After saying goodbye to Obito and Lin, Kakashi headed home alone. Today's main task was to meet the new Jonin team leader. Now that was done, it was time to train.
Just as Kakashi was getting ready to practice in the yard, a head poked out of the living room floor, followed by half a body made of earth.
Hakushi's Earth Clone—Earth General.
"Coming at this hour, is there something you need?"
Kakashi asked without idly pretending to be surprised.
Earth General placed a scroll in Kakashi's hand, then burrowed into the ground and vanished.
After Earth General left, Kakashi unsealed the scroll and read its contents.
When he finished, Kakashi's brow furrowed.
The intel was brief: his new teammate, Uchiha Obito, had drawn the attention of some mysterious force.
Which meant he should also be careful while on Minato's team. Anything that happened needed to be handled with caution.
"That idiot, huh. What good is there in targeting that guy?"
Kakashi was a little surprised. He never thought that idiot had anything worth coveting, but since something had already happened, he really did need to keep an eye out.
Kakashi burned the scroll, leaving no trace behind. Only then did he head to the yard to begin swordsmanship practice.
◎
After delivering the intel to Kakashi, Earth General began tailing one of the targets, shadowing them as they traveled.
The other party moved through the earth all day before stopping. This wasn't in the Land of Fire anymore.
Earth General realized the enemy's stronghold was probably just up ahead.
According to existing intel, the enemy's side had a Sharingan ninja with powerful pupil techniques—not an opponent to be underestimated.
Illusion Techniques were far too troublesome; it wasn't suited to going head-to-head with this kind of enemy.
Therefore, Earth General decided it had to be extra cautious moving forward.
Earth General let the Water Clone inside its body come out.
Then it took out a slip of paper and wrote a note.
—In five minutes I'll blow up the enemy's base on time. Five seconds later, immediately use Reverse Summoning Jutsu to call me back.
Against powerful Illusion Techniques, Earth General was obviously very wary.
So, it instructed the water snake to reverse summon it five seconds after the explosion, just to avoid direct conflict with the enemy.
The water snake formed from flowing water nodded, then slithered into the grass and vanished from sight.
Earth General began burrowing underground, cautiously exploring forward.
◎
"Lord Madara, I found a great target. This one definitely meets your standards."
In the dimly-lit cave, White Zetsu returned with good news.
The old man sitting on the wooden chair—Uchiha Madara—immediately opened his eyes. Crimson magatama flickered eerily, locking onto White Zetsu.
White Zetsu wasn't even a little afraid, grinning airheadedly at Madara.
"Lord Madara, here's the info on that kid. I've pretty much collected it all. I guarantee, he's the perfect candidate."
White Zetsu couldn't wait to spill everything about Obito to Madara.
Personality, dreams for the future, daily habits, his crush, and even how many times he helped little old ladies cross the street in a day—everything was recorded without missing a detail.
"Honestly, it's kind of bizarre. Sometimes, in just one day, that kid helps over twenty old ladies. Even I was amazed by how often he bumps into them. That special 'old lady magnet' constitution is weirder than anything we have."
White Zetsu chuckled cheerfully.
Madara didn't care about White Zetsu's cartoonish tone. Except for its stealth skills, Madara doubted this creature had anything resembling a brain.
Most of what White Zetsu said went straight from NB (no brain)—to mouth.
Madara knew this all too well.
Listening carefully to White Zetsu's report, Madara quickly pieced together a vivid image of Obito in his mind.
Overflowing with love and kindness, not the brightest, cherished his friends, and—an Uchiha ninja.
This really was the perfect candidate.
"Uchiha Obito, huh?"
"Exactly. Lord Madara, you want me to bring him in right now?"
White Zetsu asked.
"No, not yet. The time isn't right. How his future is arranged is going to be complicated."
Madara replied, composed.
"Oh? So we put things on hold for now. Still, a bit hard to believe in this brat. Not exactly a genius of the Uchiha Clan."
White Zetsu was talking about the Sharingan.
"When you awaken your eye has nothing to do with talent. Everyone lives a different life. For the Uchiha—the ones who seek power must fall into darkness. To see what you cherish destroyed with your own eyes… that's when the downfall begins. Then, letting him witness all the Ninja Realm's darkness and tragedy… to stimulate himself with even more darkness. That is the fate of a puppet."
The darker the experience, the faster the Sharingan grows.
Especially for a kind-hearted Uchiha—the greater the former kindness and love, the deeper the descent into darkness.
Such intense darkness would spur the Sharingan's evolution.
"Well, isn't that something to look forward to."
White Zetsu giggled cheerfully.
He couldn't understand human grudges. Whether joy or grief, he'd never experienced it.
Madara's order was the will of the White Zetsu.
No need to think—just execute the commands as given.