The war has ended. Iwagakure has finally admitted defeat, they all went home, and the ceremonies to honor the dead have begun. Konoha's losses were heavy, heavier than they had any right to be. But such was the life of a shinobi, you live and you die for your village.
Uchiha Ōkami was not of the same opinion, not anymore, maybe in the past, when he was younger and more foolish, but now? The only way he would go and die would be for the Uchiha, no longer for the village, a village that did not even recognize them after their return.
Why would the Sarutobi, Shimura, Hyuga, Nara, and many other clans get the recognition and respect of the Hokage, but his clan would not? Did they not shed blood on the battlefield with the rest? Did they not hold the Mist at bay? Alone?!
He still remembered how close he was to killing a few Hyuga when they came as relief forces with a few others, most of the hard battles were already done, fought by the Uchiha, and yet at the end of everything they treated it all like it was their achievement. Bastards, the lot of them. Cowards!
Tempers rose, but the clan leader silenced them before they could boil over. Why? Why would he just stay quiet? He contributed to this war as much as Minato Namikaze, why would his clan leader not demand what was theirs? Wicked Eye Fugaku, who changed the tides of the battle in favor of the Uchiha many times during the war, got a "Thank you for your sacrifices," a slap on the shoulder, and was sent on his way.
Even Shisui got more recognition, and to say that it was undeserved would be stupid, Shisui was also one of the many reasons they won, him and his Body Flicker technique. Many would flee just at the sight of him.
But even he got more recognition than Fugaku. He could see the boy with the Hokage, his hand on his shoulder and a smile plastered on his face, and when he presented him to the crowd he did not even utter his full name, only "Shisui of Konoha." The fuck?!
The worst of it came when Benimaru was not even acknowledged, that was when tempers were ready to boil again. Many of them owed their lives to that kid, him included. Their losses were great, but without Benimaru? They would have been massive, maybe even wiped out. For the village to not even say a thank you? Unacceptable!
They wanted the clan head to speak with the Hokage, but what he said next shocked them even more. The reason Benimaru's achievements were not reported was because he personally asked the clan head not to tell them.
But why?
He was going to ask the kid after all of this was over. He was tired, he just wanted to go home to his wife and child, embrace them, and never let go.
_____________
The funerals were over, the dead "honored," and the people started to go home. Not Benimaru. He lingered for a bit longer, looking at a boy with white hair and one eye hidden.
Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja, the future Sixth Hokage, and one of the problems he would have to solve before it got out of control.
He did not want to kill Kakashi, he liked him. Yes, Kakashi was cool. He would do it if he had to, but he would rather avoid it if possible. How do you avoid it? By pulling him to your side, by manipulating him. He doubted that he could do it, but the circumstances were just perfect. Kakashi was all alone now, and he would become even more lonely when his sensei became the Fourth Hokage, and when he would die.
Because yes, he would die.
He had no plans on intervening. The Fourth was too strong, and he did not need him in a fight when he had Danzo, Sarutobi, and most likely Jiraiya with a few others. No, he definitely did not need the Yellow Flash.
But Kakashi? He would do. If he built a good relationship with him, he might turn out to be an ally.
The Hatake clan had almost been wiped out during this war, only a few dozen shinobi were left. From what he remembered, the Hatake were not really mentioned in the anime, so they were most likely wiped out or simply intermarried with others until Kakashi was the only one left.
The boy turned his head towards Benimaru, and that was when he decided to take action. A small smile adorned his face as he went to greet him.
"Kakashi-san, my name is Uchiha Benimaru, a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
The boy looked him over for a bit, his eyes widening for a second, before becoming dull once more.
"Benimaru-senpai, a pleasure. I've heard many great things about you," he said while giving a small bow.
"Haha, none of those honorifics, I was never one to use them, I would rather have you call me Benimaru, how about it?"
A small nod came from the other, who otherwise remained calm.
He could see that Kakashi was tense, he believed he knew why. The Sharingan had been demanded by some members of his clan, claiming that he was not an Uchiha and that he should not possess one, something Benimaru agreed with. In fact, he knew that because of the Sharingan, Kakashi could not reach his full potential, as he could not deactivate it, and so it continuously drained his chakra reserves. However, he would rather not voice it out loud, he was trying to make him a friend, not an enemy.
"I wished to congratulate you, Kakashi-san, for your achievements during the war, and I wanted to convey my condolences to you. I know that what you have done was not easy, I admire you quite a lot."
For a moment, Kakashi did not say anything, aside from the slight widening of his eyes and his hand instinctively reaching his left eye.
Ahh, the trauma, Rin and Obito. The boy said nothing, lost in his thoughts. Benimaru decided to push while the iron was still hot.
"I wanted to invite you to the Uchiha District. We are holding our own funerals, and as a friend and teammate of Obito, I thought you might wish to participate."
For a moment, it looked like he might refuse, then, quite timidly, he said,
"I do not wish to cause you problems, senpai. I do not believe that I will be… welcomed."
It looked like he wanted to say something more, but Benimaru did not let him finish.
"Nonsense, the situation with your eye has been settled. Obito was an Uchiha, it was his Sharingan and his choice. If he gifted it to you, then he must have considered you a great friend, his choice is going to be respected," he said, trying his most convincing tone.
"If you come with me, no one will pick on you, I guarantee it. I hold a lot of respect within the clan. However, it is no problem if you do not wish," he added, starting to walk away slowly.
"However, I am sure that Obito's grandmother would be quite disappointed. She expressed many times that she wished to meet her grandson's beloved friend, but with the war…"
He left it unsaid.
After taking two more steps, he heard the words he was waiting for.
"Wait! Senpai!"
Kakashi was beside him in an instant.
"I am coming with you, senpai, if it is not a problem."
"No worries, no worries, come, they might have already begun, it is considered rude to arrive late."
And off they went.
His plan worked, at least for now.
Oh Kakashi… don't make me kill you, bud.
_________
They were at the gates of the compound, and while the guards looked at him with some hostility, they did not say anything.
Kakashi had heard many things about his senpai, and he had a lot of questions, however, he did not know how to ask them without Benimaru thinking the wrong thing. From what he understood, the Uchiha were very secretive. Still, there was one thing he wanted to ask about, a technique, one he himself used, the Raikiri.
Rumors had spread that an Uchiha was using the Body Flicker combined with a Lightning Release technique, one that sounded very similar to his. Unable to hide his curiosity any longer, he spoke.
"Senpai, may I ask you a question?"
He received a short nod.
"The technique you used in the war, it sounded very similar to mine. Can I ask how you created it?" His tone was low, but curious.
"Ahh, that."
The response came with a small laugh, almost embarrassed.
"Well, it's your technique. I saw you practicing one day, couldn't help but copy it, hahaha!" he said, laughing more openly now, his hand going to the back of his head.
Kakashi blinked.
For a moment, he simply stared at him, his visible eye narrowing slightly, trying to understand if he was joking or not.
"You… copied it?" he asked, his tone calm, but there was something else beneath it, something sharper now, more focused.
Benimaru shrugged lightly.
"Well, I am an Uchiha," he said, as if that alone explained everything.
Kakashi did not respond immediately, his gaze lingering on him, then slowly drifting to Benimaru's hand, as if he was picturing it, the lightning, the sound, the way it moved.
"You saw it… once?" he asked again, quieter now.
Benimaru nodded.
"You were gathering lightning chakra into your palm, compressing it more and more, until it became visible, until it started making that sound," he said, raising his hand slightly, as if remembering it. "Then you rushed forward, straight line, full speed, aiming to pierce."
Kakashi's eye widened slightly.
That was not something you could just guess.
"…That's right."
Benimaru smiled faintly.
"It's a dangerous technique," he continued, his tone more serious now. "Too fast, too direct, once you commit, you can't really adjust, you just go through. Without the Sharingan, you'd get cut down before reaching the target."
Kakashi's hand moved instinctively to his left eye again.
"…Yes."
"The chakra cost is also high," Benimaru added, almost casually. "You can't spam it, and if your control slips, it can damage your own hand, or worse, leave you open."
Silence followed for a moment.
Kakashi looked at him again, this time more carefully.
"You understood all that… just from watching?"
Benimaru let out a small laugh.
"Well, I didn't create it, so I had to understand it properly before using it," he said, scratching the back of his head. "Would've been embarrassing to die because I copied it wrong."
Kakashi stared at him for a second longer.
Then, slowly, he looked away.
"…I see."
He did not say more.
But something had changed.
The curiosity was still there.
Now… there was a bit of caution too.
His senpai did not seem to mind his caution one bit, instead, he began telling Kakashi about the compound and the people who lived there.
The Uchiha were… strange, in a way Kakashi could not quite understand. The only Uchiha he had seen at the academy were Obito, Shisui, and a few others, so few that he could count them on his fingers. The rest were taught at home, trained within the clan.
And yet, it seemed their skills were no lesser than those who had gone through the academy, if anything, some of them felt even more refined, if the war was anything to go by.
He had heard the stories. A thousand shinobi were sent to the border with the Mist, seven hundred of them Uchiha. From what he heard, the forces they faced were far greater, and yet they endured.
To survive something like that… it spoke enough about the prowess of this clan.
They walked in silence for a bit longer, until the noise of the compound faded and more people started to appear ahead of them.
The funeral.
In the center of the courtyard, there were rows of wooden tablets, each one with a name carved into it. Some had small offerings in front of them, flowers, incense, sometimes a personal item left behind by family or teammates.
People came and went quietly.
They would step forward, stop in front of a name, bow their head, stay there for a few moments, then leave without saying a word.
"How many?" he asked quietly.
Benimaru did not answer immediately.
"Enough," he said after a moment, his tone somber.
Kakashi's eye moved across the rows.
There were a lot, if he was to make a quick calculation, around two hundred.
"Every name is written," Benimaru added. "No exceptions, everyone is to be honored."
They stepped closer.
Some of the Uchiha glanced at Kakashi as he passed, their gazes lingering for a moment on his covered eye, but no one said anything.
Benimaru had been right about that.
At the edge of the rows, he stopped.
"Take your time," he said simply.
Kakashi nodded.
His steps slowed as he moved forward, his gaze searching until it stopped on one name.
Uchiha Obito.
For a moment, he just stood there.
Then he bowed his head.
_________
"Thank you, senpai. It meant a lot," Kakashi said quietly from the side.
Benimaru answered with a small smile.
"I told you, no worries. You were his friend, I understand."
He turned slightly, the smile still on his face.
"Come, there's someone I'd like you to meet. I believe it might brighten your day."
Kakashi followed Benimaru through the rows of tablets until they stopped near a smaller section, set a little apart from the others. An older woman stood there, placing incense carefully in front of one of the memorials. She noticed them without turning right away.
"Baasan," Benimaru said, "I brought someone."
She turned then, her gaze settling on Kakashi. She took her time, looking at him properly.
"So," she said, "Hatake Kakashi."
Kakashi straightened slightly. "Yes, ma'am."
"Uchiha Sayuri," Benimaru added quietly, "Obito's grandmother."
Kakashi lowered his head. "…It's an honor."
Sayuri studied him for a few seconds, then gave a small nod.
"He spoke about you," she said. "Said you were his best friend… and the one he had to beat, that one day you would finally acknowledge him."
Kakashi's eye widened just a little, his hand moving toward his covered eye before stopping.
"…That sounds like him."
"He didn't like being second," she continued, a faint hint of softness in her voice. "Always said he would catch up."
Kakashi didn't answer, but he didn't look away either.
For a moment, none of them spoke.
Sayuri adjusted the incense again, then stepped back.
"I'm glad you came," she said.
Kakashi nodded once.
"…I'm glad too."
She gave him one last look, then moved away slowly, leaving the two of them behind.
Benimaru didn't speak right away. He waited until she was a bit further, then stepped forward slightly.
"The clan looks after her," he said. "She's not lacking anything. I come by when I can."
Kakashi listened, his gaze still lingering ahead.
"But it's not the same," Benimaru added after a moment. "She doesn't get many visitors… not ones she cares about."
There was a short pause.
"If you have the time, you can come by," he said, more casually now. "She'd like that."
Kakashi gave a small nod.
"…Yeah."
They turned and began to walk away, the quiet of the compound settling around them again.
Kakashi fell into step behind Benimaru, his gaze drifting once more toward the rows behind them.
"Don't worry, Obito. I'll do my best."
He then looked toward his senpai.
"Senpai, I believe you were right."
Benimaru gave him a slightly confused look.
"It did brighten my day," Kakashi added.
Benimaru only smiled and led Kakashi further into the compound.