Uchiha: Back To The Past! (Naruto)

15: A Little Bit Of Mask Stealing

The next day Obito had a hard time hiding.

Even though the Hokage most likely forgot about the interaction, it was still possible that Minato had reminded him. It was not farfetched for an Uchiha to use their eyes to make someone forget.

And with the information relayed to them by Fugaku, he was more than sure that Minato thought the same. Though he hadn't shown his Sharingan to him.

The whole morning since he woke up from his short sleep was spent sitting around on particularly large tree branches.

He didn't mean to be seen as a creep but he had to admit that he had been watching new academy-graduated Genins walked around the trees, unaware of the cold eye staring right at them.

Their senseis weren't around so he was clear and out of professional reach.

He had to wait until the mission where he got crushed by the massive boulder after barely being able to save Kakashi so that he can prevent said tragedy, and prevent his past self to meet with Madara.

Even if his past self did meet Madara, then he had to at least make sure that Rin wouldn't get turned into the three-tails Jinchuuriki.

If she doesn't get turned, then she wouldn't jump in front of Kakashi's chidori, ultimately evading his rage, with him and Kakashi also not being able to activate the Mangekyou.

It's a good plan-B if I still get crushed. And I can always kill Madara. Black Zetsu can never be too strong of a shield.

Obito felt himself grimace at the memory. Not to mention he only cares about his 'mother'.

Although Madara would be a great help to bring back Kaguya, Black Zetsu wouldn't risk itself for him if I were to possibly attack.

He shook his head, but the thought stayed with him: when will the Chunin exams start?

They needed to be Chunin to be given that mission. Given that Minato was an elite Jonin of the leaf, they, or whoever appointed that mission other than the Hokage, must have thought that his students were too.

Obito hated that fact. It must have been the civilians making the decision other than the Hokage.

The clan heads had no means in the missions of ninjas in the village as they only controlled their clan, not the villages supply or need other than things for war.

Obito may have never spoken about it, but he knew that it was only right for the ninja government to disassociate themselves with the civilian one.

The civilians had no idea that ninjas risk their lives everyday for their village, and with only word for knowledge they go ahead and risk the lives of the young that were to grow and serve their village, to protect them.

Although until now Obito had no say in anything. He wasn't Hokage, he wasn't a clan head. He wasn't even a Jonin. What could he say?

Especially now that he's seen as a Rogue. How did they even come to the conclusion that I was Rogue? Because I was in the outskirts of the village?

Obito could laugh at these so-called 'elites' in the face and he wouldn't even get apprehended for how right he is, stating fact about their obvious stupidity.

Like, how did they even graduate academy?

He sighed. He loved Konoha but before, not even the village he wanted to be Hokage in could change his mind about the world, about putting everyone in a dream with Madara by his side.

At least... that's what I thought. Until Madara admitted he planned everything from the start, from the boulder to Rin's death.

At that moment Obito regretted his life choices. Literally.

But there was, like said how many times before, no use regretting something that has already been done.

Obito glanced at his mask again. Maybe I could patch up the hole?

He traced the broken part with his finger and shook his head, retracting his hand. It'll only look crooked. More crooked than my face...

He sighed again, but this time to himself.

"Might as well get a new one." he said under his breath, not loud enough for anyone else to hear below him.

'I guess I'll just venture the village with my hood. I'll only hope no one notices me.'

With that in mind he jumped from tree to tree and onto a branch that was a tad bit closer to the village roads and stalls.

It's just like I remember it. He said, half-smiling to himself at the good times.

He shook off the lopsided smile as he
jumped down, shocking some civilians with his landing but they ignored him after, probably thinking he was ANBU or something.

He didn't have cash on him so might as well steal. It's a bad thing to do he'll admit, but what was he to do other than that? Beg?

No way. He still had his Uchiha pride and even if he didn't he still didn't want to look pathetic.

Plus, I can't have them see my face. That'd only lead them to suspicion...probably.

But if they didn't know already as they're civilians, scars were a normal thing for Shinobis.

Obito walked up to a small shop that had ANBU-like masks for sale.

They were ordinary plastic masks, while his swirl one was made out of actually tough material, but as long as he could cover his face it was fine.

It was still early in the morning so not many people littered the streets yet.

He walked up to the racks and a chubby man went up to him. He kept his head low while the man neared him.

"What would you be buying today, sir?" he asked politely, wordlessly telling him to look up.

Obito didn't have a choice now. He actually wanted to just take one mask and run away, but with the man who is supposedly the owner he couldn't just do that.

He didn't answer for a while as he looked behind him for any potential witness.

There were people but they were busy and there were no Jonin or other ranks around.

The man asked again, voice slightly irritated before Obito quickly looked up and flashed his Sharingan.

Almost immediately the man's pupils were enveloped by the tomoes and his previously dark brown eyes turned blood red.

Obito looked back at the shelf of some kind and picked a bit harder mask in the shape of an eerie fox.

He took it and erased the man's memories like he did with the Hokage whilst walking away.

He made him forget about the mask being there, and his encounter with him.

-----

A little later, once Obito settled again, he tried the mask.

Not bad, he thought. It'll work well until I figure out a way to get a mask similar to the swirl one.