"A turnaround?" Shine chuckled lightly, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Not necessarily. Minato's arrival will only accelerate the Hidden Mist's radicalization."
He knew that Yagura would never sit idly by while Konoha's reinforcements grew stronger. The Third Mizukage's body was already spent; the Hidden Mist would inevitably complete the power transition and the Three-Tails' Seal in the near future. Minato, Kakashi, and Rin's gathering would happen to be the sharpest pawns in the hands of Madara and Yagura.
"Prepare to watch the show. The real show has only just begun," Shine spoke indifferently, a hint of calculation flashing in his eyes.
Minato's arrival, though disrupting his plan to go to the Hidden Rain Village, also gave him the opportunity to observe Kakashi and Rin up close—these two people, whose fates were closely linked to Obito's, were currently unaware of the vortex they were about to be drawn into.
Three days later, a golden stream of light pierced the sky of the Kirigakure Battlefield and landed steadily in the center of the camp.
"It's Lord Minato!"
Someone shouted, and the Ninjas in the camp flocked toward him.
A man dressed in yellow combat gear and wearing a forehead protector stood there. His golden hair was dazzling, his smile gentle, and his whole body radiated a calm and powerful aura. It was Konoha's yellow flash, Minato Namikaze.
Behind him followed two young people, a boy and a girl.
The white-haired boy on the left had a cold expression, his left eye covered by his forehead protector, and a short sword on his back. It was Kakashi Hatake, who had just experienced the pain of Obito's "death" in battle.
The girl on the right had long, dark green hair, a gentle gaze, and a faint look of worry on her face. It was Rin Nohara.
"Lord Minato!" Nara Shikaku and Uchiha Fugaku stepped forward quickly and bowed.
"Clan Chief Shikaku, Clan Chief Fugaku, thank you for your hard work." Minato's voice was gentle yet powerful. His gaze swept across the camp, and a hint of pity flashed in his eyes—he could see wounded soldiers everywhere and feel the sorrow and fatigue permeating the air.
"It's wonderful that Lord Minato could come." Fugaku's tone carried genuine gratitude. With a trump card like Minato, he finally didn't have to bear the pressure from the Konoha High Command and the Hidden Mist's fierce attacks.
Minato nodded slightly, his gaze inadvertently falling on Shine at the periphery of the crowd, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes.
This Uchiha Ninja before him had a condensed aura and a cold gaze, starkly different from the grief or joy of other Uchiha Clan Members. Especially that faint pressure emanating from him—it actually made even him feel a trace of wariness.
"Who is this?" Minato asked.
"Reporting to Lord Minato, he is Uchiha Xia Yin. He has achieved many military merits on the battlefield recently," Nara Shikaku introduced at the right moment, his tone carrying a bit of caution.
He had already heard of Shine's dominance and arrogance, so he naturally didn't want to mention too much at this moment.
Shine did not step forward to pay his respects, only nodding indifferently. His gaze skipped over Minato and landed on Kakashi and Rin.
Kakashi's eyes were full of suppressed sorrow and self-reproach; clearly, he had not yet emerged from the shadow of Obito's "death."
While Rin's face carried a gentle worry, and she was quietly comforting Kakashi.
The moment he saw Rin, a cold killing intent flashed in the depths of Shine's eyes, so fast it was impossible to catch.
It was this girl who would become the fuse for Obito's descent into darkness and the pawn for Madara to subvert the Ninja World.
If the time hadn't been wrong, he really wanted to strike now and completely sever this tragic line of Karma.
But in the end, he held back.
He needed Obito's descent into darkness, Madara's exit, and Yagura's rise to power; these were all stepping stones for his own rise.
Rin's death, though cruel, was also a key step in moving the chessboard.
Meanwhile, in the corner, Uchiha Itachi looked at Minato Namikaze with eyes full of admiration.
This legendary yellow flash was the "hero who protects Konoha" his mother spoke of, and a powerhouse even his father respected.
He subconsciously straightened his small frame, his eyes filled with longing—he also wanted to become such a person, a hero who protects the Village.
Shine noticed Itachi's gaze and sneered inwardly. A hero?
Heroes in the Ninja World have always been the most pathetic pawns.
Once he witnesses Rin's death and Konoha's hypocrisy with his own eyes, this admiration will eventually turn into the most bone-chilling disappointment.
Minato naturally didn't notice these undercurrents of thought. He was discussing subsequent combat deployments with Nara Shikaku and Fugaku.
"Although the Hidden Mist's offensive is fierce, their combat power will inevitably be damaged after a long period of bitter fighting."
"Next, we will first stabilize the defensive line, let the wounded rest, and then find a suitable opportunity to negotiate or counterattack the Hidden Mist."
"What Lord Minato says is absolutely correct," Nara Shikaku nodded in agreement.
Just then, a Ninja ran over quickly, looking panicked: "Lord Minato! Clan Chief Fugaku! Clan Chief Shikaku! The Hidden Mist Village has suddenly launched a large-scale attack, aimed directly at our Western Defensive Line!"
Minato's eyes instantly became sharp: "Just in time. Kakashi, Rin, follow me into battle!"
"Yes!" Kakashi and Rin responded in unison, their Battle Intent igniting.
Watching the three of them turn into streams of light and rush toward the battlefield, Fugaku breathed a sigh of relief, a long-absent smile appearing on his face. "With Lord Minato here, the Western Defensive Line will surely be safe."
Nara Shikaku also nodded, his expression relaxing quite a bit.
Only Shine stood in place, looking toward the Hidden Mist Village, the corners of his mouth curling into a cold arc.
Has Yagura finally lost his patience?
It seems the Third Mizukage's body has reached its limit.
The plan for the Three-Tails' Seal has likely been put on the agenda.
"Aka, En," Shine instructed in a low voice, "closely monitor the Hidden Mist's movements, especially intelligence regarding the Three-Tails and the Jinchuriki. Once there's news, report immediately."
"Yes, Lord!" Aka and En responded in unison.
The roar of the battlefield sounded again. The yellow flash darted through the Kirigakure Ninjas; wherever he went, the Kirigakure Ninjas fell one after another.
The Ninjas in the camp cheered as if they had already seen the dawn of victory.
But Shine knew this was merely the calm before the storm.
Minato's arrival, while temporarily suppressing the Hidden Mist's offensive, also caused Yagura and Madara to accelerate the pace of their plans.
A massive conspiracy revolving around the Three-Tails, the Jinchuriki, Obito, and Rin was quietly brewing in the shadows of the Hidden Mist Village.
And he, Uchiha Xia Yin, would play the most critical role in this conspiracy.
He wanted to use this storm to completely take control of the Uchiha's destiny, ensuring that even the brilliance of the yellow flash could not obscure the rise of the Uchiha.
The chessboard of the Ninja World had undergone a subtle change once again due to Minato's arrival.
And the ultimate winner would eventually be that Uchiha shadow who strategized and hid a sharp blade in his heart...
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Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808