Namikaze Minato's Squad

"Apologies, I'm late. I ended up talking with Kushina for a bit longer than expected."

"Sensei! Why are you always a step behind!"

Seeing that Byakuya had not harmed Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito complained loudly.

Namikaze Minato scratched his head and chuckled, "Kushina insisted that I take good care of you all."

"Got it, got it..." Obito said helplessly.

His teacher was clearly impossibly fast, yet he always seemed to be a step slow at the most critical moments. Sigh, it was truly frustrating.

Namikaze Minato looked at Byakuya, who was wearing a Shuten-doji mask, "Are you an Anbu ninja? Please put away your blade. The sparring is over, and we still have a journey to complete."

Byakuya withdrew the Ninja Sword he had held against Hatake Kakashi's shoulder, bowed to Namikaze Minato, and walked out of the gate without a word.

The Konoha ninja guarding the gate shouted, "Hey, your pass..."

Byakuya took out the Anbu pass, waved it casually, and sped away.

Namikaze Minato watched his retreating figure, thinking to himself, Judging by his build, he should be around the same age as Kakashi. I never expected his strength to surpass Kakashi's. I've never heard of such a young ninja in the Anbu. Could it be...

That must be it.

Someone from Root, one of Shimura Danzō's men.

He withdrew his gaze and patted Hatake Kakashi, who seemed to have turned into a wooden statue, "Get ready, it's time for us to set off."

Kakashi's eyes were wide open, his pupils filled with shock, panic, and resentment.

Everyone, without exception, praised him as a genius ninja.

He never expected that today, he would lose at the hands of someone else.

Kakashi knew clearly in his heart that the person's build was almost identical to his own, and the hand gripping the hilt of the sword indicated that he was also just a youth.

When did Konoha gain another genius ninja? Why had he never heard of him?

"Sensei, I'm sorry, I lost."

Namikaze Minato smiled and comforted him, "Kakashi, don't be discouraged. You aren't inferior to him; you just lack a bit of combat experience."

"I know. His perception was sharper than mine, his speed was faster, and his swordsmanship was better..."

Recalling Byakuya's blade, every move and stance had been simple and decisive, without a hint of hesitation. On a battlefield, such swordsmanship was what allowed one to slay enemies instantly.

Namikaze Minato listened quietly. Only when Kakashi finished venting did he place both hands on his shoulders, squeeze them, and smile like the sun, "Then you will have to train hard with me!"

The teacher's words seemed to have magic; Kakashi immediately regained his spirit, "Yes! Sensei!"

"Obito?"

"Sensei! Sensei! Next time you must come to our aid faster! You scared me and Rin to death. I thought the mysterious person was going to kill Kakashi; I even shed tears."

"Sensei understands. Tell me, how did he end up fighting Kakashi?"

"Ah, that... it's a long story..." Uchiha Obito tried to evade the question.

Nohara Rin, however, recounted the entire incident without holding anything back.

Namikaze Minato listened and concluded, "His target wasn't Obito; it was Kakashi."

The three of them were surprised.

"Judging by the way he swung his blade, it was as if he were waiting for Kakashi to save Obito."

"Was he that certain that Kakashi would save me?"

Namikaze Minato said earnestly, "Obito, it is because he is also a Konoha ninja, and Konoha ninjas do not abandon their comrades."

For some reason, Hatake Kakashi suddenly became agitated, "Do you also believe that Konoha ninjas do not abandon their comrades? Then, Sensei, do you think the mission is more important, or the comrades?"

Namikaze Minato instantly understood what Kakashi was really asking. He remained silent for a long time, and even when Mimura Hamaki arrived with another youth from the Inuzuka Clan, he did not answer Kakashi's question.

Mimura Hamaki called out, "Captain Minato, it's actually you."

"Hello, Captain Hamaki."

The two shook hands.

Mimura Hamaki looked around and asked curiously, "What happened here?"

Namikaze Minato explained what had just occurred.

He reacted quickly and whispered, "The Anbu doesn't have a ninja like that."

"Mm."

"Someone from that organization?"

"Perhaps."

Mimura Hamaki lowered his voice further, "I heard that organization has been playing a significant role?"

"They have provided a great deal of intelligence, but..."

"Ha, I know what you're going to say," he continued where Namikaze Minato had left off, "They act as their own faction, ignoring the orders of the Hokage and only following the commands of that man."

"Mm."

"Oh, don't worry about it. Let's teach the children their skills first."

"Captain Mimura Hamaki, why is it you? I recall you were supposed to be reassigned to command troops on the front lines."

Mimura Hamaki sighed, "The original captain of Yuhi Kurenai and her team was killed in action, so I am filling in temporarily."

"Sigh."

War is truly that cruel.

Namikaze Minato knew that special jonin; he possessed outstanding strength, but lacked a certain level of tactical command, which was why he had never been promoted to jonin.

As for Mimura Hamaki standing before him, his command ability was exceptional. Because of concerns that war might ignite in the directions of Kirigakure and Sunagakure, he had been kept on standby in Konoha, taking the opportunity to teach students at the Ninja Academy.

"Everyone is here. Let's move out."

The two teams walked out of the Konoha gates together.

They discussed the battlefield situation while the rest of the squad followed behind.

Although Hatake Kakashi felt a bit dejected, he was infected by Uchiha Obito's cheerful personality and temporarily brushed away the gloom in his heart.

He still placed the mission above all else.

Nohara Rin watched Kakashi return to normal and beamed with a bright smile.

A girl from the Hyuga Clan branch family walked up beside Yuhi Kurenai, "Kurenai, why do you look so listless?"

"It's nothing, I'm just thinking about something."

"What is it?"

Yuhi Kurenai whispered, "I feel like that ninja wearing the mask of the Demon King Shuten-doji gives me a familiar feeling, as if I've seen him somewhere before."

"You've seen him?"

"Yes."

"How could you? That person's aura is ice-cold, even colder than Kakashi's. How could you know someone like that! Besides, I know all your friends, and none of them are like that."

Uchiha Obito whipped his head around, "Hey! I think I heard you mention Kakashi!"

"You Uchiha brat! I did mention Kakashi, do you want to fight?!"

Obito glared at her eyes, "So what if you have the Byakugan? It's nothing special. You remember this: as long as we Uchiha are in Konoha, your Hyuga Clan will always be beneath the Uchiha."

"Hmph, I might not be able to beat Kakashi, but I can certainly beat you!!"

"Fine, try laying a hand on me! Even if you are a girl, I'll beat you until you're crawling on the floor!"

Nohara Rin and Yuhi Kurenai shouted in unison, "Both of you, be quiet!"

The effect was excellent.

Yuhi Kurenai pulled the Hyuga girl's hand and slowed her pace.

Obito, wearing his goggles, crossed his arms and turned his head away with a huff.

Nohara Rin whispered to him, "We are all comrades, don't fight."

"Comrades, huh? I'll listen to Rin." Obito grinned, happy that Nohara Rin had persuaded him, feeling that in her heart, he had finally surpassed Hatake Kakashi.

Noon.

Byakuya leaned against a tree, chewing on a Military Ration Pill.

The Military Ration Pills he carried still could not restore chakra; they were merely the equivalent of compressed biscuits.

He ate until he was sixty percent full.

He walked to the bank of a stream, crouched down, and cupped some water to drink.

He formed hand seals.

"Storm Release: Torrential Lightning Flash."

He opened his mouth and spat out a scorching, blinding blue-white bolt of lightning, resembling a surging river of laser light.

The massive laser covered the other side of the stream, precisely converging on a single large tree.

The tree exploded instantly, then burst into flames, as if struck by lightning on a rainy day.

Aside from that tree, the surrounding weeds, wildflowers, and insects remained completely unharmed.

This was Storm Release, possessing control akin to laser guidance.

Heaven Rewards Diligence, the persistent shall succeed.

Time limit 1 day: Practice Storm Release ninjutsu (10/10)

Reward: Small increase in chakra volume.

Fate Choice II: Establish a foothold in the Anbu Training Department (Time limit 23 days)

Reward: Significant increase in chakra quality.