HSU: Ch. 314

At Fugaku's invitation, everyone took their seats.

Although Itachi and Kakashi were destined opponents and directly involved, they were not the main characters tonight. Ninjas were both the most rule-abiding and the most rule-breaking people in this world.

Ninjas who acknowledged the system of the nation and village would never cross that line. But those who constantly talked about rules fundamentally believed that might made right.

From the very beginning, Masashi's money-making efforts weren't aimed at the elites. His target was the genin, chunin, and the far more numerous villagers of the ninja village.

These people had simple likes and dislikes, whoever treated them well, they liked. So once the money was distributed, the Uchiha secured the support of the masses.

But to make the Hokage take them seriously, money wasn't enough, only strength mattered.

The upper-echelon jonin, represented by the Hokage, wanted money, but they didn't care about dignity.

Only if your fists were strong enough would the Hokage consider the consequences, and the jonin start distinguishing right from wrong.

Now that the Uchiha clan had strong fists, the Sharingan that Kakashi possessed became a topic worth discussing.

Tonight, Fugaku and Minato were the true leads of this banquet.

The two chatted and laughed at the table, while the others quietly watched them half-boast, half-talk business.

Originally, Itachi planned to stay silent and just eat. He kept staring at Kakashi across the table. If Guy wasn't seated between them, he might've leaned in.

Finally, he couldn't help himself.

"Kakashi-senpai," Itachi said, eyes intense. "Aren't you hungry?"

"Mmm, I just exercised a bit. Need to cool down," Kakashi replied casually.

Itachi's gaze was glued to Kakashi's mask as if it had been superglued there. Even if Kakashi wanted to eat, he couldn't with someone watching him like that. It wasn't like he couldn't take off the mask, but with someone staring at him like this, he simply didn't want to.

On the side, Masashi noticed the little exchange.

"Itachi, it's a bit rude to stare at Kakashi like that."

He hadn't expected even a diehard like Itachi to be curious about Kakashi's mask.

But Itachi wouldn't do something so meaningless without a reason.

All Masashi could do was gently remind him.

He couldn't exactly say, "We haven't even finished dinner, no need to start the psychological warfare already."

Hearing Masashi's words, Itachi withdrew his gaze. He never talked nonsense in battle and always followed orders strictly.

Looking at Itachi, who had clearly already entered battle-ready mode, Masashi was at a loss. His strengths were also his weaknesses, serious and dependable, but once he was in that mode, he wouldn't stop until the task was done.

So he gave up trying to interfere.

This small interaction between Itachi and Kakashi was completely ignored by Fugaku and Minato. They had already moved on to other business. It also meant they had given up on any other options.

They were old ninjas, both from the same generation, they understood each other all too well.

But food still had to be eaten. Once the meal ended, everyone went their separate ways.

They even left in opposite directions.

Soon, they were out of each other's sight, as the flow of people in the bustling crowd divided them completely.

---

As they moved through the crowd, Masashi glanced at the silent Itachi and asked, "Do you have confidence?"

"Are you asking because you're worried I won't see the bigger picture behind this spar?" Itachi replied, with a strange look. "Actually, I understand it quite well."

His gaze fell on the man walking ahead, his own father.

This was something Fugaku had been going on about for years. How could he not know?

Just on the way here, his father had told him "harmony is most precious" at least ten times. If he still didn't understand, wouldn't that make him a fool?

"What bigger picture? Stop pretending to be all mature," Masashi said flatly. "You must win. Don't embarrass the clan, got it?"

"That's going too far," Fugaku suddenly interjected from ahead. "We're all from the same village, peace and harmony matter most."

"Save that line for Madara," Masashi said, seeing through the game. "If we lose, he might just take matters into his own hands."

"That would be bad," Fugaku sighed. "We'll have to let Sasuke do some of the work of a clan leader then."

Wow. You really know how to use your sons, don't you?

Truly the most devious man in the Uchiha clan.

"Give me a break. No one can do his job," Masashi said, patting Itachi on the shoulder. "You need to realize the weight on your shoulders. This isn't just about a single Sharingan, it's about the harmony between our clan and the village."

This trump card, he didn't believe Itachi could ignore it.

"I… I understand," Itachi replied, with a hint of struggle in his voice.

Masashi and his father were giving him completely opposite orders. What was he supposed to do?

He had just gained a deeper understanding of how treacherous the adult world could be. These two really had the nerve to use a kid like him to fight a proxy battle.

He would have to think hard tonight about how to choose the lesser of two evils.

Watching Masashi and Fugaku keep hitting Itachi indirectly, Shisui thought, thank goodness it wasn't him.

Forget Fugaku, Masashi was famous for being petty…

Shaking his head, he decided to stay out of it.

---

Meanwhile, on the other side, Minato and Kakashi were having a similar conversation.

As they walked through the crowd, this teacher-student pair wasn't talking about the Mangekyō Sharingan either.

The lively night market was in full swing. Stalls lined the streets, voices calling and haggling rang out constantly, and the view was dazzling.

In this bustling scene, Minato's gaze was deep, while Kakashi's eyes were, well, the same dead-fish eyes as always.

"Sensei, I never intended for things to end up like this," Kakashi said, watching the peaceful crowd, remembering the war-torn past, which eventually settled on Kannabi Bridge.

As a key turning point in the latter half of the Third Great Ninja War, this battle was a major milestone in both their histories.

Back then, Konoha didn't have today's overwhelming power. Surrounded by enemies, most of its forces were tied up at the borders, and mobile units were virtually nonexistent.

The Kannabi Bridge was a critical supply hub. Iwa's invasion had succeeded largely due to smooth logistics, so it had to be destroyed to cut the supply line. Among Konoha's elite squads, Minato's team was the best fit for this job.

That was the official story, but it didn't hold up under scrutiny.

The Uchiha elders didn't even need hindsight to see through it.

The missions to attack the Kannabi Bridge and support the front lines were both Minato's responsibility from the start.

At that time, Kakashi was only around 12 years old and didn't even have the Sharingan. He barely survived fights with Iwa's jonin, his father's short sword was even broken.

Promoting Kakashi to jonin was just to make him acting squad leader. The real goal of this team was to provide coordinates for Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique.

The so-called "hero of the Sharingan" was just an honorary compensation afterward. From the beginning, they were merely mobile markers, cannon fodder tools meant to draw the Iwa ninja bridge defenders' attention.

Kakashi only came to understand this after the fact.

Of course, he didn't go on to resent anyone. That was simply because he was weak, yet not quite weak enough to be harmless. So after joining the ANBU, he pushed himself to grow stronger. During his time in the ANBU, he was at his most ruthless.

"Don't overthink it," Minato said. "You just happened to possess a Mangekyō Sharingan, that's all. And really, it's not necessarily a bad thing."

"Sensei, do you want me to win or lose?"

"Honestly, either outcome is fine with me," Minato smiled at Kakashi's question. "The First and Second Hokage won't stick around for long. Using their authority to settle some issues isn't a bad thing."

Kakashi fell silent.

He didn't want to lose, but he also didn't want to win this way. Doing so would shame his father.

"Sensei."

"Hmm?"

"If I sealed away Obito's eye… would that stop the chakra drain?"

Minato stopped walking, looking at his student with surprise.

"I… probably can't completely seal it," he admitted. "Are you sure? The Sharingan does drain your chakra, but its benefits are also clear."

"Yes. I want to fight Itachi on my own merits."

"I see…" Minato nodded. He now understood Kakashi's intention.

What genius didn't have pride?

Though Minato himself couldn't fully seal the Mangekyō, he could temporarily sever the chakra drain. Still, if he couldn't do it, that didn't mean no one could.

He turned to Kushina. "Looks like we'll need your help."

Kushina had been quietly listening to their conversation and could clearly feel Kakashi's determination.

This was Minato's only student, after all.

"Kakashi, I can do it. But let me ask you again: are you absolutely sure about this?"

Sealing the Mangekyō wouldn't just strip Kakashi of its power boost, it would also create a blind spot in his vision.

That wasn't a flaw you could simply ignore.

"I've thought it through," Kakashi nodded. "I want to prove that the Hatake clan's strength is no less than the Uchiha's."

In the era of the White Fang, even the Uchiha, famed for their prodigies, dimmed in comparison to that short blade.

Later, that brilliance was overshadowed by the Sannin. That was the peak of the Sarutobi clique's power.

Kakashi may have been Minato's student, but his combat style was rooted in his father. Under Minato's guidance, that style was refined even further.

After gaining the Sharingan and thanks to its copying ability, his style gradually shifted toward something resembling the Third Hokage's all-rounded approach.

Unconsciously, it improved his chakra control, and the constant chakra drain from the Sharingan also gradually expanded his reserves. The ceaseless chakra flow also improved his bodily vitality.

Minato knew very well that the Sharingan was, in fact, limiting his Kakashi's true potential. And with Kakashi being his only remaining student, he had been paying close attention for years. He had a very clear picture of Kakashi's true strength.

He was, without a doubt, at Kage level, and his official promotion to that rank wasn't far off.

Kushina didn't have as specific a grasp of Kakashi's strength, but she had no doubts about her husband's sole student either.

With anyone else, in this situation, they'd likely be all flash and no substance.

"Alright then," Kushina said. "I'll help you seal it."

"Actually, removing the eye entirely would be better," she added. "I can perform that surgery, but I have to warn you: if the hospital doesn't have a compatible eye, and you insist on this, then you'll have to fight Itachi with just one."

"No problem," Kakashi replied calmly. "I'm used to fighting with just my right eye."

"Alright. I'll head to the hospital and try to find a matching eye for you as soon as I can," Kushina nodded and accepted his request.

If Guy were here, he'd already be yelling something about the flames of youth.

Both sides, harboring their own thoughts and intentions, began seriously preparing for the upcoming duel.

---

Three days passed in a flash.

According to the previous meeting's discussion, when the matter was brought up again, both sides quickly reached the conclusion they wanted: A battle.

The location was set at the arena used for the third round of the Chunin Exams. After renovations, it had become an open-air stadium, larger than before.

It was perfect for a match between two jonin.

On the day of the match, spectators from all sides filled the arena to capacity early in the morning.

Anyone in Konoha with access to decent intel knew the significance of this duel.

This generation's Kage-level lineup was already outstanding, and everyone had a good idea of who the next generation's powerhouses would be.

Kakashi and Itachi were widely believed to be future contenders for the top.

And Kakashi's father had been a legend in the previous generation, he still had quite the fanbase. Many hoped Kakashi would inherit the White Fang's mantle.

This duel attracted so much attention that even the village's top brass came to watch. But the most eye-catching figure of all was undoubtedly Madara, who had finally stepped out of the Uchiha compound.

No joke, the moment he walked out, the ANBU ninjas practically sprinted to the Hokage Building in panic.

And when he finally appeared in the spectator stands, the massive stadium fell utterly silent.

There wasn't a single ordinary villager here today, only shinobi. And if you were a shinobi, you knew who Madara was.

As for the intense stares from the crowd, he was long used to that. Completely unfazed, he found a spot he liked, sat down with a stoic expression, and exuded arrogant dominance.