After the Uchiha clan meeting concluded, Uchiha Kai returned to his daily routine—though life had undeniably shifted.
Thanks to Uchiha Ryoko's "propaganda" (really just idle chatter with other Uchiha housewives), news of Kai's participation in the clan assembly—and the near-disaster it almost caused—spread rapidly. Now, everyone in the clan seemed to know about it.
These days, Kai sometimes trained with Kakashi outdoors, often drawing crowds. Though the onlookers were friendly, Kai found the attention stifling—it felt like he was being observed like some sort of animal at the zoo.
What annoyed Kai even more was how many younger clan members had apparently been "poisoned" by their parents' praise. He imagined them hearing the same refrain over and over: "Look at Aunt Ryoko's brother, Kai. He's already attending clan meetings at his age! You should learn from him!"
Somehow, Uchiha Kai had become that kid—the standard all others were compared to. But Kai had no interest in being anyone's academic role model.
"If they really start imitating me," Kai thought dryly, "I'll have to start watching my back in case they try stabbing me to get ahead."
Kai knew himself well. If these kids started emulating his "qualities," Konoha might very well be doomed in the future. And yet… if it did take down the village and the four major clans, maybe that wasn't such a bad outcome?
Of course, he was joking. Mostly.
As far as he was concerned, only Kenta Imai and Aya Hyuga were truly cut from the same cloth as him.
Besides the kids, Kai also noticed a new wave of Uchiha clan members—those from prestigious families—trying to get closer to him. These were the types who used to visit his home now and then. Their sudden interest frightened his parents, Keisuke and Ryoko, a little.
Still, his parents were secretly proud. After all, the fact that these prominent families now sought out Kai meant their son had risen to heights previously unthinkable.
But Kai himself wasn't thrilled. He didn't want to be involved with these people, and he knew they'd misunderstood something.
The truth behind his clash with Uchiha Shuu and the hardliners was his own personal plan. It didn't mean he aligned with the so-called "doves" within the clan.
In Kai's mind, the "doves" had left just as bad an impression as the "hawks"—maybe even worse.
Shisui Uchiha was one of them. No doubt about it.
And Itachi Uchiha, twisted by Shisui's ideals, was their leader. This guy was so "righteous" that he annihilated his entire clan, including his own parents, just to protect Konoha—utterly merciless, even more than the so-called outsiders.
If the "hawks" were a bunch of arrogant fanatics, then the "doves" were emotionally unstable idealists willing to sacrifice anything for peace. They raised two Mangekyō users:
One was brainwashed by Hiruzen Sarutobi and ultimately committed suicide instead of confronting the true problems of the clan—a pathetic display of cowardice.
The other murdered his entire family, sparing only his beloved younger brother, leaving behind a legacy soaked in blood.
If the Uchiha clan hadn't already internally imploded, Kai had no doubt these two would've been among its greatest threats.
So when these people came calling, Kai had no interest in entertaining them. Still, he had to put on a polite front.
Even if Uchiha Osamu himself had come knocking, Kai would've reacted the same way. He could maintain composure even before Sarutobi Hiruzen—the so-called "benevolent" Third Hokage who oversaw so many failures—so dealing with clan elders was nothing new.
But they still annoyed him.
So Kai started training with Kakashi more often, just to avoid them.
Clang!
In the familiar forest clearing where Kai often practiced, the sound of metal echoed—his sword clashing against Kakashi's kunai. The two figures darted among the trees, locked in a blur of motion.
But the spar didn't last long.
Soon, Kakashi—silver-haired and masked—was knocked flat on the ground. Kai stood nearby, examining the short ninja sword in his hand.
Kakashi had given it to him earlier that day. Kai hadn't expected the gift at all.
"You didn't hold back at all," Kakashi groaned, rubbing his ribs where Kai had landed a vicious kick. "Something bothering you?"
"There's plenty," Kai replied coolly. "But it's nothing serious. Besides, that was me going easy. No one on the battlefield's as gentle as I am."
He smiled faintly, then nodded at the sword. "So what's the story with this? I thought you were joking last time."
"Me? Joke?" Kakashi shook his head. "This is made from the same metal as my father's White Light Chakra Saber. I'm not planning to use a blade anymore, so I thought I'd pass it on."
"Your father was a hero," Kai said suddenly, cutting Kakashi off. "Even if his blade was broken… why didn't you repair it? You're supposed to stand on the shoulders of giants and carve your own path. Obito wouldn't want you living like this, right?"
Kai often wondered why someone as skilled as Kakashi stopped using swords. At first, he assumed it was because the original White Fang blade couldn't be repaired—chakra-conducting metals were rare, after all.
But clearly, Kakashi still had access to that metal. This meant there had to be another reason.
Then it hit him. The answer was Obito.
Kakashi believed Obito had died because of him. He even bore the weight of Obito's Sharingan—so it made sense he'd want to fight in a way that honored his friend's legacy.
But in truth, Obito had survived. He'd watched Kakashi kill Rin with his own eyes and had descended into darkness. You could say both of them had lost their way.
Kakashi's fighting style eventually became almost Uchiha-like—testing enemies with ninjutsu, then striking with Chidori and Sharingan precision.
But unlike Uchiha-born shinobi, the Sharingan drained Kakashi's chakra tremendously. Using Uchiha tactics with a non-Uchiha body was a recipe for collapse.
"Obito doesn't want me to live like this… standing on the shoulders of giants…" Kakashi muttered, trailing off as his expression turned introspective.
Kai said nothing more. He had spoken his piece. The rest was up to Kakashi.