No Teamwork at All

Kakashi stared silently at the gift before him.

Rin Nohara seemed to notice his confusion and patiently explained.

"It's a personal first-aid kit."

"I've modified everything inside to make it easier to use."

Kakashi accepted Rin Nohara's gift without expression and offered a casual thanks.

Then he turned and held out his right hand to Obito Uchiha.

Obito Uchiha looked thoroughly annoyed. "I don't have a gift for you, Kakashi."

Kakashi withdrew his hand. "Forget it. It's no big deal. Anything you gave me would be useless anyway."

He added with a sneer, "Knowing you, it might even end up weighing me down."

Stung by Kakashi's words, Obito pointed at him with his left hand. "Honestly, I can't believe someone like you made Jonin."

"That's not for you to judge," Kakashi shot back.

"You dead last."

Obito Uchiha trembled with anger...

At last, he shouted defiantly, "I'm Obito Uchiha of the Uchiha! One day, I'll surpass you, you smug jerk!"

"Once my Sharingan awakens, I'll definitely surpass you."

Kakashi looked at Obito with open disdain. "Aren't the Uchiha supposed to be elite? Shouldn't you be strong even without relying on that?"

"So whether your Sharingan awakens shouldn't matter, should it?"

"You're the dead last of the Uchiha, and you're still—"

"Who are you calling dead last, you white-haired egomaniac?" Obito Uchiha roared.

Rin Nohara saw that Kakashi and Obito were about to come to blows.

She hurried between them.

Holding Obito back with both hands, she said in a fluster, "Stop fighting, both of you. Kakashi, Obito..."

Minato Namikaze, watching from a distance, had seen enough. "It's time to go over the mission. We're almost at the border."

"This is no time to fool around."

Only then did Kakashi and Obito stop arguing.

They both turned toward Minato, their expressions serious.

Minato spread a map on the ground.

Minato Namikaze patiently explained every route marked on it.

Then he said gravely, "This time, the enemy is from Kumogakure."

"According to intelligence, they already have several thousand Ninja on the front line."

Seated around the map with the others, Obito Uchiha looked at the red markings in surprise. "The front line has pushed much farther forward than before."

"After all, the Land of Fire and Kusagakure have accepted each other," Minato Namikaze explained.

"Then waiting for them to attack would be too late," Kakashi said.

On the other side of the map, Rin Nohara added, "If their advance has gone this smoothly, their rear must be operating just as smoothly."

She looked gravely at Minato Namikaze. "Right, sensei?"

Minato Namikaze nodded. "Exactly. That's why our mission takes us to Kannabi Bridge, along the most dangerous route."

At that point...

Minato Namikaze traced the route on the map and continued calmly, "The Ninja on the front line will face indiscriminate attacks from the largest concentration of enemy Ninja."

"So the Ninja carrying out the disruption must be a small group of elites."

"I'll handle that part."

"Do you understand?"

"So the three of us are responsible for the infiltration mission?" Kakashi asked.

Minato Namikaze nodded. "That's right, Team Kakashi."

"You'll infiltrate the area behind enemy lines."

"Destroy the bridge used to transport supplies. That will completely sever the enemy's support system."

"Once the mission is complete, withdraw immediately. Don't linger for even a second."

Minato Namikaze finished with another stern warning. "The moment you complete the mission, leave."

"Don't stay. Otherwise, a large number of enemy Ninja will surround you, and then..."

Rin Nohara, Kakashi, and the others understood how dangerous the mission was.

They all nodded...

As the four traveled onward, they defeated countless enemy fighters.

Kakashi performed exceptionally well throughout the journey.

Rin Nohara did well too...

Only Obito Uchiha kept holding everyone back...

While using Chidori, Kakashi was ambushed by a Cloud Ninja and nearly killed.

At the critical moment, Minato Namikaze used the Flying Thunder God Technique to save him.

Even so, Kakashi suffered a slash across his chest.

Rin Nohara rushed over and used Medical Ninjutsu to treat him.

Meanwhile...

Minato Namikaze dealt with the Cloud Ninja, then hurried over to the three of them. "Kakashi's wound isn't minor. Let's withdraw for now and regroup."

"I'm fine," Kakashi replied reluctantly.

"How can you be fine?" Obito Uchiha cut in.

"This happened because you wouldn't listen to sensei."

Kakashi gave Obito a cold look. "You're in no position to lecture me. Which Uchiha elite was so scared just now that he nearly cried?"

At Kakashi's taunt...

Obito Uchiha could only offer a guilty excuse. "Th-that was just dust in my eyes."

Kakashi ignored Obito's strained expression and continued, "Do you know rule twenty-five of the Ninja code?"

"A Ninja must never cry."

"That's the first rule!"

"Please, both of you, stop arguing," Rin Nohara pleaded.

Minato Namikaze lost his patience too. "That's enough, both of you."

His stern voice finally calmed Kakashi and Obito.

All three turned to face Minato Namikaze.

"Kakashi, rules and discipline are important," Minato Namikaze said.

"But they aren't everything. I've told you that before."

"Sometimes you have to adapt to the situation."

Kakashi turned his head away and said nothing.

Seeing Kakashi get reprimanded, Obito seized the chance to mock him. "See, Kakashi? Ha!"

Minato Namikaze cut him off before he could finish.

"And Obito, the same goes for you," he continued.

Obito immediately stopped mocking Kakashi and listened attentively.

"With goggles on, sand or dust couldn't have gotten into your eyes."

"Self-control isn't something you just talk about. You have to make your heart stronger too."

Obito fell silent at Minato Namikaze's words.

He knew his teacher was right.

Minato Namikaze looked back at Kakashi and thought, One more thing, Kakashi. Don't use that technique called Chidori again.

I can see it's a killing move meant to finish an opponent in one strike.

It certainly has tremendous power and speed.

But!

You move so fast that you can't see your opponent's counterattack.

You haven't perfected it yet, have you?

"Before we split up, I'll say it again: for Ninja, nothing matters more than teamwork."

Rin Nohara, Kakashi, and Obito all lowered their heads in shame.

The three of them understood just how badly this operation had gone.

They had shown no teamwork at all.

As team leader, Kakashi felt ashamed too...