The morning sun streamed softly through the paper windows of the Uchiha compound as Kakashi stepped into the main house.
The scent of freshly brewed tea and rice filled the air, mingling with an unusual tension that hung like a dense fog.
In the dining room, the Uchiha family gathered around the table, Sasuke, Mikoto, Fugaku, and Itachi, all just finishing breakfast.
Itachi sat stiffly, his fingers curling tightly around the rim of his teacup, his black eyes avoiding the gentle gazes of his resurrected parents. His face bore a mask of calm, but beneath it churned a storm of guilt and regret.
The plan Sasuke had laid out for him, to repopulate the clan, felt like an unyielding weight pressing on his chest.
It was a bleak future, forced and unnatural for him, but atonement for his sins demanded it. He would see it through. For the clan's survival. For his brother's sake, and for his own redemption.
Sasuke's gaze lifted as the familiar figure of Kakashi entered. His lips curled into a faint, confident smile, and he rose from his seat to meet his sensei.
"Kakashi-sensei," he greeted smoothly, a warmth in his voice that betrayed the recent years of hardship they had endured together.
Kakashi returned the smile with a nod.
"Good morning, Sasuke." His eyes flicked briefly to the others, acknowledging their presence with respect.
Mikoto stepped forward with a polite grace, her voice soft yet sincere. They owed Kakashi so much, and they didn't know how to repay him at all.
"Please, would you like some tea, Kakashi-san? You must be tired after everything."
"Thank you, Mikoto-san, but I'm fine for now." Kakashi shook his head gently, his tone courteous.
Fugaku sat back silently, his eyes sharp and calculating as he observed the visitor. He said nothing, but his gaze spoke volumes, curious, cautious, weighing the situation carefully.
After a few moments, Mikoto and Fugaku exchanged a look and quietly excused themselves, leaving the three shinobi alone in the room.
The atmosphere shifted slightly, settling into a rare intimacy. Kakashi leaned against the doorframe, glancing between the brothers.
"Tell me everything," he said to Itachi, breaking the silence.
Itachi's eyes darkened with resolve as he began. "The Akatsuki… they are not just a rogue group. They are organized, and very lethal. Their members are formidable."
He recited the roster, each name laced with the weight of menace: Deidara, with his explosive clay and arrogance; Sasori, the puppet master whose poison was death itself.
Hidan, the immortal zealot bound by a cursed ritual; Kakuzu, the mercenary who fused hearts and bodies in an unholy mix; Kisame, the shark of the mist with his monstrous blade, now gone;
Konan, the paper angel with secrets hidden in every fold, Pain, the mysterious leader controlling six bodies as one; Tobi, the masked enigma whose true power was yet unknown.
Kakashi listened with a feigned seriousness, nodding slowly. Inside, he cataloged each name with precision. He knew all these he was just going through the motions to appear legit.
This was future knowledge, ammunition for the battles to come. It was the kind of intelligence that justified the long nights, the silent wars fought in shadows.
When Itachi finished, Kakashi's mind settled on the name that intrigued him most, Tobi otherwise Obito.
He chose silence on that point, hiding what he knew, and letting the mystery linger. The Akatsuki were bound to move, and the game was changing.
Kakashi's thoughts shifted swiftly, calculating. The immediate threat lay with the "immortal duo," Hidan and Kakuzu.
Both had glaring weaknesses despite their horrors. Kakuzu's multiple hearts made him tough but slow; Hidan's ritual demanded close contact but left him vulnerable. Naruto and Sasuke had the skills to exploit these flaws. This battle would be their proving ground.
Without warning, Kakashi's hand formed a seal. From the earth beneath, seeds sprouted rapidly, dark grey and white spores bursting forth, crawling across the floor like living shadows, his spore clones sprouting into existence.
"Your ability… It's like Zetsu's." Itachi's eyes widened in disbelief.
"It's easy." Kakashi shrugged casually, a smirk playing at his lips.
Itachi stared, speechless and frustrated at the casualness with which Kakashi wielded such power. His mind churned, how had Kakashi mastered such techniques that should be unique only to Zetsu?
The clones bowed briefly before Kakashi, their forms flickering with the appearances of some ordinary ninjas that Kakashi had encountered before. They were perfect disguises for their mission.
"Infiltrate the black market houses in Fire Country. Use Mayfly to travel and stay hidden. Gather intel and prepare for a strike." Kakashi spoke in a calm voice.
The clones nodded silently and sank underground as seamlessly as they had appeared.
"Kisame?" Itachi's gaze sharpened, realization dawning.
"Dead." Kakashi's face hardened.
The soft sigh that escaped Itachi's lips was heavy with meaning, loss, relief, complicated sorrow.
Turning the conversation, Kakashi shifted to a more delicate topic. "The Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. I know about it."
"You do?" Itachi blinked in surprise.
"I have a plan. You and Sasuke will exchange eyes." Kakashi nodded, his tone calm but serious.
Itachi's mind raced, stunned by the unprecedented proposal. "Between living individuals… the risks-"
Sasuke's voice cut in, skeptical at first. "Sensei, that's dangerous. Why would we-"
"Because it's the only way to protect both of you. To make sure the Uchiha endure." Kakashi's eyes twinkled with subtle persuasion. He was curious as to what would happen when two living Uchiha exchanged Mangekyo.
Sasuke hesitated, then slowly nodded, conceding to the wisdom of his teacher. Itachi's gaze softened, a touch of envy and respect mingling in his eyes. The bond between teacher and student was strong, one forged through hardship and trust.
Itachi silently acknowledged the long road ahead, both in healing and forgiveness. But with Kakashi guiding them, perhaps the impossible was within reach.