Chapter 80: The Path of Kakashi
"Big Brother, you're back!" Kakashi greeted him with a bright smile the moment Yusuke stepped through the door.
"Yeah. I just checked in on Father," Yusuke replied calmly.
"How is he doing?" Kakashi asked, his voice tinged with concern.
"Don't worry. His strength is more than enough to handle anything—even if Ōnoki himself shows up, I doubt it'll be a problem. Besides, I left a marker there. If anything happens, I can teleport straight there through the Air Door," Yusuke explained succinctly.
Relieved, Kakashi let out a quiet sigh.
"Big Brother, when can I go to the battlefield?" he asked eagerly.
"Wait until Minato-nii finishes his mission. If he's not with you, I can't rest easy," Yusuke answered.
Kakashi looked like he wanted to argue, but remembering the vast gap between their strength, he held his tongue.
"Kakashi," Yusuke called.
"Hm? What is it, Big Brother?" Kakashi turned, a little confused.
"Hold out your hand."
As Kakashi extended his hand, a strange yet powerful energy radiated from Yusuke's body.
"This is Armament Haki. With your current level, you're almost qualified to start learning it," Yusuke said.
Kakashi's eyes sparkled. He could barely contain his excitement.
"Armament Haki isn't chakra, so it won't interfere with your chakra development. But it does require an incredibly strong physique," Yusuke continued.
"Thank you, Big Brother!" Kakashi shouted with genuine joy.
Yusuke reached out and ruffled his hair. "Come on, no need to thank your own brother."
"Then… could you call Kurenai, Rin, and Obito over? I'm cooking tonight," he said with a soft smile.
"Yes, sir!" Kakashi dashed off, grinning from ear to ear. It had been a long time since he last tasted his brother's cooking.
Yusuke watched his younger brother leave, then his expression hardened. As time passed, much of the "original story" had begun to fade from his memory. But anything that involved Kakashi… that part was still crystal clear. This war would take a heavy toll on his little brother. For a brief moment, Yusuke even considered ending the war himself—he didn't want Kakashi to suffer.
But for Kakashi's growth, he couldn't interfere. After losing his closest friends—Obito and Rin—Kakashi's heart of the sword would shatter. That, however, was precisely the trial he had to face. Only by reforging the fragments of that broken heart could Kakashi carve a blade path unmatched by anyone else.
"I'm sorry, Kakashi… I hope one day you can forgive me. For the sake of your future, some sacrifices are necessary," Yusuke muttered, his voice cold but resolute.
Of course, that didn't mean he would let Rin actually die. She just needed to disappear from Kakashi's world for a while. Whether Kakashi would be able to reforge his heart of the sword—Yusuke already had a plan.
Based on the original future, Kakashi definitely had the potential—but no one was there to guide him, which was why he eventually abandoned the sword path. Yusuke, on the other hand, was determined to save Rin. So this time, it wouldn't be a problem. Even if Kakashi ultimately failed to reform the sword in his heart, Yusuke could still push him to the peak of the shinobi world... though that was a last resort he hoped never to use. He had already prepared a "way home" for his brother. His hesitation wasn't from a lack of power—but from the fear of seeing Kakashi cry again.
"...Looks like I'll be walking the same path Uchiha Itachi once did. How ironic," he whispered.
In his previous life, he hadn't truly understood. But in this life, for the sake of his beloved little brother—he chose the same path.
He wasn't as extreme as Itachi, but the root was the same: pain. Yusuke allowed Kakashi to experience heartbreak so his sword could evolve. Itachi bore the burden of slaughtering his own clan, so Sasuke would awaken the Sharingan—and even the Mangekyō.
Only those who truly understood the Mangekyō Sharingan knew how impossible it was for the regular three-tomoe to defeat it. And only those who stood in the shoes of Yusuke and Itachi could comprehend the pain of watching your younger brother cry in despair… while your own heart bled. But they still had to do it.
"System, extract one percent of the Sea King's meat."
[Understood, Host.]
A chunk of meat the size of a small room materialized in front of him. Yusuke rolled up his sleeves and started cooking himself. His movements were swift and efficient. A few moments later, he summoned a clone to help with plating. Before long, the entire table was filled with mouthwatering dishes.
"Excuse me," Rin greeted politely as she entered the room.
"Excuse us…"
"No need to be formal. Come in, everyone," Yusuke said. He wasn't fond of excessive etiquette, but he still respected sincerity.
"This smells amazing!" Obito stepped closer, sniffing the air as his face lit up.
"Haha, let's eat," Yusuke chuckled.
Everyone quickly gathered around the table.
"What kind of meat is this, Big Brother?" Kakashi asked, curiosity clear on their faces.
"Haha, it's from a giant sea beast—many times bigger than Jiraiya-nii's Gamabunta. It's excellent for your bodies," Yusuke replied.
"Really? I feel like my chakra is overflowing. My body's full of energy!" Obito exclaimed.
"Then eat as much as you want. If it's not enough, I'll make more," Yusuke said casually.
At first, they glanced at the mountain of food like it was a festival banquet. "We're supposed to finish all this?" But the next second, their jaws dropped.
Yusuke was already shoveling food into his mouth at a speed they couldn't even track. His mouth expanded multiple times its normal size—a perk from the Gomu Gomu no Mi.
Watching him eat like that, the others instantly kicked into gear, racing each other to finish the meal.
"Yusuke, how's the situation on the battlefield?" Rin asked, a hint of worry in her tone.
"Relax. The Sunagakure front is basically dealt with. Iwagakure is still manageable. As for the other lines, I haven't checked them all yet—but with Minato-nii and Snake-ojisan stationed there, I doubt anything serious will happen for now," Yusuke replied.
"Yusuke, is my father really going to be okay?" Kurenai asked, still visibly anxious.
"He'll be fine. Even if something unexpected happens, I'll get there in time. I also left him a little trump card," Yusuke said.
When he left earlier, he had handed Shinku one of his masks.
Although Shinku had been confused, he accepted it without question. The mask itself wasn't anything special—but the person behind it was: Yusuke.
The story went back three years, when Yusuke took on a black market assassination mission targeting someone within Iwagakure.
Ōnoki himself had intervened back then—only to be swiftly defeated by Yusuke. But due to reasons tied to the future timeline, Yusuke had spared him. That incident remained top secret within Iwagakure.
So now, when Ōnoki saw that mask again, he would understand. If he dared step in personally… Yusuke wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him. That had been the deal.
— — —
Three Years Ago
"Who the hell are you?" an elderly man asked, staring at the white-cloaked figure before him.
"What would you do even if you knew?" Yusuke replied coldly.
"I'm letting you off this time," he continued. "But in the future, if anyone appears wearing this mask—you're not to engage. If you do… I'll erase every living thing in Iwagakure. Don't think I'm bluffing."
With that, the white-cloaked figure vanished without a trace.
"Damn it… Who was that guy? He beat the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchūriki—and even the Tsuchikage—like it was nothing…" one of the Iwagakure elders muttered in disbelief, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Join my Patreon here:
🔗 patreon.com/FaaanzKun
✅ Enjoy 70+ chapters ahead of WebNovel
✅ Get 2 new chapters every day exclusively on Patreon
Join now and dive deeper into the story—weeks ahead of public release!
Thank you for your amazing support 💖
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —