"If you have something to say, say it quickly. I'm tired!"
Genya glanced at Kakashi, who was still a bit stunned, and turned to leave.
Genya didn't want to waste time talking with Kakashi. Without a doubt, Kakashi was sent by the Third Hokage, and while he hadn't said anything, Genya already guessed his purpose.
"You're quite sharp for someone so young," Kakashi said, looking at Genya. He squinted and took a deep breath before continuing, "Since you've figured it out, I'll be direct."
"From now on, stay away from Naruto. Don't get close to him."
Stay away from Naruto?
Heh, as expected. This was probably the Third Hokage's order.
"Why?" Genya narrowed his eyes, then looked at Kakashi and asked, "Naruto and I are friends. Are you trying to isolate him like everyone else? I can't do that!"
Isolate Naruto like everyone else?
Kakashi frowned at the words. Something about it made him uncomfortable.
"You're not suited to be around Naruto!" Kakashi shook his head. "I don't know what the Uchiha clan's intentions are with Naruto, but I must warn you not to do anything out of line!"
Perhaps Kakashi's past made him distrustful of everyone.
"I should also clarify... it was Naruto who approached me. I didn't go after him on purpose!" Genya's face turned cold as he continued, "And what's this about the Uchiha clan? Do you think we're like you say? That we can't have friends?"
His tone became more challenging, his eyes icy as he stared at Kakashi.
Genya had initially felt some sympathy for Kakashi, but after hearing the warning, he was starting to feel upset.
"If you don't have any ulterior motives, why did you approach Naruto?" Kakashi said, still concerned about Naruto's safety.
"Haha. If making friends always has ulterior motives..." Genya's expression turned cold again as he looked at Kakashi. "Should I assume that your friendship with our Uchiha clan member, Obito, was only because of his eyes?"
The atmosphere between them instantly froze.
Kakashi's face grew dangerously cold, his single visible eye now exuding a chilling aura. "How do you know about me and Obito?"
Not many knew about this, especially not a kid like Genya.
"You might have forgotten, but we met when Cloud Village attacked us!" Genya said casually, looking at Kakashi. "After you left, I asked my father about you. I didn't expect that the famous Kakashi, the genius ninja, actually has some ties to our Uchiha clan!"
Of course, this reason was fabricated by Genya, but Kakashi had no chance to verify it.
After hearing Genya's explanation, Kakashi visibly relaxed a bit. He explained, word by word, "I'm friends with Obito, very close friends. We share a deep bond, one that could make us sacrifice our lives for each other. It's not because of his eyes!"
"This explanation sounds a little weak, don't you think?" Genya said, looking at Kakashi with certainty. "After all, the Uchiha clan's signature eyes are right there on you, yet you've used that very eye to gain the title of 'Copy Ninja' in the ninja world!"
Genya continued, with a firm gaze, "This makes it hard for me not to suspect that you have other intentions in getting close to our clan."
"I, Hatake Kakashi, live my life with honor," Kakashi said, feeling like his explanation fell short. "Obito gave me his eye before he died!"
"Who can prove it? Who can prove you didn't take his eye yourself?" Genya pressed on without backing down.
"Rin..." Kakashi's face suddenly turned pale as the thought hit him. He remembered: Rin had died. She was gone.
"Haha, no way to explain now, huh?" Genya laughed, but then his tone shifted. "I'm not saying this to doubt you. I just want to make it clear—don't assume the worst about me. Also, what could there be about Naruto that I would be interested in?"
The latter part was his way of assuring Kakashi that he had no hidden agenda against Naruto, only wanting to be his friend.
"No, I still can't trust your Uchiha clan," Kakashi shook his head, the impression instilled by the Third Hokage still making him suspicious of the Uchiha.
"Can't trust the Uchiha?" Genya suddenly laughed loudly. He looked at Kakashi, enunciating each word. "Kakashi, anyone can say that, but you—Kakashi—can't! Have you forgotten about Uchiha Obito? Have you forgotten you're the one who possesses the Sharingan now?"
"Heh, a beneficiary of the Uchiha clan, saying you can't trust us?" Genya sneered, mocking Kakashi. If it were really like that, he'd lose all respect for Kakashi! Right now, Kakashi seemed less significant than Guy in his eyes.
"Obito was different!" Kakashi shook his head. "Your Uchiha clan's reputation..."
Genya laughed even harder. He looked at Kakashi, saying, "Reputation? Since the moment I was born, people have been calling us an evil clan."
He looked straight at Kakashi.
"Kakashi, if I say you approached the Uchiha clan just to take our eyes and even killed our clan members for them, what would your reputation in Konoha be like?"
"Have you forgotten what happened with Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo? His reputation... it was just something some people wanted the public to know. Have you forgotten that some people can manipulate public opinion?"
"Public opinion can be manipulated?" Kakashi listened carefully to Genya's words, his gaze now focused on him. He kept repeating Genya's last sentence out loud!
His pupils narrowed sharply!
His fists clenched tightly.
Genya observed Kakashi's confused, shocked expression and nodded in satisfaction.
He said this to stir up Kakashi's thoughts about his relationship with the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
However, what he said was also true.
After all, Hatake Sakumo had once gone on a secret mission to the Mist Village. Very few people knew about it, but when they returned to the village, it seemed like everyone knew.
And the ones controlling the village targeted Hatake Sakumo.
It doesn't take much to guess who did it. If the Third Hokage had really wanted to help Sakumo, he could've just spoken up, but no one spoke for him until White Fang's death.
Genya hoped his words would awaken Kakashi, helping him understand the situation.
Support me on my and read upto 15 early Chapters.