Not Much Time Left

Obito's eyes widened as he watched Seiji's steady stance on the water.

In a burst of misguided enthusiasm, he ripped off his jacket and dove in—splash!

"Idiot. You're supposed to stand on the water, not dive into it," Kakashi quipped from the shore.

Obito's soaked head popped up, water dripping from his orange goggles.

"Tch. It's too hot! Ever think maybe I just wanted to cool off?"

"Sure," Kakashi replied flatly.

Rin couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Alright, alright, you two—cut it out," she said with a grin, the peacemaker as always.

Qingsi, however, paid them no attention. His focus remained unshaken. He silently continued guiding chakra to his feet, refining his control.

Obito's destiny was written in tragedy.

He loved Rin.

He lost Rin.

He saw her die—killed by his best friend.

In that moment, Obito's heart shattered. His faith in the world, in the village, in people… turned to ash.

He hated Minato for not arriving in time.

He hated Kakashi for failing to protect her.

He hated the world for letting it happen.

That hatred—fueled by loss and despair—would one day ignite the Eye of the Moon plan and lead him to destroy everything.

"Nohara Rin… must be approached carefully," Qingsi thought as he trained.

Her potential was real. And one day, she might be the key to manipulating Obito's path.

Kamui was no ordinary Sharingan ability. It was unmatched in its versatility and survivability—more powerful, in many ways, than even Amaterasu.

But connecting with Obito? Far riskier than dealing with a shinobi from Kumogakure.

At least Kumogakure's spies were… predictable.

Obito? Who knew if Madara had already sent a White Zetsu to monitor him?

The future was uncertain. Dangerous.

Qingsi would need every edge he could get.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the third training ground shimmered in the streetlamp's glow.

One by one, the students were picked up.

Obito's grandmother arrived and took him home.

Rin's parents soon came for her.

And then…

"Kakashi. Time to go."

A calm, commanding voice spoke from the edge of the field.

White hair, matching his son's. A green flak vest. A presence sharp enough to cut steel.

"Yes, father."

Kakashi nodded and turned to leave.

They walked in silence for a few steps before Sakumo Hatake spoke again.

"That boy. He's Uchiha Seiji, isn't he? From the Land of Lightning."

Kakashi nodded. He glanced back.

Seiji remained alone by the river, practicing.

"Hmph. So that's the one they're all talking about," Sakumo muttered.

A foreigner. A mixed bloodline. A spark of controversy.

No ninja clan in Konoha had ever allowed a bloodline outsider before. Not even the Hyuga, famed for their protectiveness, had ever lost a Byakugan.

But Uchiha?

Their line had now branched.

The boy was a hybrid. Lightning Country and Uchiha blood… a rare and dangerous combination.

"Do you think he'll carry the Will of Fire?" Sakumo asked aloud.

"Hard to say. But he's determined," Kakashi answered.

Sakumo observed the river.

Seiji stood waist-deep now, the waterline just cresting over his insteps. He was improving, slowly but surely.

"He might even surpass Guy's kid," Sakumo said, half to himself."That physique... it's not purely Uchiha."

Most clan fusions failed—bloodlines clashing, abilities canceling each other out. But the rare few…

Those rare few became monsters.

Sakumo looked down at his son, sweat still clinging to Kakashi's brow.

"Even you need rest after this long. But that boy… he's still at it."

Kakashi didn't reply.

He couldn't deny it.

Seiji's rapid growth was undeniable.

And if he had started at the same time as them?

Who knew how far ahead he'd be?

Once father and son disappeared from view, Seiji finally paused his training and looked up.

"Hatake Sakumo…"

In a short while, that proud man would die by his own hand.

Not on the battlefield. Not against an enemy.

But in his own home, after a failed mission and endless public scorn.

A man who completed 27 S-rank missions and 123 A-rank missions would choose to die rather than live with shame.

Why?

Qingsi didn't know.

But he had his suspicions.

This world was never kind to heroes.

Minato once said: "Even the Legendary Sannin feared the White Fang."

And yet… Sakumo died unloved and disgraced.

That was the reality of Konoha's politics.

A reality Qingsi could not ignore.

He was not just Uchiha.

He was Yotsuki.

He was from the Land of Lightning.

Each of these identities alone carried risk.

Together? They were a ticking time bomb.

Danzo Shimura surely had his eye on him already.

"Then I have no choice but to grow stronger. Fast."

Qingsi turned back to the river.

The water glowed under the moonlight as he focused once again, channeling chakra to his soles.

A soft ripple spread around his feet. He steadied himself.

[Entry: Water Treader (White)]Progress: 25%Effect: Chakra control on uneven terrain is enhanced. Chakra "sustainability" improved by 5%.

A long road still lay ahead.

But for now, there was still time.

And Qingsi would use every second of it.