Kannabi Bridge

Just as Obito Uchiha started to look a bit smug...

she noticed that the red hair of Kushina behind her was all floating up.

The red hair even started burning with a fiery red flame...

Kushina Uzumaki raised her right hand and fiercely smashed it down onto Obito Uchiha's head.

Then she looked at Obito with puffed-up cheeks and said, "Did you think I was going to say that?"

"Idiot."

Obito Uchiha grabbed his head with both hands in pain and screamed...

And so appeared Kushina Uzumaki endlessly lecturing Obito Uchiha at that moment.

Obito Uchiha stood honestly, not daring to move around wildly, and listened to Kushina's harsh scolding.

After finishing her lecture on Obito, Kushina gently called everyone over to eat their bento boxes.

Eating his bento box, Obito Uchiha still looked displeased as he glanced at Kakashi...

Kushina silently observed the expressions of the three youngsters before her, her expression gradually softening.

Kushina made a silent wish in her heart, Obito, Kakashi, Rin Nohara, you must all keep going like this.

At night, Kushina Uzumaki helped Minato mend his clothes.

Minato Namikaze, beside her, was also mending another piece of his own clothing.

In this peaceful and heartwarming living room, Kushina's soft voice slowly drifted over, "Kakashi is really becoming more and more capable, Minato."

Kushina continued speaking while sewing her clothes, "All three of these kids are getting more and more outstanding. It's really something to look forward to, haha."

Hearing Kushina's words, Minato Namikaze's face was also filled with relief and warmth as he responded, "Yeah, Kushina, those three kids are really trying so hard."

Yet at that moment, Kushina thought of Obito from earlier in the day.

Kushina said with a deeply worried expression, "That child Obito, he's always flustered and scatterbrained when doing things."

"And his Shuriken practice is a mess too, sigh."

However, Kushina learned that tomorrow Minato and the others were going to execute the mission at Kannabi Bridge.

Kushina put down the clothes in her hands.

She walked slowly toward the window, a look of worry appearing on her face.

Early in the morning before dawn had broken,

Minato and the others arrived at the gates of Konoha.

This also meant that Minato's Team and the others were preparing to set off.

Just before they were about to depart...

Kushina, standing at the gates of Konoha, gave words of caution to Minato's Team and the others.

Everyone had to be a bit careful.

Kushina Uzumaki looked at Obito and nagged him, "Especially you, Obito! You need to be extra careful."

Kushina raised her hand and pointed at Obito Uchiha as she endlessly nagged, "If you dare come back bearing injuries, this old lady of yours will properly treat you to a round of my fists."

Hearing this, Obito felt a warmth in his heart, placed his hands on his hips, and said cockily, "I'm the man who's going to become Hokage, this is just a small mission and nothing to fear, haha."

Obito clenched his fist, raised his right hand, and swore to Kushina, "I will successfully complete the mission."

"And then I'll bring everyone back safe and sound."

Hearing Obito's promise, Kushina was very happy.

Kushina slowly squatted and bent down, crossed her fingers into a cross shape in front of Obito, and said, "Then we have a deal, okay?"

Obito silently looked at the Kushina before him, the two of them locking gazes.

Finally, both Obito and Kushina burst into loud laughter.

Haha...

Just like that, Minato's Team bid farewell to Kushina and stepped onto the battlefield of Kannabi Bridge.

Kushina stood at the village gates until she could no longer see the figures of Minato's Team and the others, then slowly turned her head back and murmured softly, "Obito, your teacher's wife cares for you the most."

The reason Kushina placed her own dream onto Obito

was because Kushina knew that one day she would have a child of her own.

Kushina hoped her child could be as sunny and cheerful as Obito,

living while holding fast to their own convictions.

Konoha,

Kushina looked at the playback of herself and the past scenes of memories,

and gently placed her hand on her belly to stroke it, "Naruto, you will definitely be happy. When you grow up, you must learn from older brother Obito."

And right at a certain moment, Kushina also remembered her yet-unborn child and that...

Naruto Uzumaki, who shared the same name but a different surname and would ultimately destroy the Shinobi World.

At this moment, Kushina began to fall silent without a word...

Minato Namikaze looked at the dejected Kushina and softly comforted her, "Don't overthink it, Kushina. You have to believe in our child."

"When our child grows up, they certainly won't end up like that Naruto Uzumaki in the video playback."

Kushina gently nodded and softly replied, "Mm."

The video scene shifted,

arriving at Kannabi Bridge.

Obito ran through the forest in a panic, his mouth constantly saying, "This is bad, if this goes on, I'll definitely be killed."

"I have to make it in time."

Haste and panic caused Obito Uchiha to fail to see the trap right ahead.

His right foot accidentally caught on the tripwire of the trap, and he tumbled heavily down from the tree.

Kakashi and the others looked at Obito Uchiha, who had fallen to the ground in such a disheveled state.

Kakashi lectured him sarcastically, "You're late again, Obito Uchiha."

"Do you even know what time the gathering was supposed to be?"

"Since we've become Ninja who can stand on our own, isn't it only natural to obey agreements and rules?"

Obito Uchiha awkwardly explained, "It's not that, on the way here I was delayed because an old lady carrying luggage and walking slowly stopped me to ask for directions."

"And what's more, sand got into my eyes, which is why I'm late."

Kakashi crossed his arms and retorted with a look of utter disdain, "Alright, those are all just lies to cover up for being late, right?"

Sitting atop a boulder, Minato Namikaze's soft voice drifted over, "Don't be like that, Kakashi."

After finishing chewing Kakashi out, Minato Namikaze gently turned his head to look at Obito and helped explain, "Obito must have walked together with that old lady all the way, right?"

Obito Uchiha proudly added another detail, "I even helped carry her luggage, you know."

At the side, Kakashi turned his head in displeasure to look at Minato Namikaze and continued lecturing, "Teacher, you really are too softhearted."

"It's not like every time someone needs help, they just happen to run into Obito."

"Guys who don't obey rules and discipline are called losers as Ninja."

Kakashi looked firmly toward Minato Namikaze ahead of him and questioned with absolute seriousness, "Am I wrong, Teacher?"

Minato Namikaze scratched the back of his head and smiled awkwardly and foolishly.

Sitting on the ground and rubbing his eyes, Obito looked at Kakashi and complained, "Doesn't your heart have even a shred of tenderness?"

"Always going on about rules and discipline, it's so annoying."

"Self-control is what's most important, you know."

Seeing that the situation in front of her didn't look good, Rin Nohara quickly stood up and stepped out to mediate the argument.

Kakashi retorted unhappily, "Rin, you spoil Obito way too much."

"Today is a tremendously important day for me, you know."

Rin Nohara responded cautiously, "I... I suppose so."

At the side, Obito Uchiha asked with a bewildered look on his face, "What kind of day is today?"

Right ahead, Minato Namikaze's voice slowly drifted over, "Starting today, Kakashi is a Jonin just like me."

"In order to raise the efficiency of executing missions, I've decided to split Kakashi's Team into two groups to operate."

Minato Namikaze explained to Obito behind him as he walked, "That's because Konoha's fighting strength isn't what it used to be, leading to a severe shortage of manpower, you see."

Obito Uchiha asked in puzzlement, "But if we split up to operate, then..."

"Could it be Kakashi?"

Minato Namikaze responded calmly, "That's right."

"Kakashi will act as captain, forming a three-person small squad with you and Rin."

"As for me, I'll be operating alone."

Rin Nohara walked as she looked at Obito and said doubtfully, "We already discussed this before now, didn't we, Obito?"

"We're supposed to give Kakashi a gift."

Obito turned his head away in displeasure, walked slowly, and gave a perfunctory reply, "Sorry, I didn't hear it."

Minato Namikaze arrived before Kakashi and pulled out his custom-made kunai.

Minato Namikaze said to Kakashi, "I'll give you this, Kakashi. It's a custom-made kunai of mine, though it's a little bit heavy."

"But once you get used to it, you'll find it exceptionally easy to use."

After saying all this, Minato Namikaze tossed the custom-made kunai to Kakashi.

Kakashi caught the Kunai Minato had given him and played around with it for a bit before realizing something.

Minato's custom-made Kunai suited him quite well, so he said with satisfaction, "Many thanks, teacher."

Then Rin Nohara also opened her backpack and pulled out what she had prepared.

Rin Nohara handed the carefully prepared gift to Kakashi and said softly, "I prepared this specially for you, Kakashi."