The Triggered Trap!

Following the plan set by the higher-ups, Kushina Uzumaki, whose due date was drawing near, was transferred to a secret base prepared in advance to await childbirth.

From that day onward, Shinichi Hyuga, who had already gained a preliminary grasp of the Flying Thunder God Technique, no longer needed to go to Minato's Family every day to train.

To protect Kushina during childbirth, Minato Namikaze, as Hokage, would be temporarily absent, while the Third Hokage would handle the Hokage's daily affairs in his stead.

At the same time, Kakashi, who had been responsible for Kushina's prenatal security, successfully completed his mission.

Early in the morning, Kakashi appeared in Konoha Cemetery with a bucket in one hand and two bouquets of brightly blooming flowers in the other.

As he strolled along the paths between the graves, Kakashi's mood grew as heavy as the gloomy weather that day.

Today was not the death anniversary of any of his family or friends. It was simply that, with Kushina about to give birth, he wanted to share this good news with his two departed friends.

Minato Namikaze and Kushina had not told Kakashi about the Tiger-Striped Masked Man.

Even before this, Kakashi had fallen into depression because of his father's suicide and the deaths of his companions. His condition had become extremely poor.

In the years that followed, while serving in the Anbu, Kakashi's state deteriorated even further. His close friend Might Guy had even noticed him reading books with obvious suicidal themes.

In order to help Kakashi emerge from that state, Minato Namikaze had, on the Third Hokage's advice, assigned him to be Kushina's prenatal guard.

According to the Third Hokage, witnessing the birth of a new life might improve Kakashi's condition.

And just as the Third Hokage had expected, during his time as Kushina's guard, Kakashi's life had been illuminated by Kushina's peaceful and warm days before childbirth.

Kakashi, who normally showed little emotional fluctuation even while carrying out missions, was sincerely happy for Minato and Kushina. He wanted to share the good news with his friends as well.

"Rin, Minato-sensei and Kushina-sensei's child will be born soon."

"I couldn't wait to share this good news with you."

"Rin... what kind of gift do you think I should prepare for Minato-sensei's child?"

"If it were you... what would you give?"

Kakashi crouched before Rin Nohara's grave, placing the bouquet he had brought into the small vase in front of the tombstone. Then he dipped a brush in water and gently scrubbed away the dirt on the stone as he murmured to himself.

The morning breeze swept through the Cemetery. Kakashi carefully tended to Rin Nohara's grave, not rising until he had completely cleared away the surrounding weeds and wiped the tombstone clean.

His question was destined to receive no response from Rin Nohara. Or perhaps... that breeze that had just brushed past him was Rin Nohara whispering in his ear, only Kakashi, as one of the living, had no way of understanding it...

Picking up the bucket again and taking the other bouquet, Kakashi walked only four or five meters along the path before arriving at Obito Uchiha's grave.

Unlike his rambling at Rin's grave, there seemed to be less to say between men. Yet the longing and sorrow in Kakashi's eyes were even deeper than they had been before Rin's grave.

His relationship with Obito Uchiha was actually quite strange. Without question, they had been comrades who had entrusted their lives to each other. But to Kakashi, Obito Uchiha had also been the salvation of his life.

Everyone had questioned his father's ninja way. Even Kakashi himself, because of his father's death, had completely denied the White Fang's ninja way.

Yet Obito Uchiha alone had unwaveringly recognized Kakashi's father from beginning to end, and had tried to change Kakashi's way of thinking.

Compared to Minato's maturity and restraint, Obito Uchiha's impact on Kakashi's outlook on life and values had undoubtedly been far more intense. That impact had been completely elevated after Obito gave his life to save Kakashi.

Obito's death proved that he was not someone who merely spoke pretty words. For what he believed in, he would give everything.

Yet... for Kakashi, that ray of light in his dark life had vanished as Obito and Rin passed away one after the other.

Though a new dawn had now appeared, no one could replace Obito's place in Kakashi's heart.

Slowly crouching down, Kakashi said nothing. After offering the flowers, he washed and wiped Obito's tombstone over and over until the bucket had nearly run dry.

At that moment, Kakashi could not feel the passage of time at all. Perhaps because he had crouched for too long, even with Kakashi's physique, his vision darkened when he stood up. He remained still for a while before the feeling eased.

"I'll come see you again later, Obito..."

After saying that, Kakashi picked up the bucket, turned, and walked toward the Cemetery gates.

His back was lonely and desolate. It was difficult to imagine why a child Kakashi's age carried such a heavy aura of death around him.

After a long, long time, a pitch-black void suddenly appeared in the empty space before Rin's grave. As space spiraled and twisted, a figure wearing a Tiger-Striped Mask and a Black Robe abruptly appeared before the tombstone.

After staring in the direction Kakashi had left for a moment, the man crouched down, grabbed the flowers before Rin's grave, and flung them aside with all his strength.

"A man who failed to fulfill my request, who failed to protect Rin... what right does he have to visit her?!"

A low roar sounded from beneath the mask. The words seemed to blame Kakashi, yet also seemed to berate himself...

"Minato-sensei..."

"Even as Hokage, didn't he also fail to protect Rin?!"

Scarlet light flared from the single eye in the mask. Emotions churned within Obito Uchiha, weakening his control over his own Chakra.

Whenever Uchiha experienced intense emotional fluctuations, an abnormal Chakra would be produced in their brains, strengthening the Dojutsu Power of their Sharingan.

Yet at that very moment, a Cursed Seal with complex runes suddenly appeared on the ground beneath the Masked Man's feet. As Obito Uchiha's Chakra emerged, the Cursed Seal rapidly expanded.

"This is..."

Obito Uchiha swiftly lowered his head upon sensing something wrong. In the next instant, light shot out from the Cursed Seal and enveloped his entire body. The next moment, Obito Uchiha vanished from the Cemetery.

Inside a stone cave somewhere within Konoha, Minato, who was making preparations before Kushina's childbirth, seemed to sense something. His expression turned stern as he activated the Flying Thunder God. In the next instant, Minato vanished from the stone cave as well.

At the moment the Cursed Seal in Konoha Cemetery was triggered, Shinichi Hyuga, who was training at the Hyuga Clan Compound, also sensed something.

Having trained in Sensing Jutsu, he kept his Perception Field active whenever his Chakra remained plentiful in order to hone his abilities. Shinichi Hyuga naturally noticed the Chakra fluctuation coming from the direction of the Cemetery.

And that technique... Shinichi Hyuga was actually quite familiar with it...

"Flying Thunder God... Has the Fourth Hokage's trap been triggered?"