A dark cavern.
This was the Akatsuki Organization's temporary base.
White Zetsu's Tobi emerged from the pile of earth overhead.
He waved his arms and legs about, shouting in an exaggerated tone.
"Obito! Obito! Incredible news!"
The man he called Obito wore a tiger-striped mask.
Obito Uchiha sat quietly on a rock, seemingly resting with his eyes closed.
The spiral-patterned Tobi circled around him.
"This is huge! That New Daimyo from the Land of Fire has gone at it with your Konoha's Hokage!"
"I heard that Root leader named Danzo wanted to cause trouble at the coronation ceremony, but the Third Hokage personally tore out his heart! Blood sprayed everywhere with a splat—it was so thrilling!"
"I wonder if someone can still take a dump after their heart gets ripped out. If—"
"How is Konoha?" Obito Uchiha interrupted Tobi's rambling description, his voice icy.
"Oh, oh, Konoha's in complete chaos now!" Tobi immediately got back on topic, his tone brimming with schadenfreude. "The Hokage's orders aren't obeyed by anyone once they leave the Hokage Building!"
"And, and, the Uchiha clan is fighting to send beautiful women to the Daimyo, the Hyuga clan is worried sick, and even the Ino-Shika-Cho clans are starting to waver!"
As he listened to Tobi's account, the single eye beneath Obito Uchiha's mask was instantly flooded with scarlet.
"An opportunity! This is an opportunity!" Obito Uchiha abruptly rose to his feet, his voice hoarse and crazed. "I'll destroy that hypocritical village right now!"
"Calm down, Obito."
Black Zetsu emerged from the ground at his feet and stopped him. "You're being too impulsive."
The Sharingan in Obito Uchiha's eye spun madly, slowly forming into a Mangekyō Sharingan. His tone was chilling. "Konoha is in turmoil. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! You dare stop me?"
"An opportunity?"
Black Zetsu let out a mocking laugh. "You underestimate Konoha too much!"
"Hiruzen Sarutobi may be old, but his strength remains."
"More importantly, Minato Namikaze..."
"That man's Flying Thunder God Technique has already surpassed the Second Hokage's."
"As long as he remains in Konoha, you cannot come and go freely there."
Seeing Obito's burning desire for revenge and undiminished killing intent, Black Zetsu could not help quickening his speech.
"And Kushina Uzumaki."
"Don't forget, she isn't merely the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki. She is also an Uzumaki with powerful Sealing Jutsu."
"If you go now, it will mean nothing but throwing your life away!"
Upon hearing the words "throwing your life away," Obito Uchiha laughed instead of becoming angry, madness ringing in his laughter.
He muttered under his breath, "Die? Better if I die. If I die... I can go see Rin."
Black Zetsu fell silent for a moment, realizing that simple threats had no effect on him.
"Have you forgotten our plan?" Black Zetsu grew anxious.
"The Moon Eye Plan? I haven't forgotten!" Obito Uchiha remained stubborn. "It doesn't matter if I'm gone. You can find someone else!"
Black Zetsu's voice suddenly became shrill. "Then what about the revenge you promised Rin? Are you going to die miserably and empty-handed, then go see her? Tell her that you couldn't do anything for her?"
"Rin's death, this world's sins—are you just going to let them go?"
The name Rin was like a sharp blade stabbing brutally into Obito's heart.
His entire body shuddered, and the killing intent around him became even more tangible.
Watching Obito be ignited by hatred once more, Black Zetsu knew the time had come.
His tone shifted, cold and filled with temptation.
"Forcing your way in is the lowest form of revenge."
"I have a better plan, one that will make Minato Namikaze taste the same despair as you."
Obito Uchiha abruptly turned his head, his scarlet Sharingan staring fixedly at Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu spoke unhurriedly. "Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki are husband and wife, correct?"
"They will have a child of their own sooner or later."
"And when a Jinchuriki gives birth, the Sealing Jutsu within her body weakens to its lowest point."
"At that time, the Nine-Tails' seal will be at its most vulnerable."
The air in the cavern seemed to freeze.
Obito Uchiha's breathing grew heavy.
He understood Black Zetsu's intention.
"When that time comes..."
Black Zetsu's voice was like a devil's, carrying boundless malice. "We will extract the Nine-Tails from Kushina Uzumaki's body, then let that tailed beast of hatred and destruction roar to its heart's content in Konoha, before his wife and his newborn child."
"Let him watch with his own eyes as everything he wishes to protect is crushed to pieces on the same day."
"Let him taste the pain of helplessly watching the person he loves most die before his eyes."
"This will be the most perfect revenge against Konoha and Minato Namikaze."
Obito's body began to tremble uncontrollably with excitement. "And Kakashi..."
Black Zetsu added, "That's right, Kakashi too. They will all experience the same despair as you after losing what they cherish. The whole of Konoha will be buried with you!"
"Heh... hehehehe..."
Obito Uchiha let out a low laugh that grew louder and louder, eventually turning into a maniacal Uchiha cackle.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Good! A good plan!"
"Let's do it!"
Beneath the tiger-striped mask, that Mangekyō Sharingan spun wildly.
The last shred of Obito Uchiha's humanity was completely consumed by the flames of revenge.
He looked toward Konoha with anticipation in his eyes.
Evening.
Konoha.
The setting sun's lingering glow dyed Hokage Rock red.
Minato Namikaze left the Hokage Building and wandered aimlessly through the village streets.
The banners outside the izakaya fluttered in the evening breeze, the barbecue shop gave off an enticing aroma, and the laughter of children chasing and playing remained clear and bright.
Everything was the same as usual.
Yet everything had changed.
That bustle, that laughter, that everyday warmth belonging to Konoha all felt utterly out of place to him now.
He saw several Civilian Ninja who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy. Excitement covered their faces as they gathered together and discussed something heatedly.
"Have you heard? The Daimyo himself is going to provide funds to support the talented people in our village! We won't have to painstakingly take missions to save up for ninja tools anymore!"
"That's not all! My second uncle's cousin said that as long as you're selected for the Guardians of the Twelve, you'll receive a huge sum every month! It's even more than the reward for an A-rank mission!"
"They're the strongest guards at the Daimyo's side. If we can get selected, then us Civilian Ninja will finally have truly made something of ourselves!"
"Really? Then I need to sign up fast. I don't want to keep picking up trash and searching for stray cats!"
Their irrepressible excitement and yearning pierced Minato Namikaze's heart like needles.
There was once a time when joining the Hokage's Shadow Guard was every ninja's honor.
There was once a time when striving for the village was a belief taken for granted.
Now, the Daimyo had merely lifted a finger.
And the hearts of the village's people no longer belonged to the Hokage.
Minato Namikaze clenched his fists, his sharp nails digging deeply into his palms.
The pain did not compare to the bitterness in his heart.
He abruptly turned around, no longer heading home.
He was going to find the Third Hokage.
He was going to ask him what exactly was happening, and what they were supposed to do!
But just then, he suddenly stopped.
A warm light shone from the Ramen Shop at the street corner.
A red-haired woman with a ponytail sat inside.
It was Kushina.
She was happily chatting with Teuchi, with a steaming bowl of ramen before her.
Sensing someone watching her, Kushina Uzumaki turned her head. Her beautiful eyes instantly lit up.
"Minato! Over here! Over here!"
She waved her arm vigorously, a happy, radiant smile on her face.
That smile crossed the bustling street and shone into his heart, which was nearly consumed by gloom.
In an instant, all his irritation, anger, and confusion vanished like smoke.
Looking at his wife's smiling face, Minato Namikaze slowly unclenched his fist.
So that was it.
What he wanted to protect had always been right here.
Before you continue