Chapter 47: Kakashi's Psychological Treatment
Seeing Uchiha Kazuki's determination, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't push the matter any further.
"Very well. Since you've made your choice, I won't say anything more."
He relit his pipe, took a few thoughtful puffs, and then spoke slowly. "Now, for the second matter—I'm appointing you as one of the proctors for this year's Chunin Exams."
"What?"
Uchiha Kazuki was genuinely surprised, struggling to follow the Hokage's reasoning.
Typically, Chunin Exam proctors were selected from the Hokage's direct supporters and loyal subordinates. It was a prestigious position that helped build recognition and cultivate future leadership.
Like in the future timeline, the proctors for Naruto's generation—shinobi like Hayate Gekkō, Kotetsu Hagane, and Izumo Kamizuki—were all connected to the Hokage's faction to varying degrees.
The benefits were obvious: it promoted the Hokage's influence and made it easier to groom loyal followers.
Even when exceptions were made, members of the Uchiha clan were rarely given such opportunities to build their reputation.
So what was Sarutobi Hiruzen playing at now?
Uchiha Kazuki kept his expression neutral. "Hokage-sama, I'm currently assigned to ANBU. Isn't this appointment unusual?"
"It's fine, don't overthink it."
Hiruzen Sarutobi saw through his concern immediately and waved his hand dismissively with a knowing smile. "Having you proctor the Chunin Exams serves two purposes—it's both a show of trust and a test of your abilities."
"A test?"
Uchiha Kazuki blinked.
"Heh, regardless, this will be beneficial for your future."
Hiruzen Sarutobi revealed an enigmatic smile and gestured to indicate the discussion was over. "It's settled, then. You'll be one of the proctors. Nara Shikaku will brief you on the details."
"Understood, Hokage-sama."
Uchiha Kazuki nodded in acceptance.
Being a proctor for the Chunin Exams wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps he could gain something unexpected from the experience.
Clutching the scroll containing the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags technique, Uchiha Kazuki tucked it away securely, then decided to make a detour to the Hatake estate.
The once-vibrant Hatake family compound was now eerily quiet and lifeless.
Ever since Sakumo Hatake—the legendary White Fang—had failed his mission and taken his own life, his only son, Kakashi, had locked himself away in his room. The boy refused to see anyone or speak to anyone, withdrawing completely from the world.
Looking at the desolate courtyard through the gate, Uchiha Kazuki knew that knocking wouldn't work. He'd have to use a different approach.
With a light leap, he vaulted over the high wall.
The moment his feet touched the ground, a short, slender figure appeared in the corridor. Half his face was covered by a black mask, but his features were still clearly handsome. His silver hair caught the sunlight with a faint gleam, yet the once-bright young boy now radiated an aura of deep melancholy and premature aging.
"Uchiha Kazuki. What are you doing here?"
Kakashi recognized him immediately. His voice was hoarse and rough, like gravel scraping against stone—hard to believe it belonged to a six or seven-year-old child.
"Someone asked me to check on you."
Uchiha Kazuki answered honestly. "From the looks of it, you haven't eaten in quite a while, have you?"
"None of your business," Kakashi replied coldly, his tone final and unyielding. "You're not welcome here. Leave."
"Are you still wallowing in grief over your father's death?"
Uchiha Kazuki stared directly into the boy's eyes, his Sharingan subtly activated as he observed Kakashi's emotional state.
Yes—the boy was drowning in sorrow, trapped in the pain of losing his father, unable to pull himself free from the suffocating grief.
But deeper within his heart, barely perceptible beneath the surface, was another emotion: anger.
The target of that anger was obvious—the people responsible for all of this, and those damned villagers who spread vicious rumors and drove the White Fang to his death.
Not enough. Far from enough.
If it was only this level of anger, it wouldn't be sufficient to truly change a person. Kazuki needed to make Kakashi even angrier, to stoke those emotions until they consumed him—only then could he guide the boy toward a different path.
"I said leave!"
Still just a child, Kakashi's voice carried a sharp edge of anger after being provoked by just a few words.
"Are you angry? Or are you just putting on a show?"
However, Uchiha Kazuki had no intention of leaving just because of a few threats. He continued calmly, "Forgive my bluntness, but this kind of behavior only makes you look more pathetic and weak."
"You—what did you just say?!"
Pathetic? Weak?
Those words pierced his heart like needles, causing Kakashi to instantly lose control of his emotions. He glared at Kazuki with the ferocity of an enraged lion.
"Not bad. That look does bear some resemblance to the White Fang."
Uchiha Kazuki adjusted his glasses, his dark eyes gleaming with quiet intensity as he spoke calmly. "However, that still doesn't change the fact that you're a coward, Kakashi."
"You!!!"
Kakashi instantly drew his short sword halfway, his eyes blazing with fierce killing intent. "Apologize! Right now! Or I'll make you regret this!"
"If you had just attacked me directly, perhaps I would have apologized."
Uchiha Kazuki's lips curled into a playful, mocking smile. "But unfortunately, you don't have the courage. I'm even more disappointed in you now. I actually feel sorry for the White Fang—that he ended up with such a pathetic, cowardly son."
"Bastard! I'll kill you!!!"
Kakashi could no longer control himself, his anger flooding his mind completely.
Shing!
The short sword was fully drawn, gleaming with deadly light.
Fallen leaves swirled through the courtyard corridor as the small figure vanished in an instant, approaching like a silent ghost.
Kakashi lowered the sharp blade a few inches—aiming for a non-vital area—and swung horizontally. He was absolutely confident this foul-mouthed jerk would spend at least a few days in the hospital.
But things didn't go as expected.
Just as the blade was about to connect with Uchiha Kazuki, Kazuki's hand shot out and seized Kakashi's right wrist in an iron grip.
His five fingers were like steel clamps. With just a slight application of pressure, Kakashi's wrist made a sickening crack.
"Ahhh!!!"
Excruciating pain exploded through his right wrist and shot up his arm, leaving Kakashi drenched in cold sweat.
"I have to commend you—such an obvious attack and sloppy technique truly dishonors the White Fang's swordsmanship legacy."
Kazuki shook his head with feigned regret. The crimson Sharingan gleaming in his pupils sent a chill down Kakashi's spine.
"By the way, let me teach you a valuable lesson: don't make threats you can't back up. It only reveals your weakness."
"Uchiha, you—!"
Before Kakashi could finish his threat, he was suddenly flipped ninety degrees in midair.
Uchiha Kazuki gripped his wrist and hurled him away like discarded trash. Kakashi crashed through a wooden pillar in the corridor and slammed heavily into the wall of his own room.
Kakashi tried desperately to rise to his feet, but his broken wrist combined with internal injuries from the impact kept him grounded. After several failed attempts, he could only glare fiercely at his opponent, trying to express his hatred through that burning stare alone.
"Let me tell you something, Kakashi."
Uchiha Kazuki smiled from the courtyard, his Sharingan spinning lazily. "When a real shinobi has the thought 'I'll kill him' cross their mind..."
Before he even finished speaking, he vanished and reappeared inside the house in an instant.
Before Kakashi could even process his shock, Uchiha Kazuki delivered a devastating kick to his stomach.
"—the deed is already done!"
WHAM!
The sudden, brutal blow to his abdomen caused Kakashi to cough up a mouthful of bile, sending him tumbling backward through the air.
The fragile wooden door shattered under the impact, and Kakashi finally stopped after flying several meters—crashing into the solid concrete wall on the far side of the room.
His internal organs felt like they'd been scrambled. The intense abdominal cramping caused Kakashi's eyes to become bloodshot as he continued vomiting blood.
"Ugh..."
Kakashi's mind was in complete chaos, unable to process what was happening.
What is this guy even doing here?
Could it be that Obito's been holding a grudge and sent him to kill me?!
His throat burned as he continued coughing violently, blood staining his lips.
[End of Chapter 47]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+10 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]
If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a Review!
P*atreon/DarkFoxx (30+ advanced chapters)