Plan to Replace Obito

In the brief interval after Namikaze Minato gave the order, as the eleven-man team led by Kakashi and Uchiha Narong prepared to set out and infiltrate behind enemy lines, Uchiha Narong stood alone in the shadows at the edge of the assembly point, gazing toward the Land of Grass, where the sky had been stained red by the flames of war. Inside, he was far less calm than he appeared.

"Kannabi Bridge... Uchiha Obito... the awakening of the Sharingan... Madara Uchiha's Eye of the Moon Plan..." These keywords spun rapidly through his mind. His original plan had been to follow Orochimaru, borrow his scientific research capabilities to resolve the hidden dangers in his own chakra and Sharingan, steadily raise his strength, preserve himself amid the chaos to come, and even seek more. But now, fate—or rather, a higher-level arrangement—had pushed him to this crucial node in the original story.

"Madara Uchiha... Black Zetsu..." Narong's heart went cold. That old ancestor lurking in the shadows of the ninja world, and the mastermind hidden even deeper behind the scenes—had their eyes already noticed him, this unexpected variable? He was an Uchiha, possessed the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, had considerable talent, and was about to step onto the "stage" they had carefully prepared for Obito. Madara did not have much time left. He urgently needed a suitable Uchiha vessel to inherit his will and carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan. Obito was the originally designated pawn, but... did it absolutely have to be him?

Once that thought appeared, it grew wildly in Narong's heart like weeds. Replace Obito and become the successor chosen by Madara? That was undoubtedly seeking the tiger's hide—extremely dangerous. Madara's plan was essentially an illusion, and the peace created by the Eye of the Moon was false. But thinking about it from the other side, if he could make use of Madara's resources—especially the secrets of the Gedo Statue and the Rinnegan, and even Madara's knowledge and legacy regarding Yin–Yang Release and the Power of the Six Paths... was it possible to walk a different path?

The risk was enormous, but the reward was equally astonishing. The key lay in how to play his role well in this "show," or even... rewrite the script. For Obito's Sharingan to evolve into the Mangekyo Sharingan, it required an extreme shock of negative emotion, usually when losing someone dearest to him. In the original plot, it was Rin's death that stimulated Obito. If... if this time, Rin did not die, or if the one who died was not Rin, but something else sufficient to shock Narong's soul? Could his own Mangekyo Sharingan also awaken through this chance? He had been stuck at the peak of the Three-Tomoe Sharingan for some time now. His spiritual power, strengthened by transmigration and Orochimaru's "training," was far stronger than that of his peers. What he lacked was precisely that final step—an ultimate emotional outburst.

"The edge of life and death... the utmost emotion..." Narong's gaze grew deep. This battle would be the key to him actively stepping into the chessboard and seeking "benefits." He not only had to complete the mission, but also had to use this opportunity to try to touch the true essence of Uchiha power—the Mangekyo Sharingan. At the same time, he needed to observe whether Madara and Black Zetsu were watching him, and... whether he had the chance to become the more suitable pawn.

"Narong, are you ready?" Kakashi's calm voice came from behind him, cutting off his thoughts.

Narong turned around, his face already calm again, and nodded. "Ready to set out at any time, Kakashi."

Kakashi looked at him deeply, as if trying to read something in his eyes, but in the end he only tugged his mask down and said, "The mission is dangerous. Stay close to me. Obito, Rin, and everyone else—we are one team. Coming back alive is the top priority."

Uchiha Obito nodded hard from the side, tension and excitement on his face. "Don't worry, Kakashi! I'll definitely protect Rin and everyone! I'm the man who's going to become Hokage!"

Nohara Rin smiled gently, her gaze firm. "We'll succeed."

Looking at this still-green protagonist group, Narong felt conflicted. What he was about to do might completely change their fates, and it would also change his own path. This was a gamble, and the stake was his future—perhaps even the future of the entire ninja world.

"Move out." At Kakashi's command, twelve figures slipped into the dense forest like ghosts, racing toward the rear of the Hidden Stone, in the direction of Kannabi Bridge.

Kakashi lay prone in a thicket some distance from Kannabi Bridge, his sharp eye staring through the gaps between branches and leaves at the massive bridge spanning the canyon in the distance. Figures moved indistinctly around the bridgehead fortress, its defenses tight and vigilant. Beside him, Uchiha Obito nervously gripped a kunai, while Nohara Rin worked to steady her breathing. Behind them followed eight outstanding chunin.

"The guard force is beyond expectations," Kakashi said in an extremely low voice, cold and clear. "There are at least two—no, possibly three elite jonin with extremely strong chakra reactions stationed there. A direct demolition attempt would be suicide."

"Then what do we do? The mission has to be completed!" Obito growled urgently, the two tomoe of his Sharingan surfacing unconsciously.

"We need to create a large enough disturbance and completely draw away the main force, especially those elite jonin." Kakashi's mind worked rapidly as his gaze swept over the terrain map. "The south side of the bridge is a steep cliff, with rapid currents below. It's unfavorable for large-unit movement, but suitable for small-unit infiltration. The north side of the bridge is comparatively open terrain and connects to the Hidden Stone's main supply route. It's the defensive focus, and it must also be where the elite jonin are stationed."

Kakashi crouched on the damp moss, using the tip of his kunai to draw a simple terrain map in the soft mud. Obito and Rin watched intently, while Uchiha Narong stood quietly a little farther away, his gaze calmly sweeping over the map, revealing little emotion.

"That's the situation." Kakashi's voice came through his mask, carrying a calmness that did not match his age. "The bridge's defenses are very strong. There are at least two, and possibly even three, elite jonin. A frontal assault is the worst possible option."

He paused, then jabbed the tip of his kunai hard onto the position representing the cliff on the south side of the bridge. "We need to create chaos and scatter their forces. The best method is to split up." He raised his head. His exposed eye first looked at Obito and Rin, then finally landed on Uchiha Narong.

"I'll lead the frontal feint and draw the main fire." Kakashi's tone brooked no argument, carrying the natural authority of the team leader and the only jonin present. He did indeed believe himself to be the team's strongest fighter. This was confidence accumulated through countless missions, and also the natural assumption that came with the title of "Konoha genius." He understood Narong's strength—he had heard about him from Might Guy, and also knew he was Orochimaru's student, no ordinary chunin—but in Kakashi's understanding, he himself, with his rich experience, White Fang Swordsmanship, and Chidori, was still the only choice for executing the most crucial and most dangerous task. To restrain the elite jonin from the front, he believed it was his duty.

Then his kunai moved to the south side of the bridge on the map, the area representing the steep cliff and dangerous waters. "Below the southern cliff is the best route for infiltrating and placing the explosive tags, but it is also a dead ground where ambushes are extremely easy. Once discovered, the infiltrator will be trapped without support."

At this point, Kakashi's gaze locked onto Uchiha Narong again, sharp and clearly assessing. "Narong, your mission is to infiltrate alone from the southern cliff, find a chance to approach the bridge piers, and place the explosive tags."

This arrangement seemed to give the most dangerous task to Narong, but in Kakashi's tactical logic, it had its own reasoning. He acknowledged that Narong possessed the ability to carry out high-risk missions independently, or else he would not have arranged it this way. He judged that the pressure of restraining the elite jonin from the front was greater, and he, as the strongest point, needed to deal with it.

Before Narong could respond, Obito at the side could not help speaking first, worry on his face. "Hey, Kakashi! You're letting Narong go to such a dangerous place alone? That's way too reckless! What if..."

Kakashi cut him off, his tone cold but firm. "This is the optimal plan. The front needs to create enough noise to create an opportunity for infiltration. I believe Narong has the ability to complete this mission." Rather than an explanation to Obito, these words were another confirmation of Narong's ability, and at the same time, an invisible pressure—"I believe you can do it, so you had better do it."

At this moment, Uchiha Narong finally spoke, his voice calm and unruffled, making it impossible to tell whether he was nervous or confident. "I accept this mission."

Kakashi narrowed his eye, seeming somewhat surprised that Narong had agreed so readily. He pressed him further, his tone carrying a trace of a genius's almost instinctive doubt. "Are you sure? There may very well be ambushers there, possibly even elite jonin. Once you're tied down, it will be very difficult for us to support you in time." He needed to confirm that Narong was not blindly confident, but truly understood the danger of the mission.

Narong met Kakashi's appraising gaze. The Three-Tomoe Sharingan turned faintly deep in his eyes. His tone remained steady, but it now carried an unquestionable certainty. "That's exactly why someone needs to go. My Sharingan is suited for reconnaissance and infiltration. Acting alone will actually be more flexible. If there really are ambushers..." He paused briefly, and a very faint light flashed in his eyes. "I will deal with them, or at the very least create an opportunity for you to blow up the bridge."

These words not only expressed his stance, but also implicitly displayed his strength and resolve, and even hinted at the possibility that he would complete the mission at any cost. This was no longer simply accepting an order, but a promise filled with strong personal initiative.

Kakashi looked deeply at Narong, and Narong calmly looked back without the slightest evasion. After a brief silence, Kakashi nodded. "Good. Then it's settled." He withdrew his scrutinizing gaze. Narong's answer and attitude had at least temporarily dispelled some of his doubts. Perhaps this Uchiha really was, as Guy had said, a little different.

"Remember, after the demolition succeeds, immediately fire the green signal flare. No matter which side sees the signal, gather at the designated extraction point as fast as possible." Kakashi gave the final reminder and handed a green signal flare to Narong. "Move!"

The four looked at one another, said no more, and swiftly split into two groups, like drops of ink falling into water, silently blending into the depths of the dense forest in their respective directions. Kakashi's team rushed north, preparing to create chaos, while Narong, alone, slid like a ghost toward the southern cliff, where danger lurked on every side.