Bluffing

"You're a dead man, Obito! No one could guess it was you."

"No!"

There was a threat in Obito's voice. "Zetsu, you need to understand that our plan cannot afford any mistakes. Better to kill the wrong person than let someone slip through.

Tell me where he is. This man has to die!"

"All right!"

Zetsu thought it over and agreed that Obito had a point. If Uchiha Yan really had guessed and then told Kakashi, they would be in serious trouble.

"He just left the Land of Rain and is on his way to the Land of Water battlefield. His exact location is..."

After getting the precise location, Obito quickly entered the Kamui Dimension.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Yan was sitting alone on the grass, looking at a map, completely unaware of the approaching danger.

Suddenly, the shadow of a head emerged from the ground, and Uchiha Yan sprang up instantly.

Then his hand tapped his thigh, and a fireball shot out behind him.

Obito's body, which had just materialized, quickly turned intangible. He looked at Uchiha Yan with approval in his eye.

"Not bad! A genius just like me."

When Uchiha Yan saw who it was, he froze. Why was Obito here? What did I do to offend him?

No! I can't fight him! I need to find a way to fool him. I'll have to put on the performance of my life!

Just as Obito was about to attack again, Uchiha Yan suddenly shouted:

"It's you! I know who you are! I was wondering how a perfectly normal Sharingan could advance for no reason. You really aren't dead.

Obito..."

Halfway through, Uchiha Yan covered his mouth, swept his gaze around the area, then lowered his voice:

"Are you on a secret mission, sir? Is that why you faked your death?"

"Huh?"

Obito froze. Wasn't he supposed to have figured out who attacked Konoha? How did I go from murderer to hero?

"Don't worry, sir! I haven't told anyone my theory. Even Kakashi only suspects that he might really have Uchiha Clan blood."

"Didn't you say I was the one who killed the Fourth Hokage?"

"How could that be possible!"

Uchiha Yan looked as though he thought Obito was pulling his leg.

"Kakashi only has a three-tomoe Sharingan. Your Sharingan are linked, so how could yours be a Mangekyō Sharingan?

That was the strongest tailed beast. Without a Mangekyō Sharingan, controlling it with just three tomoe would be a pipe dream.

Besides, even a Mangekyō Sharingan might not be enough. Only an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan like our ancestor Madara Uchiha's could guarantee it."

"You even know about the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Looks like you learned quite a lot in the Shrine!"

"Of course!"

Uchiha Yan puffed out his chest, his face brimming with confidence.

"There's nothing about Uchiha history I don't know. I even know about Yachihoko, the strongest ocular jutsu in Uchiha history."

"Yachihoko? What's that?"

"A Mangekyō Sharingan ocular jutsu that can remotely control other people's minds and chakra. According to the records, it can also freely give other people's chakra to anyone.

For example, if you were affected by Yachihoko, the caster could give your chakra to anyone in the Shinobi World from anywhere in the Shinobi World.

The records don't describe its exact effects. All they say is that she isn't dead, only sealed somewhere by the Senju and other clans."

"What do you mean, not dead? What era was he from?"

"The Warring States Era. Going by the dates, she should be over three hundred years old!

But her actual age is only in her teens. After all, she was sealed away. Even her name became taboo and wasn't preserved. All we know is that she was a girl."

Obito Uchiha slowly sat down. As far as he was concerned, he could kill Uchiha Yan whenever he wanted. Right now, he was more interested in what other information Uchiha Yan had that he didn't know.

"You know a lot, even secrets like that. Then do you know you're about to die?"

"Of course! Aren't I on my way to my death?"

The corners of Uchiha Yan's mouth slowly lifted. "As long as I die for a worthy cause, what's there to fear?

You're the one who has suffered most, Obito, carrying out a secret mission on the Fourth Hokage's orders.

Always in the darkness, with no one to understand you, no one to remember you, never able to use your true identity. You must have suffered more than anyone.

Compared to that, what's death?"

Obito was growing a little embarrassed by Uchiha Yan's words, and somewhat reluctant to kill him. After all, finding someone who understood him wasn't easy.

Though Uchiha Yan had misunderstood, he did indeed know the pain in Obito's heart.

"Sigh! Let's not talk about that. I heard you volunteered to die to protect your clansmen.

Is it worth dying for a bunch of arrogant people?"

"It's not about whether it's worth it, only whether I'm willing!"

Uchiha Yan's gaze was resolute. "Obito, those who deserve pity must have something hateful about them, and those who deserve hatred must have some sorrowful suffering.

I can't change my clansmen, but I hope I can influence them and help them change little by little.

In Konoha's eyes, the other ninja villages are evil. But in the other ninja villages' eyes, Konoha is evil.

Different positions mean different views of the same issues.

I haven't experienced what my clansmen have, so naturally, I have no right to judge them.

All I can do is tell them my beliefs. Whether they're willing to change isn't something I can control."

"What if you die, and they stay the same?"

"When pursuing your aspirations, you can't dwell on gains and losses, or you'll never succeed."

At that point, Uchiha Yan took a scroll from inside his clothes and handed it to Obito.

"Sir, I don't have much to give you on our first meeting. These are my insights from practicing the Great Fireball Technique. Follow the methods inside, and you'll be able to cast it instantly.

You risked exposing yourself to come find me, so you must have something important to ask.

While we still have time, go ahead! I'll tell you anything I know.

And don't worry! I won't tell anyone you exist. Once your mission is over, just have Kakashi look for a blue scroll in the clan head's home.

It contains my deductions about you. It can let you return to the village openly."

"You even thought of that?"

Obito was somewhat moved. "We'd never even met, yet you wanted to make plans for me?"

"You dwell in darkness, but your heart turns toward the light! The Fourth Hokage is dead, and no one knows you still exist. Since I have my suspicions, I'll save whoever I can before I die."

"As long as you come with me, I can keep you alive!"

"No! I have to go to the Land of Water!"

"All right!"

Obito's face was full of regret. "Can you tell me about Madara Uchiha?"

"Sure! According to the records, he awakened the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan by absorbing his younger brother's ocular power."

"I know all that. I want to know if there was anything unusual. For example, did he know cursed seals or sealing jutsu? How can they be undone?"

Hearing this, Uchiha Yan understood what Obito was thinking. He wanted to remove the cursed seal on his heart.

Uchiha Yan shook his head. "The records don't say. But breaking a cursed seal or seal depends on what kind it is.

For example, if it affects the soul, your only option is to look for the Uzumaki Clan's sealing jutsu.

If it affects the body or an organ, you could seek out Orochimaru. He's been conducting human experiments all along. Perhaps he can already grow new human bodies or organs.

There is one very strange thing in the information about Madara Uchiha."

"What's strange?"

"Why did he return to the village after defecting? He came back even though he knew he couldn't defeat the First Hokage. That's strange.

And as the Uchiha Clan Head, he just died like that? He clearly had a forbidden jutsu that could change reality, yet he didn't use it. That's strange.

Most importantly, he clearly wanted his clansmen to live in peace too, yet he suddenly changed his mind. That's strange.

If someone said it was for the Hokage position, I wouldn't believe it!"

Uchiha Yan shook his head. "If we could find the Senju Clan's records, we should be able to deduce it.

Sir, do you suspect Madara Uchiha used Izanagi, which is why he ended up with one eye, and want to find him for revenge?"

"Huh?"

Obito was dumbfounded. That works too? He hurriedly nodded.

"Yes! Is that what you think too?"