V.1-C.68│Not Quite Over Yet VIII│

Before Obito would leave, he asked if he could see the Hokage in private for something else. This did intrigue Tsunade, and even Shizune, but it really wasn't anything of much importance.

Obito just wanted access to the Hiraishin, and he would also speak on some other things as well.

He didn't know if he could trust the old man or not, given that there was just too many things that pointed towards Hiruzen being a complacent individual that would allow his friend to manipulate him.

Specifically Danzo to manipulate him, or even willingly go along with his plots. "What is it then, Obito?" Hiruzen asked, and given that it was turning from day to night, he surely wanted to get home himself.

"Yeah, I just wanted to know about the Flying Thunder God Technique..." Obito said, getting straight to the point about what he wants, knowing that he is taking up Hiruzen's time right now.

The Hokage's time was not only important for the village and land as a whole, but also because the Hokage has to manage their time in a way that allows them to try and spend time with their families as well.

"Hmm... You are the second person to come and ask me for that." Hiruzen stroked his beard as he said this, before replying. "That technique is forbidden for a reason, due to its high chakra consumption there is a great chance that it could kill you if used in a improper manner."

"I know that it would cost a lot of chakra. I'm already prepared to handle such a cost." Obito replied, and Hiruzen did know that Obito had an abnormal amount of chakra compared to others at his age and even above.

In fact, Hiruzen believed that Obito had enough chakra such that he was well above Minato Namikaze at this point of his life. Then, Obito's chakra was still in the process of growing as well, meaning that he would have well over the amount Minato would ever have access to.

Probably, which made sense, since most bloodline limit holders, or at least those that come from a long line of people that practice chakra throughout the generations of their family would have a larger amount of reserves to access to compared to the common populace.

"Well, what about your Sealing capabilities? I understand that you are Kushina's student, or were her student at some point. Did you learn seals from her?" Hiruzen was not always up to date on the skills and abilities of those under him.

Not all of the time, especially not now, even when he probably should be due to the timing of this war and other things going on.

"Of course." Obito replied, before saying something that Obito was sure wouldn't get him in any trouble. "I am also aware that Kushina has a special seal keeping something special sealed within her."

"You do, do you...?" Hiruzen stood up, before walking over towards Obito. Placing a hand on the young mans shoulder, Hiruzen questioned. "I wonder, what is your choice? What is your decision? Did you want to try? Try to become the Hokage?"

"I think... that I will have to turn this offer down for now." Obito shook his head, as Hiruzen then let go of Obito's shoulder before sighing.

"How cruel of you to not allow this old man to retire..." Hiruzen put on a small act, to see whether or not Obit would change his mind and fall for it. It would be best for Obito to at least become a candidate, from which Hiruzen would be able to further choose between the two, Minato and Obito.

"Don't be silly, Lord Hokage. There is still Sir Minato Namikaze, and Lord Orochimaru." Obito replied easily.

"All right, you got me." Hiruzen gave up in trying to persuade, and instead would say. "I can allow you to look upon the information for the seal, though you must promise me that you will not pass this on to others recklessly."

The Hiraishin was so powerful, such that if it was to fall into the hands of someone not trusted, that person would probably be hunted down and killed. There was more reason than one as to why it was meant to be something kept secret from all else.

"Of course." Obito replied.

"Then, if you want any help understanding this technique more, I would suggest consulting Kushina or Minato for that matter." Hiruzen took out the aforementioned scroll of sealing, where upon many secret techniques happened to be within. "Here."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage." Obito did a small bow, thankful that Hiruzen was still somewhat of the kind man that he remembered him to be.

Though, he was unsure if he could still trust him fully, especially when he thought about his previous life and being lied to his whole life. Not without reason, of course, but they could have done a better job and things could've turned out differently.

He may not have died, or he may have saved the world, or any other outcome that was preferable to the one that had happened. "Good. You best be on your way then." Hiruzen started to walk outside of his office, before stopping at the door and waiting for Obito to finish looking at the Scroll with all of the information available.

A Scroll of Seals is a scroll containing instructions about how to perform various dangerous jutsu. When certain types of jutsu were deemed forbidden following the end of the Warring States Period, the First Hokage placed the information about these jutsu within the Scroll of Seals.

The scrolls were subsequently stored at the Hokage Residence, unavailable to be read by anyone but the Hokage.

With Obito's Sharingan, he unintentionally was able to memorize more than just the Hiraishin for himself. 'Well, I guess I could learn something from these other techniques as well...' Obito though positively, as this scroll of seals in particular was full of knowledge based around the Hiraishin.

Though, there was nothing else and this made Obito realize that there should probably be more than one scroll of seals, given that the one he had first encountered in his previous life had other techniques within as well.

It was probably the fact that the Hiraishin was so powerful and so versatile of a technique that it needed a whole scroll of its own.

It was everything about Tobirama Senju's technique, and that made Obito wonder if the Second Hokage was rolling in his grave as Obito learned his technique.

After all, it was an open secret that Tobirama was someone that heavily disliked, even hated the Uchiha. 'Uh...' Obito thought for a moment. 'Who cares?' He shrugged before closing the scroll and handing it back towards Hiruzen. "Ok, I'm done."

"Much faster than Minato, as expected." Hiruzen replied as he stored the scroll away somewhere in his cloak. "The Sharingan is as useful as I thought."

Laughing a bit, Obito replied. "It is a very useful tool."

"That's good. Remember and do not forget that fact. I have known a few Uchiha that have relied solely on their visual prowess, and have fallen short on their other abilities because of it." Hiruzen replied.

"Thank you for you wisdom and time, Lord Hokage." Obito was genuine in his feelings here, as despite Obito not exactly seeing Hiruzen through rose-colored glasses, he was still someone that he at least respected enough.

"Please, I want to thank you for being able to reduce some of my stress. Dealing with this conflict, this war has been something that is bad on myself, even having my own son out there is worrisome enough." Hiruzen replied.

"I understand." Obito replied, for he did consider those that live with him, whom he is on a team with as his own family.

"The Will of Fire is strong in you yet, Obito Uchiha. It is sad that you wish not to become the Hokage." Hiruzen shook his head, before exiting alongside Obito.

"I'm sure either Lord Orochimaru or Sir Namikaze will do just fine after you." Obito replied.

"I hope so." Hiruzen nodded his head, before the two would go separate ways.

[]

Shizune was spending some time around this abode, an abode that happened to be within the Uchiha district of Konoha.

She never thought that she would be coming back to her home village, neither did she think that she would ever see Tsunade not being miserable anymore.

'Well, maybe she isn't miserable per say, just lonely...' Shizune considered whether or not this was the right decision.

Coming here to Konoha, despite all of the pain and suffering that Tsunade has gone through over the long period of time she has spent within Konoha. In fact, at this point she has spent nearly half of her current life outside of Konoha.

For Shizune, she has most definitely spent more than half of her life outside of the village, and it was kind of nostalgic coming back here.

Having her hair tied up, Shizune was currently practicing some medical techniques on a simple fish. Something that she does even at this point of time where she is more than ready and prepared to start operating and helping others at an even higher level.

Practice doesn't make perfect, but what it does do is a continuous process in which one tries to reach a state of perfection.

Thankfully, this place, was further away from the village, the Uchiha district in general was. What was important is that she wouldn't be disturbed just doing her basic routine that she has gotten used to.

Soon enough, Obito and Rin should be joining her as well to start increasing their powers in this school of practice.

As she was practicing however, all of a sudden the boy that had dragged Lady Tsunade and herself here appeared not to far away from herself, shocking her and breaking her concentration. 'Huh...?' It was as if he had just appeared from out of no where, and this made her start to question whether or not she was experiencing an illusion.

"Oh! Shizune..." Obito turned around to face her, which did allow her to see that there was this tag placed on the tree behind him. "What are you doing there...?"

The tag looked like a complicated seal of some sort, one of which she was unable to understand. "What are you doing here?" Shizune asked herself, finding this situation strange and maybe even somewhat... intriguing to her.

To her, Obito was a massive enigmatic existence all in on himself. "Oh, yeah, I was just practicing my new technique. Wanna see?" He asked her with a smile on his face.

"What technique would this be?" Shizune was bored anyway, and what harm would it do to put off her small routine of practice to see what Obito was doing.

"See this here." Obito pointed towards the tag on the tree, which had some symbols on it and it was shaped in a way that looked like a whirlpool, or at least something that seemed to be twisting in on itself. "This is my personal Hiraishin seal. It is of my own design, based off of the Second Hokage's Hiraishin technique."

"Isn't that a dangerous seal...?" Shizune questioned, not believing that he of all people would get something like this. To understand and use it was one thing, but to be allowed to learn of it was another thing all together.

There was no way the original Tobirama would've allowed Obito anywhere near this technique simply because he was, no, is an Uchiha.

'I suppose he is smart enough...' Shizune thought as she did realize that he has reached the rank of jonin at such a young age, compared to others the same age that were more than likely only at the chunin rank.

"It is dangerous, for those especially with not a lot of chakra, but thankfully I have plenty and its still increasing at an exponential rate." Obito replied, before continuing. "Hey, you wouldn't mind if I practice a bit with you, right?"

"And what would this entail?" Shizune asked.

"I just need to touch you, and then we can move so fast towards a marked area. Don't worry, I think I have this down enough that we should be fine... probably." Obito replied, and his words made her hesitate even if she wanted to see what it was like.

"I think I will pass..." Shizune replied, with a rather dull look on her face, simply because she is just like this. Stoic most of the time, in contrast to Obito whom seemed to be bring warmth to those around him, especially those closest to him.

Shizune was not so blind as to discount that many of those around him holds some level of feelings for the boy. 'I do suppose he looks good enough, has a good head on his shoulders, and is capable of protecting-...' Shizune stopped herself there from going any further.

"Are you sure? I promise that it will be fun." Obito really wanted to use her to help him practice further.

Seeing the look on his face, made Shizune's impenetrable walls crumble. Sighing, she replied. "Ok, I guess I can come alo-" Before she could finish her sentence, the two of them were transported somewhere else.

More specifically the two of them had been transported on top of the Hokage monument that held the carved faces of all of the Hokage's, past and present. Obito had reached out to her within a second, touched her and teleported the two of them here.

Shizune looked out over the village. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Obito's voice woke her up as she turned her head slightly towards Obito and saw his smiling face with the sunlight dipping around him like a halo.

The rays casted such a scene, that Shizune couldn't help but stare as the gold of the sun contrasted with the deep red of his eyes. It was then that she just remembered a word that he had just said.

'B-B-Beautiful...!?' Shizune's eyes looked every which way, making sure not to stare at Obito as of this moment for she registered the words he said as something directed towards herself. Although, that really wasn't what he said.

"Shizune?" Obito questioned as he stepped forward towards her, making her panic a bit as a blush was on her face now.

"D-Don't-!" She then tripped up a bit, which may seem cliché, but there was a rock behind her and her normal clothing was a long robe that made it hard to maneuver properly.

As she was falling, she blinked one moment, before she blinked again to find that she was now being lifted up by Obito. He had caught her from her fall. "Are you ok?" He asked her with a gentle look on his face, which only made Shizune's situation worse.

She pushed him away and stood herself up, looking away for a bit to calm herself down. "I-I'm all right. Tha-Thank you. Can you take me back now? I wish to rest, I'm tired." She didn't want to show her face.

"Of course." Obito did as she requested, seemingly uncaring for her little cold shoulder towards him.

"I-I will go now! Bye!" Shizune walked off from the area, leaving the fish she was practicing on and went straight back to her current residence that happened to be the same place Obito lived at.

'What am I thinking!?'