"Obito, why are you interested in this kid?"
Under the silver moon, in the warped dimensional space hanging above the Hokage Rock in Konoha, a grotesque pitcher-plant form stirred. Half of its face pale white, it leaned closer, curiosity lacing its voice.
He didn't understand Obito's fixation. Then again, Black Zetsu rarely explained anything either. Perhaps it was best not to ask too much.
"I'm not very interested in him. He's just a slightly more capable ordinary person."
Obito's voice was cold, yet almost casual. Though White Zetsu was foolish, these strange creatures had been his only company during his most wretched moments. He could tolerate their chatter.
"My interest lies in his teammate—Uchiha Shisui. And in a new toy I've discovered."
"Didn't you say he was a seed before?"
White Zetsu tilted its head, confused. But when Obito's Sharingan eye glimmered faintly in warning, the pale half of the plant quickly waved both hands.
"Relax, relax. Whether he's a toy or a seed—does it really matter?"
Obito said nothing more, just gave a single, decisive nod. At that moment, the dark half of the pitcher-plant finally spoke, voice deep and measured.
"Are you planning to use this boy to influence Uchiha Shisui… or even Uchiha Itachi?"
"I do have that in mind."
Obito did not conceal it. His words were sharp, deliberate.
"Uchiha Itachi has already awakened his Sharingan under my guidance. But this is not his limit. And Shisui—barring accident—already bears the Mangekyō. If so, wouldn't it be wasteful not to test them?
To uncover the ability of Shisui's eyes. To take those eyes for myself, perhaps. Or to drive him from Konoha. Or to use him to push Itachi into awakening further power. None of these possibilities can be ignored."
The monstrous plant nodded. It was indeed a strategy worth pursuing. Still, curiosity lingered.
"A good plan. But how will you do it?"
At that simple question, Obito fell silent.
Because he had no answer. At times, he still acted on impulse—just as when he'd overheard Hatake Kakashi mutter that Uzumaki Kushina had been pregnant. That single overheard line had become the spark that ignited the Nine-Tails Incident.
'Too hasty… I was too hasty then.'
The black half of Zetsu knew Obito's flaws well. His silence spoke volumes.
"We know too little of this boy. Better we gather information first. Then plan with patience."
Obito's visible eye narrowed, then slowly he gave another short nod. "Mm. We'll do that."
…
"Achoo."
In a lively barbecue shop in Konoha, Hidezawa suddenly sneezed hard enough to rattle the chopsticks in his hand.
Uzuki Yugao, sitting close beside him, immediately turned in concern. "What's wrong? Did you catch a cold?"
"I don't know."
Hidezawa rubbed his nose, then chuckled faintly. "Maybe someone's speaking ill of me somewhere."
"You…" Yugao shook her head, laughing despite herself. "Who would waste their time doing that?"
"Just kidding." Hidezawa grinned, flipping a slice of meat from the grill and sliding it into Yugao's bowl. "Senpai, try this one. I grilled it myself."
Her cheeks warmed. "I can serve myself. Someone's watching…"
"So, when no one's around—"
"Stop talking nonsense!"
Yugao swatted lightly at him, her face now tinged pink. Hidezawa only smiled knowingly. He was an old hand at this. Sometimes, being just a little shameless was the best approach.
What he had told Kabuto—that 'without indulgence, all actions lose their joy'—wasn't entirely a joke. He wouldn't cross the line, but having been reborn in this shinobi world, why shouldn't he plan to marry a few wives?
Of course, he never forgot priorities. His true goal remained clear: to inherit Shimura Danzo's legacy, piece by piece. But that didn't mean he couldn't prepare some foundations for his own future along the way.
'Besides,' he thought smugly, lifting another slice onto the grill, 'Konoha has plenty of unique flavors to try. Isn't tasting them all just part of doing my good deeds?'
He gave himself a small, invisible thumbs-up before glancing around at their gathering.
Originally, tonight had been meant as a small celebration—just the three of them, their squad. But Shisui hadn't arrived yet, and after the Kakashi incident earlier, two more had joined.
Hatake Kakashi himself had come to express thanks, and he'd brought along Tenzo, newly renamed from "Kinoe".
Tenzo looked a little stiff, but his eyes lingered on Hidezawa with something like quiet trust. After all, even if they'd never spoken much before, they were both products of Root. Survivors. That alone created a kind of bond.
"Hidezawa," Kakashi said, using Hidezawa's proper name with respect, "thank you again for what you did this afternoon."
Kakashi's single visible eye softened. "If it weren't for you, I doubt I would have gotten out of there unharmed."
"Yes… thank you, Owl—ah, I mean, Hidezawa." Tenzo quickly corrected himself, though the Root codename almost slipped by instinct.
Hidezawa chuckled and waved it off. "Don't thank me. It was Hokage-sama's command. And don't call me by that name anymore. You're free now, Tenzo. Congratulations on leaving that place behind."
He kept serving meat into Yugao's bowl while he spoke, but then frowned faintly. "Still… isn't it strange? Why isn't Shisui-senpai here yet? He's usually the first one to arrive."
"Oh, you don't know?" Yugao glanced at him sidelong, lips pursing slightly before she answered. "After we disbanded, he said he finally had a break and wanted to train with his younger brother. He said he might come later tonight."
"Brother?"
Hidezawa's chopsticks froze in midair. His expression shifted slightly.
Uchiha Shisui's younger brother… wasn't that Uchiha Itachi, the one who would one day slaughter his clan?
"Yes." Yugao continued, smiling faintly. "Shisui-senpai's clan brother is something of a prodigy. He graduated the Academy early—almost breaking Kakashi-senpai's record. I hear he's already preparing for the upcoming Chūnin Exams."
Kakashi rubbed at his head awkwardly. He hadn't expected to be dragged into the comparison. "Graduating early isn't always good. Staying longer, you make more friends. Bonds are worth more than promotion speed."
His words came from deep scars. He had once dismissed the value of comrades, until those very comrades had saved him from himself.
"That depends on the individual." Hidezawa countered with a shrug. "Especially with the Uchiha."
He remembered well—it wasn't that Uchiha Itachi couldn't have stayed in school. It was that he never valued his classmates. Even as a boy, he slipped away using Shadow Clone Jutsu, choosing instead to train at Shisui's side.
And his father, the rigid head of the clan, would never have been satisfied with mediocrity. He'd raised his son as both weapon and heir.
Hidezawa frowned slightly. 'A man who could watch his entire clan perish by his own son's hand… I'll never understand that kind of madness.'
'But speaking of the Uchiha…' Hidezawa mused, eyes narrowing. 'Wasn't there another genius—one so strong his very name echoes underground?'
Talent mattered. It was something Hidezawa respected above almost all else. Perhaps one day, he thought, he might even dig up that particular treasure himself.
But before the thought could settle, a firm knock, knock rattled against the sliding door of their private room.
*****
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