Obito's Collapse Plan

"Regarding the matter of Obito, let's proceed as you suggested, Minato. After all, you are the one directly involved, and Obito was your student. Still, do be careful. If things become impossible, retreat immediately. Madara Uchiha may have left some hidden traps for him. However, if you wish to leave, I believe no one in the Ninja World can stop you." Hiruzen Sarutobi watched Danzo depart, breaking the awkward silence to endorse Minato's perspective and finalize the decision.

With two generations of Hokage in agreement, the opinions of others no longer mattered, and Danzo, the only one who might have objected, had already fled. Thus, there was no choice but to follow Namikaze Minato's plan.

Watching the others leave, Minato opened the file on his desk containing Obito's ninja records. On the headshot of the young Obito, the boy was smiling, his bright white teeth bared as he looked straight ahead.

I'm sorry, Obito. Everything is for the sake of Konoha.

Returning home and seeing his wife and child fast asleep, Master Minato wore a doting, maternal smile. His resolve to take action against Obito only hardened.

"Ah, Minato, you're back? Why so late? Have you eaten? Should I whip up a midnight snack for you?" Kushina, true to her heritage as an Uzumaki with the Kagura Mind's Eye, possessed formidable sensory abilities; even though Minato had moved as quietly as possible, she had still sensed him.

"Just got back. There was a lot to handle today. You and Naruto go back to sleep, Kushina; I'll just fix myself something simple!" Minato said, breaking into a cold sweat. A midnight snack made by Kushina? Heh—hehe—hehehe!

"Oh, alright then!"

Minato let out a long sigh of relief and pulled out the pantry's staple noodles, intending to make a quick, perfunctory meal.

"Hey, Minato, I've heard the rumors. Is it true about Obito?" Kushina had recently heard everyone discussing the Masked Man from that night. She asked Minato directly now, as Obito was, after all, her little protégé.

"Yes, we've received confirmation. That Masked Man is indeed Obito." Namikaze Minato remained silent while boiling the noodles, hesitating for a moment before answering her question.

"You should know that kid better than I do. He couldn't have done something like this; he must have run into some kind of trouble! As his teacher and elders, we have a responsibility to help him and bring him back!" Even after surviving the Nine-Tails' night, Kushina chose to believe that Obito might have been coerced. After all, they had a good relationship with no grievances, and his actions were beyond normal comprehension. She preferred to believe he was being forced.

"Kushina, he is no longer the Obito we once knew. I don't know what Madara Uchiha did to him, but it is a fact that he harmed Konoha. The only thing I can do is bring him back and try my best not to take his life. Even then, he will likely spend the rest of his days in confinement. I hope he can repent and earn a lighter sentence by cooperating with the Interrogation Department to reveal Madara Uchiha's schemes. That is the only way I can show leniency." Namikaze Minato scooped the noodles into a bowl, added the pre-prepared seasoning and roast pork, and began his unremarkable midnight meal.

"Kakashi came to see me today. He is very persistent regarding Obito. I believe it won't be long before he comes looking for you." Kushina looked at the man before her, feeling conflicted.

"Kakashi... I've been avoiding him lately. I didn't expect him to find you. But let's wait until Obito is brought back and everything is settled before I talk to him in detail. Kakashi's current state makes him unfit to be involved in this," Namikaze Minato said in a low voice.

"But he was Obito's teammate. Now that Rin is gone, you know how much it means to him to know Obito is still alive. If he finds out the truth about Obito's situation, I'm afraid the boy won't be able to handle the blow!" Kushina understood Kakashi's character well. He had changed significantly in recent years, becoming gloomy and withdrawn. If Minato hadn't just taken office and desperately needed manpower, he likely wouldn't have kept Kakashi in the dark, shadowy ranks of the Anbu.

"After what happened that night, I believe Kakashi is somewhat prepared. Besides, I am only going to attempt to capture him; success is not guaranteed. Don't underestimate that former 'dead-last' kid! His current strength might even surpass mine," Minato said with a self-deprecating grin.

"Actually, I felt that the chakra from that night was familiar, but I never imagined it was Obito. His body must have been modified—it has to be Madara Uchiha's doing!" Kushina gritted her teeth.

"Indeed. According to the Anbu who witnessed it, besides possessing the Mangekyo Sharingan, he also used Wood Release. Combining the peak powers of both the Senju and Uchiha clans, his current strength is not below yours or mine! Add to that his silent, space-time ocular jutsu, and he is just as troublesome as I am," Minato said, feeling a headache coming on regarding Obito's Kamui.

He used to enjoy using the Flying Thunder God Technique—it was exhilarating to cut through the battlefield in seconds, regardless of how many enemies there were or who they were. Even if he couldn't win, he could always run. Now, he was finally tasting the same frustration the Iwagakure ninjas must have felt back then. It was karma!

After their brief clash that night, Minato had gauged Obito's general strength. He was confident that with a squad of Anbu, he could handle him, but the difficulty lay in preventing him from escaping. Based on the Nine-Tails' night, barriers were completely useless against his space-time ocular jutsu.

To deal with the current Obito, he had to use a one-hit-kill method, leaving him no chance to resist. But that was the problem: his space-time jutsu required no hand seals or preparation. As long as he remained conscious, he could escape in an instant. Even if Minato used the Flying Thunder God Technique combined with a surprise Spiral Super Dance Style Three, he couldn't guarantee an instant knockout.

Minato had experienced the resilience of that modified body firsthand; even when his arm was severed, it didn't seem to matter. That must be the effect of the Wood Release cells. Madara Uchiha had been plotting quite a lot in the shadows.

If he couldn't knock Obito out in one strike, the exposure of his Flying Thunder God mark would mean he would never get a second chance. The situation would then completely reverse. Right now, he was in the shadows while the enemy was in the light; Obito had no idea that Minato could rely on the mark left on him to launch a surprise attack at any moment.

If he were to realize it, he would certainly take countermeasures. While the Flying Thunder God mark was stable and wouldn't vanish, that didn't mean it was unsolvable. There was no such thing as an unsolvable jutsu in this world; Obito only needed to place a simple sensory seal over the mark to easily sever the connection.