[Sunagakure Genin: “It’s hard to say, but those two shinobi are probably around Chūnin level…”]
The video continued.
The atmosphere suddenly grew tense.
In the distance, two enemy shinobi gripped their weapons and rapidly closed in.
Kakashi immediately stepped in front of the young girl.
“Rin, go!”
“But…”
Rin looked at him, hesitant to leave.
“Don’t hold me back.”
Kakashi’s voice was cold and unwavering.
Left with no other choice, Rin turned and ran.
Kakashi quickly formed a series of hand seals while retreating several steps.
“Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!”
Boom!
A massive earthen wall erupted from the ground, cutting off the two enemy shinobi.
Grinding their teeth, the pair vaulted over the wall—
Only to find no one there.
“Tch…
He got away?”
At that moment—
Cracks spread across the earth wall behind them.
Kakashi burst out from within it, unsheathing the short sword strapped to his back and cutting one of them down in a single slash.
“He was hiding inside the Earth Release technique?!”
The surviving shinobi’s eyes widened in shock.
Before he could finish speaking, Kakashi charged straight at him with his blade.
Moments later, both enemies lay dead.
“Rin.”
Kakashi glanced toward her.
“I’ll treat him right away!”
Rin nodded and immediately rushed to the wounded shinobi.
[Tobirama Senju: “This boy Kakashi is impressive.
He has exceptional combat talent…”]
[A (Second Raikage): “As expected of Kakashi the Copy Ninja.
At only twelve years old, he’s already displaying such incredible talent.
“]
[Ōnoki: “Indeed.
Konoha certainly produces an awful lot of prodigies…”]
[Mei Terumī: “What’s the point of having so many geniuses?
Don’t forget—Konoha has Danzō.”]
[Ōnoki: “Thanks, Danzō, for snuffing out Konoha’s geniuses before they could reach their potential!”]
[A (Fourth Raikage): “Thanks, Danzō!
May good fortune follow you forever!!”]
[Rasa (Fourth Kazekage): “Don’t forget, Danzō only got away with all those atrocities because Hiruzen was backing him.”]
[First Mizukage: “Many thanks to young Hiruzen Sarutobi.
“]
[Tobirama Senju: “Danzō!
Hiruzen!
The two of you are going to be the death of me!!!”]
[Danzō Shimura: “Sensei, you’ve misunderstood!
Everything I did was for Konoha!
It’s all Hiruzen’s fault…”]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: “…”]
[Hashirama Senju: “Let’s keep watching the video first…”]
The video continued.
“What happened here, Kakashi?”
Minato arrived at high speed with Obito.
“Obito.”
Kakashi gave him a brief, indifferent glance.
“We can explain later.”
Minato looked at Kakashi thoughtfully.
“I think I already have a rough idea of what happened.”
“When we arrived here with the escorts, those two suddenly attacked this shinobi.”
Kakashi briefly explained the situation.
“P-Please…”
The wounded shinobi slowly opened his eyes.
“I know…
I’m not going to make it…”
With great difficulty, he pulled a small purple scroll from inside his vest.
“Please…
open this letter…”
Kakashi accepted the scroll and handed it to Minato.
“Normally, we’re not supposed to read its contents.”
Minato hesitated before asking cautiously.
“It’s alright…”
“Please…
confirm whether it’s genuine…”
the dying shinobi said weakly.
Minato swallowed hard and slowly opened the scroll.
The moment he looked inside—
He froze.
Obito leaned over curiously.
He, too, was left speechless.
The scroll was completely blank.
There wasn’t a single word written on it.
“…What’s going on?”
Minato asked carefully.
“My orders…”
The wounded shinobi struggled to speak through cracked lips.
“…were that either I or one of my teammates had to deliver this scroll to our superiors.”
“The real intelligence…”
“…is in the possession of one of us.”
“…Why would they do this?”
Minato frowned.
“Because we received information that there might be a traitor among our own ranks.”
The wounded shinobi continued.
“Then…
where’s the real message?”
As Rin treated his injuries, she asked anxiously.
[Rasa (Fourth Kazekage): “I don’t get it.
Can someone explain?”]
[Sasori: “You sure do talk a lot…”]
[Adult Sasuke Uchiha: “If I’m not mistaken, this is a trap set by the enemy village.”]
[Tobirama Senju: “Exactly what I was thinking.”]
[Itachi Uchiha: “Let’s keep watching.
We don’t have enough clues yet.”]
[Sasuke Uchiha: “Watch your ass!
You heartless bastard!!!!”]
[Mikoto Uchiha: “???”]
[Fugaku Uchiha: “Sasuke…
that’s no way to speak in front of your mother.”]
[Sasuke Uchiha: “Sorry…
Dad, Mom…
don’t worry.
I’ll definitely kill Itachi!”]
[System: “Alas…
the truth is forever buried in darkness…”]
[Uchiha Tekka: “Buried, my ass!
If Itachi can actually be redeemed, I’ll stand on my head and eat my meal upside down!!!”]
[Uchiha Setsuna: “If Itachi gets redeemed, I’ll eat three jin!
Don’t steal my bet!!”]
[Mei Terumī: “Better take a screenshot now in case you try to back out later.”]
The video continued.
“If the traitor had possessed it…”
the dying shinobi continued weakly,
“…I wouldn’t have been ambushed.”
At those words—
Kakashi’s eyes widened in realization.
The screen faded to black.
If his deduction was correct…
Then the shinobi who had fallen from the bridge into the ravine…
…must have been carrying the real message.
“So…
it was him…”
“Kakashi.”
“What happened to the other one?”
Minato asked.
“He died along the way.”
Kakashi shook his head.
“Please…”
“You must deliver the message…”
Before the dying shinobi could finish, his voice fell silent forever.
Rin slowly lowered her head.
“…He’s gone.”
Just then—
The nearby bushes rustled.
Minato’s expression sharpened instantly.
“Someone’s listening.”
he said in a low voice.
“Kakashi…”
“Are you really going to abandon the other man?”
Obito placed a hand on Kakashi’s shoulder.
“I simply prioritized the mission.”
“I’m following the rules.”
Kakashi brushed Obito’s hand away.
“The rules?”
Obito frowned.
“Those who break the rules are trash.”
Kakashi met his gaze coldly.
“And what did following those rules accomplish?”
“If you hadn’t abandoned your comrade, things wouldn’t have turned out like this!”
Obito glared at him with undisguised anger.
“Calm down, Obito.”
“This was an accident.
It isn’t Kakashi’s fault.”
Minato gently rested a hand on Obito’s shoulder.
“Damn it…”
“I’m going to save him!”
Obito shook Minato’s hand off and started walking away.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Kakashi asked coldly.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“I’m going to rescue him!”
Obito shouted.
“He’s surrounded by enemy forces.”
Kakashi replied.
“That’s right.”
“It’s far too dangerous.”
Minato also tried to persuade his student.
“I refuse to let my very first mission end in failure!”
Obito interrupted them.
“This isn’t failure.”
“It was an accident.”
Kakashi answered without emotion.
“Kakashi…”
“For someone who’s supposed to be the top student, you’re not thinking very clearly.”
Obito turned around, his voice icy.
“…What did you say?”
Kakashi was taken aback.
“Think about it.”
“All four people we were assigned to protect have disappeared.”
“Who’s going to prove this was really just an accident?”
Obito stared straight at Kakashi.
“The client hired us as bodyguards but concealed the existence of a traitor from the very beginning.”
“And if the village decides to pretend it knew nothing…”
“The one who’ll end up taking the blame…”
“…will be Sensei Minato.”
[Rasa (Fourth Kazekage): “Now I get it.”]
[A (Fourth Raikage): “Same here.
Finally makes sense.”]
[Mei Terumī: “I won’t say who the culprit is…
but I think everyone already knows.”]
[Ōnoki: “At this point in time, Minato was still competing to become Hokage.
If this scandal landed on him…”]
[Tobirama Senju: “Monkey!
What’s going on here?!”]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: “Sensei, all of this was Danzō’s doing.
It has nothing t