A Fate That Drives One to Despair (Please Bookmark and Recommend)

Busy days always passed quickly, and Konoha Year 43 arrived quietly.

"Gengetsu, you haven't been putting enough effort into your Sealing Technique and Adamantine Sealing Chains training this month!"

At the dining table, Kushina voiced her dissatisfaction with Gengetsu. It couldn't be helped—she was getting more and more bored. Unable to take missions, she could only seize Gengetsu, her prospective disciple, and train him to pass the time.

Gengetsu hurriedly said, "Sister Kushina, I've already mastered the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style that Brother Minato improved!"

"What about the Fire Sealing Method, then?"

Kushina glared.

That thing was incomplete, all right? Though he had decent talent in Sealing Technique, it wasn't something he could perfect in a short time.

Gengetsu grimaced and hurriedly turned to Minato for help. However, Minato seemed not to notice his pleading look at all. He was intently dealing with the delicious food before him, as though it truly were some rare delicacy in the world.

"What a lousy friend..."

Gengetsu's face twitched. Then he quickly put on a smile and patted his chest. "Sister Kushina, give me another three years, and I'll definitely perfect the Fire Sealing Method!"

"Three years?"

Kushina's brows shot up, and her red hair looked ready to flare into the air. That was a sign she was getting angry.

Gengetsu hurriedly changed his answer. "One year!"

"Barely acceptable!"

Kushina was reluctantly satisfied. Then she complained, "What's so bad about becoming a Sealing Technique specialist? It's much safer than being an ordinary ninja, you get more time to rest, and making Exploding Tags earns no less money than being a ninja!"

"Yes, yes, yes... Sister Kushina is right. This is all the Third Hokage's fault for completely misjudging my talents!"

Gengetsu repeatedly agreed, tossing the blame onto the Third Hokage.

"Huh? You're right, Gengetsu!"

Kushina smiled. "Great! Tomorrow, I'll go ask the Third Hokage to transfer you to work at the hospital!"

The hospital? Wasn't she talking about becoming a sealing specialist?

Cold sweat broke out on Gengetsu's forehead.

"Kushina, Gengetsu is going on a mission with me tomorrow!"

Minato suddenly looked up.

"Huh? A mission?"

Kushina froze for a moment, and Gengetsu also looked up at Minato.

"Yes, a confidential mission. Don't worry, there won't be any danger. Gengetsu is temporarily joining the team as a Medical Ninja and sealing specialist!"

Minato smiled, completely unaware that Kushina's rage was skyrocketing. Gengetsu silently mourned for him. So he really could be a little dense. He just wondered whether Minato would be sleeping on the floor later...

But what kind of confidential mission was it?

The next day, Gengetsu arrived at the Training Ground with his pack to bid farewell to Sarutobi Kazuhara and the other two, only to find that they had already been waiting there. They had obviously received the news beforehand.

"The Third Hokage already informed me!"

Sarutobi Kazuhara explained briefly. Kanzuki Chiba smiled and raised a fist in encouragement. "Good luck. Come back safely!"

Uchiha Shinsui wore a cold expression. "If you die, I'll avenge you!"

Gengetsu's face twitched. What else could he say? He waved his hand, lightning appearing around him. The next instant, he vanished.

At the village entrance, Gengetsu landed and first exchanged greetings with Minato, Choza Akimichi, and Aburame Shibi. Then he looked at the other figure. "So you're here too, Kakashi!"

"Yes. Teacher Minato asked the Third Hokage to let me join!"

Kakashi nodded. His attitude was no longer as cold as before. His condition seemed to have changed quite a bit lately.

"Then let's set off!"

Once the two had greeted each other, Minato smiled and gave the order.

"Yes!"

Everyone moved at once, using the Body Flicker Technique to disappear.

"Kakashi, do you know what the mission is?"

At the back of the team, Gengetsu turned to look at Kakashi.

"I don't..."

Kakashi shook his head, then guessed, "But this direction leads toward the Land of Wind. It might have something to do with the Sand Ninja!"

"Sand Ninja... Could the Third Kazekage have disappeared?"

Gengetsu's heart skipped slightly. Time really waits for no one!

The five-man team traveled at an extremely fast pace. In less than two days, they had left the Land of Fire. They then pressed deep into the Land of Wind, and another day later, the team came to a stop once more.

Minato was fully armed, his expression solemn. "Everyone, the destination of this mission is the Ancient Kingdom of Roran within the Land of Wind. The first objective is to protect Queen of Roran Sara. The second is to find Mukade, who stole the Dragon Vein's power to manufacture weapons. The third is to reseal the Dragon Vein!"

"Understood!"

Everyone answered in unison. But Gengetsu's heart shook. The Ancient Kingdom of Roran, the Dragon Vein... This is the plot from the movie!

"Next, the team will split into two groups. Gengetsu, Kakashi!"

Minato's voice interrupted Gengetsu's thoughts. He immediately focused. "Yes, Captain!"

"You will form Group B and be responsible for protecting Queen of Roran Sara!"

"Understood!"

"Choza Akimichi, Aburame Shibi, and I will form Group A and search for Mukade!"

"Understood!"

"Rest for one hour and replenish your strength. Then we move out!"

Minato made the arrangements in an orderly manner. An hour later, everyone had replenished their strength with Soldier Pills, put on their masks, and set out again. After crossing less than five kilometers, towering spires appeared in their field of vision.

The Ancient Kingdom of Roran!

Gengetsu's feelings were complicated. If I meet Naruto from twenty years in the future, does that mean my arrival changed nothing at all?

A few minutes later, they entered the Ancient Kingdom of Roran and cautiously moved between the towers.

"This place is too eerily quiet!"

Gengetsu frowned, trying to recall the original plot. But too much time had passed, and he had already forgotten many details.

Suddenly, a rumbling sound came from the distance, and everyone immediately stopped.

Minato promptly made a hand signal. Group A would show themselves, while Group B would conceal their presence.

A moment later, Gengetsu saw the figure in the air dodging attacks, and his heart jolted violently. Sure enough... Uzumaki Naruto!

The five of them followed him into the tower and happened to see Naruto trapped in a desperate situation, besieged by several puppets.

Gengetsu and Kakashi watched from the shadows as Minato saved Naruto. Gengetsu's body trembled slightly. What a truly despairing fate!

He could tell that the Nine-Tails was inside Naruto. And clearly, Naruto had not recognized that the man who saved him was his own father.

Then, if Minato watched Naruto grow up in the future, even if Naruto wore a mask, Minato could never possibly fail to recognize him. He could even confirm Naruto's identity through Chakra alone.

So Brother Minato still died during the Nine-Tails Rampage?

Then what about Sister Kushina?

Gengetsu clenched his fists unconsciously. Kakashi noticed something was wrong and asked softly, "Gengetsu, what's wrong?"

"Hm?"

"No, nothing. I was just surprised to see another Konoha ninja!"

Gengetsu came back to his senses and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down completely.

It seems the ripples I caused still aren't big enough. They aren't enough to change the original fates of others. In that case... starting today, I'll stir things up!