The End of Kannabi Bridge

Konoha.

The Hokage's Office.

Minato Namikaze and Kushina were in the Hokage's Office, consumed by guilt.

Kushina raised both hands to cover her mouth, but tears kept streaming down her face.

She remembered little Obito, who had once been so cheerful and full of life.

And gentle, well-behaved Rin Nohara.

Both had died at Kannabi Bridge...

Minato gently held Kushina and comforted her. "Kushina, you mustn't get too upset right now."

"Can you go back to your room and rest...?"

Kushina knew she was pregnant and due in just over a month.

She couldn't let her emotions run too high, so she said softly, "All right, Minato. Take me home to rest first."

Minato nodded, picked Kushina up, and used the Flying Thunder God Technique.

With a whoosh...

Minato and Kushina appeared in their bedroom.

Minato gently set her down.

After telling Kushina to get plenty of rest, Minato hurriedly used Flying Thunder God again.

Back in the Hokage's Office, Minato stared up at the Light Screen, guilt written across his face. "I'm sorry, Obito, Rin, Kakashi. I was your teacher, yet I didn't make it in time."

Minato stood quietly, looking out the window.

Only those who knew him would understand that this was Minato at his angriest.

Looking out at Konoha, Minato said with conviction, "No matter what happens in the future this time..."

"I will protect Konoha. As the Fourth Hokage, I swear it on the name of Hokage!"

Kakashi, dressed in his Anbu uniform, stood atop a tree. In the end, he could no longer hold it in.

After hearing Obito's final words before his death, Kakashi could not stop crying.

Tears streamed down his face...

"I'm sorry, Obito," Kakashi said in anguish. "In the end, I couldn't even protect Rin."

Once more, he remembered Rin Nohara dying by his own hand.

Kakashi clenched his right hand tight...

Just then, Itachi Uchiha appeared beneath the tree.

He looked up at Kakashi in his grief.

Itachi recalled what the video had said.

It seemed that, in the future, he and Kakashi got along fairly well.

At last, he couldn't help saying, "Obito was a great ninja, just like White Fang."

"He was also a hero of Konoha and a source of pride for the Uchiha."

Hearing a child's voice, Kakashi slowly lowered his head.

Once he saw the child's face, he remembered.

During the video of the future, the boy had asked him about his Sharingan.

The child before him was Itachi Uchiha.

Itachi met Kakashi's gaze with determination. "As far as I'm concerned, Obito is still here."

"Your left eye is the best proof of that, Kakashi."

As though embarrassed, Itachi ran straight home after saying that.

Naka Shrine.

Because the Light Screen had shown that his future self would help Naruto Uzumaki destroy the Shinobi World, Shisui Uchiha had been confined to the courtyard by the Uchiha Great Elder.

Shisui was forbidden to go anywhere until the Light Screen had finished revealing the future and they could reach a conclusion.

But...

Shisui was full of questions. He murmured to himself, "What made my future self choose to follow Naruto Uzumaki?"

He couldn't understand it.

How could his future self ever think that way?

Shisui knew how deeply he loved Konoha and peace.

He never would have imagined that his future self could make such a choice.

Shisui swore to himself, No matter what happens, Naruto Uzumaki...

Your future self said we were brothers. This time, I'll make sure you're safe. I'll protect you.

But if you try to destroy the Shinobi World, I'll stop you.

Fugaku Uchiha was stunned. He hadn't paid attention to Kakashi's left eye back then.

He had always assumed Obito Uchiha's Sharingan had awakened one stage at a time.

Never had he imagined that Obito Uchiha...

...had awakened his Sharingan at Two Tomoe from the very start.

He had skipped One Tomoe entirely...

Beside Fugaku, the Uchiha Great Elder couldn't help praising him. "If that young Uchiha hadn't died back then..."

"Perhaps he really could have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan..."

Fugaku watched the young Obito on the Light Screen, his expression grave and composed.

The Great Elder patted Fugaku's shoulder and sighed. "Ah..."

The Sarutobi Family.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed helplessly. "White Fang, I never thought you would do that. It was all my fault."

"I failed to stop Danzo, and that drove White Fang to make that choice..."

Beside him, Asuma Sarutobi scoffed. "Old man, you're the Hokage, aren't you?"

"White Fang was a hero of Konoha!"

"He abandoned a mission to protect his comrades, only to be reviled by the villagers and his fellow ninja."

"And you, the Hokage, said nothing. Hah."

Furious, Asuma pointed at Hiruzen, whose face remained calm.

Just as Asuma was about to continue berating Hiruzen...

...a ninja suddenly arrived and covered Asuma's mouth.

Hiruzen took a weary drag on his pipe and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.

His gaze turned cold as he looked angrily toward Root in the distance.

Root's underground chamber in Konoha.

Danzo sat on a stone stool in the dark chamber.

After seeing Kakashi's left eye, he said excitedly, "So that's it. The Sharingan can evolve on its own."

His face darkened as he muttered, "One day, Kakashi's Sharingan will be mine. Hahaha."

Danzo raved, "Once I take Kakashi's Sharingan, I can evolve it into a Mangekyō Sharingan! Hahaha!"

"With the Mangekyō Sharingan, the position of Hokage will be mine."

If Danzo dared say that in front of Obito, Obito would have just one thing to tell him: "Danzo, you idiot."

I'm the one who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. What does Kakashi have to do with it?

Iwagakure.

The Tsuchikage's office.

Ōnoki's expression was grim. "That future truly makes you feel powerless."

"Ah."

"Konoha will have Kakashi and Shisui Uchiha..."

"And an even stronger Naruto Uzumaki."

Seeing how worried Ōnoki looked, Kurotsuchi protested, "Grandpa, don't underestimate me! I'll become an amazing ninja in the future."

"When I grow up, Deidara and I will both be really strong. Then we'll defeat all of Konoha's enemies together!"

Ōnoki fondly patted Kurotsuchi's head. "Of course. My granddaughter will become an even stronger ninja than I am."

He told Kurotsuchi patiently, "Then from now on, you'll need to study Dust Release with Grandpa."

Kurotsuchi nodded obediently. "Yes, Grandpa."

Seeing his granddaughter behave so sweetly delighted Ōnoki.

Then Ōnoki suddenly thought of that damned Kitsuchi.

He hurriedly warned Kurotsuchi, "Oh, and Kurotsuchi, remember to stay away from that idiot Kitsuchi. Understand?"

Kurotsuchi looked bewildered. "Why, Grandpa? Dad's nice too."

"My dear granddaughter, just stay away from those two idiots, Kitsuchi and Deidara," Ōnoki said.

Kurotsuchi nodded obediently.

Note: If you see a newly updated chapter, please don't read it right away.

I spend five to ten minutes revising each new chapter after posting it.

That way, I can fix typos and add detail to the characters' dialogue.

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