Top-Secret Mission

Minato Namikaze's warm, sunny smile vanished in an instant. He lifted the arm slung in a triangular bandage. "Obito."

Nohara Rin and Kakashi couldn't hold back. They burst out laughing.

Uchiha Kin asked, "What happened to you, Minato?"

"Ah, I ran into a tough opponent. He was way too hard. I stabbed him with a kunai, but it didn't pierce him—instead, I broke my own arm..." He lifted his arm and smiled helplessly. The whole thing was utterly absurd.

Who would've thought the legendary Yellow Flash would break his own arm just by stabbing an enemy with a kunai?

Uchiha Kin was understanding. "Well, accidents are bound to happen." Then, curious, he asked, "Who was it?" He wanted to know what kind of hero had managed to injure Minato Namikaze.

"I don't know," Minato said.

On the battlefield, he'd crossed paths with that man for only a fraction of a second. He hadn't even remembered the man's face. He wasn't any famous Rock Ninja Minato recognized. The only thing that stood out about him was how tough he was. Minato's kunai had only left a white mark on his skin.

The man was a ninja who had mastered the earth nature transformation and honed the Hardening Jutsu to its utmost limit.

He was useless when it came to speed, reflexes, and taijutsu, but his Hardening Jutsu made up for all of it. He was the only survivor of that Rock Ninja squad.

Minato thought for a moment. "His Hardening Jutsu was already at its limit. Still, if he'd been my first target, he wouldn't have had time to use it. But you can't predict things like that in advance."

"That's true. The shinobi world has never been short of geniuses," Uchiha Kin agreed.

"By the way, there's something I wanted to tell you." Minato remembered and turned to Uchiha Kin. "You should get ready. Elder Danzo may come looking for you!"

"Me?" Uchiha Kin looked surprised. Obito and Nohara Rin didn't know who Danzo was, so they were curious about the elder. Kakashi, too, looked at Uchiha Kin in surprise.

"Yeah. Elder Danzo was going to ask me, but, well, I've cracked my arm and just got it treated. Besides, I'm not exactly the right person for the job. He'd probably prefer a Medical Ninja like you.

"And things are tense right now. You're the only one we have here who can handle it..."

"What is it?" Uchiha Kin asked.

Minato told him, "Going to the Land of Rain. I don't know the specifics, but he needs a powerful jonin to accompany him."

Uchiha Kin frowned, turning it over in his mind. What's that old dog Danzo going to the Land of Rain for? Then he thought, He hates the Uchiha so much. Does it make sense for him to recruit me, an Uchiha? A third thought immediately brought him to the key point: Akatsuki?

Going by the timing, this seemed to be when Danzo and Hanzo joined forces to destroy Akatsuki. Could it be...?

His thoughts raced, and he quickly figured out Danzo's intentions:

That old dog is afraid of Hanzo!

Danzo had approached Minato because his Flying Thunder God could quickly whisk him to safety, and he was an excellent fighter. As a second choice, Danzo had come to him—after all, people now called him the "Man Who Steals Souls from Death."

And besides... Uchiha Kin glanced at Minato. He didn't have the standing Minato did to refuse a "reasonable request" from Danzo.

Minato could brush him off with an excuse about a "minor injury," but he couldn't. There was no avoiding this trip.

"Thank you, Minato," Uchiha Kin said.

"Don't mention it." Minato waved and led his team off to train.

Sure enough, not long after Minato left, a Root ninja with orange hair and an animal mask appeared in front of Uchiha Kin. His voice was cold and stiff. "Uchiha Kin, Lord Danzo summons you. Come with me."

Jasmine and Golden Chrysanthemum regarded the ninja warily and looked at Uchiha Kin with concern. He nodded to them. "I'm heading out. Don't worry."

Uchiha Kin wasn't worried about meeting Danzo. For one thing, Danzo needed him, so he was the one asking for a favor. For another, Danzo wasn't an idiot. He was just selfish and a little rotten.

The Root ninja said nothing. He vanished in a precisely measured burst of speed, heading into the distance.

After taking a few steps, however, he realized Uchiha Kin hadn't followed. A strange feeling welled up inside him. When he went back to look, he found Uchiha Kin emerging from the hospital's central tent.

Of course, Uchiha Kin couldn't just leave without a word. He had to follow the proper reporting procedures, especially since he was one of the key people there.

Without him, the hospital would have to reorganize the allocation of its medical resources. This wasn't a trip for fun; he'd be gone for a while.

The Root ninja was filled with resentment. He wasn't supposed to have feelings, yet he'd somehow developed a grudge.

"What are you doing?"

Uchiha Kin shot him a glance. "Did you think this was a place where people could come and go as they pleased? I'm the backbone of this place. If I leave, who'll manage the medical resources?

"And if I disappear, do you have any idea how serious the consequences would be? How could I go with you without filing a proper report?" His attitude thoroughly irritated the Root ninja.

The Root ninja led him out of the camp. Soon, several figures came into view ahead. One of them wore black and had only one arm. It had to be Danzo. From behind, Danzo didn't look imposing, but there was something sinister about him.

Five masked ninjas stood beside him.

"Lord Danzo." The Root ninja dropped to one knee in salute.

Danzo turned around, his gaze settling on Uchiha Kin. "Uchiha Kin, the famed medical master of Konoha's new generation. Your medical skills have already surpassed Tsunade's, and people call you the 'Man Who Steals Souls from Death'... You're certainly young."

Uchiha Kin wore a faint smile. His white clothes and black spiral pattern gave him a mysterious air.

"You flatter me, sir. It's only a bit of Medical Ninjutsu—not worth mentioning. What did you want me for?"

"Uchiha Kin!" Danzo's tone turned stern. "I have a top-secret mission that requires your cooperation. You are being temporarily assigned to Root. You will follow my orders."

"All right!"

Uchiha Kin agreed.

Someone then handed him a set of Root clothes.

Uchiha Kin put on the Root uniform and donned a mask. Then the group set off. He said nothing, simply following along with the others. Danzo, however, had plenty to say and began taking a personal interest in this Uchiha...