"Thank you so much, Sakumo-sama," Hoshino Akira said, deeply grateful for Hatake Sakumo's help. "Otherwise, I really wouldn't have been able to do anything about Shinji-sama."
"You're welcome. Hoshino-sensei, you should go back and rest too. Leave the rest to me."
After seeing Hoshino Akira off, Sakumo squatted down, looked directly into Naraku's eyes, and said calmly, "Alright, let's go back."
"Go back... where?" Naraku asked, completely bewildered.
"Idiot, where do you think?" Kakashi squeezed his shoulder, his eyes filled with helplessness. "Father wants you to come home with us."
Naraku's eyes widened, and he stammered, "No, Lord Sakumo, I... I'll cause you trouble."
I'm just being polite; please don't take it seriously, Sakumo!
Naraku cried out in his heart.
Hatake Sakumo was completely unaware of Naraku's inner thoughts. He chuckled as he patted Naraku's head, gesturing for Kakashi to bring him along.
...
Even after arriving at the Hatake residence, Naraku still couldn't quite believe it.
Am I just incredibly lucky?
The legendary Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang of Konoha, who struck fear into the hearts of the Hidden Sand during the Second Shinobi World War, really took me in just because I'm Kakashi's classmate...?
"Give me your hand."
Naraku obediently stretched out his hand. Sakumo checked his meridians and Chakra, confirming his suspicions.
"Your Chakra reserves are low, but that's not your fault. It's caused by malnutrition. Once you recover, your Chakra levels will naturally increase."
Sakumo looked at Kakashi and laughed, "Naraku can still fight you in this condition. Once he recovers, you two should be evenly matched."
He said to Naraku with certainty, "You are very talented."
Naraku was only happy for a moment before his emotions were affected by the lingering feelings of the original owner. The grievances that had been suppressed in his heart for many years turned into tears that filled his eyes and slid down his cheeks.
"Th-thank you..." Naraku could only cover his eyes with his sleeve, trying to calm himself down. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have cried..."
Then, a warm towel was placed on his face.
Kakashi: "Hurry up and wipe it, you crybaby."
Naraku: "..." When will these lingering emotions disappear? System, say something!
They had a really good relationship.
Sakumo was very happy that his son had made a friend while he was away from Konoha. They would become partners who could entrust their lives to each other, which was the most important thing for a Ninja.
"Alright, wash up and get some rest. School is off tomorrow, so I'll guide your training."
"Yes," Kakashi replied, pulling Naraku to his feet.
Upon arriving at the bedroom, Kakashi brought out a new set of bedding and said, "You'll sleep here tonight. I'm going to take a shower; don't wait for me."
"Mhm."
When Kakashi returned after his shower, he found that Naraku was still awake. Without thinking too much, he crawled into his own bed, said "Goodnight," and prepared to go to sleep.
After a while, the gaze from the side still hadn't disappeared. Turning his head, he found that it was indeed Naraku secretly staring at him. He asked in an annoyed tone, "What?"
Naraku narrowed his eyes and silently curled the corners of his mouth.
This must be the first time he's ever smiled.
Kakashi thought to himself, but he would never admit that he was also happy that the other boy was free from pain, so he said insincerely, "Idiot, go to sleep."
"Mhm."
...
The next day, the sun shone brightly and the sky was cloudless.
Hatake Sakumo was sparring with Kakashi in his yard. It was more of a training session where Sakumo was feeding Kakashi moves and training his Hatake-style swordsmanship.
The two exchanged blows, their swords flashing and their fists clashing; each move appeared to be executed with great skill and discipline.
In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Kakashi's Chakra was depleted, and he had to stop and rest, panting heavily. His hair was soaked with sweat and drooped limply.
Naraku, with great insight, went to the bathroom and brought out a wet towel for Kakashi to wipe his sweat. The latter was a little hesitant but took it and covered his face without saying a word.
"Naraku, come here." Sakumo beckoned.
Naraku quickly ran over and stood at attention. "Lord Sakumo."
"You should call me Master."
Naraku lowered his head, fidgeting with the hem of his clothes, staring at his toes without saying a word.
The original owner's memories began to flash back—all the past events: his father's beatings and scoldings, his mother's absence, and the days when he was hungry and cold, able only to huddle alone in a corner and suffer. They were like a mountain, getting heavier and heavier, almost crushing him.
A pair of warm, large hands patted his shoulder, dispelling the illusion of the mountain.
"It's alright, Naraku. Nothing will happen to you again."
A gentle breeze blew by, and the branches of the big tree in the yard swayed. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, leaving irregular dappled patterns on the ground that were still somewhat dazzling.
"...Master."
He slowly nestled into Sakumo's arms. The broad chest felt safe, and for the first time, he realized how warm a father's embrace could be, carrying the scent of sunshine and wind.
After he uttered those words, the countless grievances and resentments remaining in his body began to gradually dissipate. It was as if Uchiha Naraku's soul had finally been freed from the constraints of his body, transforming into a gentle breeze that swept past the branches of the trees in the courtyard and drifted away, slowly and lightly.
Naraku looked up from Sakumo's arms, his originally dark eyes now blood-red, with a Tomoe slowly rotating in each one.
Sharingan!
Sakumo subconsciously tensed all his muscles, then remembered whose eyes they belonged to, and relaxed.
"Naraku, you've awakened your eyes."
"Huh?"
Naraku turned his head to look around. The originally ordinary scenery became incredibly clear and slow, as if switching from standard definition to 4K.
He never imagined he could clearly see a beetle teetering under a blade of grass, witnessing every detail of its wings unfolding; even the frequency of its wingbeats appeared much slower to him.
No wonder the Uchiha who awakened their Sharingan looked down on outsiders; they were on completely different levels.
It turns out that it's not just extreme negative emotions that can stimulate the Sharingan; genuine warmth can too. Or perhaps Uchiha Naraku was already on the verge of awakening his Sharingan, and the kindness shown by the Hatake father and son helped him break free from that pain and take the final step.
That's why Senju Tobirama said the Uchiha were a Clan of Love.
Indeed, the one who understands you best is always your enemy.
"It's so clear... this is the Sharingan..."
Naraku exclaimed in amazement, looking around as if he were seeing this world for the first time. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain, and in the next instant, his vision returned to its ordinary state.
"It's probably because your Chakra wasn't enough to maintain it, so it deactivated automatically."
Sakumo patted Naraku's shoulder, looked at his eyes which had turned back to black, and spoke in a deep voice.
Kakashi held the towel that Naraku had just handed him and felt a faint sense of pressure.
His father had already said that Naraku could fight him to a draw after he recovered. Now that he had awakened his eyes, he would probably become even stronger than previously thought.
Although he wasn't so arrogant as to forbid others from surpassing him, his innate competitive spirit wouldn't allow him to admit defeat so easily.
Just you wait, Naraku, I won't let you surpass me so easily.
Kakashi's eyes blazed with fighting spirit.