Land of Iron.
After soaking in the hot springs, Kawasaki summoned one of his animals to check for messages. Knowing Itachi was back with the clan, he had felt at ease. He had finally settled things with Tsunade and had taken two days to travel and rest. He hadn't expected Konoha to fall into chaos again in such a short time.
First, Obito had attacked for a second time, only to be caught red-handed by Itachi. Immediately after, Kakashi had been ambushed.
Without a second thought, Kawasaki's first suspect was Obito. Obito knew Konoha like the back of his hand, familiar with every node in its sealing and surveillance networks. Combined with Zetsu's reconnaissance, he was practically unstoppable. If Obito truly wanted to capture someone, it would be quite easy.
However, the fact that Obito had suddenly reclaimed Kakashi's eye was a surprise to Kawasaki. He suspected that Obito, having suffered repeated defeats at the hands of the Uchiha, had been forced to take back his own eye. After all, Kawasaki's battle with Obito in the Land of Water had plenty of witnesses. His Madara persona had been exposed before he could even leverage it.
According to the timeline, Obito had not yet revealed his face to the other Akatsuki members. After this, he could no longer impersonate Uchiha Madara. Kawasaki had even exposed Obito's true identity directly to Nagato. In the original story, Obito only managed to secure the Akatsuki's loyalty by raising Madara's banner after Nagato's death. Now, it wouldn't be so simple. After all, Nagato and Konan had been the ones to subdue Kakuzu and Sasori. The only issue was that the Land of Water was too far from the Land of Fire, so the news hadn't spread yet.
Unfortunately, Kawasaki hadn't wanted to sour relations with Konoha when he left, so he didn't take back Kakashi's left eye, allowing Obito to get to it first.
Kawasaki was a little surprised that Obito had reclaimed his Kamui eye, but he wasn't overly concerned. Even with both Kamui eyes, Obito couldn't become as invincible as he was at the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War. That power came only after he became the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, achieved the power of the Six Paths, and experienced a comprehensive enhancement of his abilities.
Besides, Itachi and Shisui were still alive, and the Uchiha clan was intact. In the past, Nagato had always been wary of Obito due to the mysterious nature of his abilities. Now that he knew everything about him, Nagato would likely be even more cautious.
Since Obito had taken back Kakashi's eye, it was the perfect opportunity to expose him completely. The Uchiha had already severed ties with Konoha. The blame they had shouldered for so long had to be cast off before they could support Orochimaru.
So, first things first...
"Where's Tsunade?!"
Kawasaki arrived at Tsunade's room to find only Shizune inside. And something was clearly wrong with her.
"Lady Tsunade went out," Shizune said weakly. "She wouldn't let me come with her."
"What about the money I gave you?!" Kawasaki's heart sank. Tsunade had forbidden Shizune from following her. Had she gone gambling again?
Shizune's face was tear-streaked. "Lady Tsunade took it all."
"..." Kawasaki was speechless.
She was truly one of a kind. The gambling fiend lived up to her reputation.
Without another word, Kawasaki pushed open the window and leaped out. Tsunade was holding sixty million ryo. If she lost it all, how would the Uchiha's medical team ever get off the ground? Kawasaki was wealthy, but he wasn't a fool to be fleeced. Fortunately, there was only one casino on the street. Kawasaki identified the direction and sprinted toward it.
...
"Big! Big! Big!"
"Small! Small! Small!"
Inside the brightly lit casino, a crowd thronged around a gambling table. Tsunade sat at the table, a bottle of sake in one hand and a stack of chips worth a hundred thousand in the other, which she pushed into the 'Big' area.
This one has to be big! She was betting against other players now.
A circle of gamblers surrounded her, many of them staring with a predatory green glint in their eyes, as if they had discovered a priceless treasure.
"I refuse to believe it." After Tsunade placed her bet, the gambler opposite her quickly threw a corresponding amount of chips onto 'Small'.
"Hic... You have no taste, pal. It's been small five times in a row. It's definitely big this time!" Tsunade slurred, her words thick with the smell of alcohol.
The casino staff shook the dice cup and slammed it onto the table with a loud crack. "All bets are in!"
"One, two, three... six points. Small!"
"What the hell! Small again?" Tsunade slammed her fist on the table in frustration.
A deafening roar erupted from the surrounding gamblers.
"Wow! She's really something! Twenty-seven wrong bets in a row!"
"Is this the legendary sucker?"
"As long as you bet against her, you can't lose!"
"Who's next?!"
Ever since Tsunade had arrived that night, she had been on a losing streak, placing twenty-seven consecutive bets without winning a single one. After she was recognized, even the house refused to act as the banker. No matter what she bet on, someone would always take the opposite side. The original banker had lost everything, so now the games were player versus player. The casino staff just shook the dice and took a cut.
Tsunade glared at the money she had lost again, her anger boiling. Next round! I'll definitely win the next one!
As another gambler stepped up to the table, Tsunade grabbed several stacks of cash, about three hundred thousand, and prepared to place her bet. A hand shot out from the side and snatched the money from her grasp.
Tsunade's temper flared. "Which blind fool dares to steal my money?!"
She spun around angrily, only to see Kawasaki staring at her with a grim expression.
"Ahaha, ahaha..." Tsunade's imposing aura instantly deflated. This was her financial backer. "Kawasaki, what are you doing here?"
Kawasaki's face was dark. This compulsive gambler... as soon as she gets money, she throws it away at a casino.
"Where's the money?!"
Tsunade looked embarrassed. Although Kawasaki had paid her in advance, making the money technically hers, she still felt a pang of guilt.
"Hey! Are you playing or not!" a gambler in the crowd heckled.
Kawasaki spotted the chest he had used to carry the money next to Tsunade's seat. He snatched it up.
...
Back at the inn, Kawasaki sat across from Tsunade with a sullen expression. Tsunade looked awkward, not daring to speak.
"Lady Tsunade, how long have you been out? You've already lost over eight million! Do you think money grows on trees?" Kawasaki's head was throbbing. He knew Tsunade loved to gamble, but he never imagined it was this bad. She had started squandering the money just two days after getting it. To prevent Shizune from stopping her, she had even drugged her. If Kawasaki hadn't needed to find Tsunade for something important, she probably would have lost the entire chest of money in a single night.
Tsunade was quite sheepish. "Well, wasn't that money paid to me in advance..."
Kawasaki's anger flared. "I paid you in advance because I trusted you! Is this how you repay me?! You haven't even started the work, and you were planning to gamble away half the funds, weren't you?!"
Tsunade's face flushed with shame. "It was just... just a bout of bad luck. I wouldn't have kept losing. I would have won it all back on the next round."
"Unbelievable!" Kawasaki was speechless. It was impossible to communicate with a degenerate gambler like her; her logic was on a completely different wavelength from a normal person's.
"Forget it, forget it. There's no point in trying to reason with you." Kawasaki sighed. "Help me write a letter about the Nine-Tails Rampage. I have urgent business and must return to the clan."
He continued, "Kakashi was attacked, and his eye was even gouged out. You and Shizune shouldn't delay on the road either."
Not wanting to say more, Kawasaki took two million ryo from the chest and handed it to Shizune. "Shizune, you take this. You've always been the one to look after Lady Tsunade. If she gets her hands on this money, you'll both be left with nothing. As for the rest..."
Kawasaki picked up the chest. "I have to return to my organization first, so I won't be traveling with you. Once Lady Tsunade arrives, I'll pay the remainder in installments."
Tsunade was still reeling from the news about Kakashi when she saw Kawasaki leaving with the money. "Hey! Kawasaki, leave a little more for us!" she called out, chasing him to the door.
Kawasaki ignored her, returned to his room, and slammed the door shut.
Tsunade was met with a closed door. Suddenly, it opened again, and Kawasaki stuck his head out. "The letter. Give it to me now."
Slam!
The door shut again, leaving Tsunade standing there awkwardly. She turned and eyed the money in Shizune's arms. Rubbing her hands together, she began, "So, Shizune..."
Shizune immediately clutched the money tightly to her chest. "Lady Tsunade, no more gambling! We're out of money..."
...
Border of the Land of Fire.
Obito and Zetsu materialized from the Kamui dimension.
"Why aren't we continuing our revenge against the Uchiha?" Zetsu asked, confused.
Obito flexed his hand. "I have my complete Mangekyo now. I need time to master Susanoo. I'm not sure what else the Uchiha have prepared, and I don't want to take any risks."
Obito's visual prowess had been growing at a rate that exceeded Zetsu's expectations. He also seemed to have changed. He had always been cautious, but now, without the Madara facade, he was even more careful.
"Actually, you could transplant Sharingan into the right side of your body. That would be a safer option," Zetsu suggested, implying a method similar to Danzo's. "That way, you would have both Izanagi and Susanoo. Wouldn't that be more secure?"
Obito's voice was flat. "I don't want to see the eyes of my clansmen."
Though half of his body had been modified, Obito had clung to his sense of humanity over the years. It allowed him to feel that he was still a living person, not a demon of vengeance. Thus, even though it was technically possible, Obito had only ever installed a single Sharingan in his left eye socket. Besides allowing him to activate Izanagi faster within the eye socket, it was also to prevent himself from becoming something neither human nor monster. After all, those eyes had been soaking in culture fluid for who knows how many years.
After several days of experimentation, Obito had discovered a limitation. While Susanoo was active, he couldn't use Kamui to phase through attacks. Shifting his body to the other dimension would interrupt the energy supply to Susanoo. The only exception would be if his eyes became powerful enough for Kamui to phase the entire Susanoo.
But this wasn't a problem for Obito, as he only planned to use Susanoo at critical moments. It was simply because Susanoo consumed too much of his visual power and chakra. In the past, Obito's visual power was only drained when he used Kamui for long-distance teleportation, but Hashirama's cells always helped him recover. As a result, his eyesight hadn't deteriorated despite years of use. Susanoo, however, was a different story.
Once activated, Susanoo would drain a massive amount of visual power and chakra. The loss of visual power was not something Hashirama's cells could recover in a short time. This was especially true for the third stage of Susanoo and his unique technique, the Kamui Shuriken. Just a few of those would be enough to exhaust his eyes.
For now, Obito couldn't act recklessly. Having stumbled and fallen five times in a row against the Uchiha had made him exceptionally cautious. After obtaining his left Kamui eye, his first instinct wasn't to seek revenge but to lay low and build up his strength before striking back.
"Kakashi is injured, so Konoha's security is even tighter. They've changed the nodes and frequencies of the barrier. All my previous preparations are ruined," Obito said. "As for the Uchiha clan, since Itachi returned, I have a feeling they're hiding another trick up their sleeves."
"Once I've mastered my Sharingan, I'll begin capturing the Tailed Beasts. Completing the Moon's Eye Plan is the top priority." Obito's desire for the Moon's Eye Plan was now stronger than ever. He was thoroughly sick of this rotten world.
...
Konoha, Konoha Hospital.
After four days in a coma, Kakashi finally woke up late at night. The Third Hokage rushed to the hospital as soon as he heard the news. When he arrived, doctors were examining Kakashi, who was lying in bed. His head was wrapped in layers of bandages, his left eye completely covered. His single open eye was vacant and lifeless.
A doctor approached the Third Hokage. "Lord Hokage, Kakashi has suffered severe psychological trauma. He may be under the effects of a genjutsu. If you must question him, please avoid agitating him."
The Third Hokage nodded in understanding. "Kakashi," he said, sitting by the bed.
It took Kakashi a full three seconds to slowly turn his head. "Lord... Third." He blinked, and a flicker of focus seemed to return to his eye.
"Kakashi, who attacked you?" The Third Hokage could see Kakashi's terrible state and kept his question brief.
The image of Obito removing his mask flashed repeatedly in Kakashi's mind. His eye widened, and then he slowly shook his head. "No... it's not... it can't be. That was a genjutsu... the masked man."
Kakashi's voice grew clearer as he spoke. "It was the masked man! The masked man attacked me!"
The Third Hokage's brows furrowed. "What masked man?"
Kakashi's thoughts seemed to jumble for a moment. "The man wore a mask. He can use space-time ninjutsu. He took me to another dimension. He can also use Wood Style." Then, as if talking to himself, he added, "The Nine-Tails Rampage... he was responsible for the Nine-Tails Rampage too."
"The Nine-Tails Rampage?!" The Third Hokage's eyes widened in shock. Wasn't the Uchiha clan responsible for that?
"And Wood Style?!" How could there be another person who could use Wood Style? The Third Hokage's head ached. He hadn't expected such a bombshell from Kakashi. The true culprit of the Nine-Tails Rampage was shocking enough, but this person could also use Wood Style. Konoha had once invested immense resources trying to replicate Wood Style, sacrificing so many people for only one success in Yamato. Now, one had appeared in the form of the black-and-white-faced man who attacked Naruto, and another one had just surfaced.
"The black-and-white-faced man Naruto described was with him. I suspect the masked man was also the one who attacked the Uchiha."
That person... it definitely wasn't you, was it, Obito? After a moment of self-persuasion, Kakashi recounted the entire story of his attack to the Third Hokage.
...
Meanwhile, within the Uchiha compound.
Itachi, Sasuke, Fourth Elder Yohei, and Keimei were all gathered at the base of the summoning platform. Fugaku was resting indoors due to his eye injury. Iori stood before the crowd, completely unfazed by their stares. She summoned a crow onto the summoning circle, bit her thumb, and formed a hand seal.
Reverse Summoning Jutsu!
"Caw... caw..." As the crows cawed, Iori slammed her palm on the ground. The summoning circle lit up instantly.
Poof!
When the smoke cleared, Kawasaki, who had been gone for a long time, had been summoned back. The moment he appeared, he saw the crowd staring at him intently.
"Yo, it's so late. Did you all come to welcome me back?" Kawasaki chuckled and leaped down from the high platform.
"Senior..."
"Vice-Patriarch..."
"Captain..."
"Sir..."
Calls rang out from all around, creating a lively atmosphere. Kawasaki nodded to the elders before walking over to Keimei and Sasuke.
"Not bad, Keimei. I never thought you had it in you," Kawasaki said, patting Keimei's shoulder. "Come find me tomorrow. I want to see what you can do."
Kawasaki then turned to Sasuke, who had grown leaner and was becoming a handsome young man. "Little Sasuke, did you miss me?" he asked, reaching out and ruffling Sasuke's hair.
"Hey... hey! Sensei...!" Sasuke squirmed awkwardly but couldn't escape Kawasaki's hand. In the end, he could only let Kawasaki mess his hair up into a bird's nest, puffing out his cheeks in silent protest.
"How's Naruto been? Who's winning your matches?" According to Kawasaki's arrangements, Sasuke and Naruto were supposed to train together every day.
Sasuke, having finally smoothed his hair down, looked a little displeased. "I haven't seen Naruto since we were attacked that time."
At the mention of their matches, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if Naruto had been holding back. Then there was his last match with his brother; if Itachi had been serious, Sasuke wouldn't have stood a chance. When an enemy had invaded the Uchiha compound, it was his brother who had to step up and resolve it. The thought sent a wave of gloom over him.
Kawasaki was unaware of Sasuke's inner turmoil and only noticed his sour mood. He unstrapped the Kusanagi Sword from his waist and tossed it to Sasuke. "Catch. This is the gift I promised you, Sensei."
Sasuke looked up and fumbled to catch the Kusanagi Sword that Kawasaki had thrown to him.