"Kakashi, Rin! Get out of here!"
Obito roared desperately, frantically swinging his kunai to block the shuriken flying toward him. But the incoming projectiles were too fast and dense—one kunai couldn't stop them all. Soon his body was covered in bloody wounds.
The Leaf ninja serving as guards lay scattered on the ground. Only Kakashi stood in front of Rin as the final barrier.
The attackers all wore black clothing and wielded sharp blades, descending like raindrops. Kakashi held Rin's hand with one arm while gripping his Black Fang short blade with the other, fighting and retreating.
The attackers' target was crystal clear. Two stayed behind to tie up Obito while the rest pursued Kakashi's retreat without hesitation.
This won't work! Kakashi is skilled, but he can't handle this alone. I need to finish off these enemies immediately and support him, or Rin will be in danger!
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Obito took a deep breath and shot a massive fireball at one attacker.
The attacker seemed unprepared for such a high-level technique from a kid. The fireball hit him directly, instantly engulfing his entire body in roaring flames. He became a "fire man," letting out agonizing screams.
The other attacker, seeing things go badly, threw several shuriken at Obito.
Obito's chakra was nearly depleted. He had almost no strength left to resist or counterattack. He could only watch helplessly as the kunai and shuriken flew toward him. Suddenly, Obito felt blood rushing to his head as all his remaining chakra surged into his eyes.
His single-tomoe Sharingan trembled slightly, then suddenly split into two.
In this critical moment, Obito's eyes evolved into the two-tomoe Sharingan!
The kunai and shuriken before him moved at extremely slow speed. Obito dodged left and right with ease.
The attacker seemed surprised. He drew a ninja blade and charged forward. Obito gritted his teeth and summoned his remaining courage to charge back.
"Swish!"
The two crossed paths in mid-air.
Obito's neck was cut, leaving a bloody gash, but it didn't seem to hit any vital blood vessels.
However, Obito's kunai had plunged deep into the attacker's chest.
Obito collapsed to the ground, gasping heavily. Hot blood trickled down his neck into his body. Instinctively, he pulled out a piece of bandage and wrapped it haphazardly around his neck.
"Oh no! Rin!"
Obito suddenly snapped alert. He struggled to his feet and chased after Kakashi and Rin's retreat.
"Kakashi! If you... I won't forgive you!"
But when he ran and finally saw them, he was shocked. He could hardly believe the scene before his eyes.
Surrounded by black-clad attackers, Kakashi's Damascus short blade—inherited from his father—had pierced through Rin's chest.
Rin's expressive eyes had lost their light.
"No! No! No! Kakashi! I'll kill you!"
Obito couldn't accept this reality. He let out a beast-like wail.
At that moment, the entire world seemed to shake violently.
"Obito!"
"Obito!"
"Obito, wake up!"
Huh? That's Rin's voice! But she just...
Obito suddenly opened his eyes. The lovely figure before him—who else could it be but Rin!
Oh, it was all just a dream.
Obito suddenly sat up and hugged Rin tightly, afraid his beloved would leave again.
Rin's body stiffened, then she gently patted Obito's back.
"Another nightmare? The ship's rocking badly—it's easy to have nightmares."
Obito's anxious heart gradually calmed. Thank goodness, it was just a nightmare.
Then came a cold voice.
"Do you hate me that much? Even in dreams you want to kill me?"
Obito looked over coldly. He knew that lazy voice all too well—it was his mortal enemy, Hatake Kakashi.
"Oh, Kakashi, he just had a nightmare! What's there to worry about?"
Rin slipped out of Obito's embrace and spoke soothingly.
Suddenly Rin looked at Obito with surprise.
"Obito! Look at your eyes!"
She pulled out a small mirror she carried with her.
Obito looked at his reflection. In his blood-red pupils were clearly two tomoe.
"Haha, I evolved!"
Obito was excited.
"Tch, even evolved, you're still dead last."
Kakashi dismissively dropped that line and turned to leave the cabin.
"You!..."
Obito glared angrily but only saw Kakashi's retreating figure.
"Come on, don't be angry with him. He's just cold on the outside but warm inside..."
Rin mediated again.
Cold outside but warm inside?! Hmph! His heart is even colder than that face!
Obito's face was full of resentment.
Suddenly, Obito gripped Rin's hand tightly.
"Rin! If you don't want to, I... I... I'll take you away."
Rin's expression changed. She pulled her hand free.
"Go with you? What about the village? Obito, you can't be so selfish!"
Right, what about the village? The Storm Alliance army was currently at their gates. Without the Hidden Mist reinforcements...
Obito slowly lowered his head.
"Obito, it's okay. I'm originally from Hidden Mist Village. After the war ends, you can still visit me there. Our friendship won't be severed by this stretch of sea."
Rin's gentle words made Obito's heart melt.
After a long moment, Obito slowly raised his head, his gaze filled with determination.
"I absolutely won't let anyone hurt you."
Rin was slightly stunned, then smiled sweetly.
"Really? Then you'd better protect me well."
...
That night, Obito slowly walked out of the cabin. On the dark sea, a crescent moon divided the ocean into light and shadow.
Obito looked around and quickly found his target.
Kakashi was leaning against the mast, resting.
Obito strode forward with quick steps.
"What?"
Kakashi said irritably.
Obito angrily pointed at Kakashi.
"Listen carefully—I won't let anyone hurt Rin, including you!"
Kakashi's body trembled slightly, then returned to calm after a moment.
"You're sick!"
Kakashi said dismissively and turned to leave, seemingly too disdainful to argue with Obito as he sought a quieter place.
Obito watched Kakashi leave with cold eyes, murmuring,
"No one can hurt Rin. No one!"
Obito's stubbornness was understandable, because Kakashi didn't know that when Minato Namikaze had briefed him on the mission, Obito had witnessed the entire conversation from a large tree five hundred meters away.
Five hundred meters—even a ninja of Minato Namikaze's level couldn't detect anyone at that distance with his sensory abilities.
Obito hadn't heard anything, but for someone with a single-tomoe Sharingan, that distance wasn't difficult.
Konoha's ninja school included lip-reading classes.
He knew everything.
His mistake with the milk tea wasn't carelessness but deliberate—to avoid Minato detecting him and losing the chance to protect Rin.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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