Morning came with two replies, one from Tsunade and the other from my father. Tsunade confirmed that Orochimaru was prepared for an attack then took the time to congratulate me on my successful work at the Mist front and a few reminders about my health. The letter from my father thanked me for seeing to Pakura's safe arrival and my excellent work on the front, but it also came with a letter from Minato.
"Akari,
"I need your help. I failed my team and allowed Obito to be killed. Kakashi lost an eye then took Obito's as a replacement at Obito's request. To make matters worse, he is insisting on returning to the front. I've got him under evaluation at the hospital, but with our limited numbers and multiple fronts, they won't hold him for long. The Stone front may be calming down with the peace talks, but we have numerous rogue ninjas that are moving through Amegakure, so I can't focus on the pair. I know that you have your own responsibilities, but your front also has the lowest number of casualties. Please... I've already failed them, and I can't allow any more harm to come to Kakashi or Rin."
"Minato"
I sighed after reading Minato's letter and rubbed my temple. With Minato asking me to watch over the pair, the matter became more complicated. Keeping them within the camp would anger Kakashi and also force Madara and Black Zetsu to manipulate the Mist into directly attacking the base or figuring out a way to sneak Rin out. If I sent them out, I would be sending them directly into the fire as Madara's plan requires Rin's death, and the more traumatic to poor Obito, the better in that man's twisted mind.
"It's rare to see such a serious expression on your face. What's wrong?" Shikaku asked.
"Minato and his students... Obito Uchiha was killed in the field, and Kakashi Hatake took one of his eyes as a replacement at Obito's request. To make things more complicated, Minato asked me to watch over Kakashi and Rin," I explained.
He gave a low whistle of surprise then remarked, "Civilian ninjas truly don't understand bloodline clans. Sending that Hatake boy here, with a Sharingan, is asking for trouble. Even if his father was the White Fang, that doesn't mean that the Uchiha will accept their Kekkei Genkai in the hands of an outsider; after all, the White Fang is dead."
"Perhaps, but the matter would come up at some point as he already transplanted the eye. At least if it is here, there are more important matters to focus on which could give the Uchiha time to get used to it, but you're right. I'll talk with Fugaku and see if I can find some kind of compromise to allow him to keep the Sharingan. If I can't, I'll apologize to Minato and ask my father to intervene in the future. The last thing that we need right now is to enrage the Uchiha."
"Good plan," he replied then turned his focus to the reports in front of him.
I stood up and stretched before heading out of the command center. With Shisui sleeping after his night duty, I left to see Fugaku personally as it would be a sign of respect, especially in this environment. The campground was well established by now, and everything had its proper place, including the tents of important ninjas. Fugaku's tent was not too far away from the command center, but far enough that it should not be pulled into a direct attack on it.
Outside of Fugaku's tent, a string of bells hung which I tapped and waited for his permission before I entered. His tent was simple with a cot, a desk and chair, and a storage trunk. Fugaku was sitting at the desk with a calligraphy brush in his hand, which he placed to the side when he saw I was the one to enter.
"Commander, how can I assist you?" he asked respectfully.
"I have some matters that I need to discuss with you; unfortunately, it comes with some sad news," I explained then waited to make sure that he understood before I continued. "Unfortunately, Obito Uchiha was killed in combat."
"Obito, hmm?" he mused as if trying to recall the boy. "He is one of Minato's students, no?"
"Yes, he was. From what I gathered from Minato's letter, his students were carrying out a mission while he was handling another task. During their mission, Kakashi was injured while Obito was fatally wounded. It seems that Obito's last request, or gift to his teammates, was to give one of his Sharingan to Kakashi, who had lost an eye from his injury. Rin Nohara preformed field surgery, so Kakashi now has one of Obito's Sharingan," I said.
The fury in Fugaku's eyes would have been enough to activate his own Sharingan, if he did not already have it, yet he did not lash out. It was only a flash of emotion before he hid it under layers of political guise. Finally, I saw a reason why Danzo feared the Uchiha so much since, if I had not been watching him so closely, I never would have believed that he was upset by the matter.
"All the political savvy you needed to succeed, yet your own son became your killer... Was there ever a single Uchiha that had a happy, comfortable life?" I thought to myself.
"Thank you for telling me about the situation," he replied calmly without a hint of anger or annoyance.
I sighed and gave him a long, hard look which made one of his eyebrows rise. "Clan head Fugaku... What does the Uchiha clan require for Kakashi to keep the gift from Obito? My close relationship with Minato means that I have known the boys for years. Obito always considered Kakashi a rival and friend while Kakashi was left traumatized after his father's suicide and Obito was the one person to break through his icy demeanor. I will bring him before you to formally make the request himself, but I know this is not a simple matter where his sincerity will be enough to convince you."
He stared into my eyes for several moments then said, "We want an Uchiha as a Village Elder."
"I don't have that power, and you know it."
"But you could. With your background, all you have to do is ask for the mantle of Hokage and your father will give it to you after this war ends," he retorted.
"Perhaps, but where would that leave Shisui, or even Itachi? I'm quite young, so I would be expected to be Hokage for decades, much like my father. An Elder position only has so much power while the Hokage has the final say in all matters," I countered.
"You can't promise an Elder's seat, yet you suggest the Hokage position? If I did not know you, Akari, I would think you were insulting my intelligence," he said coldly.
"That is not my intention... Let's be honest, Fugaku; once this war ends, the Village is going to change significantly. The Daimyo isn't happy with how the war has been taking, and Danzo is dead, so my father's position is not as secure as he would like to admit. I have no intention of running for Hokage, but I do plan on supporting Minato should it truly come to a vote. I can't promise you an Elder position, but Minato might be able to and even inclined to... if one of his student's last wishes was honored by a noble clan, especially considering that your people helped found Konoha. I can suggest it to Minato, even encourage it, but it is not something that relies on me alone."
Fugaku did not speak right away as he truly considered my words, even looking away for several moments. When he looked back at me, I was shocked as blood was dripping from his left eye, which was now closed, and the Mangekyo Sharingan was glowing in his right eye, three thin lines that stretched out to the edge of his iris with a single dot between each of the lines. I remembered that there were plenty of theories that he had awakened it, but it was never confirmed to my knowledge, though it seemed that I had unintentionally.
"I'll assist you, Akari, with anything that you need," he promised, standing up and bowing formally.
"Fugaku... you've awoken the Mangekyo?!?" I asked, shocked.
"I shouldn't be surprised that you know of it, but, yes, I have. My left eye allows me to glimpse the future, which is why I am willing to trust you. You're the key to the Uchiha survival!" he replied with clear excitement.
I scratched my cheek a little awkwardly at how easily things played out. It was true that I wanted to prevent the Uchiha massacre, but I knew that there were more players involved than Danzo alone. Obito had assisted with the slaughter, so it was likely a plan of Madara's though his relationship with his clan was not the best, so many it was personal. There were many questions that I had, yet I could not ask most without giving away my future knowledge.
"How badly does it weaken your vision? And how long will it take you to use the power again?" I asked.
Fugaku smiled lightly, which was not a pleasant sight, then answered, "I might be able to use the power another two times before losing my vision completely. Unfortunately, it will take around fifteen years before it is ready again."
"Thank you for your trust, Fugaku. Please be careful straining your vision and hide your secret for now. Even the ones we love and trust most could seek to twist our power to their desire," I said, revealing my Ice Release by creating a senbon needle of ice.
His eyes widen slightly with surprise since I had yet to reveal any more of my elemental Kekkei Genkais. We both knew the importance of hiding our true strength, so he adjusted almost instantly and nodded his head with understanding.
"Kakashi and Rin will be transferring to our front soon. Once they do, I'll send Kakashi to you to formally request to keep Obito's Sharingan," I added.
"I understand, but if the boy does not show the proper sincerity and respect for this gift, I will demand it back," he said calmly as he sat back down at his desk.
"I'll make sure that he understands," I agreed.
Fugaku simply nodded, but there was still a faint smile on his lips. I returned the nod then left his tent while feeling sorry for Mikoto. With that matter solved, I returned to the command center and then went down into my bunker to train until the evening. Shisui joined me around midday as usual, but his presence helped me make up my mind.
When Pakura came to the command center, I stopped our training for the evening and summoned my Space-Time and Chrono Vitality clones. She was surprised that I was sending two clones with her, but once I mentioned that I planned to bring back a few ninjas, she accepted it with a nod. The trio left in a flash of silver, leaving me alone with Shikaku and Shisui.
"So, you decided to bring the pair here?" Shikaku asked with a bit of surprise.
"Fugaku wants to speak to Kakashi himself before he makes his decision, but I believe that he holds the proper respect for his friend's final gift," I replied.
Shisui gave me a curious look but did not raise any questions and just listened.
"Where do you plan on assigning them?"
"I'm not entirely sure. It will depend on how well they'll work with Shisui," I answered with a shrug.
"Me?" Shisui accidentally spoke in surprise.
"Yep. You've been at my side for nearly a year and learned about all you can currently. It's time for you to get some real experience out in the field without me holding your hand. Don't worry, you've got the strength now, and you're own way to call me if you have a real problem."
"Thank you, sensei!" he said, tightening his gloved fist which had one of my Flying Thunder God marks on the metal plate protecting the back of his hand.
"It's all your own hard work. At your rate of growth, you'll surpass my record for chunin and jonin before you know it, but don't let that go to your head and become arrogant, or I'll personally string you upside in the village center and hang you from a pole," I warned.
"Tsunade did the same thing to her and Nawaki when they were kids, so don't take Akari's threat lightly," Shikaku chuckled.
"He was the cocky one; I always knew that we'd be caught, but it was worth it," I chuckled as well, remembering the time that Nawaki, Kushina, and I had broken into Tsunade's liquor stash.
Shikaku shook his head with a light smile while Shisui looked at me, shocked.
"A bit of humiliation is better than ending up dead because you got cocky," I said simply which made him sober up and understand the meaning of my words. "Come on, dinner is ready. Would you like a portion before you leave, Shikaku?"
"Heh, I wouldn't refuse if you're offering," he replied with a smile, having enjoyed my cooking multiple times over the months together.
I motioned for him to follow then led him and Shisui down to the first floor where Boil had been busy cooking. We may have been in a war camp, but with our proximity to Kaizuri Port and teleportation at my fingertips, my kitchen was well stocked with meat, vegetables, and most importantly, spices. Each of us took a portion of rice and curry, and Shisui and I sat down at the table while Shikaku headed back upstairs.
While we ate, I said, "Shisui, I have a secret mission for you while you are teamed up with Kakashi and Rin. If Rin is taken, alert me. If Kakashi wants to chase, or leaves you behind, you are to assist him or track him while keeping me informed. I may not be able to come to you right away, so prioritize your safety above all since I can still track them with my Flying Thunder God network."
"Yes, sensei!" he agreed without hesitation then looked at me for a moment before I nodded. "Why do you think Rin will be taken?"
"A hunch... a feeling, perhaps. It's a strange request, I know, but there is no one else that I can ask this of. If she is taken, then maybe I will have more information than simple hunches," I replied.
"Don't worry, sensei. I will help you keep an eye on Rin," he promised.
"Thank you," I replied with a smile.
With Shisui keeping watch over Rin and Kakashi, I felt better about allowing them out of my sight. I knew that Minato was relying on me to keep them safe, but I had the same duty to those in the camp. If Madara could not act in the shadows, then he would have no problem bringing the Mist army to carry out his plan to manipulate Obito.