Yamanaka Shinno carefully committed the details of the Iron Country's map to his memory palace. He then repeatedly examined the sketches of the Mountain Graveyard before finally placing the documents back into the file folder.
After organizing the files, he bid farewell to Mitoku, who was still patiently sorting through fragmented information and transcribing intelligence reports.
Taking back his black umbrella, Shinno suppressed the restlessness in his heart, said his goodbyes to the Intelligence Division members, and once again stepped into the rain.
Getting such precise intel on Uchiha Madara's whereabouts so quickly was an unexpected stroke of luck for him.
That said, he had no intention of confronting the man today.
This was Uchiha Madara, after all!
Both his memories from the original story and the Yamanaka clan's records spoke of this man's immense strength.
Refined and formidable taijutsu, fire release powerful enough to reduce anything to ashes, the invincible Susanoo, the world-shaking Tengai Shinsei…
This was a man whose very name made the entire shinobi world tremble.
Even if Shinno's mind had holes the size of Danzo's schemes, he wouldn't be reckless enough to charge in the moment he got the news.
The rain continued to fall in a steady drizzle.
The misty rain blurred the distant Hokage Rock, shrouding it in a hazy veil.
"Meow~ Meow meow~!"
Shinno's wandering thoughts were interrupted by the urgent cries of a cat, followed by the sound of objects toppling over and hurried footsteps splashing through puddles. The commotion came from the alley to his left.
A sleek calico cat bolted out of the narrow alley in a panic. With a few nimble leaps, it darted across the street and dove into a disorderly pile of junk stacked nearly three meters high in the corner.
Moments later, three young genin, no older than ten, emerged from the alley, their clothes soaked through.
"Damn it! We lost it again! This cat is way too slippery!"
Uchiha Obito complained with frustration.
"If a certain idiot hadn't insisted on wearing goggles in the rain, then shouted that he was under a Hidden Mist jutsu as soon as he spotted the target, we would've caught it by now."
Hatake Kakashi ridiculed Obito's incompetence, his deadpan eyes scanning the street for any trace of the runaway feline.
"Tch! If I hadn't found the cat first, you wouldn't have even seen it yet!"
Embarrassed, Obito turned red and rolled up his sleeves, ready to argue. But before he could start, Nohara Rin stepped between them, her gentle voice smoothing over the tension.
"Alright, alright~ It's fine! Let's just keep trying!"
Obito huffed and turned away begrudgingly.
Meanwhile, Kakashi's attention remained fixed on his surroundings. His sharp gaze swept over every alley, every step, and every possible hiding place as he searched for signs of their elusive target.
"Eh?! Yamanaka Shinno-sani!"
When Obito turned his head, he immediately noticed the man standing not far away, holding an umbrella and watching them.
He had seen plenty of photos of Yamanaka Shinno before—pictures in Namikaze Minato-sensei's apartment, taken when Shinno and Minato had joined the Academy together, at their graduation, and even battered but alive after surviving the Second Shinobi War.
According to Minato-sensei, this was a man he would entrust his life to.
Obito's face lit up with a bright smile, and he jogged over excitedly.
"Shinno-senpai! I'm Uchiha Obito, a student of Namikaze Minato-sensei! Did you happen to see a calico cat run past here just now?"
Shinno looked at the boy's cheerful expression, a flicker of something unreadable flashing in his eyes. Then, he raised his hand and pointed at the pile of junk.
...
Name: Uchiha Obito
Occupation: Shinobi
Traits: Passionate and Genuine (Blue), Kind-hearted (Green), Friend of the Elderly (White), Foolish (Gray)
...
No sinister keywords like Shimura Danzo had, the kind that screamed "villain."
No overwhelming prodigy-level traits either.
"Passionate and Genuine" meant he was sincere, unpretentious, and emotionally expressive—qualities that strengthened his mental energy and slightly enhanced his Fire Release abilities and combat potential in critical moments.
"Kind-hearted" indicated a pure and sincere soul, increasing his charisma and improving his relationships with others.
"Friend of the Elderly" suggested he would frequently encounter people over fifty, had a high likelihood of being late, and would significantly boost his favorability with the elderly when he helped them.
"Foolish" implied a decreased ability for independent thought and a tendency to make dumb mistakes.
An emotional, kind-hearted, genuine person who was popular with old folks and capable of explosive power in a crisis…
That sounds like the perfect shounen protagonist, doesn't it?
With the right encouragement from his teacher, the support of his companions, and the warmth of those around him, even if he couldn't become a hero who saved the world, someone with these traits should at least shine with the light of human goodness.
Who would believe this kid would one day become—well, that?
"Foolish, huh…"
Shinno glanced at the trio, feeling a bit of melancholy over the whims of fate.
Honestly, he had considered whether or not to just kill Uchiha Obito outright.
But first, murdering a child for crimes he hadn't yet committed felt too much like violating his own moral code.
Second, Uchiha Madara didn't specifically need Obito.
What he required was simply someone who could be brainwashed—a pawn who would follow his script and execute the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Obito's talent for awakening the Sharingan might be impressive, but he wasn't irreplaceable.
Even if he died, someone else—Uchiha Mizuto, Uchiha Kasui, Uchiha Raiken, or even Uchiha Megumi—would eventually take his place.
Still… was it really okay not to interfere?
Shinno's gaze drifted to the unactivated trait in his system: [Bro, You Smell So Good].
In the original story, Obito was completely brainwashed and committed himself to the Eye of the Moon Plan because he witnessed his beloved Rin getting her heart pierced by Kakashi.
But what if…
Obito's beloved was actually Kakashi?
"Damn it, my stupid moral principles… Why can't I bring myself to do something so hilarious?"
Shinno glanced several times at the unactivated [Bro, You Smell So Good] trait, silently struggling with himself.
Meanwhile, Kakashi summoned three ninja dogs to cut off the cat's escape route while Rin blocked the ground exits.
Kakashi himself leaped onto the rooftops to prevent the cat from escaping above.
Obito, still bickering with Kakashi, began moving the piled-up junk to flush the cat out.
Realizing its hiding place was compromised, the calico cat sprang out of the pile.
Obito reacted instantly, lunging forward and grabbing the cat—but before he could celebrate, he crashed headfirst into the junk heap.
With a loud boom, the unstable pile collapsed, burying both Obito and the cat in the wreckage.
Even the falling rain couldn't drown out the massive dust cloud that rose from the impact.
Shinno winced just watching it.
But when he closed his eyes to sense beneath the rubble, he found Obito—despite being crushed—had instinctively curled up to shield the cat in his arms.
Shinno sighed softly.
"Obito… Stay kind, always."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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