Chapter 70 – Return to Akatsuki
"Kakashi? What brings you here? Come in."
Yusuke opened the door and gestured for his younger brother to enter.
Kakashi stepped inside with a serious expression on his face.
"Big Brother... I want to become stronger," he said, his eyes unwavering.
That look made Yusuke chuckle softly.
"That's a good look in your eyes. Mind telling me why?"
"I want to protect you, Dad, and my friends," Kakashi answered sincerely.
"Hahaha... Good. Seems like you've started to understand the meaning of bonds."
Yusuke gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, pleased.
"Kakashi, let me ask you something. What do you think true strength really is?"
Kakashi paused for a moment, clearly thinking it through.
"People like Dad, Lord Hokage, and you... they're strong, aren't they?"
"Hahaha, you're not wrong, but you're not quite right either." Yusuke let out a hearty laugh. "While your father and the current Hokage are definitely among the strongest in the ninja world, there are still people far stronger than them."
"Stronger than Dad and the Hokage?" Kakashi's eyes widened.
"I'm not saying this to discourage you—just to help you understand how vast the world really is. I don't want my little brother growing up like a frog in a well."
"Okay, that's exactly why I want to get much stronger," Kakashi said with resolve.
"You know why I told you to pursue the way of the sword from the beginning?" Yusuke asked.
"I don't," Kakashi replied, curiosity written on his face.
The world was full of ninja. True swordmasters were rare. Even Sakumo, known as the White Fang, was still primarily recognized as a shinobi. Only someone like Mifune could be considered a true samurai.
"It's simple," Yusuke said. "Because we are Hatake—not Uchiha, not Senju."
"What's that got to do with anything?" Kakashi frowned slightly.
"You haven't realized it yet? In this world, the Hokage, the Raikage, the Kazekage—they're all more or less on the same level, right?"
"Yeah, I guess... So what are you getting at?"
"It means this world has a ceiling—a level most shinobi can't surpass. That ceiling is the Kage level. No matter how much talent you have, you'll most likely only ever reach someone like the Third Hokage."
"The Hatake clan has no kekkei genkai. Our chakra is average. Even our father only has chakra capacity around low-Kage level. And that can't be improved."
"I get it now... My chakra capacity limits my potential. That's why you want me to focus on swordsmanship," Kakashi replied, finally understanding.
"Exactly. The human body is a treasure trove of untapped potential. It has no upper limit. But chakra? Chakra is finite. If you want to break past the limits of the ninja world, you have to rely on taijutsu and kenjutsu."
Yusuke wasn't exaggerating. Chakra was essentially a gift passed down from the Sage of Six Paths—a seed planted across humanity to enable ninjutsu. But when compared to those of the Sage's bloodline, ordinary chakra was severely limited. And even if large reserves didn't always mean strength, lacking it was still a hurdle for clans with no inherited power.
"I understand, Brother."
"But that doesn't mean you should neglect ninjutsu. Many jutsu are incredibly useful. I just want your primary path to be the sword."
"Got it… I'll do it," Kakashi nodded, his expression turning thoughtful.
"Remember the gift I promised you before?"
"The sword like Enma's?" Kakashi's eyes sparkled instantly.
"Right. But I've got another gift for you—of course, only if you become strong enough when the time comes."
"Can I know what it is now?"
"Fine. The second gift… is Armament Haki."
"Are you serious?!"
"Dead serious. Anyway, it's late. Get some rest. Training tomorrow is going to be brutal," Yusuke said with a calm smile.
"Okay, Brother. I'll head back now."
— — —
The Next Day
Yusuke pushed the three of Minato's students harder than ever before. Even Kakashi was having a hard time keeping up, not to mention the other two.
On the third day, Minato finally returned. It was time for everyone to head back to Konoha. Once home, Kakashi began preparing himself for the jōnin exam.
---
"Minato-nii, I need to head to the Land of Rain for a bit," Yusuke said.
"Huh? That's Hanzo's territory… Even for you…" Minato looked concerned.
"Relax. Not to brag, but I'm not exactly scared of taking on a whole army."
It wasn't an empty boast. Even someone like Sarutobi Hiruzen would struggle in a one-against-many battle. But not Yusuke—he had something no one else did.
"Alright then. I trust you," Minato smiled.
"Brother, be careful," Kakashi said with concern.
"I'll be fine. You just focus on your jōnin exam," Yusuke said with a reassuring wave.
He opened a spatial portal and stepped through. Being near the border made it easy to jump straight into the Land of Rain.
— — —
Meanwhile, at Akatsuki's Hideout...
"Konan, what are you doing out here?"
Nagato's voice pulled Konan out of her thoughts as she stared up at the cloudy sky.
"Oh, nothing. Why are you here, Nagato?" she replied quickly, trying to act casual.
"Yahiko sent me to find you. Hanzo may not have made a move yet, but Yahiko is still worried he might strike without warning."
"If only he were here… maybe we wouldn't have to worry at all," Konan whispered softly.
"What?"
"Nothing. Let's go find Yahiko," she said, brushing it off.
"Alright," Nagato said, not pressing her further.
The two made their way to the meeting room, where Yahiko sat looking visibly troubled.
"What's wrong, Yahiko?" Konan asked.
"Lately, Hanzo's been getting too cozy with the shinobi from Iwagakure," Yahiko muttered.
"So… war might break out soon?" Konan asked, her voice laced with anxiety. "Does Yusuke know about this?"
"I've already contacted Konoha," Yahiko replied.
"If war really breaks out, we can't just stay neutral. This will be our trial by fire," Nagato said firmly.
"If I fall in battle… Nagato, I'm leaving Konan and Akatsuki in your care."
"No way! You're our leader. I'd rather give my life to keep you alive!" Nagato protested.
"Same here!" Konan added, voice full of conviction.
"As your leader, it's my job to protect you."
"I..."
"We both…"
"But you don't have to worry. As long as I'm on the battlefield, I'll make sure neither of you dies."
A calm, familiar voice echoed from the doorway.
"You came back, huh…" Konan turned toward the door with a glowing smile. The person she'd been thinking about all this time had finally appeared. Both Yahiko and Nagato were stunned.
"It's been a while, everyone."
Yusuke stepped in, greeting them with a gentle smile.
"What are you doing here all of a sudden?" Yahiko asked.
"Hanzo's been acting up lately, right? I'm here to remind him of his place. And of course, I wanted to see you guys too," Yusuke said casually.
"You've gotten even stronger since last time," Nagato said, his expression serious.
"And you've awakened the Rinnegan. That's impressive," Yusuke said as he looked into Nagato's eyes, admiration in his gaze.
Hearing that, Yahiko immediately stood protectively in front of Nagato. Konan looked nervous too.
"Relax. No need to get all defensive. The Rinnegan is amazing, but it's not something I'm going to try to steal. I'm not that foolish. Power like that doesn't tempt me."
Only after hearing those words did Yahiko and Konan ease up. They knew—if Yusuke had really wanted the Rinnegan, he could've taken it long ago. But he never did.
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