Traveling through Naruto, I am Uchiha Obito?

"As expected! I really want to meet Rubik's Cube's mentor!"

"Ah... um." Rubik's Cube mumbled in response, glancing at Naruto's sparkling eyes, and silently added in his mind, "I advise you not to get your hopes up too high..."

"Don't worry, you'll see him soon. Okay, okay, let's not talk about this anymore," Rubik's Cube quickly changed the subject, "If we don't start soon, we'll really miss lunch!"

"Os!"

……

On the table sat steaming dishes of beef and potato curry, potato pancakes, potato salad, and mashed potatoes. Naruto stared in disbelief.

"Huh?! It's all potatoes, how can you make so many dishes?"

"Don't underestimate potatoes! Their potential is beyond your imagination." Rubik's Cube looked at his "potato feast" and said with a sense of accomplishment, hands on his hips.

"Alright, eat up, or it'll get cold."

"I'm going to start eating!" Naruto eagerly grabbed his chopsticks and began to wolf down his food—this was the first proper meal he had ever had at home.

"Hey, eat slowly, be careful not to choke," Rubik's Cube reminded.

"Brother Rubik's Cube, thank you..." Naruto mumbled as he stuffed food into his mouth.

"I've said it so many times today. When you're eating, just focus on enjoying the food," Rubik's Cube said with a gentle smile.

"Ok!"

……

After dinner, Naruto offered to let Rubik's Cube sleep in the bed while he slept on the floor, but Rubik's Cube firmly refused. Undeterred, he suggested that the two of them squeeze into one bed, but Rubik's Cube rejected it again, saying that "the bed is too small and there's not enough room for two people" (the real reason: Naruto's disastrous sleeping posture).

Into the night

After lying down, there was still some time before falling asleep. Impatient Naruto started asking the Rubik's Cube all sorts of questions, and the Rubik's Cube patiently answered them one by one. They talked about their deceased mother, their travels, their ninjutsu training, and... their dreams.

"Hey, Rubik's Cube, what's your dream?" Naruto turned to the side, his eyes shining in the darkness.

"dream?"

"Yes, yes! My dream is to become Hokage! And to gain everyone's recognition!"

"Do you have to get the approval of 'everyone'?" Rubik's Cube asked softly. "Isn't it enough if the people who are important to you agree with you?"

“This…” Naruto fell into a brief silence; he had never thought about this question carefully before.

"Well, I was just saying it offhand, don't take it too seriously," Rubik's Cube said casually. "As for my dream... let's just call it 'world peace' for now."

"Huh?! That's grand! By the way, what does 'for the time being' mean? Brother Rubik's Cube is so casual!" Naruto complained, then added with confidence, "But Brother Rubik's Cube is so strong, he can definitely achieve world peace and all that!"

The Rubik's Cube just smiled at him and didn't say anything.

……

It's quiet at night.

The Rubik's Cube lay on the spread-out bedding, recalling the conversation about dreams that took place before bed.

"Naruto, what I just said wasn't a joke..." he murmured to himself, "This world... is sick, and it needs to be cured."

His experiences traveling through the ninja world over the past few years flashed through his mind. He raised his hand to cover his eyes, sensing the restless power of his pupils.

"It seems there's still a long way to go before I can activate the Kaleidoscope... Has the plan to activate it through cultivating mental power failed? But it doesn't matter."

With a slight thought, Rubik's Cube's consciousness sank into the system interface. Seeing that [Team 7 - Uchiha Sasuke] had been successfully recruited, and feeling the faint wisp of chakra originating from Indra within his body, a smile appeared on his lips.

"Ok?"

A strange feeling was keenly detected. Rubik's Cube quietly got up, dressed, gently covered Naruto with the blanket he had kicked off, and then silently flipped out the window and landed outside the door.

Under the moonlight, a familiar figure stood there.

"Hey, I thought you'd finished your report to the Hokage and head straight for the ladies," Rubik's Cube said, arms crossed, his tone teasingly familiar. "I didn't expect you'd stoop so low as to break into people's homes in the middle of the night? Hagiwara, you bastard..."

The one who came was none other than Zilai.

Chapter 14 Danger from Danzo

Jiraiya looked at his cheap apprentice in front of him, both amused and annoyed, and scolded him:

"You brat! It was clearly your fault. You went out with someone else and spent the night without even saying goodbye to your teacher! I searched every nightclub in Konoha but couldn't find you. I finally had to ask Kakashi to find out that you left with Naruto. Do you know how hard it was for your teacher to find you?"

He ignored the slightly disdainful look in the Rubik's Cube's eyes, straightened his posture, and his tone became serious:

"Let's get down to business. Why did you get involved with that kid? Don't try to fool me with some kinship stuff. You're not the kind of person who's all warm-hearted. That kid's identity is very sensitive, and with your Sharingan, people are already watching you."

Jiraiya scratched his head impatiently, even he found that guy quite troublesome.

Rubik's Cube frowned slightly. The "trouble" Jiraiya was referring to was undoubtedly that "Konoha Pot King," "Bridge Guardian," and "Sexy Sun Guy"—Shimura Danzo.

Danzo's existence is one of the main reasons why he has preferred to stay by Jiraiya's side and starve all these years rather than return to Konoha to become "Lord Konoha".

This guy is practically obsessed. The mere mention of "Naruto" and "Uchiha" turns him into a cat in heat, completely irrational and capable of any despicable act. He's even responsible for Pain's creation.

More importantly, Danzo was quite powerful. Unlike the Third Hokage, whose strength declined due to old age, Danzo, having received Hashirama's cells, basically maintained his peak fighting strength. His mastery of Wind Release was unparalleled, making him arguably the best Wind Release user in the current ninja world.

Add to that his right eye, which comes from Shisui's Body Flicker Technique—the strongest illusion technique, "Kotoamatsukami," whose ability is comparable to a hypnosis app, making him incredibly sinister.

Although Danzo's eye is far inferior to Itachi's left eye, capable only of temporarily altering a person's thoughts and detectable by the Byakugan, it's practically the weakest compared to the left eye's ability to permanently brainwash.

However, this doesn't mean it's without its problems. The short cooldown time, combined with the rapid cooling of the Hashirama cells, makes it a truly troublesome problem in actual combat.

Of course, what the Rubik's Cube fears most is Danzo's "resurrection coin"—Izanagi. This ninjutsu is practically a bug among bugs! How could the Uchiha clan, with this technique in hand, be beaten so badly by the Senju? They're like bots!

The Rubik's Cube doesn't believe that Danzo would act like an idiot and squander his armful of Sharingan eyes as a one-time resurrection coin, just like when he fought Sasuke in the original story.

This old guy has crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood; his combat experience is beyond doubt. His performance in the battle against Sasuke was purely a plot device; with his stats, anyone with a brain could have done a better job.

Reality isn't an anime. If you truly believe everything will go according to plan, you'll be the one who dies the fastest.

Although Danzo kept a relatively low profile in the period leading up to the Third Hokage's death, the author didn't believe he would refrain from provoking them out of consideration for the Third Hokage. A madman capable of such a suicidal act as assassinating a Hokage—who knows what kind of trouble he might cause?

However, if Danzo really wanted to provoke him, he wouldn't mind taking a walk with an old man like that. But if he really couldn't win, he could just run away to Mount Myōboku to hide. Anyway, he had the intelligence and knew when he could fight back.

Rubik's Cube gave Jiraiya a relaxed smile: "We'll deal with whatever comes our way. If someone really comes looking for trouble, we'll just beat them up. If we really can't win, we can always use reverse summoning to run away to Mount Myōboku."

"Heh, let's eat bugs on Mount Myōboku for a few days and see if you're still so stubborn!" Jiraiya retorted with a dark face.

"Alright, put aside the trouble others cause you for now. The Third Hokage and I will find a way to deal with them." Jiraiya waved his hand, his gaze sharpening again.

"The key question is, why did you approach that child? I know you; you're not someone who's easy to get close to."

Having spent so many years with the Rubik's Cube, Jiraiya knows its personality all too well.

Normally, he's always warm and friendly to everyone, chatting animatedly with old men and children on the street. But once he discovers someone harbors ill intentions, even if they were on friendly terms just a second ago, the next second he can pin a kunai (a type of Chinese sword) to the other person's forehead with deadly precision.

The Rubik's Cube might treat Naruto kindly out of sympathy, but it would never consider Naruto as family simply out of sympathy, a fact that Jiraiya was well aware of.

Meeting Jiraiya's scrutinizing gaze, the Rubik's Cube slowly spoke:

"If I had to put it into words... I saw my past self in that child. Helping him now is, in a sense, helping my past self. Just think of it as... me satisfying myself."

Although some practical considerations were involved, this truly reflects Rubik's Cube's inner thoughts.

“Okay, I believe you.” Jiraiya nodded without hesitation.

"Hmm? So straightforward?" Although Rubik's Cube had anticipated this outcome, a warm feeling still welled up in his heart.

“Because you are my disciple, I know you.” Jiraiya’s tone was confident.

His disciple was a good person. Kind but not foolishly so, he inherited the pride and arrogance of the Uchiha clan, yet possessed an astonishing level of caution and composure. He harbored grand ambitions, yet cherished his life immensely—he would never do anything without absolute certainty…

He was completely different from all the disciples he had taught before. His way of thinking, his views on peace, his ideas about changing the world... were all at odds with the deep-rooted beliefs of this ninja world.

Although he was only eight years old when they met, the maturity of his thinking often made Jiraiya feel that, apart from ninjutsu, there was almost nothing he could teach him on a matter of willpower. Occasionally, he would even be shocked by the child's sudden, astonishing words, making him question the meaning of life.

Regarding the "prophecy child" mentioned by the Great Toad Sage, Jiraiya is still unsure if it is indeed the Rubik's Cube. If it is... Jiraiya asks himself: Have he truly fulfilled his responsibility as a master by guiding him towards the path of peace?

During his time with the Rubik's Cube, Jiraiya often fell into such self-doubt.

But one thing he was absolutely certain of: Rubik's Cube was a kind and gentle child at heart. Although he was usually disrespectful, sarcastic, and had a troublesome "potato mania," in Jiraiya's heart, Rubik's Cube was always an important disciple, family, whose importance even slightly surpassed that of the child Minato left behind.

Jiraiya's gaze softened with kindness as he quietly watched the Rubik's Cube. He was determined to protect his disciple, no matter what.

Perhaps his life was full of failures, but as long as even one person he cherished could find happiness... his life would probably have some meaning.

The Rubik's Cube felt extremely uncomfortable under Jiraiya's "affectionate" gaze, getting goosebumps all over. It said with disdain:

"Hey, you old pervert! If you don't have anywhere to sleep, you can sleep on the floor of the Hokage Building! Don't stand here staring at me in the middle of the night, it's creepy!"

Jiraiya instantly suppressed all his emotions.

"Let that old bastard Danzo catch this brat and give him a good beating!" he thought maliciously to himself.

……

Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, pipe in mouth, gazed at the deep night outside the window, the smoke swirling around him as he repeatedly pondered the words Danzo had left behind not long ago:

……

"Hiruzen, at all costs... keep the Uzumaki Cube. He will be Konoha's... true hope for the Uchiha clan..."

Chapter 15 Danzo's Uchiha Restoration Plan.

Not long ago, in the Hokage's office.

"He will be Konoha's... true hope for the Uchiha clan."

Danzo's words instantly disrupted Hiruzen Sarutobi's carefully crafted script: "Danzo wants people, Hiruzen refuses, I'll make you regret it, the gate slams shut."

Is this the kind of line you should be saying? Did you pick up the wrong script?

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression froze as he stared at Danzo in astonishment—this was completely contrary to his understanding of his old rival.

Danzo, seeing Hiruzen's incredulous expression, subtly twitched his lips but ignored it, continuing in a deep voice:

"Hiruzen, you heard me right. We must keep the Uzumaki Cube in Konoha at all costs! The destruction of the Uchiha clan is beneficial to Konoha in the long run, but the loss of their power is also an irreparable loss for Konoha."

This young man is the starting point for the Uchiha's rebirth! As the last of the Uchiha bloodline, even if he is destroyed, he must never fall into the hands of outsiders!

Hiruzen Sarutobi understood Danzo's intentions, but his doubts deepened, and he questioned:

"Danzo! You have always regarded the Uchiha as a threat to Konoha. Even though I have been trying to persuade you to put aside your prejudices for decades, you still haven't let go of your biases. You even conspired with Koharu and En to secretly give Itachi the order to exterminate the Uchiha clan!"

At this point, the old man suppressed his anger, his sharp gaze scrutinizing his old partner, who was both friend and foe.

"Why would you, who are most wary of the Uchiha, suddenly make this decision? What is your true purpose?"

"Hmph, Hiruzen, is that all the magnanimity you think I have?" Danzo scoffed indifferently.

"I admit that I have no goodwill toward the 'inherently evil' Uchiha clan, and I still believe that the judgment at the time was the best choice for Konoha. I will never regret what I did!"

"But my target has always been the Uchiha clan, who pose a threat to Konoha! Don't give me that high-sounding lecture. You lived through that era too. Ask yourself honestly, are you truly without any suspicion towards the Uchiha clan?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.

Danzo continued:

"Since the founding of Konoha, there has been an unspoken understanding among everyone: the Uchiha clan was not invited to join, but was forced to accept the proposal to establish Konoha after being defeated by the Senju clan led by the First Hokage! In other words, the alliance with the Senju was nothing more than a compromise made by the Uchiha after their defeat."

"Let's leave aside the old stories for now. But what happened after the village was founded? What did the Uchiha do? Because of Madara Uchiha's defection, the First Hokage died young! Just as the Second Hokage stabilized the situation, the clansmen, led by Setsuna Uchiha, attempted to launch a coup and seize power!"

The Nine-Tails' rampage over a decade ago was clearly influenced by the Uchiha clan! We repeatedly tolerated them out of consideration for their status as founding members of the village, only to be met with their ever-growing ambition! Their hearts have never truly belonged to Konoha! The narrow-minded Uchiha, focused solely on their own clan's self-interest, are not the kind of power Konoha needs!

"Enough! Danzo!" Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his fist on the table and roared, "No matter what happened in the past, the Uchiha clan are members of Konoha! I will not allow you to insult the dead here!"

"We still have Sasuke! The Uchiha bloodline has not been severed! Protect the last hope Itachi entrusted to us, help him grow into an excellent ninja, and revive the Uchiha clan—that is what we should do!"

"And then let him turn around and harm Konoha again?" Danzo retorted sharply.

"Danzo! Your prejudice against the Uchiha is too deep!"

"This is not prejudice, it's the truth!" Danzo refused to back down.

"You think that by having Kakashi teach him and letting the demon fox and that little girl play 'house' with him, you can make him prioritize his ties to Konoha over the Uchiha? How naive!"

That kid may be young, but he's a pure Uchiha at heart! Even if the Uchiha clan is revived in the future, that narrow-minded and extreme clan spirit will never change, and they'll inevitably repeat the same mistakes! Keeping him around is twofold: first, to preserve the Sharingan bloodline limit, and second, to keep Itachi calm. But now—”

A glint of light flashed in Danzo's eyes. "Now that we have the Uzumaki Cube as a better option, Sasuke Uchiha's importance has been greatly diminished."