Kakashi stared blankly at Uchiha Souji, unsure whether he should be confused, terrified, or impressed. His disciple was holding something in his hand that looked suspiciously like the legendary Rinnegan, yet Souji acted as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Kakashi scratched his head. "Souji… what exactly are you planning?"
Souji simply smiled. A mischievous, dangerous smile.
"Sorry, Mr. Kakashi," he said seriously, "this is adult-sized. Kids can't use it."
Before Kakashi could react, Souji moved quickly—too quickly. He grabbed Kakashi's face, lifted one eyelid, and said—
"Don't move!"
A moment later, Kakashi felt something cold and thin sticking onto his eyeball.
His entire body froze.
His instinct as a shinobi kicked in and he blinked rapidly, trying to push out anything foreign—but after a few seconds, the strange sensation disappeared.
Kakashi frowned and looked around.
Nothing hurt.
Nothing felt off.
His vision was normal.
"What… did you just do?" Kakashi asked suspiciously.
Jiraiya, however, leaned forward with shining eyes, rubbing his chin.
"Good stuff," he said. "Orochimaru will definitely come for this!"
Kakashi blinked again. Out of curiosity, he formed a quick hand seal and used a harmless Water Style technique—a Water Mirror—to reflect himself.
He stepped closer.
And then—
"What…???"
His regular eye—his normal, non-Sharingan eye—
was now glowing with concentric purple rings.
Like the Rinnegan.
Kakashi raised a trembling hand and touched the corner of his eye. His fingers brushed against something thin and smooth. A contact lens.
A very realistic contact lens.
He lifted his forehead protector and checked with his Sharingan to ensure this wasn't a genjutsu. The Sharingan detected nothing fake or suspicious.
The lens truly looked like a Rinnegan.
Too real. Too perfect.
"How does it feel, Kakashi-sensei?" Souji asked proudly. "Pretty convincing, right?"
Kakashi dismissed the Water Mirror and very carefully removed the contact lens from his eye. He placed it back into the small box, sighed, and stared deeply at his disciple.
Then he asked the question that had been building in his chest:
"…Did you prepare all of this the day Orochimaru defected?"
Souji gave a mysterious smile.
Kakashi nodded slowly.
"You kid… you really hold grudges."
Of course Kakashi had no idea these things came from Souji's strange "system." He just assumed Souji had spent days crafting an elaborate revenge plan.
A normal child would cry after being attacked by Orochimaru.
Souji?
Souji prepared Rinnegan contact lenses to bait the man.
Kakashi's heart felt complicated, but also strangely impressed.
A ninja who cannot hold grudges cannot survive long.
And someone who uses strategy instead of brute force shows true potential.
After thinking for a while, Kakashi placed a hand on Souji's head.
"Well done."
Souji almost jumped back in protest.
Well done? WELL DONE?!
Where is this coming from?!
Stop the brainwashing!
He rolled his eyes and took the closed box from Kakashi, handing it solemnly to Jiraiya.
"With this tool, and a proper plan, we can capture Orochimaru within ten steps and drag him back to Konoha Prison."
Souji lifted his chin bravely.
"Please call me when the operation begins!"
Jiraiya felt excitement rise within him.
He had been depressed moments ago. But seeing something this unbelievable—this insane—his fighting spirit returned.
With something like a fake Rinnegan… Orochimaru wouldn't be able to resist.
He would come running.
And Jiraiya would catch him.
He patted Souji's shoulder happily.
"Tell me, Souji. What do you want in return?"
Souji gritted his teeth dramatically.
"It's nothing," he said faintly. "I just really… really… admire Senior Orochimaru. It's been a long time since we parted. I miss him."
Jiraiya almost burst out laughing.
He wasn't fooled. Not for a second.
He knew Souji wanted payback. Pure revenge. A punch in the face. A personal victory. But Jiraiya didn't expose him. Instead, he simply smiled and let the boy keep his pride.
In Jiraiya's eyes—
Using tricks wasn't shameful.
Being unable to stand in the sunlight because of your methods—THAT was the problem.
But Souji?
Souji used cunning but still had a straightforward, honest heart.
A perfect balance.
Just like Jiraiya's beloved student, Namikaze Minato.
A ninja must walk through the darkness sometimes…
But must still be able to live under the sun.
This was what Jiraiya appreciated most.
So he reached into his coat and pulled out a book with a bright yellow cover.
"Souji, take this as a thank-you gift. It's a collector's edition, signed by me!"
His voice trembled with heartbreak as he gave it away. Collector's editions were precious. But he pushed it into Souji's arms.
Souji stared at it blankly.
Then his face turned dark.
Then he shoved the book into Kakashi's arms at lightning speed.
Kakashi looked down…
"Icha Icha Paradise – Collector's Edition – Signed by Jiraiya."
His eye twitched. He looked left. Looked right. Then quietly slipped it inside his vest.
Souji stared at him with pure disgust.
Jiraiya puffed out his chest.
"What's that expression, brat? This is a rare treasure! People would fight wars for this!"
Souji rolled his eyes so hard they nearly fell out.
He was a time-traveler.
He had seen internet, novels, TV, entire worlds of content far beyond Jiraiya's imagination.
Besides—
"I'm SEVEN years old, you old pervert!
If I tell Big Brother Fugaku about this, he'll come hunt you down!"
Silence.
Then chaos.
Kakashi choked.
Jiraiya panicked.
Souji crossed his arms triumphantly.
The room erupted with laughter and shouting. For a moment, all the tension about Orochimaru melted away.
But in the room next door…
Orochimaru was losing his mind.
He could hear everything but understand nothing.
"What are they planning…?
What are they DOING over there?!"
He held his head in frustration.
"Why are Souji and Jiraiya acting like old friends?! They JUST met!"
A bead of anger formed on his forehead.
Why was Jiraiya suddenly acting like the Riddler?
Didn't they say the Riddler left the ninja world?
Orochimaru slammed back another drink.
He knew they were plotting something.
But he couldn't understand any of it.
And that made it worse.
Much worse.
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