Naruto: Uchiha Rejects Konoha

Fortunately, Danzō had already embraced the teachings of the Sage of Six Paths; otherwise, he would have to fight against Obito.

Although I claim to have borne enough blame, I truly didn't do anything about Kakashi's Sharingan! Not to mention deceiving my eyes—I didn't even see it happen…

"What should we do now? Danzō is gone without even a scrap left, and Konoha has nearly emptied everything he left behind. Your eyes…"

Black Zetsu was also at a loss for words. He had been secretly stirring the pot for so long before Obito finally resolved to act against Kakashi to retrieve his eyes. Now, with the eyes reclaimed, it turned out Obito wasn't the troublemaker he had anticipated.

"What else can we do? That old dog Danzō used Izanagi on all his eyes before he died. I'm afraid my eyes were among them. Now, we can only proceed covertly. It's best not to provoke the Uchiha."

Obito took several deep breaths, suppressing the anger welling up inside. It wasn't worth losing his temper over a personal grievance.

As for the eyes—if they're gone, they're gone. The priority now was to avoid unnecessary conflict with the Uchiha. The plan remained: wait for Nagato to fulfil his final purpose and then transplant Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan himself.

However, the Akatsuki's development had to be accelerated. Otherwise, there wouldn't be enough manpower to collect the tailed beasts when the time came. Obito couldn't rely solely on Kamui to transport Nagato across the five great nations.

While Nagato might agree to enter Kamui's dimension, Obito doubts the man's intentions. He couldn't trust Nagato completely, and Nagato, in turn, didn't trust him enough. This dynamic was fraught with complications.

As soon as he returned to Konoha, Yagami received news of Kakashi being attacked. Upon learning that his Sharingan had been stolen, Yagami immediately deduced that Obito was responsible.

It appeared that Mingfeng's Kenyu Thunder Punishment had placed immense pressure on Obito, pushing him to seek the complete Mangekyō Sharingan to face him.

However, Yagami had already sealed his other eye long ago. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of expression Obito would have when he discovered that he had taken a Sharingan of questionable utility.

As he followed the Anbu to the hospital, Yagami contemplated the situation. Kakashi remained unconscious after being struck by a genjutsu.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… It seems like every time I see Kakashi, he's in some pitiful state."

Looking at Kakashi, Yagami inwardly thought, poor guy.

Without further delay, he activated his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Yagami was no expert in medical ninjutsu or genjutsu, so he resorted to a straightforward method: overlaying one illusion with another and using his ocular power to counteract the genjutsu's effects.

The approach would likely succeed, but whether Kakashi's body and mind could endure it was another matter. Yagami wasn't concerned about any lingering side effects. The Third Hokage had only instructed him to wake Kakashi, so that's what he'd do.

"Oh, sinuses!" Yagami muttered.

As his eye power surged, Kakashi suddenly gasped and shouted, "Obito!"

What? Could Kakashi have already realized the masked man's true identity?

Yagami was momentarily taken aback. He couldn't tell if Kakashi's cry of "Obito" was due to recognizing the man behind the mask or because of the lingering effects of the illusion.

"Hey! What do you mean? Was the person who attacked you Obito?"

Yagami raised his eyebrows, sensing that the Third Hokage had brought someone along, and spoke immediately.

"Yes... no! What I saw should have been an illusion..." Kakashi stammered, his voice uncertain.

Kakashi was visibly shaken. He didn't believe at the time that the man behind the mask could be Obito, and he didn't want to accept it now. He convinced himself that what he had seen was merely an illusion. Yet, deep down, the familiarity he had felt during that fight gnawed at him.

But could he voice these thoughts?

"An illusion. Yet if we consider Obito as the masked man, many things suddenly make sense," Yagami speculated aloud. "How he could infiltrate Konoha without being detected, how he could attack Kushina during childbirth, why he repeatedly targeted you, and why he possessed a Sharingan."

Kakashi's face grew paler with each word, especially when Kushina's name was mentioned. His heart clenched with guilt and dread.

The Third Hokage, who had been standing just outside the door, overheard Yagami's reasoning. His expression turned grave. As wild as Yagami's theory sounded, the logic behind it was unsettlingly plausible.

If the masked man were from Konoha—or someone who had close ties to the Fourth Hokage and Kushina—it would explain the tragic events of that night.

Kushina's due date had been a closely guarded secret. After all, a Jinchūriki was most vulnerable during childbirth, both physically and in their ability to suppress the tailed beast. Konoha had deployed significant manpower to protect her and even moved her to a secret location. Yet, despite these precautions, the masked man had found her.

But if the masked man were Obito, why would he commit such heinous acts against his teacher and his teacher's family? Why would he rip the Nine Tails from Kushina's body, forcing Minato to sacrifice himself that night?

"Mr. Yagami!" Kakashi suddenly snapped. "You shouldn't make such claims lightly. There's a masked man, yes, but… I'm sorry. I failed to protect the Sharingan..."

Kakashi's voice faltered as he glanced at Yagami's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. His resolve wavered under Yagami's piercing gaze.

"Fine, let's leave the Sharingan aside for now," Yagami said, rolling his eyes. "You just said it wasn't the masked man who attacked you? Kakashi, you've been in the Anbu and are an Elite Jōnin. Do you really think that if you were unconscious, we couldn't deduce who attacked you? This is Konoha, after all. There are plenty of shinobi capable of such things, including me."

Yagami's tone was laced with exasperation. He was certain it was Obito behind the attack, though others might deduce it was simply the masked man. After all, Obito had previously appeared in Konoha, fighting both Jiraiya and Kakashi. Even if the details of his identity were unclear, Konoha's intelligence network could piece together basic patterns.

"I…"

"I don't have time to hear your excuses," Yagami interrupted. "If you have something to say, save it for the Third Hokage. I'm exhausted from rushing to the hospital for you."

With a dismissive wave, Yagami signaled that his work here was done. This was a matter best left in the Third Hokage's hands.

As he stepped out of the hospital, Yagami noticed the Third Hokage and his attendants nearby. He gave a slight nod in acknowledgement but refrained from engaging further. Instead, he pondered whether he could take this opportunity to check on Orochimaru.

However, as he exited the hospital gates, he caught sight of Yūhi Kurenai lingering nearby. She seemed hesitant, as though debating whether to step forward.

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