What to do when behind? Farm and wait for team fights!

Tōka left the cave where Uchiha Madara was and returned to the surface, but Black Zetsu had no intention of taking him back.

"Here, just keep walking in that direction and you'll see your companions from before," Black Zetsu said, a strange smile creeping onto his lips, his bean-sized eyes glinting with an unknown light.

Tōka narrowed his eyes, giving him a faint glance before quickly darting away.

He knew with his toes that Black Zetsu must have led a large group of Iwagakure ninjas to where Minato's squad was resting.

Otherwise, Tōka couldn't explain why they hadn't appeared for so long.

As he approached the swamp where they were resting, a strong smell of blood hit him, and Tōka's pupils contracted.

Not far ahead in the swamp, a corpse lay face down in the river, blood staining the surrounding murky water.

The water weeds around it kept floating, as if something were swimming beneath.

"Crocodiles?" Tōka's scalp tingled. While such creatures posed no real threat to him, seeing them made his heart clench.

As a seasoned shut-in, he rarely saw such ugly creatures.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two projectiles, like finger bones, shot out and plunged directly beneath the water weeds. The crocodile that surfaced instantly took a hit and dissolved into a pile of shredded paper.

Tōka flickered and vanished, crossing the swamp and arriving directly at the location where they had been on guard.

Just as he suspected, it was Black Zetsu's doing!

Tōka frowned. The footprints nearby were chaotic, varying in size, depth, and number, indicating at least two four-person squads had approached.

I wonder how Kakashi and Obito are doing.

The thought flashed through his mind, and Tōka headed towards Obito's location first. He knew that if danger arose, Kakashi would immediately move towards Obito.

It wasn't that Kakashi and Obito were closer friends or that he cared more about Obito; rather, Kakashi trusted Tōka more than Obito.

A few hundred meters was nothing for a ninja, just a moment's work.

Tōka arrived at the location where Obito had been. The ground was littered with corpses, all of them partially eaten by the crocodiles lurking beneath the water weeds. Not a single body was intact.

However, the remaining skeletal remains were large, and they didn't match the attire of Kakashi and Obito.

Swish swish swish!

Tōka quickly formed hand seals, concentrating his chakra and dispersing it.

Chakra Sensing Technique activated...

After a short while, Tōka's eyes snapped open, a flicker of surprise in them.

"No one?"

Tōka's chakra sensing technique could cover a range of one kilometer without issue, so why were there no people nearby?

Tōka slapped his hands together and, not believing it, concentrated his chakra to sense again...

"There really is no one..."

Did they retreat? Or were they captured?

Tōka's gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, scanning the surroundings for any hidden signals left by Kakashi and Obito.

Unfortunately, he found no signs at all.

Suddenly!!

A massive explosion erupted to the northwest, a terrifying mushroom cloud soaring into the sky, its exaggerated shape like the dust kicked up by a colossal entity falling from the heavens.

"The direction of Kannabi Bridge?" Tōka's eyelids twitched. Could it be that those three guys—no, Minato Namikaze—blew up Kannabi Bridge by himself?

Gulp...

Tōka swallowed in shock. Talk about being overpowered!

"No, now is not the time to be amazed. If Kannabi Bridge is blown up, Ōnoki will go crazy!" Tōka was startled by the thought that flashed through his mind. That guy, though an old geezer, was still a solid Kage-level ninja.

"I need to get out of here quickly." Tōka hesitated for a moment before ultimately deciding to leave.

The surrounding corpses and the lingering smell of blood in the air would attract more crocodiles.

However, just as Tōka turned to sneak towards the Land of Rain, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a mark.

"A mark left by Kakashi? The direction is..."

Tōka glanced in the direction of the signal, and a million alpacas stampeded through his mind.

That was a military fortress built by Iwagakure in a strategic city in the Land of Grass!

The question was...

Go or flee?

Tōka's ink-black eyes flickered...

A short ninja darted through the forests of the Land of Grass. Strangely, he wore a Konoha forehead protector but was madly sprinting towards the Iwagakure military fortress.

In a secluded mountain valley, Kakashi and Obito hid in a cave.

Both were panting like oxen, their faces covered in dust, their clothes torn in many places.

They glanced at each other, weariness evident in their eyes.

"What do we do?" Obito asked, his voice a little strained. Even as a Chunin, he was still just a kid.

"There are many Iwagakure ninja, no less than twenty," Kakashi analyzed calmly, much more composed. "If Tōka were here, we might have a chance."

Obito clenched his fists, a flicker of worry in his dark pupils.

Although he usually disliked Tōka, that cold, precocious kid, Obito, who cherished his comrades, absolutely didn't want Tōka to get hurt.

"Don't worry, Tōka is strong. I'm no match for him," Kakashi said, seeing Obito's concern, a hint of relief mixed in his eyes as he smiled.

Kakashi's words were meant to comfort Obito, but also to reassure himself.

I hope you're alright...

Suddenly!

Just as they were worrying about Tōka, a familiar aura appeared.

Before they could react, a teasing voice rang out.

"Yo, I didn't realize Obito cared so much about me!" Tōka said with a half-smile, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Obito, who was gasping on the ground.

Hearing this, Kakashi and Obito's faces lit up with joy.

Then Obito's expression turned sullen, and he yelled awkwardly, "Who, who would care about you?"

"I... I was just worried you'd be captured and leak information."

"Yeah, that's right, exactly!"

Obito's obvious attempt to cover up made Kakashi's eye twitch. He remembered who had been yelling to find Tōka when they were ambushed by Iwagakure ninja before they retreated.

However, Kakashi didn't expose Obito, only softening his sharp gaze slightly.

Father, I think I've found the true meaning of protection you spoke of!

Kakashi swallowed, pulling his thoughts back, and looked at Tōka with a solemn expression. "What should we do now?"

Kakashi hadn't forgotten what Teacher Minato had specifically told him before leaving.

"Kakashi, although I'm letting you lead the squad, listen to Tōka's opinions on everything. Don't treat him like a kid; that kid is sly as a fox!~"

At that moment, Kakashi and Obito's gazes fell on Tōka.

One was displeased, the other serious, yet there was one similarity.

Expectant eyes, hoping Tōka had a good plan.

"The best plan right now is to wait for Captain Minato to come back and save us." Tōka had been thinking about this problem since he arrived. Being pursued and intercepted by tens of thousands of Iwagakure ninja.

Even the Third Raikage, who could clash with the Eight-Tails, died from exhaustion, let alone the three weaklings huddled together for warmth.

"What kind of plan is that?" Obito shouted first. Setting aside whether they could wait for Teacher Minato to rescue them, even if they could.

Obito felt incredibly annoyed. How could he, a proud Uchiha, the future Hokage, possibly need to be rescued by someone else?!

Kakashi pondered for a moment. Tōka's plan was conservative, but also feasible.

Compared to the three of them breaking out directly, holding their position and waiting for reinforcements was clearly more chakra-efficient.

However, he wasn't sure if the one who would arrive would be Teacher Minato or more Iwagakure ninja.

"I saw a giant mushroom cloud in the Land of Earth to the northwest earlier. It's highly likely that Captain Minato has already destroyed the Kannabi Bridge," Tōka paused.

Then he suddenly continued, "In fifteen minutes, we'll deal with the guys outside."

"What? Teacher Minato completed the mission alone?" Obito's eyes widened, a mixture of shock, unwillingness, and anger.

Kakashi's focus, however, was on Tōka's next sentence: "Fifteen minutes? Are you confident?"

No less than twenty Iwagakure ninja, at least five standard four-person squads.

In other words, five Jonin and fifteen Genin!

Whether they could win was another matter, but in fifteen minutes? Are you kidding me? Kakashi stared at Tōka, his eyes seeming to speak volumes.

Tōka understood the meaning in Kakashi's eyes, his mouth twitching slightly. Kakashi is swearing?

"Hey!!~~, Tōka, what did you just say?" Obito, slow on the uptake, finally reacted to Tōka's second sentence after hearing Kakashi.

"You heard correctly. In fifteen minutes, we'll deal with these Iwagakure ninja and then move to a safe location to await Captain Minato's rescue," Tōka stated confidently.

"If we don't do this, we'll be surrounded by even more Iwagakure ninja, and by then, we probably won't be able to wait for Captain Minato. We'll all die."

Hearing this, Kakashi fell silent. Tōka's analysis was very accurate.

Based on the current intelligence, the next wave of Iwagakure ninja would take at least fifteen minutes to arrive.

Suddenly!

"Hahaha..." A loud laugh startled Kakashi out of his daze.

Obito sprang up like a carp leaping over a dragon gate, standing tall with his hands on his hips, and shouting loudly, "Good plan! As expected of Tōka, it's exactly what I was thinking!"

Tōka: "..."

Kakashi, "Weren't you just asking me what we should do?"

Obito ignored Kakashi's words, clenched his fists, and his face was full of fighting spirit.

"I am Uchiha Obito! The man who will become Hokage in the future. You two follow behind me and let's go take care of those overconfident Stone Ninjas!"

Hoo... Tōka let out a long sigh. Their morale was sky-high, but it felt a bit idiotic.

Better than having no fighting spirit at all, Kakashi conveyed with his eyes.

Tōka pursed his lips, having no choice but to comfort himself this way.

Crack!!

A visible crack suddenly appeared on the cave wall. The three tensed up, quickly gripping their weapons and becoming vigilant.

Immediately after, over ten unfamiliar presences rapidly approached.

"They're here!" Tōka narrowed his eyes and flashed into the shadows.

"Dong..." Ge, why are you hiding? Before Obito could finish speaking, Kakashi covered his mouth and whispered in Obito's ear, "Tōka hasn't been exposed yet. Hiding in the shadows is suitable for a surprise attack."

"The two of us will attract the enemy's attention in the open. As long as we take out five Jonin, we'll have a chance to escape."

"So that's how it is!" Obito showed a look of sudden realization.

Kakashi sighed softly and glanced at Obito, unsure if the guy truly understood or was just pretending.

Suddenly, a murderous intent surged wildly through the air.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!

The sound of numerous gusts of wind breaking through the air echoed.

Immediately after, dense kunai shot in from outside the cave entrance, leaving behind a trail of blue shadows in the air.

"Wind Release nature transformation?" Kakashi's pupils constricted sharply, and his Chakra surged madly into the White Fang short sword in his hand.

Zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt...

Lightning flashed, and the White Fang short sword danced continuously.

Clang clang clang...

All the kunai were deflected by Kakashi.

"So, so amazing!" Obito stared blankly at the god-like Kakashi, exclaiming in shock.

Whoosh! A black figure charged into the cave, a sharp kunai in hand. The airflow stirred up by it left a bottomless gash on the cave wall.

"Quick, dodge!" Kakashi shouted, charging forward with the White Fang short sword.

Clang!!

Wind and lightning collided, emitting a deafening roar.

"He blocked it?" Obito exclaimed joyfully, preparing to charge forward to support him.

Suddenly!

Crack! A crisp cracking sound!

A clear and visible crack appeared on the White Fang short sword. Then, a blue shadow flashed past, and the Wind Release Stone Ninja's blade fell mercilessly.

Pfft!

A spray of blood arced before Obito's eyes.

The Wind Release Stone Ninja's eyes flashed with ferocity, and he kicked Kakashi in the abdomen.

"Kakashi!" Obito's eyes widened in rage, and he charged forward.

I have to catch him, I have to catch him! A blood-red glint flashed in his dark eyes, his vision seeming to become clearer, and Kakashi's trajectory as he was thrown became exceptionally distinct.

Even Kakashi's movement trajectory slowed down considerably, like watching a movie in slow motion.

Bang!

Kakashi's body slammed into the stone wall, but at the most crucial moment, Obito caught him, and the two crashed hard against the wall.

Obito gasped in pain, but he prevented Kakashi from suffering a second blow.

"Kakashi! Are you okay?" Obito endured the intense pain and turned Kakashi over, only for his pupils to contract sharply.

Kakashi's eyes... a hideous, bloody gash...

"Tch... Still have the energy to worry about others? Die!" The Wind Release Stone Ninja appeared behind Obito and Kakashi like a phantom.

The blade, enhanced by Wind Release, was raised high...

Just as it was about to fall, Tōka's figure drifted over like a ghost.

"Heh, you're right."

Pfft!!

A bone filled with a decaying aura pierced the Wind Release Stone Ninja's chest, yet no internal organs or flesh spilled from the wound.

"Still have time to worry about others at this point? You're already dead."

Crack! The All-Killing Ash Bones in Tōka's palm snapped, and the Wind Release Stone Ninja's body turned into pieces of paper that fell to the ground.

... (To be continued)