"Sorry, I'm late. I got caught up talking with Kushina."
"Sensei! Why are you always a step behind?"
Uchiha Obito saw that Byakuya hadn't hurt Kakashi and complained loudly.
Namikaze Minato scratched his head and chuckled. "Kushina told me to make sure I protected you all."
"I know, I know..." Obito said helplessly.
His teacher was unbelievably fast, yet always managed to be a step behind at crucial moments. Honestly, it was frustrating.
Namikaze Minato looked at Byakuya, who wore a Shuten-dōji Mask. "Are you an Anbu ninja? Please put your sword away. The sparring match is over, and we still have to get going."
Byakuya withdrew the Ninja Sword from Kakashi's shoulder, bowed to Namikaze Minato, then walked out the gate without a word.
The Konoha Ninja guarding the gate called out, "Hey, your pass—"
Byakuya casually waved the Anbu pass, then raced off.
Namikaze Minato watched him go and thought, Judging by his build, he must be about Kakashi's age. I didn't expect him to be even stronger than Kakashi. I've never heard of a young ninja like him in the Anbu. Could he be...
Probably.
Someone from the Root Organization. One of Shimura Danzō's people.
He turned back and patted Hatake Kakashi, who seemed to have turned to stone. "Get ready. We should be on our way."
Kakashi's eyes were wide, his pupils filled with shock, fear, and indignation.
Everyone had always praised him as a genius ninja.
Yet today, he had lost to someone else.
Kakashi knew the other boy was about his size. The hand gripping the sword hilt showed that he was a young ninja too.
When had another genius ninja appeared in Konoha? Why had Kakashi never heard of him?
"Sensei, I'm sorry. I lost."
Namikaze Minato smiled reassuringly. "Kakashi, don't lose heart. You're not inferior to him. You just lack a little combat experience."
"I know. His perception is better than mine, he's faster than me, and his swordsmanship is better..."
Remembering Byakuya's swordsmanship, Kakashi recalled how each move had been simple and decisive, without a hint of wasted motion. On the battlefield, that was the kind of swordsmanship that could quickly cut down an enemy.
Namikaze Minato listened quietly. Only after Kakashi had finished venting did he place both hands on his shoulders and give them a squeeze. With a sunny smile, he said, "Then you'll have to train hard with me!"
His teacher's words seemed to work like magic. Kakashi immediately rallied. "Yes, Sensei!"
"Obito?"
"Sensei! Sensei! Next time, you have to hurry over and help us! Rin and I were so scared. We thought the mysterious guy was going to kill Kakashi. I even cried."
"I understand. Tell me, how did he end up fighting Kakashi?"
"Ah, that? It's a long story..." Uchiha Obito tried to dodge the question.
But Nohara Rin recounted everything that had happened without leaving anything out.
After listening, Namikaze Minato said, "His target wasn't Obito. It was Kakashi."
The three of them looked surprised.
"From the way he swung his sword, it seemed like he was waiting for Kakashi to save Obito."
"How could he be so sure Kakashi would save me?"
Namikaze Minato said earnestly, "Obito, because he's a Konoha ninja too. And Konoha ninjas don't abandon their comrades."
For some reason, Hatake Kakashi suddenly grew agitated. "Do you also believe Konoha ninjas don't abandon their comrades? Then, Sensei, what do you think is more important: the mission or your comrades?"
Namikaze Minato immediately understood what Kakashi was really asking. He fell silent for a long time. Even when Mimura Hamaki and another young man from the Inuzuka Clan arrived, he still hadn't answered Kakashi's question.
Mimura Hamaki called out, "Captain Minato, I didn't expect it to be you."
"Hello, Captain Hamaki."
The two shook hands.
Mimura Hamaki glanced around and asked curiously, "What happened here?"
Namikaze Minato told him what had just happened.
Hamaki quickly caught on and lowered his voice. "The Anbu don't have a ninja like that."
"Mm."
"Someone from that organization?"
"Possibly."
Mimura Hamaki lowered his voice further. "I heard that organization has been very useful."
"They've provided a lot of information, but..."
"Ha, I know what you're about to say." He finished Namikaze Minato's thought for him. "They've formed their own faction. They don't follow Lord Hokage's orders; they only listen to that man."
"Mm."
"Don't worry about it. Let's teach the kids some skills first."
"Captain Hamaki, why are you here? I thought you'd been transferred to the front-line command to lead the troops."
Mimura Hamaki sighed. "Yuhi Kurenai and the others' original captain was killed in action. I'm filling in for now."
"Ah."
War was cruel.
Namikaze Minato knew that Special Jōnin. He was highly skilled, but his command ability was a little lacking, which was why he hadn't been promoted to Jōnin.
Mimura Hamaki, standing before him, was an excellent commander. He'd been kept in Konoha because they were worried fighting might break out in the direction of Kirigakure or Sunagakure. While he waited, he also taught students at the Ninja Academy.
"Everyone's here. Let's go."
The two teams walked out through the Konoha Gate together.
They discussed the situation on the battlefield, while the other members of their teams followed along.
Although Hatake Kakashi was a little downcast, Uchiha Obito's cheerful nature helped dispel the gloom in his heart for the moment.
He still considered the mission his top priority.
Seeing Kakashi return to normal, Nohara Rin smiled brightly.
The girl from the Hyuga Branch Family walked up beside Yuhi Kurenai. "Kurenai, why do you look so distracted?"
"I'm not. I was just thinking about something."
"About what?"
Yuhi Kurenai said softly, "I feel like the ninja wearing the Demon King Shuten-doji Mask seems familiar. It's as if I've seen him somewhere before."
"You've met him?"
"Yes."
"No way. He's so cold, even colder than Kakashi. 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 thought I heard you mention Kakashi!"
"Uchiha brat! I did mention Kakashi. What, do you want to fight?!"
Obito glared at her. "So what if you have the Byakugan? It's nothing special. Remember this: as long as the Uchiha are in Konoha, your Hyuga Clan will always be beneath us."
"Hmph! I can't beat Kakashi, but I can beat you!"
"Go ahead, try me. Even if you're a girl, I'll beat you until you're crawling on the ground!"
Nohara Rin and Yuhi Kurenai shouted at the same time, "Both of you, quiet down!"
It worked like a charm.
Yuhi Kurenai took the Hyuga girl's hand and slowed her pace.
Obito, wearing his tinted goggles, folded his arms and turned away with a huff.
Nohara Rin said quietly, "We're all comrades. Don't fight."
"Comrades? I'll listen to you, Rin." Obito grinned, pleased that Nohara Rin had stepped in for him. He felt as though he'd edged out Hatake Kakashi in her heart.
Noon.
Byakuya leaned against a tree and chewed on a Military Ration Pill.
The Military Ration Pills he carried still couldn't restore his chakra. They were no more than compressed biscuits.
He ate until he was about six-tenths full.
He walked to the stream, crouched at the bank, and scooped up a few mouthfuls of water.
He formed Hand Seals.
"Storm Release: Torrential Lightning Flash."
He opened his mouth and spat out dazzling, blue-white lightning, like a river of laser beams surging forward.
The laser beams covered a large area on the far bank of the stream, converging precisely on a tree.
The tree suddenly exploded, then burst into flames, as if it had been struck by lightning on a rainy day.
The surrounding weeds, wildflowers, and insects were all unharmed.
That was Storm Release: control as precise as laser guidance.
Heaven Rewards Diligence, Perseverance Leads to Success Limited time: 1 day: Practice Storm Release techniques (10/10) Reward: Slight increase in chakra volume Fate Choice 2: Establish a foothold in the Anbu Training Department (23 days remaining) Reward: Major increase in chakra quality
Before you continue