Chapter 515: A Conversation Between Master and Disciple
Half a day after Jiraiya left the village, Ino used the Flying Thunder God Technique to catch up with him.
The matter of Koji Kashin had to be handled with some discretion from Tsunade. At first, Ino remembered that the man was a clone, but now, having told the lie so many times, she was starting to believe it herself.
The Yamanaka clan's intelligence network had managed to find some information about Koji Kashin, which she now handed over to Jiraiya.
"By the way, Lord Jiraiya, you must be careful on your travels. It's possible that Madara Uchiha has already been revived," Ino said, choosing her words carefully.
Jiraiya frowned slightly. "Where did this information come from?"
"Konan told me. She said that before Nagato died, he used the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique one last time. I suspect the one he revived was Madara Uchiha, but I have no proof. The revived Madara would be different from his Impure World Reincarnation state; he likely wouldn't have the Rinnegan. However, we can't rule out the possibility that he has a Sharingan. After all, far too many Uchiha Sharingan have been lost over the years."
Jiraiya nodded slowly. "I understand. I'll be careful."
Ino quickly returned to Konoha using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Jiraiya sat in a tavern, drinking for half an hour, before Minato found him, also using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Their master-disciple relationship was as close as that of a father and son; there was no need for excessive pleasantries.
Minato got straight to the point. "Sensei, I think I've figured out the true identity of the Masked Man."
Jiraiya's expression turned serious. "Who is it?"
"I suspect it's Obito."
The name didn't ring a bell for Jiraiya. "Who?"
Minato repeated himself. "I suspect the Masked Man is Obito Uchiha."
Jiraiya finally recalled the name. "The Uchiha who died at the Kannabi Bridge? Have you...?"
Minato shook his head. "I haven't told Kakashi. After I was revived, I visited the Kannabi Bridge and the place where Rin died. All the signs indicate that Obito is still alive, and he is filled with hatred for me, his teacher."
Obito was only fifteen when he orchestrated the Nine-Tails' attack. His body shape, movements, habits, and other characteristics would not have gone unnoticed by someone who knew him well. Shinobi were known for their keen eyes, and Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, was the best of the best. He hadn't recognized him at the time mainly because his mind was in turmoil.
His wife was giving birth, the Nine-Tails was rampaging through the village, and a mysterious masked man was causing chaos. Even the calmest person would have been thrown into a panic.
At the time, he had died, and the dead can't testify. Now that Minato was revived and could reflect on that experience, he naturally noticed many discrepancies.
He believed the probability of the Masked Man being Obito Uchiha was high—so high that he was willing to share it with Jiraiya.
Jiraiya's response remained the same: "Alright, I'll keep an eye out."
While Jiraiya and his student were talking, another master and disciple pair, Sasuke and Kakashi, were also holding their second discussion on the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Should he choose Sage Mode or the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan?
Sasuke hadn't made up his mind. Kakashi, after hearing Itachi's last words and consulting the village's numerous records, came to a conclusion.
Madara Uchiha was likely using an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan when he left Konoha. And according to Ino and Tsunade, the reincarnated Madara had already reached the level of the Rinnegan. In other words, the highest stage of the Mangekyo Sharingan was the Rinnegan.
"Transplanting eyes comes with a certain degree of risk. According to your Uchiha clan's records, Madara was likely the only one to ever achieve the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. I suggest you choose the more stable path of Sage Mode. If you're willing, I can speak with Miss Yamanaka about it."
Kakashi held his student, Sasuke, in very high regard. He saw a reflection of himself in the boy and had always been diligent in his instruction.
Kakashi wasn't as important to Sasuke as Iruka was to Naruto, but he was still a key figure, and his words carried significant weight.
Sasuke began to ponder the choice himself.
A comfortable life bred a lack of adventurous spirit.
The current Sasuke no longer harbored thoughts of needing to gain power in a short amount of time for revenge or killing.
Gouge out his own eyes and transplant Itachi's? Would that really grant him an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan? What if it failed? In the entire history of the Uchiha clan, only Madara had succeeded. Would he be successful too?
Sasuke was uncertain.
If he had no other options, it would be one thing, but with a choice available, he didn't want to walk such an extreme path.
Intuitively, he felt that Sage Mode would offer a more substantial improvement, and it seemed safer. He was confident in his own aptitude; if Naruto could learn it, why couldn't he?
Sasuke wasn't a child; he said, "Sensei, I'll go and ask Ino for guidance myself."
He was only hesitant due to his pride, but he wasn't the type to suffer for the sake of it.
Compared to the path of the Eternal Mangekyo, which required gouging out his eyes, and the troublesome Cursed Seal from Orochimaru, Ino's way seemed much safer.
Kakashi thought for a moment and said, "Miss Yamanaka's Sage Mode doesn't seem to be the same as the one from Shikkotsu Forest. Lord Jiraiya and I discussed it; her Sage Mode is incredibly powerful, somewhat similar to Lord First Hokage's. When you ask for her guidance, you must be humble."
He might as well have said, "Tone down that cool and arrogant attitude of yours."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. Do you think I'm an idiot? Of course I'll be humble when I'm asking for help.
Although Kakashi told Sasuke to go ask for himself, the moment they parted ways, he immediately went to find Ino.
He found her practicing Lightning Release, much to his delight.
Making small talk, he chatted with Ino about a wealth of knowledge related to Lightning Release, eventually even offering her his personal notes on its use.
"Teacher Kakashi, are you alright?" Ino was baffled by his earnestness. Such personal notes were things one would only share with someone extremely close.
"It's like this... Sasuke has been using his Mangekyo Sharingan a bit too frequently lately. During the battle against Pain, he witnessed the wonders of senjutsu chakra..."
Kakashi rambled on, but his core message was simple: he hoped to trade his own notes on Lightning Release for Ino's instruction of Sasuke in Sage Mode.
"You want me to teach Sasuke Sage Mode?" Ino hesitated. This was Sasuke, the reincarnation of Indra. There was much she needed to consider.
Although she knew the Sage of Six Paths cared deeply for both his "sons," she couldn't be sure of the old man's attitude. One might say he loved them both equally, but in specific situations, it was always best to ask in person.
Ino thought for a moment and said, "Hmm... Teacher Kakashi, I can't make this decision easily. After all, this knowledge doesn't belong to me. I have to go down and ask."
Kakashi: "???"
Go down? Down where? Does she mean 'down' in the way I think she means?
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