Snatching Bells, System Online
At the moment he heard the start.
Kakashi and Obito rushed forward almost instantly from their spots, heading straight for Minato.
The two charged rapidly, swiftly throwing shuriken one after another.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
Minato raised a hand to draw a kunai, his arms swinging to easily deflect the dense barrage of shuriken.
A wave of chill came from behind.
The corners of Minato's mouth curved slightly, dodging the attack from the little girl behind him with a single flash.
Such incredible speed!
Obito was secretly alarmed.
Is this the fastest man in the Shinobi World?
Ten little Narutos in one second... cough, cough, cough.
Seeing that ranged attacks had no effect.
Kakashi pulled out the short sword from his back, slammed the tips of his feet against the ground, and charged toward Minato with even greater speed.
Obito followed closely behind, gripping a kunai to encircle Minato alongside Kakashi.
Minato's gaze narrowed, instantly seeing through the two's intentions.
Are you trying to force me into a frontal clash and expose my back to create an opportunity for Rin?
Minato nodded inwardly.
Not bad, they've already shown the budding signs of teamwork.
However, this level is still not enough.
"Whoosh!"
Kakashi's short sword slashed down fiercely, its friction against the air emitting a whimpering sound.
Minato advanced instead of retreating, raised his kunai with a backhand grip, and met the short sword with a slight shift of his body.
"Sizzle, sizzle~"
A teeth-grating sound of metal friction rang out.
Where their weapons intersected, sparks even flickered faintly.
Minato's arm unloaded the force backward, the kunai in his hand cutting obliquely to directly deflect Kakashi's attack.
Then he leaped forward fiercely, hiding himself behind Kakashi.
Rin lost her target, and Obito had no choice but to stop his steps.
"Kakashi, fall back!" Obito shouted.
Hearing this, Kakashi feinted with a slash before retreating violently.
Obito formed hand seals with both hands, his throat bobbing.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A searing spherical flame appeared, roaring toward Minato in a blast.
A flash of surprise crossed Minato's eyes.
He tapped his toes lightly on the ground and quickly dodged out of the flame's blast radius.
Obito didn't actually expect a technique that never hits people to actually hit anyone.
He seized this opportunity to reunite with Kakashi and charged at Minato once more.
The moment Minato landed, the two's fierce attacks followed closely behind.
Kakashi's striking angle was tricky, with nearly every move aiming straight for vital points.
Obito paired a kunai with hand-to-hand combat, fighting with a formidable momentum.
Minato casually batted away the hidden weapons thrown by the little girl in the distance, quite satisfied with the performance of the few.
Not bad.
Kakashi's practical combat ability was almost catching up to some Jonin.
Obito's comprehensive level was also no less than that of some veteran Chunin.
No wonder Lord Third specifically proposed back then that I must take charge of this team.
These are two good seedlings!
...Of course, the little girl's performance was also quite commendable.
Minato and the two little ones shifted positions while fighting.
Unwittingly, they arrived at the spot where Obito and the others had discussed tactics just moments before.
"Now!" Kakashi barked softly.
"Yosh!" Obito responded.
Combining their strength, the two launched an attack simultaneously, forcing Minato to take a step back.
Behind Minato.
The seemingly flat ground suddenly collapsed, revealing a huge deep pit.
The corners of Minato's mouth curled up imperceptibly.
You even set a trap?
Very good!
He pretended to react too slowly.
While jumping into the air, he deliberately made his form pause for a moment, leaving an opening.
The three little kids rushed toward him all at once.
Finally.
A small hand successfully grabbed the bell at his waist.
All four landed simultaneously.
Kakashi knelt on one knee, slowly opening his hand.
A bell lay quietly inside.
Obito sat on the ground, panting heavily.
"Hah, hah, great, we succeeded!"
Rin, too, clenched her small hands in delight nearby.
"Yes!"
Minato's eyes held a smile, highly satisfied with the performance of his three disciples.
"Very well, I announce that everyone has passed the evaluation."
Right at that moment.
A long-absent prompt tone rang out in Obito's mind.
[Selection successful! Obtained reward: Lightning!]
What the hell, is my system finally back?!
Obito seemed to realize something.
Two years ago, he chose the option of enduring in silence and waiting for an opportunity.
Now the system was prompting him that he had completed the mission.
That is to say...
Did this opportunity refer to successfully becoming Minato-sensei's student?
Whatever, the system being back is a good thing!
Obito focused his consciousness on the interface, checking the reward this time.
[Lightning: In moments of life and death, your attacks will carry the power of lightning. Just like a gentle elder, silently watching over and protecting you, helping you shatter the darkness with thunder.]
When reading the reward description.
Obito felt as though that cool-looking older man was appearing before his eyes once more.
Memories of the past surged up.
Obito completely broke down, tears gushing out instantly.
"Waaaaah!"
Minato turned pale with fright.
"Obito, what's wrong with you?"
This kid was all smiles just a moment ago, why is he suddenly crying his eyes out?!
Hailed as the Yellow Flash, a man of boundless stratagems, he found himself somewhat at a loss for a moment.
This was his first time taking on disciples, and he had zero experience.
Who am I, where am I, what am I supposed to be doing?!!
Wiping away his tears, Obito whimpered.
"Waaah, being able to become your student, I'm so... waaah... happy."
Ah, this...
Minato breathed a sigh of relief, patted Obito's back, and said gently.
"Having a student like you makes the teacher very happy, too... C-Crybaby, stop crying."
Kakashi said silently in his heart.
Then you are truly happy way too early.
Rin joined Minato in comforting Obito.
Yet Obito kept sobbing away.
Minato said helplessly.
"Stop crying, Obito."
"To celebrate the formation of our team, I'll treat you all to dinner tonight, how about that?"
Obito whimpered.
"Waaah, wouldn't that be too embarrassing... Or how about we (sniff) go eat yakiniku?"
Minato: "..."
The four sat down at a yakiniku restaurant.
While grilling meat for the three of them, Minato spoke.
"So starting tomorrow, you'll be undertaking missions."
Swallowing a piece of grilled meat whole, Obito said excitedly.
"Great, I've been wanting to go out and see the world for a long time!"
Minato placed the grilled meat into Obito's plate with a smile.
"That may be, but the missions you take on at first will probably all be within the village."
"Such as helping retrieve pets, finding lost items, and similar tasks."
Ah, this...
Obito sighed.
As expected, he still couldn't escape these odd jobs in the early stages?
As everyone knows.
In the Shinobi World, the first mission of any newly formed team is definitely helping find a cat.
Much like the first mission of the Lord God Space is forever Resident Evil.
Rin didn't have any objections to this.
Progressing step by step, taking it one stage at a time—there's nothing wrong with that.
Minato thought for a moment and looked at Kakashi beside him.
"Kakashi has already participated in multiple actual combat missions, so doing these tasks now might make you feel dissatisfied."
"Even so, you must still complete them earnestly."
Kakashi nodded slightly without speaking, his peripheral vision sweeping past Obito next to him.
If he's going to be with this guy.
Wasting a little time... then wasting a little time is fine.
Obito raised his cup with a grin.
"Let's all make a toast to celebrate the formation of Team Minato!"
"Cheers!"
Four cups clinked together, and smiles bloomed on every face.
If nothing unexpected happens.
They will eventually become each other's most vital bonds.