[Konoha Village, by a River Beside the Hokage Building]
Sarutobi Hiruzen wore the neat ceremonial Hokage robes. Looking at several children playing in the distance, a trace of contemplation appeared in his eyes.
At this moment, whoosh! Obito's figure appeared beside him.
Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled and said, "Obito, you're here?"
Obito nodded, pretending to be respectful, "Hokage-sama, what matter do you have with me?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "What, can't I just chat with Konoha's future sometimes if there's no business? Obito, you're really a good child. You care about your teacher's wife, seeing her restricted, you often take her outside Konoha to play."
Obito sneered inwardly, 'This old man Hiruzen is rotten and sly, probing for information by beating around the bush. How can I possibly fall for that?'
He feigned a dazed look, scratching his head in embarrassment, "Hokage-sama, yesterday it was indeed because Teacher's wife was complaining to Tsunade-sama that she couldn't go anywhere. So I took her around the area near Konoha. I only did it that one time. Sorry, I won't dare do it again."
Seeing how sincere Obito sounded, and considering he was only a ten-year-old child, he shouldn't have such deep scheming.
'So… was it Minato who did it?'
'Yes, that fits. Minato's actions would be watertight, leaving no flaws to be caught. Only a child like Obito would end up taking someone out for a whole day, impossible to avoid being discovered.'
Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly understood. Most likely it was careless Obito being subtly guided by Minato. Otherwise, how could a child who would help old ladies cross the street suddenly change so much?
He smiled and said, "Obito, your Sharingan must have awakened long ago, right? Only, your teacher told you to keep it hidden from everyone, using the excuse that a ninja needs to preserve his trump cards?"
Obito felt it wasn't very nice to throw Teacher Minato under the bus, so he said, "No, it's just that when I awakened these eyes it was very painful. I felt it was an ominous power, so I hid it myself."
The Third smiled even brighter, "Obito, you really are a good child. But Minato, does he really know nothing at all?"
Obito was still thinking how to fabricate a reasonable excuse, but the Third misunderstood something.
"Obito, you're covering for your teacher, aren't you? Ninjas really do need to preserve their trump cards. Minato's way isn't wrong. And since he's soon to be Konoha's Hokage, everything he does is also to help a genius grow better for Konoha's sake."
Obito thought: 'Teacher Minato, it's not that I won't help you, it's just that people's biases run too deep. I truly can't do anything about it.'
He obediently nodded, "Lord Third, I understand."
Sarutobi Hiruzen casually asked, "Obito, when you fought Uchiha Madara before, had you awakened eyes stronger than the three-tomoe? I wonder if Fugaku told you, that pair of eyes is called the Mangekyo Sharingan."
After a pause, the Third said, "Can you tell me, how did you awaken it?"
Obito acted as if recalling, then suddenly burst out with a wave of frenzied rage, "It was Uchiha Madara who tried to harm Rin's life! I watched with my own eyes, and I couldn't do anything!"
Suddenly, Obito roared at the Third, "This kind of thing, I absolutely will not allow! Why, why would a gentle and kind girl like Rin suffer such treatment!"
The Third was shocked by Obito's sudden eruption of such frenzied, twisted emotions.
He felt as if he were a lone boat on the vast ocean, about to be swallowed at any time by huge crashing waves.
He couldn't help but step back, a bone-chilling terror rising in his heart, until he even fell back onto the ground with a thump in fright.
'So this is what Teacher Tobirama spoke of, the power of the Uchiha clan when love turns to hatred?'
'Indeed… fearsome.'
The Third now had no doubts at all. Such frenzied, extreme emotion from Uchiha Obito could not be faked.
Was it when he and Rin executed a rearguard mission, retreating while fighting all the way to near Iwagakure, yet still couldn't escape, and just as Rin was about to die, he awakened this power?
That fit perfectly with Obito's personality profile.
Cold sweat poured from the Third as he scrambled up awkwardly and tried to comfort him, "Obito, calm down. That matter has already ended. Rin has very strong self-healing ability, so long as she isn't instantly destroyed, she can recover."
Obito sneered inwardly. Since Hiruzen wanted to test him, he didn't mind using it to vent his resentment toward Hiruzen, and scare this Hokage a little.
The Mist's Three-Tails incident, Konoha not sending reinforcements, it had already been proven not to be Danzo's doing. No matter what, this Hokage couldn't be blameless.
Seeing the effect was achieved, Obito cooperated by withdrawing his resentment and returning to calm.
He said, "I understand. I just suddenly thought of that matter and lost control for a moment."
Sarutobi Hiruzen breathed a sigh of relief. For an instant, he even felt a trace of joy. Though the Mangekyo Sharingan was extremely sinister, the fact that Uchiha Obito awakened this power for the sake of protecting someone fit perfectly with the Will of Fire.
His eyes grew deep as he lifted his head to the sky, "Obito, you are a good child. You must use this power properly, to protect Konoha's future. Where tree leaves dance... one shall find flames... the fire's shadow will illuminate the village... and once again tree leaves shall bud anew."
Obito watched this middle-aged old man moved by his own words, not knowing what to say. Even he couldn't tell anymore which of these words were true and which were false. Perhaps, maybe it was just a method to brainwash him. Or perhaps, after saying them so many times, even he believed them completely.
In the end, he only said, "Okay."
Sarutobi Hiruzen turned around, "Obito, you could bear so much pain and erupt with so much dark, repressed emotion, yet still recover quickly and keep your true heart. That shows you are very suited for a certain position."
"That is the position for which Lord Shimura Danzo burned all of himself, the one called Root. I need you to take over Root, to become Konoha's darkness, to guard the village from the shadows. Can you do it?"
Obito nodded, looking at the Third with a bit of surprise, 'Hiruzen also wants me to take over Root, why?'
The next moment, he understood the answer.
Sarutobi Hiruzen hesitated a little and said,b"Root's main duty, aside from guarding Konoha from the shadows, the most important part is to counterbalance the Hokage."
"Obito, I hope you'll keep a close eye on your teacher. The two of you correct each other's behavior, only then can Konoha endure."
So this was what he was really waiting for. Sarutobi Hiruzen knew that after Teacher Minato rose to power, he wouldn't use outsiders. So he might as well act from within.
After all, having been Hokage for so many years, no matter how soft he seemed on the surface, he wasn't without methods.
This was an open and aboveboard strategy, and indeed could serve as a backup if the Hokage ever made mistakes.
Obito showed an innocent smile, "Yes, Lord Third!"
"But, I'll also ask Teacher Minato's opinion. After all, he is the future Hokage."
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