Five minutes earlier.
White Fang had just faced the most important choice of his life.
The mission, or his comrades.
In the world of shinobi, there was a set of rules all its own.
Every line of those rules was written with the words "the mission comes first."
But he had chosen the latter.
Abandon the mission and save his comrades.
The price might be steep, but White Fang had no regrets.
He could still feel his comrades' heartbeats. That meant everything to White Fang... and he was happy.
At least, that was how he'd felt five minutes ago...
White Fang had never imagined that Iwagakure would go so far as to send the Five-Tails Jinchuriki after him just because he'd tried to destroy the Kannabi Bridge!
"Looks like you'll have to take it from here, boys."
White Fang finally came to a stop. He had no intention of returning to Konoha.
"Honestly, it's been an honor to carry out this mission with you."
"Even though we failed... it's all right. We'll get another chance!"
Shing—
White Fang drew his Short Blade. He stared at the enormous creature thundering toward them, his sharp gaze filled with resolve.
"Go back!"
"I'll handle things here! I'll buy you all the time you need!"
"One day, you'll finish the mission we couldn't—blow up that bridge, then have my son scatter my ashes over it!"
"Promise me!"
At that moment, despite his utter exhaustion, White Fang felt an incredible strength welling up inside him!
Watching his comrades' reluctant figures retreat, White Fang smiled in acceptance...
"Sorry, Kakashi... You might have to beat that Uchiha brat on your own."
White Fang was making a final sacrifice of the one soft spot in his heart.
The enormous creature drew closer with every leap, each impact making the earth tremble!
Gulp—
Exhausted as he was, White Fang could certainly feel the pressure.
"Five tails... So this is the Five-Tails' oppressive presence..."
White Fang tightened his grip on his blade.
His blade was sharp enough to slice through an enemy's throat with ease.
But against something this huge...
"Hey! White-haired uncle up ahead!!!"
Amid the rumbling earth, a childish voice rang out.
It was a little muffled and hard to make out, but White Fang still jolted in surprise!
"Is there someone else nearby? A civilian!?"
White Fang looked around, quickly searching for the speaker. He didn't want any ordinary person caught in the aftermath!
"Are you heading to Konoha too? We're going the same way! I can give you a ride!"
The voice rang out again.
"Hm?" White Fang's expression slowly turned strange.
He'd heard it clearly this time. The thing was... it seemed to be coming from above the Five-Tails?
He looked more carefully...
There really was a tiny figure up there, standing beside one of the Five-Tails' horns. You'd hardly notice him if you weren't looking closely!
And that voice... sounded pretty familiar, too.
He seemed to have heard it not long ago... Right, in Konoha, at the Hokage Office Building!
It was that Uchiha brat who'd shouted about the Will of Fire, then used Fire Style to send the shinobi guarding the Hokage Office Building to the hospital!
What was he doing on top of the Five-Tails' head...?
"A genjutsu, huh... I see. So the Five-Tails can catch me off guard without my noticing?"
White Fang gave a cold laugh. After all his years in battle, how could he fail to tell reality from illusion?
Did they think this would fool a father?
What father could resist such a temptation? They'd have to at least turn into Kakashi!
"Release!" White Fang shut his eyes.
"Hm? It didn't work?"
"Hah, what a powerful genjutsu. Release!"
"Hm?"
"...What's this human doing, Indra?" the Five-Tails asked, puzzled. "Is he preparing some kind of jutsu?"
"No. He's saying goodbye to his past self." Ruohuo patted the Five-Tails' horn to signal it to brake.
The Five-Tails dug in with all four feet, forcing its massive body to overcome its momentum. It carved two deep furrows into the earth before finally stopping right in front of White Fang. The dust it kicked up covered his face.
Having sensed no killing intent, White Fang was confident in his judgment and kept trying to break the genjutsu.
Soon, he was coughing from the dust. Just as he was about to open his eyes and retreat, he saw that the enormous Five-Tails had crouched down, lowering its head.
Its bell-like eyes stared straight at him. White steam poured from its nostrils and buffeted his face.
Gulp—
Even White Fang felt his mouth go dry.
Just then...
"So it's you, Kakashi's dad."
Ruohuo looked as if he'd only just recognized him. "I saw you at the school opening, Uncle... Are you heading back to Konoha too?"
"Uh..."
White Fang was a little confused. He really hadn't sensed any killing intent. Wasn't this a genjutsu?
But how could this Uchiha brat possibly...?
"You're... Ruohuo? The first-year class rep who beat Kakashi?"
White Fang's information was a little out of date. He'd spent most of the past two months on missions at the front.
"Yeah, but I'm a Chunin now. I just finished a rescue mission and was on my way back."
Ruohuo pointed to the Five-Tails beneath him. "Let me introduce you. This is my new partner, the Five-Tails."
"I ran into this guy during my mission. He tried to stop me from destroying the Kannabi Bridge, so I beat him."
"Then the Five-Tails came out, and became my comrade."
Ruohuo lifted Han's corpse slightly, dropping a very unsubtle hint that he'd helped him destroy the Kannabi Bridge.
Only then did White Fang notice the corpse's features... Wasn't this the Iwagakure Five-Tails Jinchuriki?
Unlike Konoha, where the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's identity was the highest-level secret, and the Third never let him leave the village, Iwagakure and the other villages were clearly much "more lax" about such things.
They might not openly advertise their Jinchuriki, but they sent them onto the battlefield often, hoping to create an overwhelming local advantage.
White Fang recognized Han as the former Five-Tails Jinchuriki.
And he became even more certain that he was under a genjutsu...
A kid who hadn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy had destroyed the Kannabi Bridge despite its defenses, killed the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, and gained the Five-Tails as an ally?
"As expected of a Tailed Beast... What an absurd genjutsu, and yet I can't figure out how to break it?"
White Fang tilted his head and gave a mocking chuckle.
"Then I'll deal with you, the brat in this genjutsu, first!"
A cold glint flashed in White Fang's eyes. He was about to move when, in the next instant—
"ROOOOAR!!!!!!"
The Five-Tails' roar shook the heavens. Its tangible sound waves, accompanied by billowing white steam, sent White Fang flying with his blade!
"Wretched human..." the Five-Tails said in disgust.
"Indra, are you sure he'll be useful to you?"
"..." Ruohuo fell silent for half a second.
"Probably... He's just not very smart."
Well, anyone who chose to kill himself probably wasn't very smart.
(Protecting life is everyone's responsibility.)
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