Chapter 517: How Can "Kakashi" Be Killed Legitimately?
After recovering from his shock, the Third Hokage suddenly understood.
So Kakashi didn't have some kind of father fetish. He simply liked boys.
The moment that realization hit him, it was immediately followed by worry.
A standard ninja squad usually consisted of two boys and one girl to maintain balance and harmony within the team.
So the question was...
Now that Kakashi liked boys, should he be treated like a female ninja or a male ninja?
If Kakashi were assigned to a team with Obito and Rin, would that upset the balance and lead to some completely unpredictable consequences?
Then the Third Hokage had another realization.
Instead of worrying about squad composition, he should find a way to correct Kakashi's preferences.
Otherwise, the Hatake family line would end with him.
The Third Hokage summoned an ANBU ninja and instructed him to find Jiraiya. He told the ANBU to explain Kakashi's situation in detail and ask Jiraiya to return and save him.
In the Third Hokage's opinion, the so-called Three Ninja Taboos no longer mattered compared to Kakashi's current condition.
Extraordinary problems required extraordinary solutions...
The only way to save Kakashi was to fight poison with poison... or rather, fight it with perversion.
"That's all. Just tell Jiraiya exactly that. You may go... Hrk—"
After dismissing the ANBU, the Third Hokage casually glanced at the crystal ball again.
What he saw left him utterly stunned once more.
He had thought the saying "actions speak louder than words" applied here.
He had been horribly mistaken.
"It looks even more serious than I thought! Make sure Jiraiya comes back. If he doesn't, Kakashi is beyond saving!"
The Third Hokage solemnly repeated his orders to the ANBU.
If Jiraiya returned this time, he wouldn't just be saving Kakashi.
He would also be protecting the innocence of countless young men in Konoha.
Fortunately, Hatake Sakumo had beaten Kakashi until he couldn't even take care of himself.
Otherwise, who knew how many innocent boys Kakashi would have preyed upon these past few days?
...Wait.
Was it really only boys?
The Third Hokage suddenly remembered something.
A few days ago, when Kakashi had come to slander Hatake Sakumo, what exactly had he said?
He had claimed that Hatake Sakumo secretly had a crush on Chiyo of the Sunagakure Village.
At the time, because Kakashi was usually so serious, and because no sane person would invent such an absurd excuse, the Third Hokage had believed him.
After all, what normal person would come up with something like that as a lie?
There was only one explanation.
If Kakashi had chosen that excuse, it meant that, in his eyes, such things were perfectly normal.
In other words...
The one who truly liked Granny Chiyo wasn't Hatake Sakumo.
It was Kakashi!
...No.
Kakashi liked boys.
So Granny Chiyo had merely been a smokescreen.
Could it be...
The Third Hokage realized in horror that Kakashi's real target was very likely...himself.
With his strength, the Third Hokage naturally wasn't afraid that Kakashi would drug him with sleeping tea the way it had happened in the crystal ball.
But while a thief could only steal for one night, a victim had to stay on guard every day.
Until Kakashi actually made a move, there was nothing the Third Hokage could proactively do against him.
After thinking it over, he decided to casually reveal Kakashi's extraordinary talent to Danzo.
Given Danzo's personality, he would definitely try to recruit Kakashi into Root.
Of course, the Third Hokage had no intention of permanently handing Kakashi over to Danzo.
He would simply lend Kakashi to Root temporarily under the pretense of cooperation.
That way, he could avoid disaster himself while waiting for Jiraiya to return.
If Kakashi tried anything during that period...
Danzo would be the victim instead of him.
A perfect plan!
The Third Hokage silently praised his own decision and finally let out a sigh of relief.
Even during the Great Ninja War, he hadn't been this nervous.
If someone died, at least their legacy could live on.
And if all else failed, there was always the Reanimation Jutsu.
But once a person's reputation was ruined...
There was no coming back from that.
---
Meanwhile, Obito successfully carried out his plan and obtained the power of the Uchiha.
He completed the second mission:
"The Uchiha's Closest Friend."
At the same time, the third—and final—mission was unlocked.
[Defeat Your Powerful Rival: Pierce your rival's heart, and have this act recognized as justified by over 80% of Konoha's population.]
After leaving "Obito's" room, Obito returned to his own room and stared at the mission description, once again sinking into deep thought.
What did this mean?
Right now, he and Kakashi had swapped identities.
In other words...
In reality, Kakashi would defeat him and pierce his heart?
As for the requirement of gaining approval from eighty percent of Konoha's people, Obito wasn't concerned about that.
If this happened in the real ninja world, then as one of the masterminds behind the Infinite Tsukuyomi, his death at Kakashi's hands would undoubtedly be celebrated throughout Konoha.
The real problem was still the same as before—Time.
By exploiting a loophole, he had obtained the "Power of the Uchiha" ahead of schedule and completed the second mission early.
So was there any way to complete this mission ahead of time as well?
If all he had to do was pierce "Obito's" heart, he could simply walk next door right now and kill the unconscious "Obito."
But after that, he would become a rogue ninja for murdering a comrade and be hunted by Konoha.
How could he possibly earn the approval of eighty percent of Konoha's people then?
...Wait.
Actually, maybe it wasn't impossible.
If he became powerful enough to wipe out Konoha the way Itachi had wiped out the Uchiha Clan, then he would be the only person left in Konoha.
If he approved of himself, that would technically be one hundred percent approval.
But after another thought...
That was obviously unrealistic.
With his current strength, how could he possibly destroy an entire village?
Besides, Orochimaru hadn't even defected yet.
Never mind how he would kill Orochimaru.
If Orochimaru got desperate and summoned the previous Hokage with the Reanimation Jutsu...
Would those resurrected Hokage count as part of "eighty percent of Konoha's people"?
He needed to find a suitable reason that would make killing "Obito" a righteous act ahead of time.
But there was one problem.
He knew himself too well.
The current Obito was so innocent it was almost laughable.
Without the battle at Kannabi Bridge and without Rin's death, he was the kind of person who spent every day helping old ladies cross the street.
"Hm?"
A flash of inspiration crossed Obito's mind.
"Obito" himself wouldn't do anything evil...
But he could frame "Obito."
Just like what had happened today.
Except this time, instead of sleeping tea, he would switch it with another kind of tea that caused a fever.
Then he'd throw Kakashi-in-Obito's-body together with an old lady...
When that happened, all of Obito's past good deeds of helping elderly women cross the street would be reinterpreted as him taking advantage of them.
His reputation would be utterly destroyed.
First ruin his name.
Then pressure him into defecting from the village and pushing him into doing even more outrageous things.
At that point...
Wouldn't killing him become completely justified, allowing the mission to be completed?
"Excellent idea."
A sinister smile spread across Obito's face.
He couldn't wait to see the terror and helplessness on Kakashi's face while it was paired with an old lady.
---
Several days later, after Obito had mostly recovered, the Third Hokage summoned him to the Hokage's office.
"Kakashi, you're almost fully recovered. I have a simple mission for you. Consider it part of your rehabilitation."
"Go assist Danzo of Root with a few matters."
"Yes, sir."
Obito hadn't expected such an unexpected stroke of luck.
He had been wondering how to quietly obtain the special drug.
Now the Third Hokage had personally sent him straight to Root.
(End of this chapter)