17. Kakashi's Shock

"Then, what if I told you,"

"That this intelligence concerns your 'dearest friend'?"

However, at that very moment, Chen Xiaoxi suddenly sat down directly across from him at the square table, then revealed a mysterious smile and chuckled softly:

"...Hmm?"

Hearing this, Hatake Kakashi raised his head almost instantly, then frowned slightly and said:

"Is it Might Guy?

Has that guy caused trouble somewhere again?"

At the mention of the words 'dearest friend', He naturally and logically thought of that best friend of his in Konoha, The man full of passion, Might Guy.

However, to his surprise, Chen Xiaoxi shook his head and smiled:

"You guessed wrong."

"The dearest friend I am referring to is the one who once bestowed his Sharingan upon you—"

"His name is... Obito Uchiha."

"?"

As soon as those words fell, Hatake Kakashi's pupils constricted, his breathing stalled for an instant, and he couldn't help but grip the book in his hands tightly.

"You, what did you say...!"

"Obito?"

Hatake Kakashi's heart nearly stopped beating.

He had never expected to suddenly hear that name, which he had hidden in the deepest recesses of his memory, at such a time and in such a place!

Obito, Obito Uchiha!

"That's right."

Chen Xiaoxi nodded, then curled the corners of his lips, stared at Hatake Kakashi, and said with a smile:

"So, shall we make an exchange?"

"After all, Senior Hatake Kakashi, it seems you have no idea that he is still alive, do you?"

"?"

What?

Obito is actually still alive?

After hearing Chen Xiaoxi's words, Hatake Kakashi widened his eyes, completely stunned.

This man known as the Five-Five Split, Hatake Kakashi, Had always been a very lethargic person.

If not for hearing that name, he rarely experienced such violent emotional fluctuations.

Because that name, Almost represented his most painful memory.

One of them.

And Chen Xiaoxi naturally knew this, which is why he chose to use it as a breakthrough.

He looked at Hatake Kakashi and continued to smile as he said:

"Senior Hatake Kakashi, as long as you give me the book in your hand."

"I will tell you some information you want to know, such as his new identity, for instance."

"..."

After a long silence.

Hatake Kakashi's expression slowly began to recover from his immense shock.

But he still stared fixedly at Chen Xiaoxi, gritted his teeth slightly, and said in a low voice:

"I... don't even know your identity or your purpose."

"How can I trust your information?"

Hearing this, Chen Xiaoxi tilted his head slightly, laughed, and said:

"You don't trust me?"

"Then goodbye!"

With that, Chen Xiaoxi stood up, hands shoved into his pockets, and turned to leave.

"...?"

Seeing this, Kakashi was instantly dumbfounded.

Who negotiates like this?

If a single sentence doesn't go your way, you just walk out?

Couldn't you at least try to persist a little?

"Tsk."

After a brief moment of hesitation, Kakashi gritted his teeth, finally stood up, and said in a low, rapid voice:

"Wait!"

As the words fell, Chen Xiaoxi, who had his back to Kakashi, stopped in his tracks. A smile of expectation appeared on his face before he turned around and chuckled:

"What is it, Senior Kakashi? Have you changed your mind?"

"..."

Kakashi didn't speak. Instead, he took one last reluctant look at the Icha Icha Paradise in his hand, closed the book, and tossed it over.

"Thwack."

The yellow book traced a parabolic arc through the air and landed accurately in Chen Xiaoxi's hands.

A satisfied smile immediately spread across Chen Xiaoxi's face.

Got it!

"Ding! Congratulations to the host, side quest completed!"

"Collect one of Jiraiya's novels, Icha Icha Paradise (1/1), completed! Reward: Reiatsu +1000!"

The notification sound arrived instantly, and Chen Xiaoxi immediately felt a faint increase in the spiritual power within his body.

"Speak..."

"About this 'intelligence' you mentioned."

Kakashi sat back down, feigning composure as he spoke.

However, there was a faint tremor in his voice.

It had been years.

For several years, he hadn't heard the name "Obito" from anyone else's lips.

Throughout all of Konoha, throughout the entire Uchiha clan, it was as if everyone had long since forgotten the dead-last who perished in the war.

But Kakashi would never forget.

Ever since the Kannabi Bridge, he had kept everything about Obito etched in his memory.

And the Sharingan he possessed was the final gift Obito had left him.

Therefore, even though he didn't trust this brown-haired, golden-eyed youth at all, he wanted to hear what kind of intelligence he could possibly have.

He held onto this obsession, perhaps because, compared to death, he would rather believe in the fact that Obito was alive.

He had already lost everything important to him: his father, his teacher, Rin...

If Obito were still alive, no matter what, Kakashi had to find him!

"..."

Seeing Kakashi's earnest expression, Chen Xiaoxi's heart stirred slightly.

However, he did not sit back down, but instead smiled and said:

"What I am about to say might be completely different from what you are expecting, Senior Kakashi, so—"

"Please, try not to be too shocked."

"..."

Kakashi lowered his gaze and gave a faint nod, saying nothing.

Chen Xiaoxi, wearing a smile, spoke unhurriedly:

"Just as I said before—"

"Your dear friend, Obito Uchiha, did not actually die during the Battle of Kannabi Bridge; instead, he was saved by a kind old man."

"Afterward, under the careful guidance and brainwashing of that old man, he lived on with a brand-new posture and identity."

"So, if one day in the future,"

"You happen to see a man wearing an orange Spiral Mask, dressed in a Red Cloud Black Robe, and calling himself 'Madara Uchiha' somewhere."

"Then, do not hesitate—"

"Try to strike his face directly with a Chidori."

"Because, once you shatter that mask, you will likely see... a familiar face."

As he finished speaking, the smile on Chen Xiaoxi's face deepened.

"That is all the intelligence I have. Well then, farewell, Five-Five Split."

As soon as the words fell, Chen Xiaoxi raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

"Snap."

The moment the snap echoed, Chen Xiaoxi's figure instantly turned into an afterimage and vanished from the noodle shop's dining area.

Meanwhile, Kakashi remained frozen stiff in his seat.

His eyes were wide, his pupils constricted to the smallest point, and his heart felt as if it had stopped beating entirely!

Although he did not know why this youth had mispronounced his name as "Five-Five Split," there was no doubt—

These words had struck him like a bolt from the blue!

A moment later.

On the street outside the noodle shop.

Chen Xiaoxi walked forward while slowly flipping through a yellow book, a satisfied smile on his face.

Today, he had done a good deed.

The light of righteousness shone upon the land of the Ninja World~

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