Chapter 46 046: The Child of Prophecy Has Changed
Uchiha Taiga stood at the main gate of the old compound, looking at Hatake Kakashi with a neutral expression. To him, Kakashi was just a somewhat familiar stranger.
He didn't speak.
Hatake Kakashi didn't speak immediately either. The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Kakashi finally made the first move. He stepped out from under the tree and closed the distance between them in a few strides.
"About what happened that day..."
Kakashi was direct, getting straight to the point without beating around the bush.
His voice was hoarse, like someone who hadn't drank water in a long time. "Can you tell me the details?"
At the same time, his eyes were red—not from crying, but from a severe lack of sleep. His sclera were bloodshot, and the dark circles under his eyes were much heavier than usual.
Taiga looked at him, neither agreeing nor refusing.
"How long have you been waiting here?" he asked.
Kakashi froze for a moment, seemingly not expecting the other party to ask this first.
He lowered his eyes, thought for a moment, and replied, "I come here every day."
'Seriously, man? Are you really that obsessed?'
'Is it really that hard to let go of that little brat, Uchiha Obito?'
Taiga couldn't understand it, but he respected it, giving a slight nod.
He hadn't left the house these past few days, so he genuinely hadn't known about this.
But thinking about it, it made sense. Once someone like Hatake Kakashi set his mind on something, he would see it through to the end. Waiting here was nothing; this was a guy who could stand in front of the Memorial Stone for hours on end. Waiting for news about Uchiha Obito was entirely in character.
Taiga didn't bother asking why Kakashi hadn't just entered the compound to find him.
The old compound was essentially sealed off now. Aside from Taiga himself, no one else would go inside.
As an ANBU, Kakashi couldn't possibly be unaware of this, which was why he chose to wait outside.
"I can tell you the details," Taiga finally said.
Kakashi's eyes lit up instantly, like a drowning man catching his final lifeline.
"However..." Taiga's tone shifted, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly. "You'll have to entertain me first."
Kakashi was stunned.
Entertain?
His brain failed to process the demand for a moment, and his single exposed eye was filled with confusion.
Taiga's gaze fell on the short sword strapped to Kakashi's back. The design was simple, but the insignia on the scabbard revealed its origins.
It was the Hatake clan's blade, the signature weapon of the White Fang of Konoha, Hatake Sakumo.
"I'd very much like to witness the Hatake clan's swordplay."
Taiga spoke casually, as if making the most ordinary request in the world.
He had discovered the joy of battle.
Even though his opponent had been beaten into a sorry state during his fight with Uchiha Obito, the entire process had felt incredibly satisfying.
Going all out without having to hold back was truly exhilarating.
It was a sensation he had never experienced before.
As expected, there was endless joy in battling others.
The Hatake clan's swordplay was renowned throughout the ninja world. He had heard plenty about Hatake Sakumo's legendary reputation, and now that he had the chance to see it for himself, he naturally wasn't going to pass it up.
Kakashi's pupil contracted slightly.
He instinctively reached back, his hand brushing against the hilt of his blade.
He hadn't used this sword in a long time. Ever since his father's death, he rarely relied on a blade, depending more on ninjutsu and the Sharingan.
But he didn't hesitate for long.
"Alright."
A single word, crisp and decisive.
Right now, he only wanted to figure out the truth about Uchiha Obito—the boy who had been crushed beneath a boulder at Kannabi Bridge and gifted him his eye. Why was the person he thought was dead appearing in Konoha? Why was he wearing a mask and calling himself Uchiha Madara? And why had he fought Uchiha Taiga to such a bitter end?
He had too many doubts and too many questions. He needed answers.
As for the price, Kakashi didn't care.
"Good. Follow me."
There was no time like the present. Taiga turned and walked away from the old compound.
After taking two steps, he paused as if suddenly remembering something. Feigning nonchalance, he tilted his head up and glanced toward a specific spot in the empty air.
There was nothing in that direction except blue sky and a few white clouds.
But Taiga narrowed his eyes slightly before withdrawing his gaze and continuing forward.
Kakashi didn't waste any words. He turned and followed. The two walked in tandem toward the northern part of the village, heading in the direction of the Forest of Death.
...
Hokage Building, Hokage's Office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat behind his desk. The crystal ball in front of him clearly displayed the scene at the gates of the old Uchiha compound.
He had watched Uchiha Taiga and Hatake Kakashi meet, witnessed their brief conversation, and seen the exact moment Taiga looked up.
In that split second, it felt as though the boy in the crystal ball was looking directly at him.
Not at the crystal ball, but at him.
Hiruzen's expression shifted slightly.
He had been Hokage for many years and had used this jutsu to monitor countless people. The number of times he had been detected could be counted on one hand.
Yet that single glance from Uchiha Taiga made it abundantly clear that the boy had noticed the jutsu and knew he was being watched.
"Is that the Uchiha kid?"
A deep voice rang out from the side.
A tall, broad-shouldered figure stood beside Hiruzen. He had long white hair cascading down his back and wore a forehead protector engraved with the kanji for "Oil."
With his arms crossed over his chest, he stared at the image in the crystal ball, his eyes filled with curiosity.
Jiraiya.
Hiruzen nodded and waved a hand over the crystal ball, dispelling the image.
"Uchiha Taiga," he said.
"He's thirteen this year, a child with unparalleled talent, and... he has already awakened those legendary eyes of the Uchiha clan."
Jiraiya fell silent for a moment, his gaze still fixed on where the crystal ball's image had been.
"The Mangekyo?"
Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. The very same eyes that Uchiha Madara once possessed."
Hearing this, Jiraiya frowned slightly.
He had never seen Uchiha Madara's eyes for himself, but he had grown up hearing tales of Madara's terrifying reputation.
Anything associated with that man was far from simple.
Not to mention the sheer weight of an existence like the Mangekyo Sharingan, which even he found daunting.
"That moment just now... was he looking here?" Jiraiya changed the subject.
Hiruzen didn't answer, but his silence was an answer in itself.
Meanwhile, the image in the crystal ball reappeared, showing the two moving rapidly toward the Forest of Death.
"Huh."
Jiraiya let out a sound of surprise. In the crystal ball, the two figures had stopped at the edge of the Forest of Death.
It was still within the village's borders, just on the extreme outskirts. Because of the dangers lurking within the Forest of Death, very few people ever ventured there on a normal day.
The reason for Jiraiya's surprise was that the moment the two stopped, they drew their blades and clashed without a second of hesitation.
"What are they doing?"
Jiraiya could see the lethal intent in their swordplay. It didn't look like a sparring session; it looked like a duel to the death.
"Sigh..."
Hiruzen let out a soft sigh, his tone helpless. "Ever since Kakashi learned the truth about Uchiha Obito, he's been desperate for answers. Unfortunately, I can't give him the answers he seeks, so the boy went to find Uchiha Taiga. I just hope nothing goes wrong between those two."
Jiraiya watched the scene in the crystal ball and let out a hearty laugh.
"Don't worry too much, old man. It's just a battle between two geniuses. Nothing bad will happen."
With that, Jiraiya's expression turned serious. Shifting the topic, he spoke bluntly, "As soon as I received the news, I rushed back as fast as I could. But before coming here, I made a trip to Mount Myoboku. The Great Toad Sage told me... the Child of Prophecy has changed."