heh... Is it worth it, for a foolish clan?"
His thoughts in turmoil, Obito Uchiha finally let out a soft laugh after a long moment.
"It is! The people I most want to protect in this world are my mom and dad, and my big brother. Dad is the clan leader, so he has to protect his people. That means helping him protect the Uchiha Clan is my responsibility too!"
"Besides, the Uchiha Clan members are my own people, my kin who share the same blood. I remember one of Kakashi-sensei's teammates once said, 'Those who break the rules and the code are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash!' I think our kin deserve to be cherished just as much as our comrades!"
Sasuke answered Obito Uchiha with conviction, then explained sincerely.
"Comrades..."
When he heard the words about those who didn't cherish their comrades being worse than trash, Obito Uchiha visibly trembled. Then he murmured to himself.
At the same time, he thought of his two former teammates, Rin and Kakashi. Many years had passed, but he still couldn't forget the time they had spent together.
Sasuke knew Obito Uchiha might be lost in thought because of what he'd said, so he didn't interrupt him.
Looking at Sasuke's youthful, handsome face, Obito Uchiha fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Sasuke, you're only six, right?"
"Yeah!"
Sasuke didn't know why Obito Uchiha had suddenly asked, but he nodded all the same.
"You remind me a lot of how I was when I was young. You always think of others, no matter what you're doing."
Memories of his own past suddenly surfaced in his mind, and Obito Uchiha spoke in a low voice.
"If that's the case, then help me!"
Sasuke clenched his hand slightly, his face tense as he pleaded again.
"Tap, tap..."
Obito Uchiha didn't answer Sasuke. He turned and began to walk away.
"Sasuke, you'll only be worth something once you awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan! But I'll help you resist some of the ninja sent to hunt you down this time."
"Think of it as a chance to practice!"
As Obito Uchiha spoke his final words, his figure slowly faded away into the air.
"Thank goodness!"
Watching Obito Uchiha disappear, Sasuke cried out excitedly. With a powerful ally like Obito Uchiha helping them, the Uchiha Clan's chances of safely leaving the village had greatly improved.
The worry weighing on his heart finally eased. Sasuke rested his hands behind his head and slowly walked home.
When the first rays of dawn broke through the clouds and shone over the vast village of Konoha, the empty streets began to fill with people.
On the rooftop of the Hokage Office Building, Danzo, leaning on his cane, suddenly opened his left eye.
In front of Danzo, sixty or seventy masked ninja were kneeling in absolute silence. Every one of them was an elite from Anbu and Root.
"Your mission is to wipe out the Uchiha Clan. Split into two teams and ambush them along the road!"
"Remember! Even if you have to die with them, don't let anyone from the Uchiha Clan escape!"
The silence was suddenly broken by Danzo's low command.
"Yes!"
Hearing the chilling murderous intent in Danzo's words, they answered at once. Then they turned into several dark figures, swiftly streaked across the sky, and disappeared from sight.
After they left, Danzo's face twitched. A vicious glint flashed in his eyes, and he muttered grimly, "Shisui! You made me waste a Sharingan for nothing, so I'll take the Sharingan of your entire clan as compensation!"
With that, Danzo's figure quickly disappeared from the spot.
(Thanks to the readers Yifan Fengshun and AK Mo for the tips!
Here's last week's recommendation vote update: Qidian got 180 votes, which means I only got five recommendation votes a day. To put it plainly, only a dozen or so brothers voted for me!
Those results are painful for me. Other authors would probably give up, but I'll say it again: I want to write the best Naruto fanfiction for all Naruto fans.)