After sensing something was off, Obito recalled that Naruto had just mentioned Mokgetsu was the Fourth Hokage, while Yamato said they were on a mission under the orders of the Fifth Hokage.
"So, what happened to the Fourth Hokage when you came here?" Obito asked Yamato and Naruto, clinging to a last sliver of hope.
Although up until now, a new Hokage would usually emerge only after the previous one died, this was not because Hokages all wanted to hold onto power until death, but due to various accidents, like the First Hokage dying young and the Second dying in the Hidden Cloud Ninja coup.
So having a new Hokage doesn't necessarily mean the previous Hokage has perished.
Obito thought perhaps Mokgetsu didn't want to cling to power, leaving the opportunity to his successors, which is why the Fifth Hokage emerged so quickly.
Kakashi looked at Obito, opened his mouth, but eventually closed it again.
Someone as astute as he was couldn't possibly be oblivious to this information, but the impact was overwhelming, and asking would only sadden his companions further.
Kakashi truly wished this was a dream, an absurd and bizarre nightmare. How could the unfathomably powerful Mokgetsu have died before him?
Mokgetsu mastered various Breathing Chakra Modes, wielded Armament Aura for both offense and defense, mastered seven Chakra Nature Changes, self-developed the Kekkeigenkai Ice Release, and had countless advanced Ninjutsu and Taijutsu techniques. How could such a powerful individual be killed?
But deep in his heart, Kakashi knew very well that as long as one is human, they will die. The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, was a formidable force in the Ninja World, who developed countless Kinjutsu, yet he still died in the coup of the Hidden Cloud.
Uzumaki Naruto scratched his head and glanced at Yamato by his side. Even he knew that talking about someone dying in the future in front of the person wasn't appropriate.
Yamato was also torn, worried that what he said might alter history and lead to unknown changes in the future.
If the change resulted in the Fourth Hokage not dying and Konoha growing stronger, that would be good, but Yamato couldn't guarantee whether this unexpected change would be positive or negative. If history altered and upon returning to the past, Konoha was already destroyed, Yamato would truly be devastated.
But at times like this, not answering is an answer in itself.
"Why aren't you speaking? Would Konoha ninjas really be unaware of the Hokage's situation?" Obito clenched his fists tightly and continued to ask, his voice trembling.
He couldn't believe Mokgetsu would die, especially this all-powerful Sage Mokgetsu.
A surge of negative emotions caused Obito to unconsciously activate his Sharingan, his eyes quickly turning blood-red. The two tomoe patterns spun continuously, soon becoming three tomoe, still spinning rapidly. Just as the three tomoe were about to merge, they suddenly dissipated weakly, finally returning to the Three Tomoe state of the Sharingan.
"Obito, stop asking." Mokgetsu placed a hand on Obito's shoulder and gently shook his head with a warm smile.
"The ninjas of the future have their own struggles, and their future is their future. Our future still needs to be created by ourselves."
Based on the performance of Uzumaki Naruto and Yamato and the information they revealed, Mokgetsu guessed they might not be from their world's future, but rather the future of the original Hokage world.
Currently, Mokgetsu wasn't unknown in Konoha. Even if he hadn't yet bested Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu, if he had died and his disciples were either dead or corrupted, someone born as a Root Ninja like Yamato should have some reaction to the name Habu Mokgetsu.
The training results he achieved with the Root Anbu were recognized by both Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo. If not for the war causing a shortage of Konoha's combat power, the second round of training would surely have been in planning.
His current strength determined that his death would be anything but ordinary. Given three more years of development, he might even have the strength to single-handedly challenge one of the Great Ninja Villages unscathed.
Unless the opponent was Uchiha Madara in a peak Rinnegan state, Mokgetsu couldn't see why he would lose so miserably.
But if Uchiha Madara could return to peak form alive, he wouldn't need such a complicated resurrection plan, nor would he need to go to such lengths to plunge Obito into darkness, so that wasn't quite plausible.
However, Mokgetsu didn't hastily conclude that Uzumaki Naruto and Yamato were 100% from the original timeline. The waters of the Ninja World were too deep, with the leaders of the Three Great Holy Lands being unfathomable old monsters, and though the Six Paths Sage had died, his Chakra lingered in the world.
If he failed, the opponent defeating him might not only be Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu.
The warmth transmitted from Mokgetsu's hand helped to somewhat alleviate Obito's emotions, yet his expression remained pained and confused.
"But... but..." Obito stammered, his words jumbled amidst the plethora of things he wanted to say.
Mokgetsu's words were dashing, but he truly didn't want the future that Yamato and Uzumaki Naruto spoke of.
He couldn't imagine what the future would be like without Teacher Mokgetsu.
Kakashi cast his gaze downward, unable to maintain his composed expression any longer.
He was very sensible. If a person from the past became aware of the future, history would most likely change, and for people from the future, this change would be unknown and uncontrollable, so the best way to avoid causing trouble for others is not to ask too much.
But this time, Kakashi couldn't control himself. At night, he would secretly seek out Uzumaki Naruto and Yamato to ask clearly about Mokgetsu, striving to alter this history of Mokgetsu's death.