6-10

Chapter 6: The Plan 

The Third Kazekage gave Jindai two stark choices: go undercover in Konoha or face life as a deserter, locked away in Suna’s maximum-security prison. 

Jindai stared at the Kazekage in disbelief. 

If he refused, they’d throw him into Suna’s max-security prison? No way. 

That place was no joke—it was downright terrifying. The prison was carved into a mountain, with no separate cells. All the inmates were crammed together. And with Suna’s resources stretched thin, especially during wartime, there was barely any food for the prisoners. So… yeah, some of them resorted to eating each other. 

With his scrawny build, Jindai wouldn’t last a day in there before becoming someone’s lunch. 

The Third Kazekage was a hardliner. He might actually follow through on that threat. 

If Jindai didn’t want to go, he’d need leverage—something to bargain with. 

The only card he had was his strength. He’d have to reveal his abilities. But if he did that, he’d likely be sent to the front lines instead. 

Jindai hadn’t attended the ninja academy. He was self-taught in ninjutsu and had zero combat experience. Sure, he was strong, but he had no idea how to actually fight. 

Going to the battlefield might be even riskier than infiltrating Konoha. 

Confused, Jindai asked, “Uncle Kaito, why me? There’s gotta be someone better suited for this, right?” 

The Kazekage could tell from the question that Jindai was already half-convinced. He shook his head. “No, you’re the best fit in all of Suna. You keep to yourself, so hardly anyone in the village knows you. Plus, you’ve got a kekkei genkai, and most importantly, you’re my clansman. I know you’re loyal.” 

Jindai pursed his lips. 

Loyal, huh? 

The Kazekage had him all wrong. Jindai wasn’t exactly planning to be a double agent, but loyalty? That was a stretch. 

The Kazekage’s expression grew serious. “Jindai, I know you’re scared, but this mission is yours alone. The spy needs to be low-profile. While this isn’t a top-secret mission—Konoha will know you’re from Suna—we still want as few people in our village to know as possible. 

“Since Konoha will know you’re from Suna, we need someone who’ll pique their interest. An ordinary ninja won’t cut it. They need to be special. You know how it is here in Suna—we don’t have fancy jutsu or secret techniques. Even our prized puppetry arts don’t impress Konoha. The only thing that’ll catch their eye is a kekkei genkai.” 

Jindai blinked in shock. “Konoha will know I’m from Suna? Then why would they let me in?” 

The Kazekage explained Ebizo’s plan to him. 

Jindai’s face twisted with skepticism. “So, you’re saying we’re basically tricking Konoha by offering me up as a bargaining chip? Will that even work?” 

The Kazekage nodded. “Konoha’s on high alert right now. Sneaking in the usual way is impossible. This plan has a solid chance of success. Konoha doesn’t have any Magnet Release kekkei genkai users, and they don’t know much about it. To fill that gap, as long as they’re sure you’re not a threat, they’ll likely accept you. They won’t want to let you go.” 

Jindai’s voice wavered with worry. “What if they decide to dissect me like some lab rat?” 

The Kazekage reassured him, “Don’t worry about that. Konoha doesn’t have Magnet Release users. If they get you, you’ll be their first. They might even treat you like a prized treasure. After all, a kekkei genkai can only be passed down through bloodlines. Your kids could inherit Magnet Release.” 

Jindai’s expression grew even weirder. “Wait, so you’re saying they’d use me as a breeding tool? No way! I’m not doing that without some kind of emotional connection. That’s just not fun!” 

The Kazekage’s face darkened. “You little punk, you’re actually thinking about starting a family in Konoha?” 

Jindai scratched his nose, embarrassed. “No, no, I didn’t mean it like that…” 

The Kazekage continued, “Once the plan works, act like you’re one of them. Show some resentment toward Suna for using you as a bargaining chip. Do whatever Konoha asks to gain their trust. Your job is to gather intel—jutsu, secrets, anything you can get. 

“When the mission starts, I’ll use a triggered Mind Sand Manipulation Technique on your brain to protect against memory probing. It involves inserting tiny needles into your memory center to seal off certain memories. Don’t worry, once the technique is undone, the needles disappear, and your memories come back. If Konoha tries to read your mind, the technique will automatically release.” 

Jindai shivered. 

Needles in his brain? That sounded horrifying. 

He relied on his smarts to get by. What if someone’s hand slipped, and he ended up a vegetable? 

Jindai pleaded, “Uncle Kaito, what if Konoha doesn’t even try to read my memories? Can we skip the Mind Sand thing?” 

The Kazekage shook his head. “No, it’s necessary. Since they’ll know you’re from Suna, they’ll definitely probe your memories. It’s for your safety. I’m skilled with this technique, so don’t worry. It’ll only seal memories from today onward—your past stays intact.” 

Jindai grumbled to himself. Easy for him to say—it’s not his brain getting poked. 

The Kazekage went on, “When the full-scale war breaks out, we’ll find a chance to invade Konoha. You’ll guide us in and help us raid the village. I’ll also give you a ninja hawk for a summoning contract. If you get any intel from Konoha, send it to me through the hawk immediately. 

“Finally, only I will know your true identity as a spy. No one else in Suna will have a clue, so you can focus on—” 

Before he could finish, Jindai cut in, “Uncle Kaito, you’re saying only you will know I’m a spy?” 

The Kazekage frowned. “Yeah, what’s the problem?” 

“No, no, no!” Jindai shook his head frantically. “That won’t work! Someone else has to know I’m a spy, or I’m not going!” 

In Jindai’s memory, the Third Kazekage was killed by Sasori during the Third Great Ninja War and turned into a human puppet. If the Kazekage was the only one who knew about his mission and then died, Jindai would be stuck as a rogue operative with no way to prove his loyalty. 

Chapter 7: Watch Out for Sasori 

The Third Kazekage couldn’t wrap his head around why Jindai wanted to spill the beans about his undercover mission to others. Wasn’t the whole point of being a spy to keep it on the down-low? The fewer people who knew, the safer it was, right? 

Even though it seemed odd, the Third Kazekage agreed to Jindai’s request. It wasn’t like it was a big deal or anything. 

Jindai let out a sigh of relief when the Kazekage gave the green light. Sure, he didn’t have much love for the Hidden Sand Village, but he’d been crashing in this beat-up shack for so long that he’d grown kinda attached to it. If his undercover gig in the Hidden Leaf went south and he ended up a rogue ninja, he’d lose even this rundown place he called home. 

The Third Kazekage stood up. “Get ready. We move tomorrow.” 

Jindai, already resigned to his fate, sighed again. “Got it,” he muttered. 

The Kazekage whistled sharply, and a ninja hawk swooped into Jindai’s shack. Under his guidance, Jindai formed a contract with the bird. 

Jindai scratched his head. “Uncle Kaito, can this hawk track people down?” 

The Kazekage nodded. “Give it something with the target’s scent, and it’ll find them by smell. I’ve got other things to handle, so prep yourself. I’ll swing by at noon tomorrow.” 

As the Kazekage turned to leave, Jindai couldn’t help himself. “Uncle Kaito, be careful around Sasori.” 

The Kazekage froze mid-step, turning back with a puzzled look. “Why should I watch out for Sasori?” 

Jindai fumbled for words. “Uh… I had this super vivid dream. Like, really real. And in it, Sasori was up to no good.” 

How was he supposed to explain this? He couldn’t just blurt out to the Kazekage that Sasori was still holding a grudge over his parents’ deaths. After the Leaf’s White Fang—the guy who killed them—took his own life, Sasori shifted his hatred to the Kazekage. In Sasori’s mind, the Kazekage, as the leader of the Hidden Sand, was to blame for letting the Leaf invade, which led to his parents’ deaths. No way Jindai could say that outright. 

Sure, the Kazekage had mostly left Jindai to his own devices, and they’d only met a handful of times. They weren’t exactly close. But Jindai didn’t know many people, and the Kazekage was one of the few he did. He didn’t want the guy to end up dead. 

Problem was, Jindai had no clue how to make the Kazekage believe him. For one, he’d never even met Sasori. Not once. For another, Sasori was the grandson of Chiyo, one of the village’s top advisors, and a trusted genius puppeteer. Oh, and let’s not forget—Jindai only knew the Third Kazekage’s death happened around the start of the Third Great Ninja War, possibly even sparking it. But the exact date? The way Sasori would pull it off? Total mystery. 

Even if Jindai did know the when and how, there was no guarantee the Kazekage would buy it. 

The Kazekage’s voice turned stern. “Jindai, Sasori is Chiyo’s grandson. He’d never betray the village. Don’t go throwing accusations at your comrades like that.” 

Jindai’s face fell. He was just trying to help, and now he was getting scolded? Talk about his good intentions being taken for granted—like offering a bowl of ramen and getting slapped for it. 

After the Kazekage left, Jindai felt like crying. Out of nowhere, he’d been roped into this undercover mission. If he refused, they’d toss him in a cell. No warning, no prep time. Who plays dirty like that? 

Rubbing his cheeks, Jindai tried to psych himself up. “Alright, just go with the flow. I’m pretty darn strong. Even if I get caught, I’ll figure a way out. No sweat!” 

He got up from his chair, knelt by his bed, and fished out a scroll from underneath. This scroll was something he’d made for Yakura. It held something he’d been working on for ages—something to help Yakura through a future crisis. It wasn’t perfect yet; he’d been tweaking it endlessly, which is why he hadn’t handed it over. But even in its rough state, it’d probably be enough to keep Yakura safe. 

Now that Jindai was about to head to the Leaf for this undercover mission, it was time to pass the scroll along. Yakura wasn’t in the Leaf, but thanks to the ninja hawk contract, Jindai could send it to her. 

He scribbled a letter, grabbed an old jacket Yakura had left at his place, and let the hawk sniff it. Then he tied the scroll and letter to the bird’s body. 

Patting the hawk’s head, Jindai said, “Alright, buddy, get this to Yakura. If you lose it, I’ll turn you into hawk stew!” 

Ninja animals like hawks, dogs, or cats are smart enough to understand human speech. So when Jindai mentioned stew, the hawk shuffled back a couple of steps, its eyes wide with panic. 

Jindai shot it a mock glare. “What’re you waiting for? Go, unless you want to be dinner!” 

The hawk let out a startled cry and flapped off in a hurry. 

After it left, Jindai shut the door and flopped onto his bed. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Life was so unpredictable—like a ramen bowl with no noodles. 

Before bed, he’d been planning to sleep in till the afternoon, then work on some upgrades for his “Shinogetsu” project. Now, out of nowhere, he was headed to the Leaf as a spy. How was he supposed to sleep with that hanging over him? 

“Talk about rotten luck,” he groaned. 

But the real bad luck was still to come. 

After the Kazekage left, he completely forgot about Jindai’s request to tell others about the undercover mission. Not that it was entirely his fault—Jindai’s random warning about Sasori threw him off, and the whole thing slipped his mind. 

The next day, at noon. 

Jindai hadn’t slept a wink, his nerves on edge as he waited for the Kazekage. He’d packed his stuff, sealing “Shinogetsu” into a scroll. That was pretty much all he had. 

As he waited, his mind wandered. Maybe the Kazekage would get a stomachache and miss the meeting, canceling the whole thing. Or maybe he’d found some other poor sap to play spy instead. 

But… nope. Right on cue, the Kazekage showed up at Jindai’s shack with two other ninjas in tow. 

The second he walked in, the Kazekage said, “Jindai, it’s time.” 

Jindai couldn’t help but quip, “Uncle Kaito, can you phrase it differently? ‘It’s time’ makes it sound like I’m headed to the executioner’s block!” 

He was already a nervous wreck, and now he was even more on edge. 

Chapter 8: The Plan Begins 

The Third Kazekage showed up at Jindai’s house with two ninja in tow, saying, “It’s time.” 

Jindai’s complaints fell on deaf ears. 

The Kazekage pulled out a tiny needle and said to Jindai, “Come here. I’m going to perform the Mind Sand Manipulation Technique to seal your memories.” 

Jindai trudged over, looking defeated. “Uncle Kaito, please be careful. My brain’s my bread and butter.” 

The Kazekage waved him off dismissively. “I’ve done this a million times. It won’t go wrong.” 

Jindai turned around, exposing the back of his head to the Kazekage. 

In a flash, the Kazekage jabbed the needle into Jindai’s skull. 

Jindai winced as a sharp pain shot through his head. 

The Kazekage formed hand signs and placed his hands over Jindai’s head. “Mind Sand Manipulation Technique!” 

A seal briefly appeared on Jindai’s head before vanishing. His eyes went blank for a moment, then sparked back to life. 

Jindai looked around, confused, at the Kazekage and the two ninja. “Huh? Uncle Kaito, what are you doing here?” 

The Kazekage’s response was a swift chop to the neck. 

Jindai’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, out cold. 

The Kazekage turned to the two ninja behind him. “Stick to the plan. You’ll meet our contact in the Land of Rivers. Find the Iwa ninja, complete the trade for supplies, and get back to the village immediately!” 

“Yes, sir!”  

One ninja hoisted Jindai over their shoulder, and both vanished with a Body Flicker Technique. 

The Kazekage lingered in Jindai’s room, his brow furrowed. “What was it Jindai asked me to do last night? Eh, can’t remember. Probably wasn’t important.” 

The Land of Rivers, a small nation wedged between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, was a tense hotspot. To guard against Suna ambushes, Konoha kept ninja stationed there, always on alert. Suna had their own ninja in the area too, clashing with Konoha’s forces now and then. 

But right now, Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash, who should’ve been fighting Kumo on the front lines, was in the Land of Rivers. He was there for Kakashi, Obito, and Rin. 

As the Yellow Flash, Minato always threw himself into the most dangerous battles against Kumo, leaving little time to mentor his team. With the Kumo front quieter for now, he’d taken a mission in the Land of Rivers to both keep Suna in check and train Kakashi, Obito, and Rin. 

The moment Minato arrived, a Konoha ninja rushed up to him. “Lord Minato! We got intel a few days ago and sent it to the Hokage via ninja beast. He replied that since you’re here, you should handle the mission!” 

Minato raised an eyebrow. “What’s the intel? What does the Third want me to do?” 

The ninja reported, “We caught a suspicious Suna ninja a few days back. He tried to destroy a scroll, but we stopped him. The guy killed himself after. The scroll said Iwa’s willing to ally with Suna, offering military supplies in exchange for a ninja with the Magnet Release kekkei genkai to seal the deal. 

“The Hokage’s orders are for you to do whatever it takes to stop Suna and Iwa from forming an alliance and secure that Magnet Release ninja. We’ve got ninja posted all over the Land of Rivers. If we spot Iwa ninja, we’ll notify you immediately.” 

Minato’s eyes narrowed. Suna teaming up with Iwa at a time like this? No way they weren’t up to something. 

Suna had been eyeing Konoha’s resources for years. And while Iwa hadn’t made any big moves yet, they’d been sniffing around, sending ninja to spy on Konoha during the Kumo conflict. If Suna and Iwa allied, they could gang up on Konoha, leaving the village caught between Kumo, Iwa, and Suna. 

That alliance had to be stopped. 

As for the Magnet Release ninja, kekkei genkai were rare and valuable, so Minato understood why the Third Hokage wanted them. The Third Kazekage’s Magnet Release, controlling iron sand, had earned him the title of “Strongest Kazekage” in the ninja world. 

Minato told the ninja, “Alright, let’s keep my presence here quiet. If they find out I’m in the Land of Rivers, they might switch the trade location.” 

The ninja nodded. “Only a handful of us know you’re here. I’ll make sure they keep it under wraps.” 

“Good,” Minato said. “I’ll stay at the base and wait for your updates.” 

The ninja left to spread the word. 

Three days later, the two Suna ninja carrying Jindai crossed into the Land of Rivers and linked up with their contact. 

The scroll Konoha had intercepted? That was no accident—Suna had let it fall into their hands. If Suna really wanted to trade with Iwa, they’d have picked the Land of Birds, closer to both the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth, not the Land of Rivers, right next to the Land of Fire. 

Now it was just a matter of waiting for Iwa’s ninja to show up for the trade, and the plan could move forward. 

Two more days passed. 

A five-man Iwa squad slipped into the Land of Rivers. The moment they crossed the border, Konoha’s ninja had them in their sights. Since Iwa was most likely to enter from the north, Konoha had beefed up their forces there. 

As soon as the Iwa squad was spotted, a Konoha ninja alerted Minato. 

Minato gathered Kakashi, Obito, and Rin. “We’re heading out for a covert mission. Move out now!” 

Minato’s team left the Konoha base, racing toward the Iwa squad’s location. 

Chapter 9: The Trade 

Jindai woke up to find himself bound tightly, slung over the shoulder of one of his own people, being carried off to who-knows-where. 

He didn’t dare say a word. 

The past few days, every time he opened his mouth after waking up, he’d get knocked out with a swift chop to the neck. His nape was probably swollen by now. 

Jindai couldn’t figure out what was going on. Why was the Third Kazekage having him knocked out? Why was he being dragged out of the Hidden Sand Village without a single explanation? 

One thing was clear: they weren’t in the Land of Wind anymore. The ground wasn’t sandy, and there were rivers and forests all around. 

The first few times he woke up, Jindai’s immediate question was, “Where am I? Where are you taking me?” But the two Sand ninjas carrying him never answered. Their only response was another chop to the neck. 

This time, after waking up, Jindai stayed quiet, racking his brain to figure out why they were treating him like this. No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t recall doing anything wrong. He was a total homebody, holed up in his shack all day. When would he even have the chance to mess up? 

He squirmed against the ropes binding him. They were tied so tight he could barely move. Jindai felt like crying. If only he’d bothered to learn the rope escape technique. 

Every ninja was supposed to master that basic skill. It was just a matter of twisting your joints or loosening knots—no chakra required. But it involved dislocating joints, and Jindai hated pain, so he’d skipped it. The Sand Village gave him plenty of freedom when it came to learning ninjutsu; nobody forced him to study anything. A painful, basic trick like rope escape? He hadn’t given it a second thought. 

Now, when he actually needed it, he was totally screwed. 

Suddenly, Jindai noticed there weren’t just the two Sand ninjas anymore—three more had joined them. And they were talking. 

“The Rock ninjas are already in the Land of Rivers. Let’s head there to make the trade.” 

“You sure everything’s set?” 

“Yeah, the scroll confirming the alliance between the Hidden Sand and Hidden Rock is in their hands. They’ve sent a ton of ninjas to the northern part of the Land of Rivers. They’re probably trying to pin down the Rock ninjas.” 

“Good. Once we get the military supplies, we pull out.” 

Jindai, with no memory of what led to this, was completely lost. The Land of Rivers? An alliance between the Hidden Sand and Hidden Rock? Trading for military supplies? And who were “they” who had the alliance scroll? More importantly, why was he being dragged along? 

His brain was about to short-circuit trying to make sense of it. 

After a long trek, the five Sand ninjas carrying Jindai stopped abruptly in a forest. One of them shouted, “Come out!” 

Five Rock ninjas slowly emerged from the ground, standing before them. 

One of the Sand ninjas spoke up. “This is the Magnet Release Bloodline Limit ninja we promised you. Where’s our payment?” 

A Rock ninja unrolled six scrolls, summoning six large crates. “Two crates of kunai, three crates of shuriken, one crate of explosive tags. That’s the military supplies we agreed on.” 

Jindai’s blood ran cold. He felt like he’d been dunked in ice water. 

A trade? The Rock ninjas were trading six crates of weapons… for him? 

Was this because the Third Kazekage thought he was useless? Was he being pawned off to the Hidden Rock Village as part of their alliance, just to score some supplies? It was the only explanation that made sense. 

Despair and betrayal hit Jindai like a ton of bricks. All he’d wanted was to stay out of trouble, play the part of a slacker, and tinker with his ninjutsu and puppets in peace. He just wanted to live a quiet life. But even that wasn’t enough to keep him from being sold out as a sacrifice. 

Anger bubbled up inside him. Fine, he thought. Once he got to the Hidden Rock Village, he’d go full rogue. He’d show them all—prove how badass he could be, make the Third Kazekage and the Sand Village regret tossing him aside. They’d see what kind of talent they’d lost! 

The Sand ninjas checked each crate, confirming the contents were legit before sealing them back into the scrolls. Then they set Jindai on the ground, signaling the Rock ninjas to take him. 

Unbeknownst to them, four pairs of eyes were watching from the shadows. It was Minato Namikaze’s team. 

Minato signaled to Kakashi, Obito, and Rin with hand signs. The three nodded and split up. Rin, as the team’s medical ninja, wasn’t suited for direct combat and stayed back. 

Kakashi reached his position without a hitch. But Obito, heading to where Minato had directed him, tripped over a rock and face-planted spectacularly. 

The noise caught the attention of both the Sand and Rock ninjas. “Who’s there?!” they shouted. 

Two Sand ninjas and two Rock ninjas charged toward the sound. 

Kakashi, Rin, and Minato facepalmed in unison, groaning, “What an idiot!” 

Kakashi sprang into action, using the Body Flicker Technique to appear behind a Sand ninja. His short blade sank into the ninja’s back, blood splattering across Kakashi’s face. 

Another Sand ninja hurled shuriken at Kakashi, who yanked out his blade and leaped back, dodging the attack. 

Meanwhile, the two Rock ninjas rushed toward Obito. Terrified and trembling, Obito fumbled through his hand signs but managed to complete them just in time. “Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!” 

He gathered chakra in his throat and spewed a massive fireball toward the Rock ninjas. 

“Earth Style: Mud Wall!” one of the Rock ninjas countered, slamming their hands to the ground. A wall of earth rose, blocking Obito’s flames. 

As the flames died down, one Rock ninja charged at Obito, who gripped a kunai, ready to fight. But Rin, hidden nearby, shouted, “Obito! Behind you!” 

A second Rock ninja had burrowed underground using the Earth Style: Hidden Mole Technique, turning the soil into fine sand with flowing chakra to slink toward Obito like a subterranean dragon. The ninja burst from the ground behind him, kunai aimed at Obito’s neck. 

Frozen in fear, Obito could only watch as the blade closed in. 

Chapter 10: The Fight 

Obito stood frozen, eyes wide with terror as the Rock ninja’s kunai sped toward him. 

Just then, a figure dropped from the sky, slamming both feet onto the Rock ninja, pinning them to the ground. A short blade flashed, sinking into the ninja’s neck, ending them instantly. 

Kakashi, the one who’d intervened, hurled his blade past Obito’s head, striking the other Rock ninja charging from the front. 

With a sharp tongue, Kakashi sneered, “Hey, scaredy-cat, if you’re too spooked to move, why don’t you hide with Rin? You’re just dragging me down, and it’s a real pain.” 

Without waiting for a reply, Kakashi grabbed a fallen ninja blade and dove back into the fray. 

Obito snapped out of it, clenching his fists so hard his knuckles whitened. Kakashi’s words—calling him a coward, telling him to hide—burned in his mind. He wasn’t about to take that lying down. 

“I’m no coward! I’m an Uchiha!” Obito roared, his pride flaring. He yanked out a kunai and charged at the Sand and Rock ninjas with newfound fire. 

Meanwhile, Jindai was dumbfounded, watching the chaos unfold. That white-haired, masked guy who oozed confidence? And the spiky-haired, goggle-wearing kid who seemed kinda clueless? No way—were those Kakashi Hatake and Obito Uchiha? 

If they were here, then… oh no. The Yellow Flash of the Leaf, Minato Namikaze, might be nearby too. 

Danger! Way too dangerous! He had to get out of there now. If Minato was around, Jindai wouldn’t stand a chance, even with ten lives. 

With no one guarding him, this was his shot to escape. “Ugh, how the heck does that rope escape technique even work?!” Jindai muttered, struggling against the ropes. The more he squirmed, the tighter they got. 

Out of options, Jindai started wriggling across the ground like a caterpillar, inching away from the chaos. It was slow, but at least he was moving. His survival instincts kicked into overdrive, turning him into the ultimate caterpillar ninja, scooting frantically through the dirt. 

Back in the fight, Kakashi and Obito were surrounded. The Sand and Rock ninjas totaled ten, and Kakashi had already taken down four, leaving six. Obito, despite his big talk, was more of a liability than a help. His “awakening” was all bravado, no substance. 

Back-to-back, Kakashi and Obito faced the remaining enemies, tension thick in the air. Obito, sweating buckets, whispered, “Kakashi, what do we do?” 

Kakashi didn’t answer. He charged forward, trying to break through the encirclement. But three Sand ninjas blocked his path, forcing him back. 

“Kill these brats quick!” one of the enemies barked. “There might be more Leaf ninjas on the way!” 

“Take ‘em down together!” another shouted. 

As the six ninjas closed in on Kakashi and Obito, a uniquely shaped kunai suddenly fell from the sky, embedding itself in the ground right in front of them. 

In the next instant, Minato Namikaze appeared at the kunai’s location, using his Flying Thunder God Technique. 

The six Sand and Rock ninjas froze, their faces pale with fear. They knew exactly who he was. 

“Minato Namikaze?” one Rock ninja stammered, voice cracking. “Weren’t you fighting the Cloud ninjas in the Land of Hot Springs?” 

Minato flashed a warm, disarming smile. “As you can see, I’m right here in the Land of Rivers. Even I need a break sometimes.” 

To the Sand and Rock ninjas, that smile was like the grin of the Grim Reaper himself. Despite being from different villages, they all made the same call: Run! 

Minato’s nickname, the Yellow Flash, echoed across the ninja world. These guys didn’t stand a chance against him. 

The six scattered in every direction. One Rock ninja tried to grab Jindai, but the caterpillar ninja had already wriggled into a patch of tall grass, out of sight. With no time to search, the ninja gave up and fled. 

But outrun Minato? Fat chance. 

Minato pulled out six Flying Thunder God kunai and flung them toward the fleeing ninjas. Then, in a blur of motion, he teleported six times—whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—his yellow hair the only clue he was even moving. If he’d been bald, they might not have realized he’d attacked at all. 

When Minato reappeared beside Kakashi and Obito, the six enemies suddenly clutched their throats, blood spraying as they collapsed, lifeless. 

The battle ended as easily as Minato’s arrival. 

Minato turned to Kakashi first. “Great work, Kakashi. Your moves were clean, decisive, and your timing was spot-on.” 

Kakashi’s eyes didn’t flicker, as if to say, “Just another day.” 

Then Minato turned to Obito, who looked up eagerly, expecting praise. 

Instead, Minato’s tone grew serious. “Obito, your mental game in combat is nowhere near good enough. When those two ninjas rushed you and blocked your jutsu, only one kept coming. You should’ve noticed the other disappeared. In that situation, if you can’t track the missing ninja, you retreat. But you didn’t even notice, and when Rin warned you, you froze. If Kakashi hadn’t stepped in, you’d be dead.” 

Obito hung his head, ashamed. Compared to Kakashi, his performance was a total flop. 

But Minato softened, smiling. “That said, Obito, your courage was impressive. You didn’t give up, and that’s something. This mission was meant to help you grow. As long as you’re learning, it’s worth it.” 

Obito’s face lit up, thrilled to get some praise. 

Minato pointed to Obito’s shoulder. “Now, go get that wound checked by Rin.” 

Obito glanced down, noticing for the first time that his shoulder was bleeding from a gash. “Rin!” he shouted toward her hiding spot. “The fight’s over! I’m hurt—come patch me up, it stings!” 

Rin emerged and hurried to Obito, starting to heal him on the spot. 

Minato turned to Kakashi. “Kakashi, search the bodies. I’ll go get him.” 

Kakashi nodded. “Yes, Sensei!” 

Jindai, still in the grass, held his breath, praying, Don’t find me, don’t find me. 

But then a flash of yellow appeared in his vision, and his heart skipped a beat. Minato. 

Jindai forced a shaky smile. “Uh… hey there. I’m just a random civilian passing by. You buy that, right?” 

Minato raised an eyebrow at Jindai’s weak excuse. 

A sharp pain hit Jindai’s neck, and as he blacked out, one thought screamed in his mind: What is it with everyone and my neck?!