Using one's feet or eyes to form hand seals was not only inconvenient but also limited the range of jutsu that could be performed. Obito had never mastered these alternative methods either.
"Is this the end of my path as a ninja?" he thought, gazing up at the ceiling. Today felt like the darkest day of his life. Who could have imagined that he might never be able to be a ninja again?
"Obito, are you okay?" Minato Namikaze happened to be at the hospital for a check-up when he spotted Obito Uchiha, Kakashi's friend, walking down the hallway with a look of despair.
Obito ignored Minato. They weren't close—he only knew him as Rin and Kakashi's team leader. In his current state, Obito had no interest in talking to anyone. He walked away without a word.
Minato scratched the back of his head, puzzled. Had he somehow offended Obito? Then his eyes caught the report in Obito's hand.
"...Diagnosis...high probability...unable to continue...as a ninja..." Minato read slowly, his expression shifting as he realized the gravity of the situation.
"Wait, Obito can't be a ninja anymore?" Minato muttered in shock. He vaguely remembered Obito once saying he wanted to become Hokage. Was it a joke, or had he meant it? If Obito couldn't be a ninja, then his dream of becoming Hokage was over. Minato, who shared the same dream, suddenly understood Obito's despondence. It was only natural for him to shut everyone out.
"Maybe Rin and Kakashi can talk to him. He shouldn't wallow in grief for too long," Minato thought. Among Obito's acquaintances, Kakashi and Rin were the closest to him. Others knew him, but their bonds weren't as deep.
--
Meanwhile, Rin Nohara was enjoying a rare moment of leisure at home, doing household chores. Today, there was no endless research with Shimizu, no missions to run. It was a small pocket of time entirely her own. The earnings from her recent missions had greatly eased her family's financial burden. Thinking of her parents' relieved smiles, Rin felt a sense of joy.
"Should I go see Kakashi today?" Rin hummed a tune as she finished mopping the floor, pondering her plans for the day.
Knock knock.
The sound of someone at the door interrupted her thoughts. Rin opened it to find Kakashi, the very person she had been thinking about.
"Kakashi! What brings you here? Are you inviting me out this afternoon?" Rin's eyes lit up. Could it be that Kakashi had read her mind and come to see her?
Unlike Rin's cheerful demeanor, Kakashi's expression was heavy. Unfortunately, his mask concealed his emotions, making it hard for others to gauge his feelings.
"Minato-sensei said Obito can't be a ninja anymore..." Kakashi explained the situation to Rin.
"The entire hospital can't treat him? What about Lady Tsunade?" Rin was stunned. This was too heavy a blow. For a ninja to lose their ability to be a ninja was akin to a death sentence.
"The doctors at the hospital said it's incurable. It's up to chance—maybe the toxins will dissipate over time," Kakashi sighed, then added, "Lady Tsunade left the village half a month ago. No one knows where she went."
There was something else Kakashi didn't say. Tsunade hadn't treated patients in years. As a member of the Senju clan, why would she make an exception for Obito Uchiha, someone she had no connection to?
Obito was always bickering with him. Logically, Kakashi shouldn't care about him. Yet, the sorrow in his heart told him otherwise.
--
At the Uchiha compound, a large group of people had gathered—a rare sight. They were all at Obito's house. Obito's grandmother warmly welcomed his classmates, while Obito lay in bed, his face buried under a blanket.
"Obito, the doctors said there's hope for recovery. You just need to avoid strenuous activity," Rin said softly. Seeing the usually cheerful Obito so despondent made her heart ache.
"Hey, didn't you say you'd surpass me? Are you giving up after just one setback?" Kakashi offered an awkward attempt at comfort. He wasn't good at consoling others, but he wanted to express his concern.
"Yeah, Obito, don't be too upset. We're waiting for you to come back," one of their classmates chimed in.
"Lucky you, Obito! If it takes you ten or eight years to recover, you won't have to go to the battlefield. By the time you're better, the war might be over, and you can go back to being a ninja," another added.
The group of classmates, gathered at Rin's invitation, tried to lighten the mood. Rin believed that the more people there were, the more warmth Obito would feel. Everyone's presence would surely help him realize he wasn't alone.
"You guys... you're all too much," Obito's muffled voice came from under the blanket, tears streaming down his face. The others, hearing his quiet sobs, couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy. If someone as full of life as Obito could be broken by war, who would be next?
"Cry if you need to. It'll make you feel better," Rin said gently, patting the blanket.
"Waaah... Rin, I'm not crying!" Obito protested.
"Of course not. Our Obito is going to be Hokage, right?" someone joked, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.
The group continued to chat and laugh, encouraging Obito not to dwell on his misfortune.
An hour later, everyone left Obito's house, preparing to head out of the Uchiha compound.
"Rin, aren't you coming?" Kakashi asked, noticing Rin wasn't following.
"No, I'm going to ask Shimizu," Rin replied, shaking her head.
"Alright," Kakashi nodded. Shimizu's medical skills were indeed impressive. He was planning to do the same. The doctors at the hospital might just be a bunch of quacks.
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"No... it's fine. You go ahead, Kakashi. I'll go see Shimizu alone. There's no difference between one person or two going," Rin forced a smile. Under normal circumstances, she would have been thrilled at the chance to spend time alone with Kakashi. But her destination was Shimizu Uchiha's house.
Shimizu and Obito didn't get along well. Asking Shimizu for help—that profit-driven demon—would undoubtedly come at a high price. Rin was prepared to make sacrifices, but she didn't want Kakashi to witness it. If Shimizu tried to kiss her in the kitchen again, and Kakashi happened to be in the yard, it would be a disaster. Kakashi's growing strength and heightened senses might pick up on something amiss. If that happened, Rin would rather die of shame than face Kakashi again.
Seeing her determination, Kakashi reluctantly agreed. Both of them wore solemn expressions as they parted ways.
Watching Kakashi leave the Uchiha compound, Rin turned around, took a deep breath, and steeled herself with a look of grim resolve. She was ready to face whatever came next.
--
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