So Uchiha Gen had sensed Namikaze Minato as soon as he stepped through the Uchiha gate. At first, though, Gen had assumed Minato was there to see Fugaku. He hadn't expected Minato's target to be him!
"I came to trouble you because of Obito. Since he's already been honored as a hero and his name carved into the memorial stone, I couldn't be certain of the truth, so I had to come speak with you in private, Gen," Namikaze Minato said helplessly. Obito had been his student, after all, and as his team leader, Minato knew him better than anyone. It was hard to believe Obito could do such a thing. That boy had always dreamed of becoming Hokage!
"So that's what this is about? We shouldn't discuss it here. Come to my place. Itachi, if you're done here, you can head back," Uchiha Gen said, waving Uchiha Itachi away.
Huh? Itachi? Wasn't the boy's name Itachi? Had Minato gotten it wrong just now? How embarrassing! Kushina really ought to know better than to forget the name of her best friend's child.
"Yes, Senior Gen." Uchiha Itachi didn't seem particularly bothered. In the world of shinobi, it was common for people not to pry into things they shouldn't know. Still, the name Obito sounded familiar!
Uchiha Clan Compound ~ Uchiha Gen's Small House
"There's not much to offer you. Have some plain water to wet your throat." There was milk at home, too, but it wasn't as if Gen could serve someone breakfast milk. Plain water was better than that!
"Uh, your place certainly has a unique style, Gen." Serving a guest plain water? Did that mean the house had no other drinks at all? The Uchiha Clan was Konoha's largest clan, after all. Minato grumbled to himself.
"The person who controlled the Nine-Tails that night was Obito. During the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, a boulder crushed half his body, but he didn't die." Eager to dispel the awkwardness, Uchiha Gen quickly changed the subject.
At that, Namikaze Minato forgot all about the plain water.
"But even if Obito survived that, there's no way he could have lived. The battle was urgent, and given the severity of his injuries, only Lady Tsunade could have kept him alive if she'd arrived right away," Minato reasoned. He hadn't witnessed it himself, but after reading Kakashi's report, he felt he understood the situation well enough.
"Tsunade wasn't the only one who could save him. Someone else rescued Obito, and that person had deep ties to the Uchiha Clan. You've surely heard of him: Madara Uchiha." Uchiha Gen had just dropped a bombshell.
Who hadn't heard of the legendary duo of the Warring States era, or of Madara Uchiha, the Asura of the Ninja World? But hadn't Madara been dead for decades? According to Konoha's historical records, Madara had defected from Konoha, then returned a few years later with the Nine-Tails and fought Senju Hashirama, the First, for thousands of rounds. Madara had died in the end, while Hashirama won a narrow victory despite his injuries. As the current Hokage, Namikaze Minato knew Konoha's history inside and out.
"Madara Uchiha really did die back then. But the Uchiha Clan has a forbidden technique that can rewrite reality at the cost of one Sharingan. It's called Izanagi. Madara used it to fool the world and fake his death. Given how well the Second, Senju Tobirama, understood the Uchiha Clan, he should have suspected Madara's death was a trick. But even if he had suspicions, he couldn't have uncovered the truth. After all, it was Madara Uchiha." Uchiha Gen explained.
"How did you find all this out, Gen? Has the Uchiha Clan been in contact with Madara all these years?" Namikaze Minato guessed.
"How could that be? After Madara Uchiha defected from Konoha, the Uchiha Clan chose not to leave with him, and their ties were severed. Maybe Elder Setsuna is the only one in the Uchiha Clan who still misses Madara." Uchiha Gen rested his chin in his hands, lost in thought.
"As for how I know all this, it's because my Mangekyō gives me the ability to see the future!" Making up a story didn't cost a thing. As for the Mangekyō's real ability, it was best to keep it vague. The more confused everyone was, the easier it would be to stay hidden.
"Seeing the future? That's an incredible ability!" Namikaze Minato marveled. Thankfully, Uchiha Gen was one of Konoha's own. His personality wasn't the best, but at least he wouldn't threaten the village. His willingness to step in when Konoha was in danger proved he was a good person at heart!
The only shame was that Uchiha Gen's relationship with the Third Hokage and the others was so poor. But the Third Hokage had stepped back from the limelight, and Minato was Hokage now. Gen's relationship with the Third Hokage wouldn't affect Konoha's future. In a village as large as Konoha, everyone had a few colleagues they didn't get along with.
"What's happened to Obito now? What did he go through, and why did he attack Konoha? He still has so many comrades here!" Namikaze Minato asked a string of questions.
"When Uchiha Obito was in danger, Madara Uchiha rescued him. But nothing in this world comes for free. Madara saved Obito because he wanted to use him. Madara was already old, and his strength had greatly diminished. But to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan, he chose the kind-hearted, naive Obito to inherit it. As the Uchiha Clan Head who had awakened the Mangekyō, no one understood better than Madara how it was awakened. Obito's innocence and kindness were the perfect fuel for awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan." Uchiha Gen took a sip of water and continued.
So much had happened behind the scenes? Minato truly hadn't been much of a teacher.
"To make Obito awaken his Mangekyō, Madara Uchiha personally orchestrated the fate of Nohara Rin and Kakashi. Whether it was Kirigakure sealing the Three-Tails inside Rin or Kakashi piercing Rin's chest, Madara wanted Obito to see it all. Only when the Uchiha Clan lost what they treasured most would their legendary eyes awaken! Uchiha Obito awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan on the spot after seeing his teammate Kakashi kill Nohara Rin with the Chidori!" Uchiha Gen lifted his cup, only to find it empty.
"So that's what happened. No wonder Obito did such a thing. But luckily, you intervened, Gen, and prevented a disaster. We can still make things right! I'll bring Obito back, no matter what." Namikaze Minato drew a deep breath and spoke heavily.
"Don't bother. Obito has gone completely dark. All he wants is to create a world where Rin exists. Nothing else matters to him—not you, Kushina, Kakashi, the Uchiha Clan, or Konoha. None of it means anything to him. Right now, his only goal is to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan Madara told him about."
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