If you retrieve your other eye, I believe your Susanoo will not be inferior to Arata's.
And that eye's ocular technique may very well also be space-related."
"When your Mangekyō is complete, not only would you gain another space-type ability, but the power of your existing Kamui would increase dramatically."
Obito stood there like a statue, unmoving.
Everything Black Zetsu said was correct.
And Obito knew it.
But his feelings toward Kakashi were far too complicated.
So complicated that he could cold-bloodedly orchestrate the deaths of his teacher and mentor....people who had once treated him kindly.....yet still show mercy to Kakashi again and again.
He had never been willing to reclaim the Mangekyō Sharingan he left with Kakashi.
Even though he knew how important that eye was to him…
even though he knew reclaiming it would massively increase his strength…
For reasons even he couldn't fully understand, he would rather leave it with Kakashi, letting him continue using it as a simple three-tomoe Sharingan, than secretly take it back.
With Obito's current strength, assassinating Kakashi would be effortless.
A single ambush would suffice.
Seeing Obito remain silent, Black Zetsu let out a quiet sigh in his heart.
For someone this stubborn, there was little more he could say.
Instead, he proposed a compromise.
"There are still several three-tomoe Sharingan left behind by Madara," Black Zetsu said.
"Why don't we secretly replace your eye with one of those?"
He paused, then added,
"If your strength doesn't improve, Uchiha Arata will always stand in our way.
Not only will our plan be impossible to carry out....we've already offended him."
If he keeps his eyes on us, we'll be forced into a completely passive position.
And remember...Arata is younger than you. He still has vast room to grow."
"When that time comes, even the Six Paths of Pain may not be able to defeat him."
Obito remained silent for a long time.
Finally, he exhaled heavily.
"You're right," he said hoarsely. "It's time to retrieve my Sharingan."
"Black Zetsu, choose a three-tomoe Sharingan with strong copying potential from Madara's collection."
"Meanwhile, Konoha is off-limits for now. Have White Zetsu watch the village gates.
Once Kakashi leaves the village on a mission, I'll use that opportunity to swap the eye."
Hearing Obito's instructions—especially the part about choosing a copy-type Sharingan....Black Zetsu nearly felt speechless.
You could just replace the eye, he thought.
Yet you're even considerate enough to pick one suitable for Kakashi…
Was this because Kakashi had earned the title "Copy Ninja" using that eye?
Still....
Obito had finally relented.
That alone made Black Zetsu immensely relieved.
Afraid Obito might change his mind, he immediately agreed.
After their discussion ended, Black Zetsu and White Zetsu left the cavern, allowing Obito to rest.
Obito sat alone in the darkness for a long time.
Eventually, a soft, emotionally complex sigh echoed faintly through the cavern.
"…Kakashi."
While matters on Uchiha Obito's side temporarily came to a halt, Uchiha Arata had already arrived at Mikoto's home.
Don't misunderstand—Arata hadn't come to visit Mikoto for that reason. Her condition made such things inconvenient anyway. If Arata truly wanted that sort of company, he could easily go find Uzuki Yugao or Uzumaki Xianglin instead.
(Uzuki Yugao seemed to have finished her leave and had already returned to ANBU duty.
As for Arata—under the Third Hokage's protection, there was no need for him to report in.
After all, ANBU was entirely under the Third's authority. Whoever the Hokage wanted resting, rested.)
The real reason Arata had come to Mikoto's home was simple—
Uchiha Sasuke was about to enter the Ninja Academy.
As Sasuke's master, Arata couldn't allow his student to be bullied at school without knowing anything useful. That would be a disgrace to him as a teacher.
So, taking advantage of the time before leaving to search for Tsunade, Arata decided to give Sasuke some extra lessons....to open a private "back door" for him.
As the second male lead of the Naruto world, Sasuke was honestly rather pitiful.
Whether in background, temperament, talent, or growth trajectory, he often existed only to highlight the brilliance of the first protagonist, Uzumaki Naruto.
In Arata's view, the main reason lay in Sasuke's poor foundation during childhood.
The Uchiha clan, a great clan with a thousand-year legacy, had its own mature system for cultivating its children.
The beneficiaries of this system were Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Shisui, and—of course....Uchiha Arata himself.
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