Chapter 81: Reclaiming the Sharingan
The Hatake clan, once one of Konoha's prominent families, had now faded into decline.
Among the main family, only Kakashi remained. The other clan members numbered less than ten, and most of them were no longer active as shinobi.
Standing before Kakashi's grand estate, Yusuke couldn't help but marvel—Kakashi really was the definition of an elite bachelor.
Not only was he a respected jōnin trusted by both the Third and Fourth Hokage, with a bright future ahead, but he had also inherited the entirety of the Hatake clan's estate. Young, powerful, and wealthy—it was no wonder he stood apart.
The main gate stood open. Kakashi lived alone and had no relatives or attendants in the household, so Yusuke walked in without hesitation.
As it happened, Might Guy, Asuma, and Kurenai were already visiting, sitting in Kakashi's living room chatting over tea.
"I still can't believe Yusuke, who graduated with us, is now head of the Uchiha clan and Chief Advisor to the Hokage," Kurenai sighed with admiration. "It all feels kind of surreal."
"As expected of my rival!"
Guy nodded seriously, then turned to Kakashi with a straight face. "But you're not doing bad yourself! Didn't you tell me once that you're the head of the Hatake clan?"
Kakashi ignored Guy completely and turned to Asuma instead. "Yusuke's relationship with your father, the Third Hokage, is getting... complicated. From what I hear, the Daimyō seems to be leaning in Yusuke's favor. Things are getting tense at the top."
"You're not wrong," Asuma exhaled a puff of smoke. "The old man's been stressed lately. I just hope they'll consider the village's well-being in their power struggle."
Asuma wasn't one to hold grudges. Though emotionally, he was naturally more inclined toward his father, he wasn't blindly loyal in the face of politics.
"Power struggle? What power struggle?" Guy asked, visibly confused.
Kakashi continued to ignore him. "It's inevitable—where there's power, there's conflict. And with conflict comes internal friction…"
His words trailed off as he suddenly looked toward the garden entrance outside the living room.
The others followed his gaze and saw a tall young man in a white cloak standing there—Yusuke had arrived.
The moment they recognized him, everyone in the room stood up from their floor cushions. Everyone except Guy looked a little tense.
After all, Yusuke's status now set him apart from his peers. Though they were all elite shinobi of the same generation, his presence alone made it hard to treat him as an equal.
"Yusuke!" Guy greeted him with his usual enthusiasm. "I heard you became the Hokage's advisor—but don't forget our deal! Until you actually become Hokage, I haven't lost yet!"
Yusuke paused.
Did we ever have a deal like that?
He thought for three seconds, then confirmed that this was just another self-declared rivalry from Guy.
After exchanging brief greetings, Yusuke said he had important matters to discuss with Kakashi alone.
Understanding the cue, Guy, Asuma, and Kurenai politely excused themselves and left the house.
After the others had left, Kakashi finally spoke.
"So, what brings you here, Advisor Yusuke?"
His tone was polite but reserved. Kakashi's feelings toward Yusuke were complicated. They had once stood shoulder to shoulder—both hailed as prodigies of their generation, both having become the youngest jōnin in Konoha's history.
But now, Yusuke had ascended to the upper echelons of Konoha's power structure, a position that left Kakashi feeling... somewhat out of place.
"I came for your left eye," Yusuke said without pretense. "Or more accurately—Uchiha Obito's left eye."
Kakashi's expression immediately grew serious. He had expected this meeting might be an attempt to win him over politically—but he hadn't anticipated this.
"You want to reclaim Obito's Sharingan?" Kakashi asked, his voice low and heavy.
Yusuke nodded. "That's right."
"But why now?" Kakashi pressed. "Back then, the Uchiha clan tacitly accepted my use of Obito's eye. What's changed?"
He didn't believe Yusuke was acting out of personal malice, but he also couldn't fathom a reason for this sudden demand.
"I'm sorry," Yusuke said with a sigh. "It concerns a secret of the Uchiha clan. I can't disclose it."
"Still, with your insight, I'm sure you've already noticed—using the Sharingan takes a heavy toll on you. Why keep forcing yourself to use it?"
Kakashi shook his head. "That burden is mine to carry."
Yusuke understood. Kakashi didn't covet the Sharingan's power—he simply couldn't let go of the bond he had with Obito.
But Obito's eye was now too important. Yusuke had to take it back.
With it, he could finally unravel the secret behind Obito's intangibility. If they met again, Yusuke would have a real chance at killing him.
"Kakashi," Yusuke said firmly, his voice calm but resolute. "You don't have a choice. I'm reclaiming Obito's Sharingan as the head of the Uchiha clan."
Seeing Yusuke's composed yet unshakable stance, Kakashi felt an overwhelming sense of powerlessness.
Yusuke was right—unless he wanted to defect from the village, there was no way to refuse. Yusuke held both authority and reason on his side. Not even the Third Hokage could override this.
In the ninja world, clans guarded their kekkei genkai with fierce protectiveness. Outsiders wielding a clan's bloodline limit were rarely tolerated. Kakashi had always been an exception—and that in itself reflected the Uchiha's weakened position in the past.
Seeing Kakashi's silence, Yusuke spoke again, more gently this time.
"When Kabuto returns, I'll have him perform the eye transplant. I'll also prepare a suitable replacement for your left eye."
"There's a lot I can't explain right now, but know this—I'm taking Obito's eye for the good of the village. One day, when the time is right, you'll understand the real reason."
After leaving Kakashi's estate, Yusuke returned to his laboratory. Taking a bundle the size of a human head, he made his way to a secluded lake on the outskirts of Konoha.
Reaching the lakeside, Yusuke placed the bundle on a flat rock and unwrapped it.
Inside was a head—eyes shut peacefully—it was Hidan.
He was still under Yusuke's genjutsu, trapped in a deep slumber.
Yusuke glanced at the man's still full, unblemished face and couldn't help but sigh in admiration. The curse of the Jashin religion truly was something else. He had never fed Hidan, never given him water—and yet, the man showed no signs of physical deterioration.