Chapter 42 - Uchiha Obito's Fear
Kazane had sensed their arrival long before they reached him. The moment Minato's squad stepped into Orochimaru's command post, he knew.
He knew Uchiha Obito far too well. The moment their mission was over, that loudmouth would come looking for him, full of exaggerated boasts and bravado. It was just how Obito was. So Kazane had kept track of their movements, waiting.
And when he learned that Minato's squad had been stationed near his tent, he immediately recognized Orochimaru's handiwork. This was no coincidence—it was a deliberate move.
So, naturally, he prepared in advance. The moment his Observation Haki detected Obito approaching, he got into character.
"Kazane! Your lord and savior has arrived to support you! Did you piss yourself on the battlefield? No need to worry, just stick with me! Watch and learn as I take down enemies left and right!"
Obito's voice rang out confidently, but there was a noticeable hesitation in his steps. Even he could feel the weight of Kazane's presence pressing down on him.
Still, he was Uchiha Obito. He wasn't going to back down just because of some intimidating aura.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Kazane slowly turned to face him, raising a single eyebrow as he gave Obito a long, deliberate once-over. His voice carried an unmistakable note of doubt.
Obito's face twitched.
"Damn it, Kazane! What's with that look? Are you looking down on me?" he demanded, crossing his arms. "I'm not the same as before! Under Minato-sensei's training, even regular Chūnin are no match for me anymore! And look at this!"
Frustrated by Kazane's skeptical expression, Obito activated his Sharingan. His single tomoe spun slowly as he gave Kazane the smuggest, most self-satisfied grin he could muster.
"Do you even understand the difference between an Uchiha with the Sharingan and one without it? It's like night and day! Now do you see how powerful I am?!"
As he spoke, he even mimicked Kazane's signature stance—turning his back to them, gazing up at the moon, exuding an air of profound coolness.
Unfortunately, his face ruined the effect. His expression practically screamed, Come on, praise me! Acknowledge my greatness!
Kazane let out a quiet sigh.
"Have you ever actually killed an Iwa-nin before?" he asked, voice casual.
Obito blinked. "Huh?"
"You heard me," Kazane said, his smile deepening. "Have you ever killed an enemy shinobi?"
Obito froze for a second.
"How could I have killed one? We only just got here!" he snapped. "I was talking about my Sharingan, stop changing the subject!"
He had been waiting for Kazane's amazement, for admiration. But instead, all he got was an irrelevant question. It was infuriating.
"You haven't even killed an enemy yet, and yet you say you'll protect me?" Kazane shook his head in mock disappointment, then turned to Kakashi, who had been silently observing the exchange. "Kakashi, you've killed Iwa-nin before, right?"
Kakashi didn't hesitate. "Of course. The only ones who haven't are the ones who've never left the village and only do D-rank missions."
As Kazane's younger brother, Kakashi immediately understood his intent and decided to play along.
Obito's expression darkened. "Damn it! Who are you calling a D-rank mission lackey?! I just completed an S-rank mission delivering supplies to the frontlines! I just haven't run into an Iwa-nin yet! If I had, I definitely wouldn't have fewer kills than you two!"
Despite his outburst, doubt crept into his mind.
Maybe coming to see Kazane was a mistake.
Maybe he should've waited until he'd fought on the battlefield—maybe even earned a cool nickname—before showing off.
Kazane, seeing the hesitation flicker in Obito's eyes, decided to push a little further.
"Oh? So you haven't even seen an Iwa-nin yet?" His smirk widened. "That explains why you're so fearless. Didn't Minato-sensei tell you? Iwa-nin are absolute monsters."
Obito frowned. "Monsters?"
"Yeah," Kazane nodded, his tone eerily serious. "They're built like demons—three heads, six arms, ten feet tall, with waists just as wide. They eat raw meat and drink blood straight from the battlefield. One bite could swallow a whole pig, and one punch could kill a full-grown ox. You? You're just a snack to them."
Obito's face paled slightly.
His imagination ran wild.
A dark, cavernous battlefield filled his mind—hulking, beast-like warriors gnawing on unidentifiable flesh. Then, suddenly, their eerie, bloodstained eyes locked onto him.
A shiver ran down his spine.
But Obito forced himself to puff out his chest. "S-So what?! I—I'm not afraid!"
Kazane almost laughed. Obito's bravado was paper-thin.
"Tch! Whatever, I'm going to train! Don't bother me!"
Obito turned abruptly and bolted toward Minato's tent. He needed answers—now.
The moment Obito disappeared, Kazane burst into laughter, clutching his stomach. "Did you see that, Kakashi? His legs were shaking so badly!"
Kakashi let out a long sigh. "You do this every time, Kazane. Do you really get that much satisfaction out of messing with Obito?"
Kazane grinned. "Come on, Minato-sensei will back us up. It's for Obito's own good. He's too reckless, and now that he's awakened his Sharingan, he's even more full of himself. If we don't scare him now, he'll charge into battle thinking he's invincible and get himself killed."
Kakashi frowned, deep in thought.
Before he could respond, Kazane's gaze landed on the weapon strapped to Kakashi's back.
"You brought the White Fang's short blade?"
"Yeah. I've decided. I want to be a shinobi like my father. In this war, I will restore the name of the White Fang. I'll make the enemy villages tremble at the name of Hatake once more."
His voice carried unwavering conviction.
Kazane studied him for a moment before smirking. "It's been a while since we last sparred, huh? Guess it's time to see if you're ready."
Kakashi's eyes gleamed. "Fine by me. I've been waiting to see how much you've improved under Orochimaru-sama."
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