Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to look at the referee. Everyone caught on and turned toward Hyuga Hiashi as well.
Right, they couldn't see clearly, but the Byakugan certainly could.
Hiashi's cheek twitched. Then he took a deep breath and slowly began to speak.
"The fight itself was actually very simple. First, Uchiha Seiichi and Kakashi Hatake both threw smoke bombs at the same time.
Kakashi Hatake immediately used his signature ninjutsu, Lightning Blade, and charged toward Uchiha Seiichi.
Uchiha Seiichi, meanwhile, immediately created a Shadow Clone. Then he left the clone in place while his real body used the Body Flicker Technique to move behind Kakashi Hatake.
After Kakashi Hatake destroyed his Shadow Clone with Lightning Blade, he took advantage of Kakashi Hatake's momentary distraction to speak.
Kakashi Hatake instinctively turned around and met Uchiha Seiichi's Sharingan. You all know what happened after that."
After hearing this rather cursory account of the fight, everyone fell silent.
What could they say about this fight?
It was hard to judge!
Just then, Kakashi woke up too.
He abruptly sat up from the ground, then seemed to remember something.
His whole body flopped limply back down, and even his spiky white hair wasn't standing quite as firmly as before.
At the same time, he began to give off the air of a beaten loser.
Seiichi looked down at Kakashi with a smile and said, "Yuri, replace our war hero's eye. Be gentle. Don't damage the nerves in his eye socket.
And I'll gladly take the Hatake Style Swordsmanship."
Yuri sealed the saline bottle containing the Sharingan into a scroll.
Then she handed the scroll to Seiichi with both hands.
Seiichi put the scroll away, then approached Minato and held out his hand for the Hatake Style Swordsmanship and Hatake Sakumo's Training Notes.
Minato had no choice. Under the circumstances, he couldn't refuse to hand them over.
Seiichi opened them and began checking them, feeling that there probably wasn't anything wrong.
"Everyone, judging by the time, the barbecue at home should be almost ready. I'd better hurry home and eat it while it's hot. You're all welcome to visit the Uchiha anytime. Bye!"
Everyone watched as Seiichi waved to them and left with the Uchiha.
Kakashi got up without a word and silently left the arena.
Watching Kakashi walk away, Minato was filled with worry. He decided to talk to Kakashi and help him get through this low point.
This duel also caused a sensation around Seiichi within the Uchiha Clan.
Previously, without a concrete point of comparison for his strength and talent, the ordinary clan members had known he was formidable, but had no real idea just how formidable he was.
Now that they had Kakashi Hatake as a point of comparison, the ordinary clan members had a clearer understanding of him, and they were all full of anticipation for Seiichi's future.
As for the duel between Seiichi and Kakashi, all that could be said was that everyone had come out ahead except Kakashi, who had lost even the shirt off his back. That included the spectators in the stands.
Seiichi successfully recovered a Mangekyō Sharingan and obtained the Hatake Style Swordsmanship, opening up an entirely new path of training for his clan members.
The spectators, led by Hiruzen Sarutobi, obtained "intelligence" on Seiichi without lifting a finger, making it easier to counter him effectively in the future.
Only Kakashi was the certified biggest loser.
First, he had taken a beating.
The eye that embodied his friendship with his best friend was gone too, leaving him a one-eyed cripple.
Even his family's exclusive, incredibly sharp swordsmanship was about to become commonplace!
It was too much. Just thinking about it was enough to make him fall apart.
A few days later, Minato visited Kakashi's home.
He found Kakashi sitting by the window, his mask wrapped diagonally across his face, staring blankly into the distance with his one remaining eye.
"Kakashi, I know you're upset. But defeat isn't everything. You still have a long road ahead of you," Minato comforted him.
Kakashi raised his head, a trace of uncertainty flashing in his eye. "Sensei, I don't know if I'm really suited to being a ninja..."
Minato gently patted Kakashi's shoulder. "Everyone faces setbacks. What matters is how you face them. You have outstanding talent and perseverance. As long as you keep going, you'll definitely become an excellent ninja."
Hearing Minato's words, Kakashi gradually felt a surge of strength within him.
"Thank you, Sensei. I'll work hard," Kakashi said.
"Kakashi, this defeat isn't the end."
Minato spoke earnestly. "On the contrary, it's a new beginning. You need to learn from it and improve yourself. Besides, you aren't fighting alone. I believe you'll be able to overcome these difficulties."
Kakashi nodded slightly, his gaze growing a little firmer.
Minato continued, "As for the Sharingan, although you've lost it, perhaps this is an opportunity for you to uncover your own potential.
Your family's swordsmanship is powerful too. Otherwise, Uchiha Seiichi wouldn't have specifically asked for it, so don't overlook it."
Kakashi thought for a moment and seemed to understand something.
"I'll take another look at myself and find my own path." He stood up, his expression beneath the mask turning resolute.
Minato smiled in relief. "I believe in you, Kakashi."
As their conversation ended, the uncertainty in Kakashi's heart gradually faded, and he prepared to embark on a new journey.
Konoha Hospital also sent some good news: they could arrange an eye transplant for Kakashi.
Seiichi had stayed home these past few days, constantly thinking about just which troublemaker had made the current situation slip somewhat beyond his grasp.
Day after day, he wrote all sorts of jumbled things in his room, filling stack after stack of scrap paper.
Finally, he figured out all the things that had previously escaped his control.
It turned out that Seiichi himself was the reason Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others had been able to break free of the plot he knew.
According to the original plot, after the Third Shinobi World War, Danzo successfully schemed against Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Forced to take responsibility for the setbacks in the Third Shinobi World War, he stepped down, ushering in the brief era of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
Then, that same year, Kushina became pregnant. Tuzige sneaked back into the village and, while Kushina was giving birth, released the Nine-Tails sealed inside her, setting off the famous Nine-Tails' Attack.
After that, the Fourth Hokage and his wife both sacrificed their lives to seal the Nine-Tails again, leaving behind only their son, the new Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, who was also the main protagonist of Naruto-Naruto Uzumaki!
Finally, the curtain rose, and the story of Naruto officially began.
Oh, right, he almost forgot. Biwako Sarutobi also lost her life in all of this. She was the wife of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
But look at things now.
Because an outside influence named Uchiha Seiichi had too great an impact, the Konoha F4 had not only stopped scheming against one another but had started banding together instead.
That meant Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't be forced to take the blame. Given his personality, there was absolutely no way he would voluntarily give up the Hokage's power and announce his retirement for no reason.
According to the plot, Hiruzen Sarutobi still had over a decade left to live.
Besides, he hadn't died of old age. His ever-so-filial student, Orochimaru, had personally sent him on his way.
Now, without competition from the Fourth Hokage, Orochimaru wouldn't need to defect either.
Going by his natural lifespan, even a dozen or so years might not be enough if they wanted him dead.
That left the Fourth Hokage even further out of reach.
At that thought, Seiichi felt a headache coming on.
Fuck, after all that, the biggest troublemaker here was actually me?!
Before you continue