With the initial diplomatic terms secure, Kakashi's stay in Kirigakure extended over the next six days. Kakashi took his time, utilizing six days to deeply cement the Leaf-Mist alliance.
Behind closed doors, the discussions shifted from standard border logistics to a much weightier, long-term political strategy: a formal marriage proposal between Kakashi and Mei. They both understood the stabilizing effect a union between the Leaf and the Mist would have on the Ninja world, which could lead to other alliances among the nations, specifically Iwa and Kumo, considering the Sand and Kiri were already on good terms with the Leaf.
Over the next six days, their time blurred into a flawless rhythm of political maneuvering and deeply personal connections.
The second day began back in the central tower, where Kakashi sat by Mei's side as she officially presented the alliance framework to the Kiri council. With Kakashi there, the traditionally stubborn elders found very little room to argue. After a tense but highly successful afternoon session, Mei dragged Kakashi out of the office before sunset. They spent the evening on a private boat, navigating the lower canals, sharing a quiet dinner Mei made as the sea mist rolled over the water, laughing at how each leader looked constipated when they didn't get to speak their opinions on any of the decisions she made, something Kakashi would deny he had anything to do with.
On days three and four, the marriage proposal required concrete terms. They drafted clauses on joint military intelligence and how a union would affect the balance of the Five Great Nations. It was hard work, but the evenings completely shifted the mood with Kakashi and Mei growing closer by the day, a sort of magnetic feeling developing between them. On the fourth night, Mei took Kakashi to a rustic, high-altitude diner perched on a rocky cliff overlooking the jagged Kiri ravines. They talked late into the night about their likes and dislikes, and what a genuine future together might actually look like.
By the fifth day, the official scroll detailing the alliance and the preliminary marriage terms was completely finalized and signed by both parties. To celebrate the conclusion of the diplomatic mission, Day 6 was entirely personal. Mei took Kakashi to a secluded, emerald-green island just off the Kiri coastline. They walked along the rocky shoreline, free from guards and prying eyes. They watched the ocean waves crash against the rocks, an undeniable, profound understanding settling between them before his departure for the Land of Fire.
As the late afternoon sun began to dip below the ocean horizon, casting long, golden shadows across the rocky shore, Kakashi broke the comfortable silence. He reached into his weapon pouch and pulled out one of his Flying Raijin Kunai, holding it out for her to take.
"If you ever need me. For the village, or for anything else."
Mei looked down at the weapon, her green eyes softening as she recognized the legendary mark of the Flying Raijin. Taking it from his hand, she felt the cool weight of the metal, but a deep, genuine warmth bloomed inside her chest, leaving her thoroughly happy.
"Thank you, Kakashi," she murmured, slipping the kunai securely into her sash.
Kakashi gave her a final, warm smile. His chakra flared slightly as he prepared to activate the Flying Raijin and leave, about to flash directly back to his house. But before he could vanish, Mei reached out and caught his hand, her grip firm, pulling him back.
Kakashi stopped the jutsu and turned back around, but before he could say a word, Mei stepped directly into his space, closed the distance, and pressed her lips to his.
The sudden warmth caught him completely by surprise, his eyes widening slightly for a brief fraction of a second. But the shock vanished quickly as he brought his left hand to cup the side of her face, his right wrapping securely around her waist to pull her against him as he kissed her back.
The kiss was deep, slow, and unhurried, pulling them both into a quiet place away from the rest of the world. For a long, lingering moment, they simply held each other close, enjoying the warmth and the undeniable pull between them.
When they finally separated, breathing softly, Mei let her hand linger on his chest for a fraction of a second, a playful yet deeply affectionate smile returning to her lips.
"Safe travels, Kakashi," she said softly.
Kakashi hesitated, his hand remaining gently on her waist as he looked at her. Having grown significantly closer to her with every passing day of the week, the thought of leaving felt painful. He let his gaze linger over her face for a quiet, reluctant moment before finally letting his arm drop and pulling his hand back from the side of her face. With a slow, parting nod, his chakra flared once more, and he vanished in a silent flash of silver, leaving the island behind.
Appearing inside Konoha, inside his bedroom, Kakashi sat back on his bed, his heart beating slightly faster than usual as he felt the phantom feeling of Mei, her scent, her smile.
Kakashi chuckled to himself as he caught his thoughts aligning with a man in love.
'It would seem I'm already wrapped around her finger.'
He leaned back against his pillows, staring up at the familiar ceiling of his house. The absolute silence of his home felt starkly different from the rhythmic crashing of the waves and the lively evening chatter of the Hidden Mist. Despite his composure, the six days spent in Mei's company had shifted something deep inside him, leaving a lingering warmth that he had no intention of shaking off; just like when Mei grabbed his arm for the first time, it stuck with him.
After a few quiet minutes of collecting himself, Kakashi stood up from the bed, the alliance and marriage tucked into his vest. It was time to report to the Hokage.
- Hokage's Office -
Entering the Hokage's office through the window over Tsunade's right shoulder, Kakashi placed the scroll into Tsunade's waiting palm without a word, walking to the front of her desk and waiting for her to finish reading.
Tsunade let out a low, impressed whistle, setting the scroll down on her desk to unroll it fully. Silence fell over the room as she took her time reading through the heavy, complex documents, carefully analyzing every clause regarding the alliance terms, joint operations, and the specific framework of the marriage pact. A treaty of this magnitude could shape the future of their nations, and she wasn't about to gloss over a single word.
After a thorough review, she finally nodded in satisfaction. She reached over, setting out another scroll used to store money and unsealing the one labeled 'S' on it. A large amount of money poofed into existence above the scroll before Tsunade scooted it over to him. She glanced over at her desk clock as she did so, tracking the hours.
Kakashi smoothly pulled a small storage scroll from his vest, rolled it open on the edge of the desk, and performed a quick, single-handed hand sign. With a soft pop of smoke, the pile of money vanished. He tucked his scroll back into his pocket just as Tsunade began to speak.
"You're right on time," Tsunade said, standing up and grabbing her cloak. "Sasuke has been healing well."
"That's great, I'm sure he's tired of being in the hospital and unable to do anything for a week."
Kakashi replied as he fell into step behind her as they left the Tower and headed for the Hospital.
He was ready to start Sasuke's training. He had many things he wanted to teach him, including the Lightning Blade and Kirin. He also planned to guide him through the Breath of All Things eventually. It would be a long-term training process. While Sasuke was undeniably good with a blade, he wasn't quite to the point where the weapon truly felt like an extension of his own arm. Once Sasuke reached that level of mastery, Kakashi planned to teach him how to go about reaching that state, and perhaps even help him forge his own unique sword style.
- Konoha Hospital -
Inside his room, Sasuke lay flat on his back on his hospital bed, staring up into the familiar, heavy blackness that had grown old in the first two days. Behind his eyelids, the aggressive throb of the transplant had finally settled into a cold, perfectly integrated hum. His father's chakra was completely fused with his own.
Suddenly, his ears twitched. Down the quiet hallway, the sound of two distinct sets of footsteps began echoing toward his room.
Recognizing the confident stride of the Hokage, her heels unmistakable to him, having heard it every day, and the familiar, light tread of his sensei, Sasuke pushed himself up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed to sit upright just as the heavy door slid open. Before reaching for her tools, Tsunade stepped directly in front of him. Her hands kindled with a soft, warm green medical chakra as she hovered her palms over the bandages. She carefully tracked the flow of energy from his brain to his optic nerves, precisely measuring cellular adhesion and ensuring that his body hadn't triggered any late-stage tissue rejection.
After a few quiet moments of intense observation, the green light faded from her hands. Satisfied that his pathway integration was completely flawless and fully healed, Tsunade looked over her shoulder and gave Kakashi a sharp nod, motioning toward the wall switch. Kakashi understood instantly, stepping forward to dim the room's lights to a bare minimum, ensuring the sudden brightness wouldn't overwork or strain Sasuke's new eyes.
Tsunade drew her medical scissors and carefully snipped through the first layer of gauze.
"Keep them shut until the cloth is completely gone," Tsunade directed, her fingers deftly peeling away the unraveled white layers. As the final layer dropped away from his face, she stepped back slightly. "Alright, open them slowly. Let your eyes adjust to the room. If it hurts, close them immediately, give it a minute, and try again. Don't rush it."
Sasuke slowly peeled his eyes open, blinking a few times as he got used to the light; his eyes, while initially oversensitive, adjusted faster than most, giving way to sharp, clear vision.
Tsunade nodded in approval.
"Now, activate your Sharingan. Just the regular Sharingan for now."
Sasuke flowed chakra into his eyes.
When he opened them, the dark irises flooded into a deep crimson, the distinct three-tomoe spinning into place.
Tsunade stepped forward, leaning in close to observe the crimson irises. Her fingers brushed against his temples as she channeled a fine, diagnostic pulse of medical chakra directly through his facial network. She watched the rapid, stable spin of the three-tomoe seals, checking for any micro-hemorrhages or lagging neural responses.
After a thorough and silent examination, she stepped back with a nod of absolute satisfaction.
"Perfect. The cellular alignment isn't shifting under active chakra," Tsunade reported, her voice carrying a rare tone of interest in something medical that she had never experienced before. She crossed her arms, keeping her eyes fixed on him. "Alright, Sasuke, next stage."
Sasuke complied, pushing more chakra into his eyes. The three crimson tomoe spun violently, shifting and locking into his unique Mangekyō pattern. He braced himself, fully expecting the burning agony that came with activating it the last time, but felt none whatsoever. Instead, he felt nothing but a slight chill of chakra swirling in his eyes.
"How do you feel?"
Kakashi asked, watching Sasuke stand from the bed and roll his neck from side to side.
"Like I don't want to visit the hospital for at least a year."
Kakashi raised a brow, amused and with a hint of pride at Sasuke's sarcastic reply, glad to see him actually joking in his own 'Sasuke' way.
"That's good, because we resume training tomorrow if you're medically cleared."
Kakashi glanced to Tsunade, and she nodded. Sasuke was ready and fit for training, more than fit, as his amount of chakra had nearly quadrupled.
Tsunade suddenly remembered something. She walked over to the medical cabinet in the wall beside Sasuke's bed. Pressing her palm flat against the center, she released a soft pulse of chakra. The sealing tags wrapped around the handle glowed neon green, recognizing the specific signature of her energy and letting out a sharp click as they unraveled. She pulled the door open, reached in, and pulled out the tube with Sasuke's eyes, handing them to Kakashi.
"Can you explain to me why his eyes look so dull? He hasn't used them more than once, according to you. So, why did his eyes go dull? It's not because they were separated from the optic nerves; if that were the case, Fugaku's eyes would've been dull as well."
"The Mangekyō Sharingan is a special eye. From the moment it awakens, it heads toward darkness. The more its host uses it, the faster it seals itself away... The one who has lost their light can only regain it by taking the light of another Uchiha."
Kakashi quoted Itachi word for word from the original series as he looked at the eyes, thinking that he could possibly revitalize these eyes, letting Itachi possibly get the Eternal as well, but his control of Yin/Yang release was more Hulk smash and less Doctor Steven Strange. He could do some insane things, but he wasn't to the point where he could do something this delicate without the chance of turning these eyes into a fine mist.
"So, you're saying these eyes are just useless now?"
Tsunade asked, slightly disappointed, as she had thought about the use of her Strength of a Hundred Seal and how it might be able to do something.
"Not at all, I even have an idea, if it'll work."
Kakashi looked to Sasuke, holding out the container.
"Your ability, Izunami, do you think it'd work on your eyes?"
- Chapter End -
For those of you who might have forgot, Izunami is a technique that pulls a target into a sterile void demension of Yin/Yang chakra that cleanses any toxins, diseases, or anything like that, heals anyone with a pulse (Doesn't matter how messed up; if they're alive, they can be sent), requires an insane amount of Chakra and even with EMS boosting Sasuke's reserves he can't spam this like he did Amaterasu. As for his right eye… I'll leave it for later. Some of you have guessed a teleporting ability like his cannon Rinnegan ability, Amenotejikara (Heavenly Hand Power), but that's not his ability; nice guess though.