Chapter 573: Finding Helpers
After coming up with the theory that Heaven's Will revolved around Naruto, the Child of Prophecy, Kakashi felt as though the clouds had parted to reveal the sun. At last, he had found hope.
However, Kakashi didn't become complacent. Instead, he first considered the issue from the opposite direction.
'Why didn't Shiromo mention this method in his letter?'
Was it because Shiromo hadn't thought of it?
No.
As the second biggest Shiromo fan in the ninja world, Kakashi immediately rejected that idea.
"I understand now. Shiromo simply doesn't believe Naruto can change."
Kakashi reached his conclusion.
Without realizing it, he had already left the beach and returned to Kirigakure.
Changing Naruto was absolutely not something he could accomplish alone.
It would require the cooperation of many people.
Fortunately, Kakashi knew someone with plenty of experience—a "senior" who could help.
And by sheer coincidence, that very "senior" happened to be in Kirigakure at this moment.
"Kisame?"
Kakashi had been so deep in thought that he only snapped back to reality when Samehada and Kisame entered his field of vision.
As far as he remembered, within the Akatsuki, Kisame and Samehada... no, Kisame and Itachi were partners who frequently carried out missions together.
Unless those rumors about "Itachi constantly casting genjutsu on Kisame, making him think they were doing missions together when he was actually alone the whole time" were true, then Itachi had to be somewhere nearby.
"Itachi? Uchiha Itachi! I need to talk to you!"
After looking around and failing to find Itachi, Kakashi simply shouted on the spot.
It was the same trick Obito used in the Engraved Tsukuyomi to call White Zetsu.
A crow flew down from a tree and landed in front of Kakashi.
After blinking twice, it took off again.
Kakashi immediately understood and followed it.
Soon afterward, he found Uchiha Itachi in the forest.
Getting straight to the point and telling the plain truth from the very beginning, Kakashi immediately explained his thoughts to Itachi.
He started by telling him that the Second Hokage had personally designated him as the next Hokage and assigned him the task of changing Konoha's culture of bullying.
"Kakashi, you should know that this isn't unique to Konoha. Every ninja village has this problem to some extent."
"As far as I know, Gaara, the Kazekage of Sunagakure, and Killer B of Kumogakure were both bullied when they were children."
Itachi spoke calmly and composedly.
"Itachi, at this point everyone already knows who you really are, so stop pretending."
"What, are you worried that one of us might suddenly become the target of the eavesdropping?"
"Or are you testing how loyal I am to Konoha?"
"Itachi, setting everything else aside—even if the other villages have worse bullying problems than Konoha, so what?"
"Just because another village has a bigger problem, does that mean we should ignore Konoha's?"
"Our goal is absolutely not to compete over which village is less terrible."
Kakashi's tone became serious.
When it came to the Sharingan, Itachi was indeed Kakashi's senior.
But in terms of seniority within Konoha, Kakashi was the senior. Back when Itachi was in the ANBU, he had served under Kakashi and even gone on missions with him.
"Sorry. It's become a habit. Hard to change overnight."
Itachi also realized that instinctively starting with a test wasn't appropriate in this situation and immediately apologized.
"Forget it. It's fine. Let's get back to business."
Kakashi waved it off and continued explaining his thoughts.
He told Itachi everything—from asking Shiromo for help and being told the only solution was slaughter to reduce the numbers, to his own idea of using Naruto's identity as the Child of Prophecy to forcibly break through the Will of Bullying.
"Shiromo came from the Boruto era. He's seen Naruto's future."
"Shiromo also described the future Naruto. He said Naruto remained exactly the same as before—a saintly person to the very end, unchanged in the slightest."
"Neither time nor family managed to change Naruto."
"Perhaps that's why Shiromo believed Naruto could never change and didn't suggest this approach."
"It's not just a matter of personality."
"I honestly can't imagine what a changed Naruto would even look like."
"But before the masked man's identity was exposed, I couldn't imagine a changed Obito either."
"The key issue with Naruto is that he's Ashura's reincarnation."
"And he's also the Child of Prophecy."
"Those two identities seem to have placed shackles on Naruto's personality and convictions."
"Only by breaking those shackles and changing Naruto's personality do we have any chance of creating a crack in the otherwise unsolvable Will of Bullying—and through that, changing everyone else."
Kakashi explained all of his reasoning and conclusions.
"Heaven's Will... the Will of Bullying...
It really does feel as though everyone has been placed under Kotoamatsukami. It certainly..."
After hearing Kakashi's explanation, even Itachi couldn't help but sigh.
First of all, there was no question that Itachi himself had once been a victim of the Will of Bullying.
As the eldest son of the Uchiha Clan, the most powerful and influential clan in Konoha at the time, and someone with extraordinary talent and status...
He still got beaten up...
Well, his Shadow Clone did.
People often claimed the Uchiha were feared and hated because they served as Konoha's police force.
But the problem was, when those people bullied Uchiha children, they certainly didn't seem afraid.
They clearly knew the Uchiha never forgot a grudge and were notorious for acting on emotion.
Wasn't that just asking for trouble?
Later, when Itachi heard that even the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Clan had been bullied, he simply thought it was perfectly normal.
He'd been through it himself.
What was strange was that he had never heard of the Uchiha Clan taking revenge over bullying incidents.
Nor had he ever heard of the Hyuga Clan retaliating against anyone because Hinata had been bullied.
It was as though bullying and being bullied had simply become an accepted part of everyday life in Konoha.
Thinking back on it now...
That feeling was terrifying.
Just as Itachi had said, it was as though everyone had been given an order through Kotoamatsukami.
Those who bullied others feared neither death nor strength. They would carry out the Will of Bullying no matter what.
Those who were bullied would never hold a grudge and would ultimately choose to protect Konoha.
"Exactly, Itachi. According to Shiromo, in the original timeline you changed Sasuke multiple times."
"Since Sasuke, Indra's reincarnation, could be changed by you, that proves these 'shackles' aren't absolutely unbreakable!"
Kakashi finally revealed the real reason he had come to find Itachi.
"Actually, it wasn't just me who changed Sasuke."
"Sasuke changed me as well."
"And if you're talking about the Sasuke from the Boruto era, then the one who truly changed him wasn't me."
"It was Naruto."
Itachi shook his head slightly.
As a former double agent, most of what Itachi knew had actually come secondhand.
Compared to Kakashi and the others in Konoha, he had often learned things later and knew less.
"Naruto... That's right. Naruto! Sasuke!"
After hearing Itachi's words, Kakashi suddenly experienced another moment of enlightenment.
"Itachi, don't you think that if Sasuke, another reincarnation, took the initiative to influence Naruto, it would be far more effective than us trying to influence him?"
Thanks to Itachi's reminder, Kakashi realized something.
In the original timeline, Sasuke had ultimately been changed by Naruto, who carried the additional identity of the Child of Prophecy.
So...
Could the reverse also be true?
Could Naruto be changed by Sasuke?
(End of this chapter)