A cave somewhere in the Land of Grass.
"Obito, hang in there! Minato-sensei will be here soon!"
Kakashi Hatake, usually calm and composed, now wore a face full of anxiety.
"I..."
Uchiha Obito opened his mouth but immediately coughed violently, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.
"Don't speak! Save your strength!" Kakashi shouted. "With Lady Tsunade here, you'll be fine!"
"It's... it's no use..." Uchiha Obito said weakly, his face as pale as a sheet.
Not long ago, he had acted recklessly and fallen into a trap. The three of them were forced to flee and ended up in this cave.
A Jonin from Iwagakure used Earth Release: Rock Lodging Destruction. A giant boulder fell, crushing half of Obito's body and leaving him numb.
Even though Tsunade was the greatest medical ninja, his injuries were too severe. Even if he survived, he'd never be a ninja again.
If that were the case, he'd rather just die.
It was all Hanekawa's fault!
Obito's heart surged with deep resentment.
Because Hanekawa had gravely injured Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Obito felt the need to prove himself and acted rashly.
More importantly, he wanted to regain some dignity in front of Rin Nohara.
But things had spiraled completely out of control.
He lacked experience and underestimated the Iwagakure ninjas.
"Kakashi!"
At that moment, Might Guy's voice rang out from a distance. "Iwagakure ninjas are coming again!"
"Obito, rest well!"
Kakashi gritted his teeth and rushed outside the cave. He saw dozens of Iwa ninjas charging toward them.
Chidori Stream!
He gripped his short sword tightly, his face showing a resolute determination to fight to the death.
"Eight Gates: Open!"
Might Guy immediately opened the first three gates.
Green energy radiated from his body, sending waves of pressure rippling through the air.
"Guy, we can't let them near the cave!"
Kakashi warned before charging at the Iwa ninjas.
At that moment, a spiky-haired young Iwa ninja blocked his path.
Kakashi didn't hesitate, swinging his short sword.
Explosion Release: Landmine Fist!
The young ninja didn't dodge. Instead, he punched the short sword directly.
Boom!
A white shockwave erupted, centering on the young ninja's fist and causing a devastating explosion.
Kakashi's pupils shrank.
Luckily, Chidori Stream allowed him to retreat at high speed.
Even so, he emerged from the blast battered and bruised.
"Not bad, Lightning Release user," the young ninja remarked calmly.
Kakashi's face grew solemn as he assessed his opponent.
The earlier explosion confirmed his suspicions—this was Iwagakure's hunter-nin, Karu.
He possessed the Explosion Release kekkei genkai. In essence, any attack he made resulted in explosive destruction, making him incredibly dangerous.
Kakashi glanced at Guy. Surrounded by enemies, Guy couldn't break free.
Although the Eight Gates technique was powerful, its duration was limited.
Guy had only opened three gates to ensure he could hold out longer.
Their only hope now was for Minato Namikaze to arrive in time.
He clenched his fist and stepped forward again.
Kakashi, wary of close combat, kept his distance and used his short sword to maintain a stalemate.
"Am I going to die?"
Obito listened to the chaos outside, feeling increasingly fatigued.
As he began to drift into unconsciousness, Rin Nohara's smiling face suddenly appeared in his mind.
No! I can't die!
The thought of dying and leaving Hanekawa free to get close to Rin filled him with rage.
Overwhelmed by his emotions, his Sharingan activated, and three tomoe slowly emerged.
"You've awakened your Sharingan? Impressive talent."
A familiar voice suddenly echoed.
"Old man?"
Obito froze. "Am I hallucinating before death?"
He recalled that the mysterious old man was in Konoha and couldn't possibly appear so far away in the Land of Grass.
"It's me."
Madara Uchiha—more precisely, his shadow clone—slowly approached Obito.
"Old man, why are you here?"
Obito's face showed surprise and joy.
"I came to save you."
Madara's gaze fell on Obito's three-tomoe Sharingan.
"I'm beyond saving. You should leave before the Iwa ninjas capture you," Obito said, his excitement quickly fading.
"In my presence, death isn't so easy," Madara replied casually.
"Really?"
Obito's eyes widened in shock. "Are you a medical ninja too?"
"No, I'm not," Madara said as he looked outside the cave.
Minato Namikaze was on his way. He couldn't stay much longer.
"Huh?"
Uchiha Obito's face was filled with confusion.
"You're exhausted. Rest now," Madara Uchiha said as he waved his hand, causing Obito to lose consciousness.
The ground trembled slightly, and a white body emerged.
White Zetsu glanced at Madara, then turned into a liquid, enveloping Obito completely.
Outside the cave, cries of shock suddenly rang out.
A golden flash flickered repeatedly among the Iwagakure ninjas, and each flash was followed by a scream of agony.
"We're saved!" Kakashi Hatake exhaled in relief.
"Retreat!"
Karui didn't hesitate to turn and flee.
Though Minato Namikaze wasn't as renowned as in the original story due to Hanekawa's butterfly effect, he was still widely recognized. Many knew that facing the Yellow Flash without absolute certainty of victory was a losing battle.
As Kakashi prepared to pursue, he froze.
A series of rumbling sounds came from behind him.
"No!"
Kakashi turned around, his eyes widening in horror.
The cave where Obito was collapsed entirely in an instant.
"What's happening?"
Minato Namikaze paused in confusion before teleporting in front of Kakashi.
"Obi… Obito, he's still inside!" Kakashi said, his eyes red with despair.
---
Hanekawa leapt into the air, narrowly dodging an earthen spear that shot up from the ground.
While midair, he formed hand seals.
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!
Chakra surged from his mouth, forming a water dragon that lunged toward Roshi.
However, Hanekawa already sensed something was wrong.
This was most likely not Roshi but an Iwagakure ninja in disguise.
Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!
A stone wall rose in front of Roshi, only to shatter within two seconds under the water dragon's assault.
Using the moment of cover, Roshi retreated with the Body Flicker Technique. But when he steadied himself, he realized Hanekawa was nowhere to be seen.
His face turned pale as he frantically scanned the area.
Earth Release: Head-Hunter Jutsu!
Hanekawa seized his legs and pulled him underground, leaving only his head exposed.
Drawing the Thunderfire Sword, Hanekawa slashed.
Blood sprayed, and this "Roshi" met his end.
As the transformation technique was undone, the figure reverted to an unfamiliar Iwagakure ninja.
Hanekawa reflected for a moment.
The parasitic insects tracked their target through chakra and scent. The Iwagakure ninja had been coated in Roshi's chakra, deceiving the insects.
Hanekawa sheathed the Thunderfire Sword and sprinted back.
Tsunade and Shibi Aburame had suspected something was off with "Roshi," so Hanekawa had volunteered to investigate alone.
"It wasn't him!"
Hanekawa used the Body Flicker Technique to rejoin them within moments.
"So Roshi didn't leave on his own," Tsunade said, shaking her head. "No matter. Let's keep chasing him."
Their mission was to keep Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, occupied so he couldn't assist Iwagakure's main forces. Capturing or killing him was too difficult and would only happen by chance.
Without Minato Namikaze, none of them could counter the Tailed Beast Ball.
"I wonder how Minato and the others are faring," Shibi said with concern.
"Without the Jinchuriki, no Iwagakure ninja can stand against Minato. Victory is just a matter of time," Tsunade said confidently, her faith in the Flying Thunder God Technique unshaken.
The technique was a perfect weapon against weaker opponents. Most Jonin couldn't even touch Minato and could only endure his attacks.
Hanekawa suddenly remembered how the nickname "Yellow Flash" came to be.
Minato had gained fame in a single battle by single-handedly taking down 50 enemy ninjas.
Those 50 ninjas were led by Higashido from Iwagakure during the Third Shinobi World War.
Hanekawa's expression grew complicated.
Had he disrupted Minato's legendary battle?
After all, he and Tsunade had just killed Higashido.
The group continued their journey.
Half an hour later, they caught up with Roshi's group again.
"They've sent another ninja with Roshi's chakra signature and presence," Shibi observed.
"I'll handle it," Hanekawa said, vanishing in an instant.
"We'll follow Roshi and wait for Hanekawa to return," Tsunade instructed.
"Understood!"
The team answered in unison, not questioning her orders.
After all, only Hanekawa had the capability to suppress Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki.
Tsunade felt a moment of disorientation as she considered their situation.
She was already beginning to rely on this kid?
The thought felt strange to her.
Due to her immense strength, she had always relied on herself and rarely depended on others—let alone one of her students.
"It's not Roshi," Hanekawa reported, returning swiftly.
Among the Iwagakure frontline ninjas, aside from Roshi, no one was his match.
Of course, a Jonin would take more effort, as they weren't as easy to defeat quickly. But this time, he had only encountered a Chunin.
"They're running out of people," Shibi Aburame said with a faint smile.
Roshi was traveling with a medical ninja, making up a group of only eight.
Now, with two killed, only six remained. Most medical ninjas had limited combat ability, and being proficient in just a few Earth Release techniques was considered impressive.
As dusk fell, Hanekawa returned once more.
"It's not him."
"Then the last one must be the real Roshi," Shibi said with a sigh. "Roshi really is ruthless, letting his teammates die for him."
"Well, he is the most important asset as a Jinchuriki," Tsunade replied, unfazed.
For many villages, sacrificing lives to protect a Jinchuriki was seen as a worthwhile trade.
This included Konohagakure.
The strategic importance of a Jinchuriki was immense. Losing one would not only weaken a village's overall strength but also strip it of its deterrent power.
"What's our next move?" Shibi asked, turning to Tsunade.
Their mission was to stall Roshi. So far, they had done well, keeping him occupied for most of the day.
"Can we capture him alive?" Hanekawa asked, a thought forming in his mind.
"What?" Shibi stared at him, stunned.
The idea of capturing a Jinchuriki alive sounded absurd, almost laughable.
"Now is the best chance we'll get," Hanekawa said firmly.
When he fought Roshi earlier, the enemy was supported by hundreds of Iwagakure ninjas stationed at their base. Over time, nearby Jonin from the Iwagakure stronghold could also provide reinforcements.
The Tailed Beast Ball alone would have drawn attention—it was impossible they hadn't noticed.
But now things were different.
The hundreds of Iwagakure ninjas protecting Roshi had been killed along the way. The Iwagakure stronghold was under siege by Konohagakure forces, leaving no reinforcements to spare.
In other words, Roshi was now completely isolated. Unless he knew the Flying Thunder God Technique or Iwagakure achieved a decisive victory, he was essentially trapped.
"If we can stall him until Minato arrives, there's a real chance we can capture him alive," Hanekawa continued.
In the original story, Kisame Hoshigaki defeated Roshi using Water Release and captured him alive. Kisame had the help of Itachi Uchiha, a Mangekyo Sharingan wielder.
Hanekawa could match Kisame in full strength, while Minato Namikaze could fill Itachi's role.
Although Minato couldn't control a Jinchuriki with the Sharingan, he could neutralize the greatest threat—the Tailed Beast Ball.
"Is that really possible?" Shibi asked skeptically.
"It's absolutely possible!" Tsunade exclaimed after some thought, her excitement growing. "There are no Iwagakure ninjas left to assist him, and he's still injured!"
Shibi opened his mouth, at a loss for words.
This was the first time he had participated in a plan to capture a Jinchuriki alive. It was truly… unbelievable!
The Jonin from the Aburame clan behind him exchanged astonished glances.
Is this for real? Are we really going to capture a Jinchuriki alive?
Rin Nohara and Kurenai Yuhi looked at each other, feeling as if they were in a dream.
Given their skill levels, they wouldn't be able to contribute much to the mission. But even watching from afar felt like a surreal experience.
"Let's give it a shot!" Tsunade decided, her voice filled with resolve.
Capturing a Jinchuriki was dangerous, but the rewards would be immense. If successful, they could crush Iwagakure's morale.
Whether they kept the Four-Tails or sold it back to Iwagakure, Konohagakure would profit greatly.
Besides, with Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique, they faced danger, but their lives weren't in mortal peril.
"This is madness!" Shibi muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. But excitement followed as the potential rewards became clear.
It was not only an opportunity to make a name for himself but also to earn generous rewards upon returning to the village.
"We need to keep pressuring Roshi so he can't heal," Tsunade said, formulating their strategy. "Hanekawa, this task is yours."
"Understood." Hanekawa nodded.
"Do you have enough chakra left?" Tsunade asked suddenly. "You're the key to capturing Roshi alive."
"I can fight several more battles," Hanekawa said with a smile.
"Good thing I taught you the Yin Seal," Tsunade said, reassured.
Hanekawa leapt away, quickly catching up to Roshi.
His harassment strategy was straightforward: bombard Roshi with long-range Water Release attacks.
Whenever Roshi counterattacked, Hanekawa would retreat at lightning speed.
_
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