Naruto: The Second Chance of Obito Uchiha
Chapter 25: The Cloud's Countermove
The northern front remained tense.
For three days, Kumogakure did not launch another major assault.
That silence worried Konoha more than an attack would have.
Experienced shinobi knew one thing about war:
An enemy that stopped moving was usually preparing something.
Inside Konoha's forward command tent, Minato studied reports from scouts stationed throughout the mountains.
Kakashi stood beside him while Obito waited quietly.
"Cloud patrols have changed their routes."
Minato placed several markers on the map.
"They're avoiding direct clashes."
Kakashi looked at the positions.
"They're searching for another path."
"Exactly."
Minato pointed toward a narrow mountain pass.
"This area leads directly toward our supply line."
Obito's eyes narrowed.
"They want us to spread our forces."
Minato nodded.
"A and Killer B aren't just powerful fighters."
"They understand battlefield strategy."
Outside the command tent, Obito looked toward the medical area.
Rin was still recovering.
Her injuries from A had been severe enough that even her own medical abilities couldn't speed up the process.
She wanted to return.
But Minato had ordered her to remain off the battlefield.
For once…
She listened.
Mostly.
Inside the medical tent, Rin stared at the ceiling.
"I hate this."
A medical ninja smiled.
"You hate resting."
Rin sighed.
"I should be helping."
"You already did."
The medic looked serious.
"You saved people while injured yourself."
Rin looked down.
She knew that was true.
But she also knew her teammates were fighting without her.
Near the outer edge of the camp, Kakashi approached Obito.
"You're worried."
Obito didn't deny it.
"About Rin."
Kakashi nodded.
"And about your eyes."
Obito looked at him.
"My eyes?"
"You keep treating the Mangekyō like it's something dangerous."
Obito was quiet.
Because Kakashi was right.
He feared the power.
Not because it was weak.
Because it was strong enough to change everything.
A sudden alarm sounded across the camp.
Enemy movement.
Every shinobi immediately grabbed their weapons.
A scout arrived.
"Cloud forces spotted near the northern pass!"
Minato appeared moments later.
"Numbers?"
"Approximately fifty."
Kakashi frowned.
"Only fifty?"
Minato looked at the report.
"That's what makes it suspicious."
The team moved toward the northern pass.
The terrain was narrow.
Perfect for an ambush.
Obito activated his Sharingan.
The forest was silent.
Too silent.
"There."
He pointed toward the trees.
Kakashi instantly threw several kunai.
Cloud shinobi appeared from hiding.
The battle began.
Unlike the previous encounters, these Cloud shinobi didn't try to overpower them.
They moved with a specific purpose.
Destroy supplies.
Delay reinforcements.
Create confusion.
Obito recognized it immediately.
"They're distracting us."
Kakashi blocked an incoming attack.
"Then where is the real attack?"
A massive explosion answered.
Far behind them.
The main supply route.
Obito's eyes widened.
"They split their forces."
Minato's expression hardened.
"Exactly."
At the supply base, several Cloud shinobi attacked the defensive line.
Leading them was a veteran jonin who had served directly under A.
His goal wasn't victory.
It was damage.
The longer the battle lasted…
The more supplies Konoha lost.
Minato disappeared.
A yellow flash crossed the battlefield.
The Cloud forces immediately panicked.
"The Yellow Flash!"
The enemy commander cursed.
"He came faster than expected."
Minato appeared in front of him.
"You picked a dangerous target."
The Cloud jonin smiled.
"That's because we knew you'd come."
Several explosive tags activated around them.
Minato immediately realized.
A trap.
Back at the northern pass, Obito felt Minato's chakra disappear.
His expression changed.
"Kakashi."
"I know."
They both understood.
Minato was fighting alone.
Obito looked toward the battlefield.
He wanted to help.
But he remembered Minato's orders.
Protect the front.
Complete the mission.
Think before acting.
The old Obito would have rushed forward.
The new Obito stopped.
"We secure this position first."
Kakashi looked at him.
Then nodded.
"You're learning."
Obito smiled slightly.
"Don't sound so surprised."
The battle lasted until sunset.
Konoha stopped the attack.
The supply base survived.
But everyone understood the message behind the attack.
Kumogakure wasn't trying to win one battle.
They were trying to exhaust Konoha.
That night, Minato returned to camp.
He looked over the battlefield reports.
"They're adapting."
Jiraiya, who had arrived to coordinate the northern defenses, nodded.
"A and Killer B are forcing us to fight their war."
Minato looked toward the mountains.
"Then we need to force them into ours."
Far away, A reviewed the results of the mission.
A Cloud commander asked,
"Was the damage enough?"
A nodded.
"They protected their supplies."
"But they revealed something more important."
"What?"
A looked at the report.
"The Uchiha is no longer reckless."
Killer B smiled.
"New eyes, old soul, fighting with control,
That Uchiha kid's got a warrior's goal.
Fool, ya fool!"
A folded the report.
"The next encounter will tell us everything."
Back at the Leaf camp, Obito stood beside the medical tent.
Rin was still recovering.
The war was still raging.
And somewhere ahead…
Another battle with A and Killer B was waiting.
But this time, Obito knew something.
He wasn't fighting to change the past anymore.
He was fighting to protect the future he had created.