The Third Shinobi World War might have ended, but the borders were far from peaceful.
The most troublesome example was Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning.
Unlike Konoha, Kumo had gained almost nothing from the war. Driven by their aggressive, warmongering ideology, they continued to provoke conflict.
Inside the Hokage's office in Konoha, Kushina had already been escorted home, while Minato remained behind with his three students.
Pointing at the map of the Land of Fire's border, Minato sighed.
Wars never truly ended so easily.
Konoha's losses were still mounting day by day.
"Yesterday, Hizashi Hyuga, stationed at the border of the Land of Lightning, sent word that according to his scouts, Kumogakure is preparing to reinforce their front lines."
Hizashi was under immense pressure.
Though the Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan gave Konoha a significant advantage against Kumo, their numbers were steadily dwindling.
And the constant supply lines from the rear were becoming a crushing burden on the village.
"In short, I need an elite squad—absolutely top-tier," Minato said.
"The goal isn't to break through the enemy lines like a spearhead, but to disrupt their supply routes as much as possible and uncover what exactly Kumo is planning."
He gave a bitter smile, glancing at his three disciples, his expression tinged with guilt.
In the past, this kind of mission would have fallen to him.
But now, as Hokage, he couldn't afford to leave the village—not at a time like this.
And what made it worse...
Looking across the entirety of Konoha, he realized there was no one he could send.
No one at all.
For a Hokage, the moment you realize you're the only one capable of handling things—that feeling is terrifying.
What had become of Konoha, the great village once hailed as the strongest of all?
To think they couldn't even assemble a single elite team...
Originally, Minato had planned to assign the mission to Shisui Uchiha, who had only recently returned to the village.
But Shisui was part of Root. When Minato approached Danzō to request his assistance, Danzō brushed him off, claiming Shisui was already on another mission.
Worse still, he refused to tell Minato what that mission was.
That was the Root Division for you—vanishing the moment they claimed to be serving the village.
The Legendary Sannin? Those who should have defected did, and those who shouldn't had left anyway.
Lord Third had taken to claiming illness, staying home in retirement.
This was Konoha's most awkward era: the old were too old and unwilling to follow orders, while the young were too inexperienced to shoulder true responsibility.
A Hokage without a single helping hand.
Hakken watched Minato's bitter expression and shook his head slightly.
In the original timeline, it was the Hyuga Clan that had borne the brunt of this conflict—though their losses had been devastating.
That event had directly caused Kumo to set its sights on the Hyuga's Byakugan.
After Minato's death, when the Third Hokage resumed power, Kumo sent a so-called "negotiation delegation." In truth, they came with deceit and political manipulation, forcing Hizashi Hyuga into a corner until he was driven to his death.
It was that very incident that shattered Hakken's impression of the Third.
The Third didn't dare fight.
From his perspective, losing one man was better than reigniting a war.
But from the Hyuga Clan's perspective, such a decision was unbearably cruel.
It was hard to judge the Third's choice—people viewed things differently. But if it had been the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, he would have led every Konoha shinobi into battle without hesitation.
The battlefield...
Thump.
Hakken's heart gave a heavy beat as his grip on his sword tightened.
He understood Minato's dilemma. In Konoha's current state, there truly wasn't anyone who could help him.
"Is disrupting the supply lines all we need to do?"
Kakashi was the first to speak.
He had experience with this kind of mission.
Painful experience.
During the Third Shinobi World War, on a similar operation, he had lost two of his comrades.
"Kakashi, this isn't like the Kannabi Bridge. It's not a mission where success means everything, even in the face of certain death."
"You need to keep that in mind."
Minato frowned, worried that Kakashi might be reminded of that tragic mission.
"I understand, Minato-sensei."
Kakashi shook his head. This type of elite infiltration mission did stir up unpleasant memories, but this time was different—and so were the people fighting beside him.
Losing focus during a mission could put his teammates' lives in danger.
Even now, the lingering warmth of Obito's eyes reminded him—never abandon a comrade, and never let your comrades be harmed.
That was the only way to find light within the darkness.
Taking the map, Kakashi's breathing quickened slightly.
This time, without question, he would once again serve as the team's leader.
He had the experience of a jōnin and the sharp instincts forged through countless missions.
Hakken and Itachi said nothing, silently falling in behind Kakashi as they turned toward the door.
"Hakken! Itachi! Kakashi!"
Minato suddenly stood up and called out to them.
When his gaze fell on the three young faces, his eyes glistened red. "Konoha… besides Kushina, the only ones I can trust and entrust with this task are you."
"I'm counting on you!"
Swish!
A specially crafted kunai flew toward Kakashi. He caught it firmly in his hand.
"If you encounter a situation you can't handle, channel chakra into it."
"This time—" Minato smiled faintly, his voice steady.
"As your sensei... I won't be late."
...
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