Chapter 163: CH - 159 Obito's movie.
Since Obito and Rin's betrayal, the Minato team disbanded. Not long after, Kakashi, having no desire to form a new team, coupled with his promotion to Jonin and the temporary limitation in his body's full recovery, chose to take a break. Then, as a free Jonin, he collaborated with other teams on various missions.
Kakashi absentmindedly touched the covered left eye, his expression reflecting a mix of emotions. He murmured to himself, "That idiot really got stronger."
The legendary Mangekyō... a power that the village likely never expected the once-unremarkable idiot to awaken. He, too, possessed one of those eyes from Obito, albeit without Uchiha blood, rendering him unable to fully control its ability. This was to be expected, after all, these eyes bore a resemblance to those in the legends, akin to Uchiha Madara's eyes.
Since he struggled to master them, and until he did, they proved to be a burden to his strength. As a result, the village presented him with two options. First, allow the village to retain the eyes until he could seamlessly inherit their power, after which they would be implanted again. Second, seal them.
Due to Obito's rebellion with Rin and the village's secrecy, the Uchiha Clan remained unaware that someone had awakened these eyes. Had they known, this eye might have fallen into the hands of the Uchiha Clan.
The village, perhaps considering the potency of the Mangekyō as a threat he couldn't control, suggested he let them keep the eye for safekeeping. In their eyes, it was safest to keep the eye in their possession. Yet, this is Obito's eyes—his commitment and bond with Obito. How could he surrender it to the village, just like that?
Ultimately, with the assurances of the Third Hokage and Minato, the village reluctantly agreed to let Kakashi keep the eyes under one condition – to refrain from using them without a justifiable reason.
Remembering the Kannabi Bridge incident, Kakashi's heart ached with regret. Gazing at the poster before him, he murmured, "I made a promise to protect Rin, but I never managed to fulfill it."
Each time, In a dire situation, it was instead Obito who came to their rescue. In fact, Kakashi had even contemplated abandoning the village after Obito's betrayal, seeking to protect Rin and perhaps Obito. But that very night, Minato-sensei intercepted him and urged him to remain. Furthermore, he pledged to bring Obito and Rin back.
In each dire situation, he found himself relying on this supposed 'idiot' to rescue him and Rin.
Kakashi comprehended Minato-sensei's motives—Minato aimed to become Hokage and hoped to change everything and finally bring back Obito and Rin.
Observing the earnest expression on the poster, Kakashi's concealed mouth beneath the mask curved into a meaningful smile."I thought you idiot, would have had a tough life with Rin."
As rogues, acceptance in the ninja world was unlikely, and with Obito's personality, making a living outside the village seemed improbable. Yet, unexpectedly, it appeared he was thriving. He had even ventured to 'Grasswood' to shoot movies, following in the footsteps of Jiraiya-sama.
As Kakashi stared at the poster with complex emotions, a discontented voice interrupted him. "What are you doing, just gawking at the poster? Are you planning to watch it or not? If not, step aside and don't block the way."
Coming back to reality, Kakashi realized he had been obstructing someone's view. He promptly apologized to the person behind him and then turned to make his way to the nearby ticket booth.
Watching movies wasn't a novel experience for Kakashi. During an external mission, he had seen the film 'Three Sannin in Kusagakure,' starring Jiraiya-sama. On that occasion, Minato-sensei had chuckled wryly and remarked, "If Lady Tsunade sees this, I think Master Jiraiya will be confined to bed for a while."
Regarding movies, not only Grass Village but many other villages were also attempting film production. However, none could match the quality of Grass Village's productions.
After securing his ticket, Kakashi entered the screening hall, navigated to his seat, and settled in. The interior was shrouded in darkness, a testament to the film's popularity, with every seat occupied.
Kakashi examined the movie ticket in his hand with a hint of curiosity. The title, 'Rescue Ninja Maki,' clearly indicated a rescue mission, presumably involving saving a fellow ninja.
Kakashi couldn't help but wonder why a rescue mission was considered interesting. After all, to him, rescue missions were a common occurrence in the life of a ninja. So, what was so intriguing about depicting that on screen?
Could it be that Obito, driven by a desire to bolster his reputation and overcome financial constraints, had resorted to acting in these seemingly subpar movies? It made sense in a way – as a rogue, earning money wasn't easy, and Obito, with his peculiar personality, probably wouldn't opt for messy missions. It wouldn't be surprising, in fact, if Rin had to support him financially instead.
As Kakashi was immersed in his thoughts, the recognizable opening music of Grass Village films filled the air. The familiar commercial jingle about 'Grass Brand Milk' and its nutritional benefits played, featuring a red-haired child assuring parents that their worries about their child's growth were over.
Soon after, the movie commenced, and Kakashi's curiosity prompted him to look up. The movie promptly delved into its storyline, set during the latter stages of the Third Ninja War, the western battlefield of the Fire Country was depicted in full intensity. In pursuit of victory, a small team received a critical mission – to infiltrate behind enemy lines.
However, In a critical moment, Jonin Maki went missing during the operation, throwing the entire team into disarray. This unforeseen turn presented them with a profound dilemma. They were now confronted with a pivotal choice: proceed with the mission and leave their fellow villager behind or sacrifice the mission's significance to rescue their comrade.
The stakes were high, given the village's precarious situation. Opting to abandon the mission to save their comrade would undoubtedly inflict substantial harm upon the village.
This scene felt eerily familiar to Kakashi, stirring nervous anticipation within him as he closely observed the team's dilemma on the screen. The choice presented resonated with his own past, a moment where he and his father faced a similar decision. They both opted to save their teammates, yet faced different consequences. His father, successful in the rescue but failing the mission, bore criticism. Kakashi, on the other hand, emerged as a hero for completing the mission while rescuing his comrade.
As he pondered how the team on the screen would choose, a familiar figure appeared, leaving Kakashi momentarily stunned before a smile crept onto his lips. The dialogue that followed confirmed his expectations, "Those who break the rules of shinobi are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash!"
The resonance with Obito's words from the past flooded Kakashi's senses, transporting him back to that crucial moment. Just as he had once chosen to save his teammate based on Obito's words, the team on the screen decided to abandon the mission and rescue their companion.
The unfolding narrative depicted a cascade of challenges—shortages of manpower and equipment, unfamiliar terrain and enemies, and the constant threat of ambush. Comrades fell one by one, fostering doubts about the rationality of their choice. Despite the hardships, they pressed on, overcoming obstacles and successfully rescuing their companion.
In the movie, just as the team returned, expecting jubilation, they were met with the harsh criticism of their village. Their choice was vilified, held responsible for immense losses, branding them unworthy of being shinobi. Witnessing this, Kakashi's eyes welled with emotion, recalling his father's similar fate. Eventually, his father had chosen to escape from the ordeal, unable to face reality.
"How will you choose?" Kakashi murmured, fixated on the unfolding scene. The team leader, tormented by the gossip, seemed on the verge of following his father's path.
Kakashi, gripped by the tension on the screen, questioned silently, "Are you also a coward?"
Yet, in a sudden twist, the village leader intervened, swiftly putting an end to the gossip, assuming full responsibility, and declaring the team heroes. The ending brought smiles to everyone's faces, and the team leader happily strolled down the road with a familiar silver-haired kid by his side.
Witnessing this turn of events, Kakashi couldn't help but smile, whispering to himself, "Obito.."
…
Obito had always regarded Kakashi's father as a hero, and in the end, the village did eventually bestowed his father with the title of a hero. However, this recognition came only after his passing.
As the movie concluded, Kakashi exited the theater, a sense of relief washing over him at the positive outcome and the assurance that Obito was thriving. Outside, he stood calmly, observing the snowflakes as they gently fell, a quiet spectator to the serene scene.
Aware that Obito would want to convey that he never regretted being Kakashi's partner and sacrificing for their comrades, Kakashi diverted his attention to the familiar figure on the adjacent movie poster. The corners of his mouth, concealed by the mask, lifted in a slight, tranquil smile. He spoke softly to himself, "I will definitely bring you and Rin back!"
Because, you idiot, and Rin are also my comrades.
…
Meanwhile, Obito, who had arrived to meet Madara, suddenly sneezed twice. "Achoo! Achoo!"
"Obito, are you okay?" Zetsu, standing beside him, asked with a hint of concern.
"It's nothing, probably just a bit cold." Obito brushed off the concern, clapping his hands. He then turned back to Zetsu, a smile playing on his lips. "How was it? Is everything set up now?"
"No problem, but why go through so much trouble for a movie?" Zetsu inquired, a puzzled expression on his face. "Couldn't you just show it directly?"
"It's not just about watching my movies," Obito explained with a sly grin. "There's another event happening tonight in the village. That guy said that as long as we have this, we can watch that here too."
With that, he looked back at Madara, who sat with his eyes closed, and cheerfully added, "Madara-sensei, it's time. Come and see the movie I acted in. Later, I'll also bring the dinner that Rin prepared. I assure you, it's delicious."
Originally, Obito had planned to bring Rin along to meet Madara-sensei, but since Madara preferred not to see other people, he had to abandon that idea. Of course, He will still accompany Rin, just later.
However, as the conversation concluded, Uchiha Madara slowly opened his eyes, his expression remaining stoic as he uttered, "Boring! As I said, I d..." But before he could finish his sentence.
"Got it, Madara-sensei. How could you be interested in something so boring?" Obito interjected casually.
"Yes, yes, Lord Madara wouldn't be interested in such boring things," echoed Zetsu, standing beside them, also expressing nonchalance.
Obito and Zetsu chuckled, seemingly accustomed to it, paying it no heed and focusing on their own anticipation. "It's actually us who want to watch it."
Madara snorted softly, but this time, he didn't close his eyes. Instead, he occasionally glanced at the big screen and remarked indifferently, "idiots!"
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