Chapter 17: The Weight of Time
Not to be outdone, Obito hastily shucked off his jacket and leaped towards the stream with a loud splash, sending water flying everywhere.
"Idiot," Kakashi's flat voice cut through the air. "The objective is to stand on the water, not dive into it."
"Hey! Who's the idiot?!" Obito sputtered, his head popping back above the surface. His orange goggles were streaked with water. "It's hot! Can't a guy cool off first?"
"Sure," Kakashi replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Don't you underestimate me!"
Watching their familiar bickering, Nohara Rin couldn't help but giggle. "Alright, you two, that's enough," she said, stepping in to play the peacemaker as she always did.
Takumi paid their squabble no mind, his focus entirely on the task at hand. He understood their dynamic. From beginning to end, the only two people who had ever truly mattered to Obito were Kakashi and Rin. He had witnessed the girl he loved die by his best friend's hand. In that single, shattering moment, his hatred had become all-consuming. He hated Minato for not being there, he hated Kakashi the prodigy for failing to protect her, and he hated Kirigakure for taking her. That hatred was the bedrock upon which Obito's monstrous "Eye of the Moon Plan" was built—an extreme solution born from an unimaginable pain. It was a hatred so profound that it allowed him to casually orchestrate the deaths of Minato and Kushina, the very people who had shown him such kindness.
Nohara Rin is worth cultivating a deeper connection with, Takumi calculated coldly. Her talent was genuine. And, given time, she could potentially become a crucial piece in his arsenal, a means to exert control over Obito if necessary. After all, the Kamui technique was arguably the most versatile and potent of all the Mangekyo abilities, far more practical than the often-unwieldy Amaterasu. Of course, interacting with Obito was far riskier than his dealings with Kumo. At least Kumo's spies had a proven track record of infiltration. With Obito, there was no telling if Madara had already dispatched a perfect infiltrator like White Zetsu to monitor the boy's every move. The probability of Obito's fall to darkness was high. Having an extra layer of insurance for his own survival was always prudent.
Gradually, the golden hues of dusk faded, replaced by a velvety, star-studded night. The training ground was now bathed in the soft, artificial glow of a distant streetlamp, which cast shimmering reflections on the water's surface. Being near the village center, the area was never truly dark or deserted.
One by one, the others departed. Obito's grandmother came to collect him, and Nohara Rin was met by her parents. They had all informed their families of their whereabouts. A man with the same distinctive silver hair as Kakashi, clad in a green flak jacket, approached.
"Kakashi, it's time to head home."
"Yes, Father."
Kakashi nodded and fell into step beside the man.
Soon, Takumi was the only one left, a solitary figure still practicing by the river's edge.
Hatake Sakumo placed a hand on his son's head as they walked. After a few paces, he glanced back over his shoulder at Takumi. "Is that the Uchiha boy from the Land of Lightning?" he asked.
The news of the Uchiha clan finding a lost member from outside Konoha had caused quite a stir. It was an unprecedented event—the first confirmed leak of a major Konoha clan's bloodline limit. Even the Hyuga, with their strict branch family system, had never lost a single Byakugan. The incident had placed Uchiha Takumi under a microscope. Many in the village wondered: could a boy raised in the Land of Lightning, without the foundational teachings of Konoha, ever truly inherit the Will of Fire?
"That is Uchiha Takumi," Kakashi confirmed, turning to look at the distant, practicing silhouette.
"He seems like a determined young man," Hatake Sakumo observed, his sharp instincts allowing him to see beyond the surface. Takumi could now manage to keep his feet on the water's surface, though they were submerged up to his insteps. How long had he been enrolled? A matter of weeks? "It seems Uchiha Takumi may become a worthy rival for you in the future. Perhaps even more so than Might Dai's son," Sakumo added seriously.
Beyond the Uchiha's Sharingan, the boy was rumored to possess the physical talents of the Yotsuki clan. Mixed-blood unions between shinobi clans typically had two outcomes. The first: the offspring became more powerful than purebloods, inheriting the strengths of both lineages. The second, and far more common, result was interference, where the child inherited nothing of value and remained ordinary. This was why inter-clan marriages were rare. Uchiha Takumi appeared to be a case of the former. His rapid learning speed and physical endurance weren't traits commonly associated with the Uchiha.
Sakumo glanced at his son, noting the sheen of sweat on Kakashi's brow. Even his prodigious son had his limits and couldn't sustain such prolonged, intense training.
"Father is right," Kakashi agreed. He wasn't convinced about Might Guy being a future rival, but watching Takumi's steady progress and relentless drive, he felt a thread of connection. He wondered: if Takumi hadn't been a transfer student, if he had received the same years of training as the rest of them, how formidable would he be now? He didn't know the answer, but he suspected Uchiha Takumi would already be hailed as a genius.
The father and son continued on their way, their figures growing smaller in the distance.
Only after they had completely vanished from sight did Takumi allow his gaze to linger in the direction they had gone.
"Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo..." he murmured.
It wouldn't be long now. The legendary shinobi would soon take his own life, unable to bear the weight of public condemnation after a failed mission.
"Time is running short," Takumi whispered to the night, a cold knot tightening in his stomach.
The official records of Hatake Sakumo's career were staggering: 27 S-rank missions and 123 A-rank missions. He was a veteran who had stared death in the face countless times, a shinobi whose hands were stained with the blood of espionage and assassination. And yet, his end was self-inflicted. Kakashi had been the one to find the body, a trauma that would forever scar the boy, shattering his image of his heroic father.
Only Sakumo himself knew the true reasons behind his final decision, but political pressure was undoubtedly a factor. When Minato Namikaze had once spoken of Kakashi's father to Obito, he had said, "It is said that even the Legendary Sannin are wary of him." The full truth was known only to a select few.
All Takumi could do was grow stronger, and fast. If a shinobi of Hatake Sakumo's caliber could be driven to such an end, what hope did he have? He was already marked by a series of dangerous labels: "Child of Lightning," "Yotsuki Scion," "Uchiha Outlier." This combination made his position within Konoha precarious at best. It was highly likely that figures like Danzo had already taken notice of him.
His only path was power. Swift, undeniable power.
Turning back to the stream, Takumi resumed his practice. The night was still young, and the bustling streets of Konoha were just coming to life. He still had time.
A new notification, faint and translucent, appeared in his vision.
[Entry: Water Strider (Novice)]
[Requirement: Walk on water as if on solid ground.]
[Progress: 25%]
[Effect: In aquatic or unstable terrain, your chakra control is enhanced. Your chakra 'sustainability' is 5% greater than the average individual's.]
[Note: This skill is capable of further evolution.]
(End of Chapter)