Prologue
The air crackled with tension as Kakashi and Obito faced each other in the desolate dimension of Kamui. Their gazes locked, each seeing not just an opponent but the remnants of a long-lost friend. The arena around them was silent, amplifying the thundering of their hearts.
Obito's eyes burned with a mix of rage and sorrow, his Sharingan and Rinnegan gleaming in the dark. "Kakashi," he growled, "this ends now."
Kakashi's single Sharingan spun in response, his face stern beneath his mask. "Yes, Obito. It does."
In an instant, they charged. The clash of kunai sent sparks flying, their movements a blur of precision and fury. Kakashi's mind raced, recalling their training days, the laughter they shared with their team, and the dark twist of fate that had torn them apart.
"Why, Obito?" Kakashi shouted, deflecting a shuriken with his kunai. "Why did you choose this path?"
Obito's voice was filled with bitterness. "You wouldn't understand, Kakashi. This world is hell, and I will bring peace, no matter the cost."
Their taijutsu was a symphony of speed and skill, each strike resonating with the echoes of their past. Kakashi's hand crackled with lightning as he prepared his Raikiri, thrusting it forward with lethal intent. Obito countered with his Kamui, phasing through the attack, his own hand ready to strike.
"Your ideals are naive," Obito hissed, his voice low and dangerous. "Reality is cruel, Kakashi."
Kakashi's Sharingan spun faster, his body moving on instinct. He saw through Obito's feints, countering with precise strikes. "Maybe," Kakashi replied, carefully keeping his voice steady. "But I still believe in our old dream."
Their battle escalated, each move a testament to their years of training and the bond they once shared. Kakashi's Raikiri met Obito's chakra-infused strikes, the force of their clashes sending shockwaves through the dimension.
"You were like a brother to me," Kakashi said, his voice breaking through the storm of their combat. "I won't let you destroy everything we fought for."
Obito's expression faltered for a moment, a flicker of the boy he once was. "That boy is gone, Kakashi. All that's left is this reality."
Summoning the last of their strength, they unleashed their most powerful techniques. Obito's fire style erupted in a blaze of destruction, while Kakashi's Raikiri sliced through the inferno, both their elemental jutsu colliding with a thunderous roar.
As the dust settled, both men stood panting, their bodies battered and bruised. Kakashi's eye met Obito's, and for a moment, the ghosts of their pasts lingered between them.
"I will save you, Obito," Kakashi vowed, his voice filled with determination, "Even if it costs me everything."
Obito's eyes softened, just for an instant, before hardening again. "There is no saving me, Kakashi. This is my rightful path."
With one final, devastating clash, Obito struck Kakashi on his left side, ensuring the bar had gone through the intended target. In that moment, the realization finally dawned on Kakashi. They were no longer friends. They never truly were. Only were they ever in the brief moment before Obito’s supposed doom.
”I’m sorry, Kakashi,” Obito murmured, so genuine it hurt. “But I can’t let you stop me.”
The feeling of his heart stopping will never fail to make him shudder.
Within a second, warmth spread through his chest once more, making him cry out in shock. His body felt stiff, his limbs as heavy as lead, and his structure small.
Opening his eyes with more difficulty than usual, he surveyed his surroundings. Everything was on fire and breathing caused him to choke on the smoke shrouding him in.
A foreign woman crawled to him, dripping in blood so similar to him when he was in Anbu, she was so small, with long silver hair framing her starved body. He was suddenly trapped when she encased him with her iron stench and covered his tiny nose with her ripped up sleeve, a last ditch effort to protect his lungs.
“My baby,” She wailed into his head, “I’m so so sorry.”
Kakashi was getting tired of these apologies.
His mind was inordinately hazy. Did he get drugged?
Without the knowledge of ever passing out Kakashi woke up again, this time alone in an eerie alley with two doors on either side of him.
Surveying his surroundings over the oversized cardboard box he woke up in gave him no information as to where he was or how everything happened.
Above all else, he was supposed to be dead.
Taking a moment to review his chakra reserves and remain astonished at the vast amount of chakra levels he had, it should be the same as when he died, Kakashi quickly bit his thumb drawing blood and pressed it against the scratchy surface of the worn-out quilt.
To his distress, he failed to summon anything.
Stumbling down, he lowered his head and began taking deep shaky breaths.
After regaining his composure, he listed down everything that he saw. This could not be the after-life where his father waited for him. In addition, he could not have been revived since he was a newborn; which begs the question, where the hell was he?
As the metal door to his left opened, it took a great amount of restraint to draw attention to himself from the three figures instead of reflexively sneaking unnoticed.
“Could…” Kakashi choked out with great effort. He had not realized how fatigued his body felt, too focused on his daunting reality. Stumbling over himself, he hurried to get back up to his only possible chance of survival.
Luckily, his choked noise was enough to draw the attention of the woman of the group. She ushered the other close and took careful steps towards his direction. Once she caught a glimpse of him, she instantly lowered herself to the ground and cradled him in her arms.
”Just recently born, probably a few hours but at most a day.” She concluded, taking notice of his bleeding thumb, the mole under his lip, and birthmark resembling a scar on left eye.
The tallest out of the group stepped up from behind her to scan him. “Let’s just leave him here. We just recently gave them a toddler, it’ll be suspicious if we chronically leave babies to them.”
A much older man grabbed his shoulder, though he shook it off just as fast, not the slightest bit fazed about the exchange, the supposed eldest insisted. “We can’t just leave him here to die. Akiko told us he was just born, we should at least leave him somewhere else.”
Feeling panic at being left somewhere else again, he squirmed in her strong arms and exclaimed, “No, wait!”
As the three froze up in shock at a new born baby speaking in coherent words, Kakashi kept squirming; albeit not being able to do much due to his lack of body strength.
“Akiko, did you use your quirk? I swear I hear that baby just talk. You know we can’t keep it.” The tallest one reasoned with ‘Akiko’ while Kakashi stored that piece of information at the back of his head.
”What? My quirk doesn’t do that, besides, I heard it too.” Akiko trailed off while analyzing him. “Theoretically, babies could talk but they shouldn’t be able to without learning how to first.”
”Do you think it’s someone else’s quirk? A trap?” The eldest finally supplied.
”Could be..” She hesitated, and Kakashi strategically kept quiet.
“Alright.” The large one snapped, “Speak.” he pulled out a katana out of the sheath behind his back and pointed it at Kakashi.
“Woah!” The second man exclaimed, going in front of the sword while Akiko shielded Kakashi closer to her.
”What is wrong with you! What if he really is a baby!” She hissed at the other man.
”What if it’s not and the little thing leads the heroes to us!” He countered, not moving to store away his katana.
The eldest was in between them in a second. “Let’s calm down guys, especially you Akira,” He gestured towards the tallest. “Let’s just… decide what to do with him.”
”We are not leaving him.” Akiko grumbled towards them both, clutching Kakashi closer to her.
Akira’s arm was shaking from how hard he was gripping his katana in fuming anger, “Fine.” He bit out, voice laced with venom towards Akiko. “Let’s go, Eiji.” He turned back into the door they had come out of.
The oldest one followed sheepishly while Akiko triumphantly chuckled to herself.
What had Kakashi gotten himself into?