Kakashi's Powerlessness, Obito's Prying

"Third, the first squad has lost contact."

In the Hokage office, Kakashi knelt on the ground, his face etched with grief.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was equally grim.

"What happened? Did they encounter Orochimaru?"

This was the outcome he feared most, yet it was the one most likely to occur.

"Yes. The site has been scouted; there were numerous snake corpses. It is confirmed to be Orochimaru."

The previous squad had only been tasked with reconnaissance; no one expected them to be so unlucky as to run directly into Orochimaru.

The second wave was led by Kakashi himself.

When he followed the markers left by the Anbu to the scene and saw the field of snake carcasses, he made the immediate decision to lead his team back to Konoha.

Orochimaru was not a merciful man, nor would he spare them out of any lingering sentiment. If it were just himself, he might have attempted to engage, but he had Anbu subordinates behind him. He could not let them throw their lives away.

"We cannot confirm their status yet. I did not see any bodies at the scene, so they... they might still be alive."

Kakashi added this, though the possibility was lower than his eye miraculously returning to him.

"You don't need to comfort me, Kakashi. I can fully imagine what their fate will be."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed and sank back into his chair.

"Suspend the tracking mission for now."

"Third..."

"Say no more. I know what you want to say, but Orochimaru is no ordinary rogue ninja. Unless Konoha can mobilize a large force simultaneously, it will only result in senseless deaths. If the Uchiha want to join forces with Orochimaru, let them. I do not believe their cooperation will last. Besides, Orochimaru... based on my understanding of him, the Uchiha are also one of his targets.

As long as we do not pressure them excessively, I believe internal chaos will arise within their ranks before long."

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe and smoked while he analyzed the situation.

The Uchiha could not be left unchecked, of course, but Orochimaru was no pushover either. No one could predict what sparks would fly when the two collided. However, relying on his experience and his understanding of both parties, Hiruzen Sarutobi believed they would find it difficult to coexist peacefully, which was why he did not appear as anxious as he had before.

"By the way, how is your eye lately? The hospital has received many donations; you could replace it with a new one. You cannot continue like this."

Hiruzen Sarutobi brought his attention back, looking at Kakashi's face with concern.

"My eye..."

At these words, Kakashi raised a hand to touch the area of his left eye, which was now covered by an eyepatch.

Unlike before, there was nothing beneath the patch now—just a pitch-black, empty void.

After his left eye was taken from him at the Uchiha Compound, many had suggested he get a replacement, but he had refused every time.

Because the eye that had been taken was a gift from his dear friend before his death—one of his most precious possessions. Now that it had been stolen, his mind was consumed with taking it back. Installing a new one felt like a betrayal of that friendship.

However, there was a very practical problem: the loss of an eye severely impacted his field of vision.

To lose one's vision was to lose one's combat effectiveness.

If he had both eyes, he would not have retreated so quickly this time. It was precisely because he realized his strength was compromised and he was increasingly at a disadvantage against Orochimaru that he had been forced to pull his team back.

Otherwise, he would have been gambling with his subordinates' lives.

Yet, with his colleagues from the first squad still missing and their fates unknown, Kakashi felt a deep sense of regret.

Now that Hiruzen Sarutobi had brought the matter up again, Kakashi struggled for a moment before finally compromising with reality.

"Very well, I will inquire about it later."

"That is good. Now, go and get some rest."

"Yes, I shall take my leave."

Kakashi rose, bowed, turned, and left the Hokage office, heading toward his home.

Passing through the commercial district, he stopped to buy some food. As he paid, Kakashi's movements suddenly paused. He glanced quietly in a certain direction, but found nothing.

Frowning, he took his change from the shopkeeper and continued on his way.

After he had walked a distance, Obito slowly emerged from behind a tree nearby.

Could it be you, Kakashi? Has your mastery of Kamui reached such a level?

Not long ago, when Obito had inadvertently entered the Kamui dimension, he had discovered some wooden fragments inside.

He remembered clearly that these things had not existed there before.

That dimension could only be accessed via Kamui. If he had no recollection of putting those items there, there was only one answer.

The other eye had opened a Kamui dimension!

This surprised him, as in his understanding, it was impossible for anyone who was not an Uchiha to use the Mangekyo.

If nothing else, the terrifying chakra requirement alone would drain a normal Jonin dry.

Yet the fact remained that there were things in his Kamui dimension that hadn't been there before, leaving him no choice but to suspect that Kakashi had used the Mangekyo.

"You truly are a genius... but it is useless, Kakashi. You are not an Uchiha, after all. Using the Mangekyo will only accelerate your death... I will be watching you. I will reclaim the eye you possess sooner or later."

Obito watched Kakashi's retreating back, and before Kakashi could sense him again, he vanished into the Kamui dimension.

In the distance, that faint, lingering sense of being watched vanished, and Kakashi let out a sigh of relief.

Having lost his Sharingan, his sensory abilities had suffered a severe decline; he only knew someone was spying on him, but he could not pinpoint their location.

I hope it isn't those surviving Uchiha. Konoha can no longer afford any more turmoil...

"Konoha is even more powerful than we imagined!"

Inside the Shadow Space, it was time for the weekly "Reflecting on Bitterness and Sweetness" meeting.

Well, that was just a random name Uchiha Arashi had slapped onto it, regardless of whether it fit.

The main purpose of this meeting was to remind his younger siblings of Konoha's strength, to make them realize the gap between the two sides, and to keep their nerves taut so they wouldn't slack off.

"Today, let's talk about another clan: the Aburame Clan. They are a bug-controlling family famous throughout the Ninja World. They raise insects inside their own bodies and release them during battle... There are many types of insects, each with its own use, and the most basic yet important one is the Kikaichū..."

Half an hour later, Uchiha Arashi finished his lesson and left the Shadow Space, only to run into Uchiha Ayatsuki, who was coming over to move some books.