I Am Optimistic About You
Chi Yu told Uchiha Obito, "Konoha is the reason Kakashi became like this."
Uchiha Obito looked at him with a confused expression.
Chi Yu continued, "Back then, Kakashi was someone who cherished his comrades and believed in Konoha. As his classmate and friend, you should know that better than anyone."
Minato Namikaze was not wrong—the beginning of Kakashi's transformation was the death of Sakumo Hatake.
Sakumo, who upheld the Will of Fire, chose to abandon the mission in order to save his comrades. From the village's perspective, it was a violation of the shinobi code. If that were the only issue, he should have been punished by the rules alone.
But instead, everyone in Konoha condemned him. Isn't that, in itself, a denial of the Will of Fire?
Sakumo didn't take his own life because of the criticism alone—he wasn't that weak. He did it because his faith shattered. Everything he believed in was betrayed by the very village he fought for.
Even if Sakumo made a mistake, it had nothing to do with Kakashi. Yet Kakashi too was blamed and ostracized by the very people his father once protected.
Sakumo contributed so much to the village, but one deviation from protocol turned him into a villain in their eyes. His son, entirely innocent, was dragged into the fallout.
"Tell me, Obito," Chi Yu said coldly. "Did Kakashi do anything wrong?"
Obito lowered his head and shook it. "…No."
"Then why did they blame him?"
Obito hesitated, struggling to answer. "…I don't know."
Chi Yu scoffed. "You know the answer, but you don't want to admit it. Fine, I'll say it for you—it was the villagers. Konoha was wrong."
He stepped closer.
"And tell me—after going through something like that, why should Kakashi still be kind to them? Why should he smile at the people who turned their backs on his family?"
"You all say Kakashi changed, that he became cold—and you blame me. Sure, I may have had a hand in that, but don't overlook the root cause. The greatest reason is Konoha itself.
You say I'm cold, and that Kakashi became cold under my influence. But wasn't Konoha just as cold first?"
Chi Yu's eyes narrowed.
"What exactly did Kakashi and I do to deserve this treatment?
You say the Will of Fire defines Konoha. But was Sakumo wrong to act on it?
Now, Kakashi quotes the rules like scripture, and you think he does it out of devotion? No. Konoha taught him that rules matter more than lives. That's what he internalized."
Chi Yu paused for emphasis.
"Obito, can you guarantee that if Kakashi breaks the rules again, he won't suffer the same fate as his father? Can Minato guarantee that?"
Obito stood frozen, mind spinning, as if everything he believed was beginning to collapse.
After a long silence, he looked up. "Lord Chi Yu… why are you telling me all this?"
Chi Yu smiled faintly. "It's no secret that I dislike the Uchiha Clan. But you, Obito… you're different. I think highly of you. I don't want you to misunderstand me—or Kakashi."
Obito was caught off guard by the unexpected praise.
Chi Yu continued, "You may not understand now, but one day you will. Whether what I've said is right… only time will prove it. Perhaps, in the future, we'll even work together."
Obito scratched the back of his head, a little flustered. "I-I don't think someone like me would be of any use to Lord Chi Yu…"
Chi Yu's voice turned serious. "I'm not joking, Obito. I truly believe your future holds something great. One day, you'll stand at the peak of the shinobi world.
It's alright if you don't believe it now. Just remember what I've said. If you ever need help, come find me. I'll ask the same of you if the time comes. Of course, any cooperation must be built on mutual benefit."
He added, "And if I ever ask for your help, I'll come with something of equal value. Don't turn your back on me then."
Obito nodded earnestly. "I understand, Lord Chi Yu. I'll remember."
Chi Yu patted him on the shoulder. "Alright. Get some rest. I won't keep you any longer."
"Yes. Goodnight, Lord Chi Yu!"
Obito jogged away, feeling conflicted but inspired.
Chi Yu watched his figure fade into the night, his expression unreadable.
---
The Next Day
The six shinobi, including Chi Yu, assembled at dawn.
Minato Namikaze addressed them calmly. "It's time to begin the mission. We'll move in two squads as planned. Yesterday's scout was just the beginning. From here on, expect coordinated enemy teams. Stay sharp."
Uchiha Obito turned, a smirk on his face. "Let's go, Captain."
Kakashi, Minato, Rin, and Katsuhiko all turned in surprise. Just yesterday, Obito had refused to acknowledge Kakashi's leadership. But now he spoke the word without hesitation.
Minato smiled softly. Perhaps his words—or Chi Yu's—had reached the boy.
Chi Yu stepped forward. "Kakashi, come with me for a moment. I have something to tell you."
Kakashi followed him a short distance into the woods.
Chi Yu lowered his voice. "Don't be careless in the battles to come. Be vigilant—especially about protecting your eyes. Understand?"
Kakashi frowned slightly, unsure why Chi Yu was emphasizing this. Still, he nodded. "Understood, Teacher Chi Yu."
Chi Yu nodded, but his concern lingered. In Kakashi's left eye, he had secretly placed a Tsukuyomi seal—a fail-safe that suppressed the ocular technique known as Manju (Myriad Rejection).
But Manju couldn't protect against physical harm.
Once they rejoined the others, the team split and moved out.
Chi Yu and Kakashi headed to the forward line, while Kakashi's team—Obito, Rin, and Katsuhiko—advanced toward the Kannabi Bridge.
Along the way, Kakashi's sharp instincts allowed him to disarm multiple traps laid across the path.
High in the trees, two Hidden Stone shinobi—Firelight and Daishi—watched from concealment.
Firelight narrowed his eyes at the advancing group. "Hey, Muzhi went ahead to scout and hasn't returned. Think these kids took him out?"
Daishi smirked. "Only one way to find out."
"Ninja Art: Camouflage Concealment!"
Daishi formed hand seals and faded into the background, his body merging with the forest as he silently approached the unaware Konoha team.
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