Team Minato Has Arrived!

"So amazing..." In the bushes nearby, Uchiha Obito stared with wide, unblinking eyes, marveling at the scene.

"So, the shorter one lost, right?" he asked Rin beside him, "What are they saying?"

"The shorter one is called Akatsuki, Uchiha Akatsuki." Hatake Kakashi's voice appeared suddenly, the young boy's tone miraculously blending coldness with defiance. "His chakra is exhausted; he lost to Uchiha Shisui."

"So, so it was Young Master Akatsuki and Uchiha Shisui! No wonder they're so strong!" Obito sprang out of the bushes, completely unbothered by the leaves in his hair, his eyes filled with longing. "Regardless, that was truly spectacular..." He shook his clenched fists, grinning broadly, his face glowing with radiance. "As expected of our Uchiha clan!"

"Both of these children are quite remarkable." As a medical ninja, Nohara Rin observed with meticulous care, her eyes locked on the battlefield as she analyzed softly: "Their aptitude is definitely higher than their peers, perhaps even... surpassing a genin."

After delivering her verdict, she turned back to pat Uchiha Obito on the shoulder, smiling, "The Uchiha clan is full of talent; Obito, you should work hard too."

"You're both Uchiha, if you could learn even a fraction of their skill, we wouldn't have such a hard time." Kakashi crossed his arms, eyes half-closed, pouring cold water on the situation as always.

"Kakashi, you—!" Obito gritted his teeth in anger, only to be held back by a wryly smiling Rin.

After mocking Obito, Kakashi looked back toward the battlefield, only to suddenly notice that both Uchiha children were looking their way.

Pinned by those two pairs of obsidian-like eyes, Kakashi's brow furrowed tightly.

"They've discovered us."

In truth, I had sensed them the moment the three of them approached, but I was too busy with the duel to pay them any mind.

Shisui noticed my resistance and, after a moment's thought, gripped my wrist and led me toward Team Minato.

"They're coming, they're coming!" Obito panicked, stepping back from the bushes and crouching down to hide. "How do we explain this?!"

"There's no help for it, let's just face them," Rin laughed.

As they drew closer, I realized these three were none other than Team Minato: Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, and Nohara Rin!

Good grief, who could afford to mess with these three?

I tensed up instantly. Shisui noticed my rigidity and reassured me, "Don't be afraid, it won't hurt."

He was a natural social butterfly, dragging me straight over and calling out to Rin behind the bushes: "You're a medical ninja, right? Could you please help treat him? His hand is injured."

In that moment, Shisui's back looked incredibly tall, and I became even more determined to stick by his side from now on!

Uchiha Shisui, you are my god!

"This is quite dangerous..." A soft, emerald-green mist glowed in Rin's hands as she applied it to my hand, her eyes filled with concern. "It almost reached the bone."

Rin's words suddenly reminded me of Uchiha Xun.

Are all medical ninjas, or rather, those capable of becoming medical ninjas, this gentle and kind?

Under the warm green light, I stared at Nohara Rin's face, gradually drifting into a daze.

This girl, who would willingly throw herself onto a Chidori to protect Konoha. She couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen when she died.

What was she thinking before she died?

Was she afraid?

The pain of a life fading is always left for the living to bear. Such torment is no less than the agony of the moment of death; it is often even worse.

That is why the ninja world is called hell by Obito.

But I am different. I was born into Konoha, tightly embraced by peace, so it was only today that I realized how precious that is.

The most beautiful things seem to exist in silence. Only when they are lost can one truly feel the heart-wrenching sensation of being torn apart.

And yet, how many sacrifices were made to trade for this beautiful peace?

My gaze shifted from her to Uchiha Shisui. Shisui had been watching me, and seeing me look over, he offered an inquisitive glance.

His eyes were very similar to those of Kagami Uchiha, a disciple of Senju Tobirama. The corners of his eyes tilted upward, the shape was soft, and his pupils were large and bright. No matter which angle you looked from, it felt as if you were being watched with tenderness.

I couldn't summon a shred of resentment toward someone like him. They are sunny, righteous, possess great love, and hold nothing back... If Konoha needed it, they would willingly bury themselves to become the "root" supporting the village from beneath.

I held my breath, feeling a deep sadness at the mere thought that they might die.

If I could, I wanted to try and save them.

But how?

The tragedy of the Battle of Kannabi Bridge might not be without a solution. If it were truly possible to prevent Obito's fall and Rin's death, then perhaps the Uchiha clan's massacre could also be resolved—

There must be a way to solve it!

The green light shimmered, and the itching on my hand faded as the skin healed bit by bit, revealing the tender white flesh beneath.

Uchiha Obito and Hatake Kakashi stood quietly to the side. No, only Kakashi was quiet; Obito was fidgeting, looking as if he wanted to say something but didn't dare.

I took the opportunity to turn my gaze toward him and asked, "Are you Uchiha Obito?"

He froze for a moment, then instantly grew excited, stepping forward to crouch before me with a brilliant smile: "Young Master Akatsuki, you know who I am?!"

Uchiha Obito, a child who started as a dead-last, orphaned with only his grandmother to raise him, living on the fringes of the clan and growing up through the support of the family. To be recognized by the clan head's son was already a rare occurrence.

"Father mentioned you to me." Actually, he hadn't mentioned him at all; I was just spouting nonsense.

"He said you train diligently, possess great resilience, and are improving very quickly." I wore a sincere smile, my eyes radiating honesty, while continuing to spout complete lies.

"Father also said that the future of revitalizing the clan definitely requires talent like yours." I stared at him with sparkling eyes, spinning a tale that knew no bounds!

"Is... is that what the Clan Head said?"

I hadn't expected these words to have such power. Obito was instantly stunned, his voice gradually growing choked with emotion.

"Yes." I choked for a moment, forced to bite the bullet and continue.

Hatake Kakashi frowned from the side; he wasn't as easy to fool as Obito. Rin was simply happy for Obito, while Shisui showed no reaction.

"Please tell the Clan Head that I will continue to work hard and will absolutely not let the clan's expectations go to waste." After saying this, Obito lowered his head, muttering that he had gotten sand in his eyes, and wiped away his tears after taking off his goggles.

Sometimes, receiving recognition from others is an incomparable, warming strength.

I looked at Obito, my heart softening.

Such a young Uchiha Obito, incredibly immature and prone to crying—he was clearly still just a little child.

Immediately, my gaze dimmed.

It was a pity that the Obito in the original story collapsed so completely in his later years; not only did he dedicate himself to revenge and the slaughter of innocents, but in the end, he was nothing more than a pawn for someone else.

He could neither save the girl he wanted to save, nor did he avoid causing the deaths of his own teacher and teacher's wife, nor the countless innocent people in Konoha.

He spent his whole life in hatred, his whole life in absurdity, his whole life in pain, only to discover in the end that everything was a lie.

Perhaps, to him, the ninja world really was hell.

Most importantly, the Nine-Tails he released catalyzed the rift between the Uchiha and Konoha, indirectly contributing to the Uchiha clan's annihilation, not to mention how he later became so ruthless as to slaughter his own kin, losing all humanity.

This was an unforgivable, indelible blood debt!

It was impossible for me to associate such a demonic figure from the later stages with the sunny, cheerful, and slightly timid little boy standing before me.

Sighing, I set aside the chaotic thoughts in my mind and swept my gaze over the trio of Kakashi, Obito, and Rin.

Kakashi had the appearance of a youth, wearing a ninja mask and his forehead protector pulled low. His figure was upright, his expression cold and stern. Although his eyes looked listless, the calmness and decisiveness buried deep within them were things I couldn't compare to at all right now.

That was the gaze of a true ninja.

He had killed people and had been hunted himself. He had experienced the passing of his only kin and had borne boundless darkness and pain.

He was a genius forced to grow up... My gaze lingered on him for a long time, and it wasn't until Kakashi looked up that I shifted my eyes away, my heart leaping about in my chest.

In my previous life, I had always liked Hatake Kakashi.

The version of him in the original story was truly exactly like my ideal partner. Whether it was the youth currently brimming with sharp spirit or the future Sixth Hokage who watched over everyone.

He was someone I liked very much, someone who made me feel warm just by looking at him.