The Uchiha District was silent under the early morning sun, its streets bathed in stillness. Old buildings stood like forgotten sentinels, and a light breeze stirred the dust of the past. Kakashi and Sasuke walked side by side, each step quiet, yet heavy with emotion.
They reached the Uchiha graveyard, a small, secluded area behind the compound, fenced with simple stone walls.
The gravestones stood in neat lines, their engravings worn by time, but still stood proud. Sasuke led the way with certainty. He didn't hesitate. He'd visited many times before.
"There," he said softly, stopping before two gravestones standing side by side.
One was engraved with Fugaku Uchiha, and the other, Mikoto Uchiha.
"Ready?" Kakashi placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.
"Let's do it." Sasuke took a deep breath and gave a small nod.
They got to work quietly. There was no need for words, only silent respect. Kakashi used a silent earth manipulation jutsu to shift the soil. Sasuke knelt beside him, brushing aside dirt until two caskets were revealed.
When they opened them, both froze for a moment. Time had done its work, but the remains were still mostly intact.
Sasuke didn't flinch. He stared down at the skeletal forms of his parents, the ones he had seen only during that night, during the Uchiha Genocide. Now, he could bring them back in a way that would give them life, not control.
Kakashi carefully extracted bone fragments and a few strands of preserved hair from each, placing them into separate chakra-sealed containers.
Once done, he raised his hand and formed a long sequence of hand seals. A brilliant blue glow flowed into the ground, reshaping the dirt and cleansing the air around the site.
The graves were resealed perfectly, just as they had been. The bodies untouched by any eyes but theirs.
"I'll see you soon." Sasuke stared at the gravestones again and gave a small bow.
Kakashi simply nodded.
They didn't return home right away. Instead, they waited. Digging up graves during the day was already strange enough, doing it in the middle of the village would definitely draw attention.
Evening slowly gave way to night, and when the stars had fully risen, another figure joined them. Kurenai appeared beside Kakashi with a faint swirl of chakra, her red eyes glowing softly in the dark.
"Sorry, I'm late," she whispered. "I had to tell Anko I was just going out for fresh air."
"You don't need to explain to her. She'd probably want to come help dig." Kakashi gave a faint smirk.
Kurenai gave a dry chuckle, then led the way to the Village's common Graveyard. It was smaller than the Hokage Cemetery but kept clean and tidy. Lanterns hung nearby, left to honor fallen family.
She stopped before a single grave marked Shinku Yūhi.
Sasuke remained respectfully a few steps behind as Kurenai crouched beside it. She brushed the stone gently, lips trembling. "I'm sorry, Father," she whispered. "But… It's finally possible now. I want you back. Even if you're no longer a ninja. Even if you can only live quietly. That's enough."
"Let's begin." Kakashi knelt next to her.
Together, they carefully excavated the grave. Kakashi worked with delicate precision while Kurenai stood silently, fingers clenched. When they retrieved the bone sample and a preserved patch of cloth with hair clinging to it, Kakashi sealed the materials in a container.
He stood and closed his eyes, murmuring a few words before casting another complex jutsu. Blue light danced along the grave's surface, and the soil returned to its untouched state.
"Let's go home." Kurenai stood up, as she wiped her eyes.
Kakashi, however, stayed still.
"…You two go ahead," he said softly.
"What?" Kurenai blinked.
"I have one more stop to make. I won't be long."
"Where?" Sasuke frowned.
"It's something personal," Kakashi replied. "A gift for someone."
"Want me to come?" Kurenai tilted her head, slightly confused.
"No," he said with a faint smile. "Just trust me."
There was something final in his voice, something calm and unshakeable. Kurenai stared for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"Be careful," she said, and turned to leave with Sasuke, who gave one last glance over his shoulder before vanishing into the night with her.
….
The ANBU patrols around the Hokage Cemetery were no joke. Even after Danzo's fall, the site remained sacred. But Kakashi was no stranger to stealth, and now, he had something even more efficient.
He activated Mayfly.
His body melted into the ground, his chakra completely vanishing. It was his first time using it since fusing its nature into himself. He moved through the soil like mist, slipping past the patrols with absolute silence.
Eventually, he surfaced on the far side of the mountain, where the older graves used to be. His eyes scanned the area, then moved north, away from the Hokage memorial stones. The newer graves were also hidden here, away from the public eye.
And sure enough, he found it.
Two modest graves in a quiet grove, surrounded by trees.
One read:
Minato Namikaze–The Yellow Flash
The other:
Kushina Uzumaki–The Red Hot-Blooded Habanero
Kakashi stood still for a long time.
The wind rustled gently through the trees as if even nature knew to remain silent.
"…Sensei," Kakashi said quietly, kneeling by Minato's grave. "I'm sorry. You won't be able to come back yet… I know where your soul is. Locked in the belly of the Shinigami. But I won't try to tear you out yet."
His hand moved to the second grave, brushing across the name engraved on it.
"But Kushina-san… she's in the Pure Land. She can come back."
He thought about Naruto, about the boy who wore smiles like masks and jokes like armor. Kakashi had seen him laughing with Nawaki earlier… but there had been something hollow in his eyes when the topic of family came up.
This was something Naruto didn't even know he needed.
And Kakashi had the power to give it.
He silently opened the grave with Mayfly, his body vanishing into the earth. Within moments, he reappeared in the coffin chamber.
There was no fear, no second thoughts, only resolve. With careful hands, he extracted bone and hair, placing them into a double-sealed chakra container.
"Hang in there, Naruto," he whispered. "You won't be alone forever."
He closed the grave, sealing it again with reverence. The soil returned to its undisturbed state, and even the blades of grass reformed perfectly.
Then Kakashi used Mayfly again.
He vanished into the wind, a shadow through the roots of the trees.
It was a long time before he emerged outside the village, on a hilltop where no one could see him. The night was calm, and the stars were clear.
He looked at the sealed containers in his hand, two for Sasuke, one for Kurenai, and one… for Naruto.
A small smile formed on his lips.