Several days later.
Deep within a dim underground base, Uchiha Obito had already used newly cultivated White Zetsu cells to repair the large portion of his body that had been destroyed by Ōtsutsuki Urashiki's self-destruction.
He sat quietly upon the massive stone throne once belonging to Uchiha Madara, resting his chin on one hand. Beneath the spiral mask, the single exposed eye flickered with a cold, dangerous light.
The ground beneath him rippled like water.
From it emerged the grotesque, pitcher-plant-like figures of Black Zetsu and White Zetsu.
"Obito, I've found something extremely interesting!"
White Zetsu's head popped out first, letting out a shrill, exaggerated laugh.
Obito ignored the theatrics, his voice icy.
"The matter I told you to investigate—any results? That human-shaped bomb that appeared in my Kamui space… where did it come from?"
Black Zetsu's hoarse, low voice answered calmly.
"A few days ago, a violent intrusion occurred at Konoha's Training Ground Three. However, it was suppressed almost instantly by the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. The outside world is practically unaware anything happened."
"An intrusion? Suppressed?"
Obito frowned slightly.
"Yes," Black Zetsu continued.
"Konoha's information blockade is extremely strict, but I secretly controlled an Anbu operative and extracted fragments of his memory. At the final moment of the battle, it was Kakashi Hatake who used a high-level Space-Time Ninjutsu to forcibly transfer away a terrifying 'bomb' that was on the verge of detonating."
"Afterward, the Fifth Hokage personally took two individuals of unknown identity into custody and issued the highest-level gag order."
Crack.
The armrest of the stone throne shattered under Obito's grip.
"I see…"
His voice was filled with venomous mockery.
"So that monster that nearly killed me really was thrown into my dimension by him."
A chilling sneer curled beneath the mask.
"I never expected that worthless Kakashi would actually awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan."
White Zetsu swayed back and forth beside him, laughing.
"Oh my, you really shouldn't underestimate Kakashi anymore. According to my latest information, his strength is unfathomable, and he's now the Fifth Hokage's most trusted confidant. Among Konoha's higher-ups, he's already considered the leading candidate for the next Hokage."
"Hokage?"
Obito let out a cold snort, filled with disdain.
"Once the Eye of the Moon Plan is complete, this false world will be erased. There will be no Hokage left to speak of."
He rose slowly from the stone throne, the black Akatsuki cloak patterned with red clouds swaying faintly in the darkness.
"Zetsu," Obito said coldly. "Keep watching Konoha. Investigate those two mysterious people Tsunade took away. I want everything about them."
"Leave it to me," Zetsu replied, sinking back into the ground.
Obito's single eye shifted toward the depths of the gloomy passage, impatience flickering within it.
"Nagato has been stalling the Tailed Beast hunt under the excuse of funding issues for far too long. It seems I'll have to visit Amegakure personally and give him a proper push."
---
Several days later.
Konoha Hospital.
Naruto and Sasuke recovered at an astonishing pace.
In less than a week, the two troublemakers were already bouncing around the ward, clamoring to be discharged.
To help Team 7 properly stretch their limbs after being cooped up for so long, Kakashi accepted a simple C-rank escort mission to the Land of Tea on the very first day of their release, treating it as light post-battle conditioning.
However, what should have been an easy mission ended up intersecting with a deviation from the original course of events.
During the escort, they encountered Shinobi from Amegakure hired by a rival faction.
Leading them was a former Konoha ninja who had defected years ago—Aoi Rokusho.
In his hand was a stolen relic of the Second Hokage: the legendary Sword of the Thunder God, said to be indestructible.
Against the arrogant Aoi, who relied on the divine weapon, Kakashi didn't even need to step in.
Naruto and Sasuke, their strength greatly improved, worked together flawlessly. With Sakura's newly awakened, terrifying monstrous strength providing crushing pressure and Haku's precise Ice Release pinning the enemy in place, their coordinated assault completely overwhelmed the Rain ninja.
By the time Kakashi used Body Flicker to appear beside Aoi, the battle was already decided.
With a single clean strike, it ended.
Kakashi picked up the uniquely shaped hilt from Aoi's corpse.
The moment he poured his vast Chakra into it, a dazzling yellow blade of lightning shot forth, accompanied by a deep, resonant hum that made the heart tremble.
In Kakashi's hands, the Sword of the Thunder God displayed power even more terrifying than it had during the Second Hokage's lifetime.
---
Returning to Konoha with the mission completed, Kakashi dismissed Team 7 at the village gates, sending them home to rest.
At that moment, an Anbu wearing a cat-faced mask appeared silently before him.
"Kakashi-sama."
"Hokage-sama orders you to report to the Hokage Building immediately."
"I was about to submit the mission report anyway."
Kakashi placed the Sword of the Thunder God into his ninja tool pouch, dusted himself off, and turned toward the Hokage Building.
---
Hokage Office.
Kakashi placed both the mission report and the Sword of the Thunder God on Tsunade's desk.
"The escort mission to the Land of Tea was completed successfully. Along the way, I dealt with a former Konoha Chūnin who defected years ago. This is the Second Hokage's Sword of the Thunder God—returned to Konoha."
Tsunade glanced over the report, then picked up the hilt, weighing it in her hand.
Instead of putting it away, she casually flicked her wrist and tossed the sword back to him.
"Keep it."
"…Huh?"
Kakashi caught it on reflex.
"Hokage-sama, this is Nidaime-sama's relic—"
"A relic left to rot in storage is nothing more than scrap metal," Tsunade interrupted calmly.
Leaning back in her chair, she fixed him with a steady gaze.
"You're Konoha's foremost Lightning Release user. Fighting empty-handed doesn't suit you."
"Only in your hands can the Sword of the Thunder God show its true worth."
She paused, her voice firm and unquestionable.
"Consider it an additional reward for saving Konoha this time. Take it—and use it to protect this village."
Sensing the trust and expectation behind her words, Kakashi no longer refused.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he properly stowed the sword.
"Then I'll accept it. Thank you, Hokage-sama."
"That's enough for now," Tsunade said, rising from behind her desk, her expression turning grave.
She walked toward the office door, motioning for him to follow.