"Are you leaving?" Zetsu's words momentarily froze Obito's expression, temporarily suspending the joy of reuniting with Rin and the oblivious Kakashi.
He turned towards Zetsu, who had just separated himself from Obito's body, opened his mouth to respond, hesitated briefly, and then inquired, "Are you certain about leaving? Can't you stay?"
Zetsu chuckled softly and shook his head, replying, "No, Madara-sama is waiting for me to attend to matters back there."
As Zetsu explained, Obito, who had felt a tinge of sadness at the sudden farewell, lapsed into silence. Indeed, Madara required someone to look after him, and while the other White Zetsu had been doing a good job, Obito could discern that Madara preferred the company of this particular Zetsu.
"Madara-sensei?" Obito murmured to himself, then donned an optimistic smile. "No worries. If I get the chance, I'll sneak over to visit Madara-sensei, and..." He clenched his fist, determination burning in his eyes. "I'll become Hokage to prove that the Will of Fire is right!"
"Hehehe, it's getting late. I'll be on my way," Zetsu responded with a few words to Obito's remarks, as if sensing something, and bade Obito a cheerful farewell. "Obito, take care on your journey back, and don't forget to keep studying."
Without using the mayfly technique this time, Zetsu simply ran off, leaving Kakashi and Rin bewildered as they watched him depart.
Obito continued to watch in silence. At this moment, sensing Obito's inner reluctance, Rin approached with a gentle smile. "Obito, is that your new friend?"
As Rin spoke, Obito nodded resolutely, a faint smile gracing his lips. "Actually, they're the ones who saved me. Madara-sensei might be stern, but deep down, he's a good person. And this guy, though he can be a bit annoying at times, isn't that bad. He's always cheerful, but he has a whole family to support, so it's not easy for him."
As if reminiscing, Obito's voice wavered slightly. "Every morning, he has to collect garbage to make ends meet. Yet, he still works hard to support my education. I haven't been able to repay him yet."
"Collecting garbage? Supporting your education?" Kakashi and Rin exchanged puzzled glances. Ignoring the part of Obito studying, they wondered Was this weird individual really leading such a challenging life? Earning a living by collecting garbage? But then, reflecting on his unwavering cheerfulness, they couldn't help but admire him.
'No matter how tough life gets, he maintains a positive outlook. No wonder he could become friends with Obito (this idiot),' both Rin and Kakashi found themselves sharing a similar sentiment.
"It seems like he might be a Wandering ninja who hasn't found acceptance in any village," Kakashi mused quietly. After all, only wandering ninjas would endure such hardships. Nevertheless, he persisted with his education, working hard even if it meant collecting garbage. This ninja was undeniably extraordinary.
Kakashi's brow furrowed slightly, and he spoke calmly, looking at Obito's somewhat downcast expression, "I didn't expect you, the idiot, to still be alive."
As soon as Kakashi uttered those words, Obito's despondency seemed to evaporate, replaced by a glare aimed squarely at Kakashi. He retorted indignantly, "You jerk! I saved your life, and I even gave you my eyes as a token of gratitude. You ungrateful Kakashi, you'd better repay me properly!"
"Hehehe, you're still an idiot," Kakashi chuckled, not one to be swayed by Obito's anger.
"You darn Kakashi," Obito's irritation grew as he observed Kakashi's nonchalant response. "Jerk, I challenge you to a fight!"
"Alright," Kakashi agreed with a smirk, and the two of them seemed to revert to their usual dynamic.
Watching their bickering, Rin, with a touch of helplessness on her face but a smile on her lips, voiced her concern, "Obito, what about your body?"
Hearing Rin's words, Kakashi briefly glanced at Obito's body but quickly averted his gaze, attempting to appear indifferent while sneakily stealing occasional glances to ensure Obito was alright.
"Oh, this?" Obito shifted his somewhat limp body and spoke nonchalantly, "It's fine. Madara-sensei said I would recover after some time."
Just as he finished his sentence, a voice filled with both worry and relief rang out, exclaiming, "Kakashi! Rin! It's great that you're okay!" The three turned towards the source of the voice and saw their sensei, Minato Namikaze, rushing toward them. Obito greeted him happily, "Sensei!"
However, as Minato drew closer, he suddenly halted and stared at the figure standing between Kakashi and Rin, his expression one of disbelief. In a matter of moments, his face transformed into sheer astonishment. "O-Obito?!"
Then, as if unable to contain his emotions, he embraced Obito, his smile one of immense joy. "Obito, you're okay?! That's great!"
"I'm fine, Sensei, could you please let go? It's a bit tight. A lot happened, and someone saved me," Obito responded, feeling somewhat suffocated.
"It's incredible that you're safe. You can't imagine how sad Kushina was when she heard about your sacrifice," Minato replied, his surprise and emotions still evident. He decided not to press Obito for details at the moment, that could wait.
"Hahaha, there's no way I'd die that easily. I'm the man who's going to become Hokage," Obito declared proudly, striking a peculiar pose.
"You little rascal... Hahaha!" Minato burst into laughter, finally releasing his embrace. He affectionately ruffled Obito's hair, his tone apologetic. "I'm sorry I couldn't get to you in time."
With those words, Minato gazed at the three of them with a profound sense of relief. "Thank goodness, all three of you are alive. Let's head back to the village. We'll give Kushina a real surprise, and Rin..."
He paused momentarily, considering something to say, but ultimately shook his head and returned to his cheerful demeanor, "Don't worry about the sealing, Kushina will take care of it."
Deciding that there was no need to burden his students with these concerns, Minato smiled warmly at them. "Let's go! Let's head back!"
"Alright," the three of them replied with enthusiasm. With that, they walked together towards the village, their smiles brighter and their hearts lighter as they followed their sensei.
Kakashi took a few steps, his smile concealed but his eyes revealing a hint of concern. He watched as Obito returned with his heartwarming smile, Rin's gentle expression, and Minato's joyful demeanor. Despite the happiness of the moment, Kakashi couldn't shake off his awareness of the looming trouble—the Three-Tails.
Just then, Obito's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Kakashi, you jerk, are you coming or not?"
Hearing Obito's call, Kakashi's lips curled into a more tranquil smile, and he walked over. He muttered to himself, "This... idiot," as he looked at Obito, who seemed carefree. He sighed inwardly, realizing that they would have to deal with the Three-Tails situation when they returned to the village. However, One thing was clear in his mind, he would never abandon his companions again.
…
Unbeknownst to Team Minato, Konoha had swiftly received the news after the Mist Village's plan had unraveled.
However, in contrast to the joyful reunion of Team Minato, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wore a weary expression as he read the letter from the Mist Village, demanding that Konoha return the Three-Tails. The message was clear: the Mist Village would not cease the war unless the Three-Tails was returned. Hiruzen let out a helpless sigh, muttering, "War..."
The ongoing conflict had inflicted significant damage on Konoha and the entire shinobi world. If possible, Hiruzen wanted to put an end to it as soon as possible.
But as he lowered his head and glanced at a file on the nearby table, bearing the picture of a young girl with a gentle smile.
[Name: Rin Nohara
Shinobi ID: 010885
...]
Rin had sacrificed so much for Konoha. Hiruzen pondered for a moment, massaged his temples, and sighed once more, "Let's postpone the meeting for now."
Moreover, Upon learning of Obito's return, Hiruzen had mixed feelings. The fact that Obito was alive surprised him, but he didn't dwell on it much. The information about part of Obito's body being disfigured led him to believe that the young ninja had faced some hardships but managed to survive. Hiruzen had faith in Minato's abilities as a teacher and leader, trusting that he would investigate if there was anything amiss with Obito's return.
However, a thought crossed his mind, and he inquired, "Speaking of which, where is Danzo? I haven't seen him around lately, and he was absent from recent meetings."
The ANBU ninja accompanying him hesitated for a moment before responding, "Danzo-sama... it seems he has left the village, but there's no official record of his departure. We're not sure of his whereabouts. Should we send someone to search for him?"
"Danzo left the village?" Hiruzen furrowed his brows at this unexpected news, but he quickly sighed with resignation. "Forget about him for now. He likely has his reasons, and I doubt he'd be in harm's way even if he's on the battlefield."
…
Meanwhile, in the Rain Village, much like his close friend Hiruzen, Danzo was grappling with a persistent headache. However, his source of distress was quite different.
Danzo's headache was not caused by the ongoing war but rather by a nagging suspicion: "Am I being fooled?" He sat in his room, contemplating the troubling evidence before him.
His gaze was fixed on the distinctive green overalls and the headbands adorned with the Grass Village symbol, neatly arranged on his desk. These items, by themselves, weren't particularly unusual. After all, the neighboring Grass Village's ninja wore such attire.
However, what had raised Danzo's suspicion was where these Grass Village items had been found, quietly hidden away in the room of one of his Rain Village ninjas, discovered by his Root ninjas.
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