After quickly freshening up, Seimei gathered his gear, dressed neatly, and stepped out of the room, ready to find something to eat.
Since this was supposed to be a time to relax, there was no way he was settling for military rations again. He was craving the delicious street food from the breakfast stalls he hadn't had in a while.
"I just hope they're out there today..."
Standing at the door, Seimei glanced up at the gray, overcast sky and muttered to himself.
It had been drizzling since the second half of the night, and the rain hadn't stopped since.
He was a little worried the vendors might not set up shop in this weather.
But as it turned out, he had been overthinking it.
When he reached the familiar street, although there were fewer stalls than usual, most vendors were still there.
Even in the relatively prosperous Konoha Village, some people had to work hard just to get by.
Shaking off those sentimental thoughts, Seimei walked up to one of the stalls, ordered enough breakfast for three people, and began devouring it without hesitation.
Compared to the bland, hard-to-swallow military rations, this ordinary food tasted like a feast. Seimei savored every bite.
About half an hour later, after finishing ten servings of breakfast, he paid the bill under the reluctant gaze of the stall owner and left.
With his stomach full, Seimei looked around, unsure of what to do next.
After standing there for a moment, he decided to scout one of Uchiha Obito's frequent hideouts from the past week — the cemetery.
Back when his parents had just passed, Seimei had recently arrived in this world. To maintain his cover, he'd often visit the cemetery, so the place wasn't unfamiliar to him.
Once he made up his mind, Seimei set off immediately.
About half an hour later, he arrived at his destination.
The cemetery was surrounded by dense forest, giving it a tranquil, isolated atmosphere. Unless it was a special occasion, very few people ever came here — today was no different.
Or so he thought.
Wait...
Seimei's eyes narrowed as he noticed a young boy standing silently in front of a tombstone.
The boy, dressed in black, stood motionless like a statue, letting the steady drizzle soak him. His entire presence exuded a deep sense of sorrow.
"Kakashi?"
There was no mistaking him — Hatake Kakashi, the one who had killed his best friend Nohara Rin with his own hands. Even if it was unintentional, the guilt weighed heavily on him.
The dark circles under his eyes told Seimei that Kakashi hadn't slept well again. He was probably tormented by nightmares, waking up early to punish himself like this.
Seimei had no intention of offering comfort.
In Kakashi's current state, unless Seimei told him that Uchiha Obito was still alive — giving him a reason to hope — any words of consolation would be meaningless.
Besides, Seimei knew Kakashi wouldn't want anyone to see him like this.
So he simply observed from afar.
Time passed slowly.
The rain grew heavier.
Suddenly, Seimei's sharp senses picked up a faint spatial fluctuation from deep within the forest.
"No way..."
He couldn't help but whisper.
Realizing his mistake, he quickly shut his mouth and darted behind a tree, concealing himself.
Still feeling exposed, he activated the seal on his forehead — the 'Universal Seal of Oblivion' — which fused with a protective barrier, masking his presence entirely.
Last night, he'd been contemplating how to obtain Hashirama cells from Uchiha Obito. He hadn't expected to run into him the very next day.
But since fate had brought this opportunity, there was no way he was letting it slip by.
At this point, Obito had just broken free from Madara's control. He hadn't yet triggered the Nine-Tails incident or exacted his revenge on Konoha.
His hatred was at its peak.
But at the same time, he was conflicted.
If Seimei played his cards right, there was a chance to achieve his goal.
Even if he failed, it didn't matter — as long as Obito was still plotting, there would always be another chance.
And if Obito became too cautious after this, Seimei could simply shift his sights to Orochimaru.
After all, Orochimaru had been deeply involved in Konoha's Wood Release research and continued Hashirama cell experiments in secret even after the village shut down the project.
It was highly likely Orochimaru still had samples stashed away.
One way or another, Seimei had options.
"Screw it. Let's do this."
With his mind made up, he hunkered down even further, eyes locked on the forest ahead.
His entire plan hinged on that spatial fluctuation being Obito's Kamui.
If not, all this waiting would be pointless.
Luckily, his instincts were spot on.
Through the gaps in the trees, he spotted a short figure materializing in the forest.
Even though the figure's face was hidden, the signature spiral mask gave him away.
Uchiha Obito.
Despite his best efforts to conceal himself, Obito's cautious movements betrayed his lingering hesitation.
Seimei glanced back at Kakashi, still lost in grief.
Maybe Obito wasn't afraid of being seen — maybe he just couldn't bring himself to face Kakashi yet.
The three of them shared the same space, each preoccupied with their own struggles.
More time passed.
Eventually, Kakashi stirred. He cast one last glance at Rin and Obito's graves before turning to leave.
As soon as Kakashi disappeared into the distance, the cemetery fell silent once again.
Seimei had expected to wait longer.
But Obito's patience ran out almost immediately. The moment Kakashi was gone, Obito stepped out of hiding, walked straight to the tombstone, and violently ripped the flowers from the grave, hurling them to the ground.