Zwish!
In a sudden burst of golden light, Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash of Konoha, materialized inside the war tent. Kakashi and Rin appeared beside him in a flash, arriving through his perfected Flying Thunder God Technique. The tent—normally a place of strategy, maps, and high-ranking discussions led by Orochimaru—was unusually empty. Only a few scattered Jonin remained, their attention shifting instantly to the three figures that had just appeared.
Konoha was currently on the offensive, pushing the enemy back with a bold and unrelenting strategy. Thanks to Orochimaru's masterfully orchestrated plan, most of the commanders were out in the field leading assaults or securing captured ground. The war tent, once bustling with activity, now stood in relative quiet.
But the peace in the room was broken the moment they laid eyes on Minato.
"Sensei! You're bleeding!" Kakashi and Rin shouted in unison, their voices filled with alarm.
Minato blinked, puzzled, and looked down.
His flak vest was soaked in blood.
"What...?" he whispered, stumbling slightly as the adrenaline began to wear off. "I... I evaded all the attacks. How—?"
His knees buckled beneath him. The strength that had propelled him through the battlefield now drained from his body all at once. He fell hard to the ground, clutching his side, a sharp breath escaping his lips.
"Get the medic team! Now!" barked one of the Jonin, rushing to Minato's side as others scrambled out of the tent.
Moments later, a squad of medic-nin entered at full speed, their hands already glowing with green chakra. They gently lifted Minato and transported him swiftly to the nearby field hospital, a makeshift but well-equipped facility set up for wartime emergencies. As the commander of the front, Minato was treated with urgency—four elite medical-nin were already in place, awaiting his arrival.
Kakashi and Rin followed close behind, their eyes never leaving their injured sensei.
Inside the field hospital, Minato was laid onto a reinforced medical bed. The medical-nin wasted no time. With practiced hands, they removed his blood-soaked vest and shirt, revealing the wound just below his ribs—deep, square hole that had cleanly cut thru he's flesh.
"He's lucky," one medic muttered. "A little deeper and it would've caused much worse damage."
Chakra scalpel and medical ninjutsu worked in tandem. Within fifteen minutes, Minato's condition had stabilized. His pulse was normalizing, and the internal bleeding had stopped.
"He'll be alright," the head medic said, stepping back. "Just needs rest."
With that, the medical team withdrew, allowing Rin and Kakashi to step forward.
"Sensei…" Rin said softly, placing a hand on his arm. "What happened out there?"
Minato slowly opened his eyes, still pale but conscious.
"I remember now... I had just teleported to the bottom of the crater after evading a barrage. But... the Tsuchikage... he had predicted my move."
He swallowed, face grim. "He threw a Jinton cube right where I reappeared. I escaped immediately—teleported out just in time—but... I think it grazed me before I could get away completely. I didn't even feel the pain... the rush of battle must've dulled it."
Rin's hand trembled as she held her sensei's wrist. "But you're okay now. That's all that matters."
"Yeah... you scared us, Sensei," Kakashi said, his voice calm but edged with worry. His one visible eye betrayed the emotion his tone tried to hide.
Minato gave a weak smile.
"But... why didn't the Tsuchikage chase me? He can fly. He could've pursued me directly."
He frowned, staring at the ceiling.
"Maybe... he thought the cube had done more damage than it did. Maybe he believed I was finished."
Good, Minato thought. Let him believe that.
Just then, a masked figure stepped forward from the shadows—an ANBU, clad in black and bearing the insignia of the Leaf. He knelt respectfully before Minato's bed.
"Commander Namikaze. I bring urgent news."
Minato gave a subtle nod to Kakashi and Rin, signaling them to step back. They obeyed, moving aside silently as the ANBU began to speak.
"Orochimaru-sama instructed me to deliver a full report upon your return," the ANBU said, his tone precise and measured.
"Of course he did..." Minato muttered, chuckling weakly. "Always two steps ahead, that one."
The ANBU continued, "Our forces have successfully eliminated a large portion of the Iwagakure invading army. Following Orochimaru-sama's plan, the third city was rigged with explosive tags and detonated while enemy forces occupied it."
Minato's eyes widened slightly.
"Entire... city?"
The ANBU nodded. "Our embedded operatives in the first and second cities initiated sabotage operations at the same time. With the Root and ANBU units targeting Iwa infrastructure—and your own actions drawing out the Tsuchikage—Iwagakure's logistical network has suffered a near-collapse. Supply lines are in chaos. The enemy front line is being pushed back for the second day in a row."
The words struck Minato like cold steel.
"A city... sacrificed," he whispered. "How many lives were lost...?"
The ANBU said nothing.
Minato's expression hardened.
"Is this really the only way to win?" he thought grimly. "Orochimaru... are you sure this is the path we must walk?"
"I understand," he finally said aloud. "Let's hope this bloodshed is enough to end the war."
"There is more," the ANBU continued. "Orochimaru-sama has requested your involvement in a critical mission. He believes its success will drastically increase our chances of final victory."
Minato looked up. "Go on."
"We've identified a key Iwa outpost—likely their current command center. Intelligence suggests that most of their remaining high-ranking officers are stationed there, issuing orders while the Tsuchikage remains absent. If we strike it now—cripple or eliminate those commanders—Iwagakure's forces will be thrown into total disarray. With no leadership, dwindling supplies, and low morale, we can force a mass retreat before the Tsuchikage returns."
Minato exhaled slowly. "So this... is the final blow."
The ANBU nodded. "A strike team is ready. We only await your recovery. Departure is scheduled for tomorrow—if you're able."
Minato sat up slowly, wincing slightly but resolved.
"I'll do it."
"As expected, Commander," said the ANBU, bowing again.
"One last thing," Minato added. "Orochimaru—where is he now?"
The ANBU's voice turned darker.
"He has taken an elite team and is currently engaging Iwa's main forces directly. His goal is to buy us time... and weaken the enemy further before your strike."
Minato closed his eyes.
"Of course he is. Always the serpent in the shadows, slithering exactly where the enemy never expects him."
He opened them again, gaze firm.
"Prepare the team. We strike tomorrow."
The ANBU nodded and vanished as swiftly as he had arrived.
Kakashi and Rin returned to Minato's side.
"Another mission, huh?" Kakashi muttered.
Minato didn't respond immediately. He stared at the ceiling above his bed, lost in thought.
How many more lives? How much more blood must be spilled to bring this to an end?
His hand curled into a fist.
"This war... must end," he whispered. "Even if we have to stain our hands in the darkest ink."