Swish!
A streak of black light tore through the thick fog, slicing across the battlefield with unrelenting speed. Obito's scarlet Sharingan gleamed fiercely, the two magatama spinning rapidly within his pupils. His eyes locked onto an enemy Chunin from Kirigakure, and in the next instant, he struck with blinding precision.
His speed had surpassed anything he'd displayed before. Fueled by raw emotion and enhanced by the keen insight of his Sharingan, Obito's first attack landed squarely on the Chunin's chest.
Puff!
The enemy ninja staggered, coughing up blood. Obito didn't hesitate. With a swift motion, he followed up with another slash, severing the man's arm in one brutal stroke. Blood sprayed into the air, and the Kirigakure ninja crumpled, clutching the stump where his arm had once been, utterly defenseless.
Obito grabbed the man's remaining hand, his face contorted in fury.
"Where are Rin and Kakashi?!" he roared, shaking the injured ninja violently.
But this was a battlefield. Holding onto a prisoner in the midst of chaos, surrounded by enemy forces, was reckless. The Kirigakure shinobi began converging on his position, recognizing an easy target.
Yet Obito didn't care. His world had narrowed to a single purpose—finding his friends.
Before the enemy could overwhelm him, Shisui and the other Konoha shinobi arrived, surrounding Obito to shield him from further attack.
"Obito, he's just a Chunin. There's no way he knows where they're keeping the prisoners," Shisui reasoned, stepping toward him.
Obito's head snapped around, his eyes blazing with a ferocity that made even Shisui's heart skip a beat. For a moment, it seemed like Obito might lash out at his own comrade.
But then, the wild light in Obito's eyes dimmed, replaced by cold resignation.
"I see," he muttered.
Without another word, Obito dragged the kunai across the Chunin's throat, silencing him forever. The lifeless body slumped to the ground, and Obito turned back to the battlefield. His Sharingan flickered, scanning every movement, every shadow, desperately seeking any sign of Kakashi and Rin.
Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out over the battlefield.
"Retreat!" Terumi Ryuunosuke, locked in combat with Fugaku and Hyuga Tenki, bellowed the command.
In unison, the Mist ninjas ceased their attacks and began to withdraw, retreating toward the coastline with mechanical precision.
"You think you can just come and go as you please?!" Fugaku roared, his Sharingan spinning violently. "Konoha shinobi, pursue them!"
The Konoha forces surged forward, hot on the heels of the retreating Mist ninjas.
"Give Kakashi and Rin back!" Obito shouted, his voice hoarse with desperation as he charged after the fleeing enemy.
Shisui's eyes narrowed. We won't find Kakashi and Rin among the retreating troops—not without proper intel.
Turning to his comrades, Shisui issued a quick order. "I'm going to report to Chief Fugaku. Stay close to Obito—don't let him do anything reckless."
Asuma Sarutobi nodded. "We've got him. Go."
Shisui knew Obito's strength was formidable, but right now, his emotions clouded his judgment. In battle, losing control was the greatest danger of all.
Swish!
Shisui vanished in a blur, racing toward Fugaku at top speed. The coastline was still some distance away, and Kirigakure wouldn't escape easily—not if Konoha had anything to say about it.
When Shisui reached Fugaku, the Uchiha clan leader barely turned his head before speaking.
"What happened in the forest?" Fugaku demanded, eyes still fixed on the battlefield.
"Minato's team was ambushed," Shisui reported quickly. "Hatake Kakashi and Nohara Rin have been captured."
Fugaku's face hardened, his jaw clenching. "What?"
In the past few days of battle, Kakashi's name had become well-known among the Konoha forces. Fugaku was fully aware that Kakashi was the son of Hatake Sakumo—the famed White Fang of Konoha.
Fugaku still didn't understand how Kirigakure had bypassed the Hyuga Byakugan's surveillance. And now Kakashi—one of Konoha's brightest young talents—had been taken.
Even though Kakashi was Sakumo's son, Fugaku knew he couldn't show favoritism. But the idea of any Konoha shinobi being kidnapped under his watch was unacceptable.
"What about Uchiha Obito?" Fugaku asked sharply. As clan leader, he was well aware of Obito's recent development—awakening the double magatama Sharingan. Obito was a promising young member of the Uchiha clan, and someone they had begun grooming for the future.
"Obito's lost his composure. He's chasing the Mist ninjas with the main force," Shisui replied. "But I've assigned Asuma Sarutobi and the others to keep him in check."
Fugaku's expression remained stern, but he gave Shisui a small nod of approval. "You've done well. Return to Obito immediately. Don't let him get into trouble."
"Yes, sir!" Shisui saluted before vanishing again, racing back toward the front lines.
Fugaku turned to Hyuga Tenki, who stood nearby, and issued his next command.
"Have the Hyuga clan scan the Kirigakure forces. We need to locate Kakashi and Rin immediately."
Hyuga Tenki nodded, his Byakugan activating as veins bulged around his temples.
"All Hyuga shinobi, listen up!" he barked. "Focus your attention on the Mist forces. Locate Hatake Kakashi and Nohara Rin! Move!"
"Understood!"
Hyuga scouts scattered across the battlefield, their pale eyes piercing through the mist as they scanned for any sign of the missing shinobi.
The pursuit led them all the way to the coastline, but despite their efforts, no trace of Kakashi and Rin was found among the retreating Mist forces.
The Mist ninjas had suffered heavy losses during their retreat, but they managed to maintain enough distance to stay out of reach. As they reached the shoreline, a new wave of Kirigakure shinobi emerged from the sea.
These new arrivals were different. They wore distinctive uniforms and strange masks.
The Kirigakure ANBU—elite operatives under the direct command of the Third Mizukage.
From the front lines, Hyuga scouts finally spotted something.
"There!" one of them shouted. "I see them—Hatake Kakashi and Nohara Rin! They're unconscious, being carried by Kirigakure ANBU!"
The news spread like wildfire through the Konoha ranks.
But the Mist forces had already reached the water's edge, preparing to escape across the sea.
"There are dozens of Kirigakure ANBU," another Hyuga ninja reported to Fugaku.
Fugaku's brow furrowed, and he raised his hand.
"Stop!" he commanded, halting the Konoha forces in their tracks.
"Keep going!" Obito's voice rang out from the front, raw with desperation. But several Konoha shinobi grabbed his arms, holding him back.
"Obito, calm down!" Genma Shiranui urged. "The Kirigakure ANBU are already in position on the water. It's a trap!"
"So what?!" Obito snapped, his eyes blazing with fury. "Our friends are right there! We can't just let them take Kakashi and Rin!"
His words struck a chord with the surrounding shinobi. They exchanged uncertain glances, their resolve wavering.
Obito struggled against their grip. "Fine! If you won't go, I'll do it myself!"
Before anyone could react, Obito broke free, dashing toward the Mist forces with blinding speed. His determination fueled every step.
"Obito!" someone shouted, but it was too late.
Just as they hesitated on whether to chase after him, a new figure emerged from the Konoha ranks, moving even faster than Obito.
Swish!
The shinobi streaked past the others, catching up to Obito in a flash.
It was Senju Nawaki.
Obito's eyes widened, thinking Nawaki had come to drag him back. He skidded to a stop, ready to argue.
But Nawaki's words surprised him.
"You're right, Obito," Nawaki said, his voice steady and resolute. "Our comrades are in the enemy's hands. We can't just stand here and watch them be taken."
A spark of hope ignited in Obito's eyes.
"Let's rescue Kakashi and Rin together," Nawaki declared.
Obito's expression softened, and he nodded firmly.
"Let's do it."
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