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Obito made a hasty retreat from the battlefield.
Kakashi let out a long sigh. The white chakra flare dissipated, and a wave of weariness washed over him. He sat on the ground, a storm of conflicting emotions churning inside.
I wanted to kill him. But if he really died… could I have remained unmoved?
Might Guy walked up and placed a gentle hand on Kakashi's shoulder.
"This might be the best outcome for now. At least there's room for things to change. For Obito, and for this shinobi world."
Guy's words offered Kakashi a sliver of peace.
He unrolled the Scroll of Seals, checking its contents. His expression tightened when he saw the missing page.
"Of all the ones it could be… that jutsu."
From Kakashi's grim look, Guy easily guessed the answer.
Every technique recorded in the Scroll of Seals was forbidden—either immensely risky or devastatingly powerful. But their harm was, ultimately, finite. There was only one that could truly throw the world into chaos.
"Impure World Reincarnation…" Guy's gaze darkened.
Before finalizing the plan for the Five Kage Summit exchange, Konoha had repeatedly debated whether to remove that single jutsu from the scroll. In the end, various concerns led them to keep it.
After all, the Edo Tensei was infamous. If the other party found it missing, no excuse would matter. It would prove Konoha was holding back. If the other side was reasonable, it might be fine. But if they chose to make an issue of it, to claim their own right to withhold secrets, the seed of distrust would be sown, jeopardizing any future cooperation.
To avoid that pitfall, Konoha had decided to keep the scroll intact.
Presumably, the other Kage understood the stakes. Issuing a strict ban on its abuse could also serve as a demonstration of Konoha's trust in the other villages.
Now, Obito had taken it. Beyond the direct threat he posed, there was another problem: Konoha's intended gesture of sincerity could no longer be conveyed.
Guy smiled wryly. "This complicates things."
"It's my responsibility," Kakashi said, getting to his feet. "We'll return to the village, report to Lady Tsunade, and discuss how to fix this."
But after a moment's thought, Guy made a bold suggestion.
"Actually… maybe delivering the scroll as-is would be better."
Kakashi looked at Guy's earnest face. "Why?"
"Everything has its pros and cons," Guy said. "Extremes only highlight the downsides. Even if the Kage know the danger and forbid its use, the temptation of a forbidden jutsu might push someone to take a risk."
"Think about it. How many shinobi lost loved ones and comrades in the last war? If they knew a jutsu that could cheat death was within their grasp, could they truly resist the thought?"
"It's a very real problem. Because…" Guy clenched his fist. "When I first heard about my father's death… I had that thought, too."
Guy's confession made Kakashi's expression soften. "Guy…"
Might Guy smiled. "So, a jutsu like Edo Tensei is best cut off at the source. If we set a bad precedent at the start of this alliance for the sake of 'sincerity' without weighing the consequences, it'll spiral out of control."
"We don't even need to mention Obito's attack. We can just state plainly to the Iwa representatives that we withheld the Edo Tensei. If they feel their village has a jutsu of comparable danger, they can withhold it, too."
That's you, Guy, Kakashi thought. Your mind is so clear and direct. You don't overthink things or get bound by empty principles. You're right. This might be the best way.
Then Guy scratched his head. "But… maybe I'm being naive. If they fixate on this, make a fuss, and try to be difficult, our mission will be hard to complete. Besides, this isn't something I can decide on my own. We should ask the Hokage!"
Kakashi shouldered the scroll once more.
"Lady Tsunade faced immense pressure to push this exchange through. If word of what happened gets back, the advisory council and the opposition will have a field day."
"So, I'm prepared to take full responsibility."
"Kakashi, you…!" Guy exclaimed.
Kakashi grinned behind his mask. "I am the captain of this two-man team, after all."
…
The Kannabi Bridge.
Kakashi and Might Guy met the representative from Iwagakure: Kitsuchi, the eldest son of Ōnoki, the Tsuchikage.
When Kakashi first became a jonin, Kitsuchi was already a renowned one. By all rights, Kakashi should address him as a senior.
"Senior Kitsuchi. It's an honor. I'm glad we're meeting as allies, not enemies."
Kitsuchi's square-jawed face broke into a steady, composed smile.
"Kakashi Hatake. Your name thunders even in Iwagakure. This very bridge is where you made your name, isn't it? We lost several good men here…"
Kakashi's mask hid the bitter twist of his lips, but his voice remained calm.
"War brings misfortune to both sides. The alliance we have now is the best outcome for everyone. Don't you agree?"
"Indeed."
Kitsuchi nodded, agreeing with the sentiment and, it seemed, approving of Kakashi himself.
He lifted a massive scroll from his shoulder and planted it upright on the ground.
"All of Iwa's forbidden jutsu and the secret arts of our clans are compiled here. This is our Tsuchikage's sincerity. Now, let's see Konoha's."
Kakashi and Guy presented their scrolls.
"Konoha's Scroll of Seals, and the secret techniques of our clans. All here."
Kitsuchi's eyes immediately caught the torn edge on the Scroll of Seals. His brow furrowed.
"Are you certain? All of them are here?"
Kakashi met his gaze. "The jutsu on the missing page would bring disaster to the entire shinobi world. Therefore, we decided to seal it away permanently."
Kitsuchi's gaze sharpened. "Disaster for the world? Could it be… Impure World Reincarnation?"
"Just as you surmise," Kakashi said evenly. "You wouldn't want a jutsu that manipulates life and death to be misused by those with ill intent, would you?"
Kitsuchi was stern. "Let me be direct. I wouldn't want such a dangerous jutsu in Iwagakure either. But that's a separate matter. Am I to understand that your Konohagakure is holding back from our Iwagakure?"
Here it comes, Kakashi thought. He's elevating it to a village-level issue to pressure us.
Guy stepped forward, but Kakashi raised a hand to stop him.
After a moment's thought, Kakashi met Kitsuchi's eyes squarely, neither submissive nor aggressive. "Yes. Based on the danger of the Edo Tensei, we deemed it necessary to withhold it. If Senior Kitsuchi objects, we can halt the exchange and return to our respective villages for further discussion."
Kitsuchi's tight mouth slowly curved into a smile.
"Well then, that simplifies things."
Kakashi tensed. "Meaning?"
Kitsuchi scratched his head with a hearty, almost goofy laugh. "Hahahaha! Can't be helped! We were holding something back, too! You only kept one jutsu, 'Edo Tensei.' We kept four secret techniques! No helping it—the scrolls for those are with the late Lord Mū, you see! So I guess we're even now!"
"Ah… well then."
Kakashi and Guy both let out a breath they didn't realize they were holding.
A situation on the verge of becoming a diplomatic incident had resolved with shocking ease. In the end, it was a testament to the unity the Five Kage had forged against a common enemy.
…
A dark, subterranean lair.
Obito removed his mask. He stared into a mirror at the scar that even Hashirama's cells couldn't fully erase. The bleeding had stopped, but the mark was permanent.
A White Zetsu emerged from the rocky wall, bringing news that made him forget the scar entirely.
"We found him. Kabuto Yakushi's trail…"
Obito placed the mask back over his face. His black cloak swirled as he turned, his voice cold.
"—Begin the Nine-Tails Hunt."
Meanwhile, on Pale Moon Island…
After a purification ritual, Sasuke stood ready, clad in a white kimono.
"—Let's go. Our Ninth Battle awaits."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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