If not for the spare Sharingan he had kept on hand from his experiment on Danzo, he would have lost his own eye.
And without his Mangekyo Sharingan, how could his plan ever be completed?
The problem was that even with two Sharingan and the ability to manifest Susanoo, he was still no match for Kawasaki.
Obito suspected that Kawasaki's eyes were no ordinary Mangekyo Sharingan.
They might even be an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
Although Obito and Kawasaki were from the same generation, Obito's mind had been consumed with thoughts of Rin. He knew nothing of Kawasaki's family matters. He had no idea if Kawasaki had any living relatives.
But from the way Kawasaki had feigned bleeding from his eyes, it was clear he had been concealing his true strength all along. He possessed immense power, yet he always kept it hidden, showing weakness to his enemies and never revealing his hand.
Kawasaki had once said that the Space-Time Mangekyo had appeared multiple times throughout Uchiha history.
While Obito remained skeptical, one thing was certain: Kawasaki's understanding of his Kamui was terrifyingly deep. He even knew the abilities of Obito's Susanoo inside and out.
Theoretically, Obito himself shouldn't have known his Susanoo's capabilities before reclaiming his left eye.
Yet, somehow, Kawasaki knew everything.
He had detonated the Kamui shuriken in advance, rendering the un-hittable weapons utterly useless.
Obito had been brimming with confidence after obtaining both Kamui, but the battle had ended in his complete and utter defeat.
He had been outmaneuvered by superior intelligence, and he still had no idea how he had even died within his own Kamui dimension. He had already shifted his position, yet Kawasaki's Ame-no-Murakumo Sword had remained locked onto him.
It was unbelievable.
Obito could only speculate about the ability of Kawasaki's other Sharingan. It wasn't to extend the use of his Susanoo, but rather to pinpoint his location within the separate dimension.
If so, the fact that Kawasaki's vision had not deteriorated over the years, combined with his deliberate concealment of his power, all pointed to the most impossible answer.
Kawasaki possessed the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
As much as he hated to admit it, the facts were undeniable. If that was true, then Kawasaki's cunning ran far deeper than he had ever imagined. To possess an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and still keep it a secret…
For someone as powerful as Kawasaki to act with such discretion, yet he himself had rushed for revenge the moment he assembled both Kamui—Obito felt like a complete fool.
The battle had shattered his arrogance and the sense of invincibility that came with wielding both Kamui.
Even a powerhouse like Kawasaki sought allies, while he, after revealing his identity, continued to fight alone.
Only by building his own faction could he be prepared for any eventuality.
Obito reflected for a long time within the Kamui dimension.
Finally, his gaze fell upon the now-blind Sharingan in his hand, and his expression grew calm.
...
Uchiha Compound.
Itachi awoke shortly after Kawasaki brought him back to his room.
"Itachi, how are you feeling?" Kawasaki asked from his bedside.
Itachi shook his head. "I'm fine, senpai. Kakashi only knocked me unconscious."
"You've done well," Kawasaki said reassuringly.
After all, if not for his instructions, Itachi never would have allowed himself to be caught off guard like that. Itachi had only been pretending he couldn't see; his eyes were not truly blind.
Without dwelling on it, Itachi asked, "Senpai, what is the plan now?"
Kawasaki thought for a moment. The arrangements in the Land of Water were nearly complete. To appease the "dissatisfied Uchiha," Konoha had offered another Honorary Elder position. The Uchiha now held more power than most other clans in the village. Previously, only the Hyuga Clan had held two Honorary Elder positions. Now, the Uchiha joined their ranks.
Kawasaki knew this was merely a stalling tactic by the Third Hokage, a temporary measure until the conflicts with Kumogakure and Kirigakure were resolved. But he decided to play along, using the opportunity presented by the Uchiha having two Honorary Elders to make his own moves.
The Uchiha clan was quite wealthy at the moment. It was the perfect time to rally other ninja clans and apply public pressure on the Third Hokage.
But first, the Uchiha needed to better "integrate" themselves into the big family of Konoha.
Thinking of this, Kawasaki decided the time was right.
He said to Itachi, "Do you know why I had you exhaust your visual prowess?"
Itachi opened his blurred eyes and shook his head slightly.
"I don't know the reason, but I'm certain you have your purpose, senpai," Itachi said with a firm tone. Over the years, the clan had grown increasingly prosperous, its population had boomed, and its influence was now great enough to affect the tide of war. The greatest contributor to all this was Kawasaki.
Because of this, Itachi trusted him completely.
When Kawasaki told him to use his dojutsu without restraint, he had done so without a moment's hesitation, even knowing his vision would deteriorate.
Now, Kawasaki finally revealed the truth.
"You've experienced the side effects of our clan's Mangekyo Sharingan many times, so I won't elaborate on them," Kawasaki began. "Today, I will tell you of two ways to avoid these side effects. The first is to transplant the cells of the First Hokage, Hashirama. This can repair a damaged Sharingan. With moderate use of the Mangekyo, the problem of vision loss will no longer exist."
Seeing Itachi listening quietly with a calm and steady demeanor, Kawasaki nodded slightly. Such composure was rare.
"The other method is to transplant the Mangekyo of a close blood relative. The visual powers merge, creating an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan that never goes blind."
Itachi's expression shifted. "What about Father?"
Kawasaki smiled. "Fugaku has already decided to leave his eyes to you."
Itachi frowned. "If he gives his eyes to me, what will happen to him?"
"We can clone a pair of eyes for him or transplant eyes from someone else," Kawasaki explained. "The former might not be able to awaken any dojutsu and would function only as normal eyes. The latter could have issues with rejection, and their lifespan would be unknown. But either way would allow Fugaku to see again."
"Fugaku believes your future accomplishments will surpass his own," Kawasaki added. "He decided to leave his eyes to you, hoping you can make an even greater contribution to the clan."
Itachi shook his head. "I think Sasuke's talent is also exceptional. If he awakens the Mangekyo Sharingan…"
Kawasaki cut him off. "It's not 'if.' Sasuke will awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan. And don't even think about giving your eyes to him, or letting him have yours. I have other arrangements for Sasuke."
Itachi was not one for indecisiveness. Hearing this, he nodded. "Then I will do as you say, senpai."
Just as Kawasaki and Itachi were talking, a voice called out.
"Itachi, are you there?"
Kawasaki turned his head to see Izumi standing at the door, hesitating to enter. Perhaps she hadn't expected him to be there as well.
Izumi's face flushed slightly. "L-Lord Kawasaki! You're here too."
Kawasaki was quite pleased with her form of address. The young lady was certainly obedient.
"Come in," Kawasaki invited.
Although Kawasaki's presence made Izumi a bit nervous, her gaze fell upon Itachi on the bed, and her concern was plain to see.
"Itachi, how are you?"
Itachi's face was stoic, but his eyes were full of gentleness as he looked at her. "It's just a minor injury. What are you doing here?"
Izumi shook her head. "I was at the market and heard that your eyes had gone blind and that you needed treatment from Orochimaru."
Itachi glanced at Kawasaki, who chuckled.
He hadn't expected the Third Hokage to start a propaganda campaign so quickly after his "compromise." Since Orochimaru was now affiliated with Konoha, having Itachi seek his treatment would send a public signal that the Uchiha and the village leadership were reconciling.
The Third Hokage clearly wanted to avoid a direct conflict with the Uchiha at this time.
Coincidentally, Kawasaki had no intention of escalating things either.