Obito Exposed

Another contract appeared, with two chips.

Namikaze Minato considered the other party's words: one piece of intelligence he cared about, and one hidden power within Konoha.

The hint was already obvious. If he could borrow this power, then its source was clearly someone he knew, or someone who held goodwill toward Konoha.

And that piece of intelligence...

Someone who controlled the Nine Tails, yet was not Madara Uchiha, then...

Though he could guess part of it, still...

Namikaze Minato looked at the composed Black Shadow across from him. The other party's intentions were equally obvious, but he still did not dare gamble.

This was not a battlefield, where he could test the accuracy of intelligence through attacks. It concerned Konoha's future, Kushina's life and death, and... Naruto!

"I agree... to the contract!"

A voice filled with helplessness yet resolve rang out, and the contract was formed.

Uchiha Yun smiled and raised one finger. "The first person you can ask for help... Hatake Kakashi!"

???

"How could that be?"

For the first time, Namikaze Minato was stunned. Even when faced with more shocking intelligence before, his focus had never left Yun.

But the name Yun had just spoken was far too familiar to him. From Hatake Style Swordsmanship to Chidori, which could cut through lightning itself, Namikaze Minato knew those abilities inside and out.

Compared to the enemy intelligence he had just received, he simply could not imagine how Kakashi could help him.

Yun across from him waved a hand slightly. "Surprised, aren't you? In fact, even Kakashi himself probably doesn't know about his ability right now—the power of that Mangekyō Sharingan!"

Mangekyō Sharingan?

In an instant, Namikaze Minato thought of many things, and for the first time, his expression changed completely.

Another Mangekyō Sharingan. And from what this mysterious Black Shadow before him had said earlier, there was a high chance the enemy was not Madara Uchiha.

But the contract for summoning the Nine Tails...

An Uchiha. A one-eyed Uchiha. An Uchiha who had defected from Konoha, or one who had gone missing—no! One whose corpse was not at the Memorial Stone!

...Obito!

Yun continued, "Kakashi's Sharingan actually evolved to the Mangekyō level long ago. It's only because he isn't an Uchiha that he has yet to notice this power."

"And now I can tell you that this power is highly effective against that person... Oh, and with the Fourth Hokage's wisdom, I imagine you've already guessed his identity."

"As for the second person who represents Konoha's hidden power... Uchiha Fugaku, or... Shisui Uchiha."

Seeing the Fourth Hokage's shocked expression, Yun said, "The ability of Kakashi's eye requires guidance from an Uchiha. If you, as the Fourth Hokage, form a good relationship with the Uchiha, and remember their help in the future, then perhaps the number of Mangekyō loyal to Konoha may reach three and a half pairs someday."

"And that is what I meant earlier by something concerning the future."

Before the turmoil in Namikaze Minato's heart could settle, Yun continued, "The Third, once called a Shinobi Hero by the Shinobi World, has grown old. Watching the children playing joyfully in the village, he has come to reject anything that could destroy peace."

"But in this era, yielding means weakness. Yielding to his former classmates, yielding to his former... disciple, yielding to enemy nations..."

Yun stared at Namikaze Minato across from him. "You are the Fourth Hokage known as the Yellow Flash. Only you can change all this. If you live, far too many tragedies will not repeat themselves."

"Every step you take in the future will have a profound impact on this world. There is even a high chance that you can extend peace once more."

As his words fell, Namikaze Minato, seated across from him, relaxed and gave the Black Shadow a helpless smile.

"Though I don't know who you are, to give me such an evaluation as extending peace once more is truly... undeserved."

"And from your words... I can see that you must be someone who longs for peace as well. I only agreed to the contract for those four chips because of these guesses."

"So... do you have any more bait? It smells quite good." ^_^

Yun shook his head slightly and smiled. "I've already told you enough, and you no longer have any chips you can afford to pay."

Namikaze Minato smiled and nodded. "I have benefited greatly today... Thank you!"

With that, he rose and vanished.

At the Uchiha Compound, Uchiha Yun raised his head in his room and looked at the clock.

"Click!"

Sure enough, no matter how long one stayed in the Information Exchange, only an instant passed outside.

Though the negotiating table seemed to make the atmosphere too oppressive. Next time, Hokage Rock might be better—it could influence the client's mentality to some extent, and the special effects in the air would make it seem more believable, wouldn't they?

At the home of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.

Minato stood beside the bed, pondering the intelligence he had just received, while Kushina lay on the bed staring at him. Her pregnancy hormones kept surging, and so did her anger.

"Minato!!!"

Boom!

With one punch, Konoha's Fourth Hokage... KO'd!

Who am I? Where am I? What was I just about to do?

Minato crawled out from among the wrecked furniture, his three questions about life leaving him utterly bewildered. He scratched his head, completely at a loss.

Tears welled at the corners of Kushina's eyes as she lay on the bed. "I'm giving birth tomorrow! I asked you to get me a glass of water, but you went to the living room, stood there for a moment, then ran back without even lifting a hand. Is... is that how perfunctory you're going to be?"

Minato froze, only then remembering that before being pulled into that Exchange, he had indeed been about to get Kushina some water.

Uh...

"I'm sorry!"

"Sniff... I forgive you."

Minato went back to the living room and brought her water, but his mind kept turning over the intelligence he had received.

There was only one daytime left...

The Nine Tails' summoning contract...

To ensure nothing went wrong...

He had to act now!

"I need to go out for a while."

Kushina had just taken a sip of water when she froze and asked, "Did something urgent happen so late at night?"

Her husband, the Hokage, was going out at this hour. Thinking of tomorrow's due date, Kushina could not help growing nervous.

Minato smiled and took Kushina's hand. "Don't worry, trust me! I've already made preparations to ensure nothing can go wrong. Rest first. I'll tell you all about it when I get back."

Kushina nodded obediently. When it came to serious matters, she had never held him back.

In fact, whether it was the title Yellow Flash or his many achievements before becoming Hokage, Minato's success could not be separated from Kushina's Sealing Jutsu.

Namikaze Minato put on his Hokage cloak and Hokage hat. In a flash of gold, he appeared in Kakashi's home.

It was a gift Minato had given Kakashi when he became a jonin: a Flying Thunder God Kunai engraved with Minato's unique formula.

I changed two words in the first three chapters. Actually, as Hokage, he really wouldn't trust a stranger without bait. Only by explaining the stakes and throwing out bait could he obtain what he wanted.

And the first transaction concerned the Nine Tails Incident, as well as the probability of the protagonist's life and death, so...