Swish!
In front of the tree, a ball of light suddenly materialized, glowing faintly alongside the white jade-like Flying Thunder God mark. Both emitted a soft chakra light, intertwining in a subtle but powerful resonance.
Minato's sharp blue eyes were fixed on the glowing point. In the next moment, a surge of chakra rushed through his body. His previously pale face flushed with color almost instantly as he allowed the Nine-Tails' chakra to flow freely within him.
Since the Nine-Tails' power had merged with his own chakra after his rebirth, Minato no longer felt discomfort drawing from it. To him, it was as natural as breathing—an extension of himself.
As the two nearly identical forces—the mark and the chakra orb—drew closer, an invisible attraction pulled them together. Their lights grew brighter, not blinding but deep and intense, resonating on a level beyond mere physical energy.
Seeing this reaction, Minato felt a surge of excitement. His theory was proving correct. The possibility of mastering space-time manipulation felt within reach.
But just as hope swelled within him, the light between the two forces deepened suddenly, turning chaotic. The orb's glow flickered wildly, and the air around the mark rippled with visible distortions.
"Not good!"
Minato's instincts kicked in. He hurled several specially-made kunai, creating a tight perimeter around the unstable energy. His hands blurred through a sequence of seals, and his expression hardened.
"Space Barrier!"
Black lines extended from the kunai, forming an intricate barrier that enclosed the volatile energies. The barrier lines crept over the chakra orb and the mark, their disorderly light struggling against the containment. Slowly, the barrier absorbed the chaotic forces, pulling them into itself.
After a few tense breaths, the light and ripples vanished, the barrier dissipating into the forest air as if nothing had happened.
Minato finally lowered his hands, exhaling a slow breath. The forest was silent once more.
"As I thought."
Judging by the chaotic reaction, Minato's first attempt had failed. The two massive energy sources had attracted each other, causing a resonance that destabilized their structure, leading to an inevitable explosion.
Had he not used the Space Barrier to redirect the blast toward the sea, the explosion would have leveled the entire forest.
Yet, there was no trace of disappointment on Minato's face. He had anticipated the risk. What intrigued him wasn't the failure, but the space-time ripples he had observed just before the explosion.
For a fleeting moment, he had seen it—the fluctuation of space itself.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. This was only the beginning.
Raising his hand once more, Minato formed a new mark, his determination unwavering.
"Kakashi, Rin," he whispered, his voice steady with resolve. "Wait for me. I will rescue you soon."
Kakashi's Perspective
Kakashi's heavy eyelids fluttered open. His blurred vision slowly adjusted to the dim surroundings, revealing the damp, suffocating confines of a cave.
"Mmm."
He tried to call out, but a rough cloth was tightly bound around his mouth, muffling any sound. A sharp, throbbing pain radiated through his body as he attempted to move, only to realize his hands and feet were bound tightly with ropes.
These weren't ordinary ropes. Kakashi could tell from the tension in his muscles that they were crafted from some kind of special material—likely infused with chakra to suppress his strength.
Even though he was still a child, Kakashi's skill and strength were exceptional for his age. But these bindings wouldn't break under sheer force.
"Rin…!"
Panic surged through him. He immediately scanned the cave, his heart pounding in his chest. But all he could see was darkness. Rin was nowhere in sight.
"Damn it!"
Kakashi clenched his fists, gritting his teeth beneath the gag. He summoned all his remaining strength, straining against the ropes, but it was futile. His body, exhausted from both battle and captivity, refused to cooperate.
After several minutes of struggle, Kakashi slumped against the damp cave wall, forcing himself to calm down.
"Who was that…?"
He closed his eyes, focusing on his memories before he'd blacked out. The last thing he recalled was a figure—pale, almost inhuman, with an eerie white face.
"What… was that thing?" Kakashi wondered, his brows furrowing.
It hadn't been a normal shinobi. The way it had attached itself to him, bypassing his awareness, was unlike anything he'd encountered before.
Then, realization struck him.
"That's how they bypassed Huga's Byakugan!"
The white creature had emerged from the ground without a sound. It must have possessed abilities far beyond those of ordinary shinobi, perhaps even techniques that allowed it to phase through the earth or suppress its chakra to avoid detection.
Kakashi had grown up in a prestigious shinobi family, but even he had never heard of such abilities.
In recent years, intelligence on Kirigakure had been sparse, shrouded in mystery. Before the war, even the existence of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had been unknown to Konoha.
If the Hozuki clan could liquefy themselves, it wasn't far-fetched to believe other clans possessed unique, hidden abilities.
After piecing together what he could, Kakashi gave up on escaping—at least for now. He understood his limits. In his current state, there was no chance of breaking free.
So, he closed his eyes, focusing on conserving his strength. Judging by his exhaustion and hunger, he had been unconscious for over a day. Without food or water, his body was near its limits.
But Kakashi wasn't worried about dying of starvation. If the enemy had gone to such lengths to capture him, it meant he still held some value. They wouldn't let him die until they got what they wanted.
"Rin..."
The only thing gnawing at him was the thought of Rin. She had been captured before him—what had they done to her?
Just as that fear took root, he heard footsteps echoing through the cave.
Kakashi's eyes snapped open. A figure emerged from the shadows, wearing a strange, emotionless mask.
Kakashi's heart clenched. Kirigakure ANBU… directly under the Mizukage?
Elsewhere in the Underground Hideout
In the depths of the dark cave, two figures stood over a makeshift table, their presence suffocating.
"That little girl, Rin," White Zetsu muttered, his voice light and mocking. "She's extraordinary. Born from a regular family, but she has a remarkable amount of chakra."
Madara Uchiha, his aged face partly hidden in shadow, nodded thoughtfully.
"Bring her here," he ordered. His voice was calm but carried a sinister undertone. "I want to plant the seal on her first."
White Zetsu tilted his head. "And then… seal that inside her?"
"Exactly," Madara replied with a small, dark smile.
White Zetsu frowned. "Isn't that a bit… excessive?"
Madara shook his head, his smile widening. "No. This is the most crucial part of my plan. The choice she makes will shape the future of that boy."
Their gazes shifted simultaneously toward Obito, who lay unconscious, his body wrapped entirely in white bandages.
"I'm curious," Madara murmured, his voice low and contemplative. "Can he truly wield the power of both the Senju and Uchiha clans at once?"
He leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing.
"And everything depends on that girl."
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