Chapter 67: Obito's Name

A trembling voice broke the silence.

"You've got to be kidding… All those people… killed by this brat?!"

Scattered across the ground were corpses, their lifeless forms twisted into unnatural shapes. The sight sent shivers down the spines of even seasoned shinobi who had seen their share of battlefields.

But this scene was on another level—a lone boy, barely half a man's height, had singlehandedly slaughtered nearly sixty enemies. He now sat calmly atop the pile of bodies, waiting for the next wave of foes to arrive.

…What kind of presence was this?

Someone couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"

 Obito, with his eyes half-closed, used this brief reprieve to recover his chakra while maintaining an air of calm.

"I am Ham Obito," he said nonchalantly, "the foremost among Konoha's peers, the one who outshines countless prodigies."

"My teacher? I'm sure you've heard of him—he's the fastest man alive, the renowned Yellow Flash of the shinobi world!"

A collective gasp rippled through the ranks of Iwagakure shinobi, the sound of their sharp intakes of breath resembling deflating tires.

"So he's the Yellow Flash's disciple… No wonder he's so strong at such a young age," one muttered in realization.

Another, Iwa Shinobi A, whispered nervously, "Didn't they say we should abandon our missions if we encounter the Yellow Flash? So, does that apply to his student too?"

Iwa Shinobi B scoffed and spat in disdain. "Tch! Scared of a kid? You're a disgrace to shinobi everywhere. I can't believe I'm on the same team as you."

Embarrassed, A hung his head. But before he could retort, B coughed twice and turned to their captain.

"Uh… Captain, what's the plan? Are we retreating or not?"

"???"

Obito observed the hesitant Iwa shinobi and thought quickly. He had invoked his teacher Minato's name precisely to intimidate them and buy time to replenish his chakra. As for calling himself Ham Obito…

Well, it was all part of the ruse. Such an odd nickname would surely mislead the enemy into overestimating his leg strength. If a fight broke out, they might focus on defending against kicks, giving him an opening to strike with his real skills.

The leaders of the Iwa forces exchanged uneasy glances, genuinely unsure of their next move. The boy's strength was undeniable, and being the Yellow Flash's disciple only added to his mystique.

"Wait a second!" one of the leaders suddenly said, narrowing his eyes.

"If this Ham Obito really had the power to wipe us out, why would he waste time talking to us?"

Another leader nodded in agreement. "Exactly. He must have overexerted himself earlier and is stalling to recover."

"Don't let him catch his breath! Take him out now!"

Their loud exchange reinvigorated the morale of the surrounding shinobi. Smirking, they fixed their eyes on Obito.

"If we kill this Ham Obito, we'll earn a huge reward!"

"Ha! I'll take his head to the Yellow Flash myself!"

"Imagine his face when he sees his precious student's head rolling at his feet!"

Obito raised an eyebrow, stood up, and picked up his short blade.

"Enough with the chatter. If you've got the guts, come at me."

With that, he charged toward one of the squads, picking his targets with calculated precision.

The Iwa leaders signaled for multiple teams to surround him.

"Should we send some squads to hunt down his allies?" one asked.

"Not yet. Let's finish this brat first—what?!"

Before they could finish their discussion, the shinobi encircling Obito began dropping one by one, each barely lasting a second.

"Damn it! Everyone, attack together! Kill him first!"

Meanwhile, Kakashi and Shikayu led Ryoko and Rin as they continued their retreat. The Iwa shinobi pursuing them had dwindled to only a few stragglers. Fighting strategically and retreating when necessary, they eventually managed to shake off their pursuers.

Ryoko murmured softly, "This is strange. We've been behind enemy lines for so long, yet so few are chasing us."

Shikayu, his tone heavy, replied, "It's not strange at all. Obito must be holding most of them off to buy us time."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Shikayu regretted them. He glanced at Rin, who looked heartbroken, tears already welling in her eyes.

Kakashi shot Shikayu a reproachful glance and then tried to comfort Rin.

"Don't worry, Rin. Once I get you to safety, I'll head back and bring Obito back myself."

Rin's tears flowed freely as she choked out, "Do you really think… Obito can still come back?"

The group fell silent. Deep down, they all knew the truth. Obito had likely chosen to sacrifice himself for their escape. But none of them wanted to confront the harsh reality.

What if he had some hidden trump card?

But what trump card could allow one person to fight an entire army?

They pushed forward in silence until Kakashi suddenly felt the kunai strapped to his waist grow warm.

In the next instant, a familiar figure appeared before them, landing gracefully.

"Minato-sensei?!" Kakashi exclaimed. Then, realization struck him.

"It's the kunai you gave me! The one marked with your Flying Thunder God technique!"

Seeing Minato, the group felt a wave of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. Rin grabbed his sleeve and sobbed.

"Sensei, Obito is still back there! Please, you have to save him!"

Minato's expression darkened. "What? What happened? Tell me everything."

Shikayu gently pulled Rin back and stepped forward to explain.

"Minato-senpai, here's what happened…"

With his clear and concise explanation, Shikayu quickly brought Minato up to speed.

Minato's face grew grave. "Stay here. I'll be back soon."

Kakashi stepped forward. "Sensei, I'm coming with you!"

Minato shook his head firmly. "Stay here, Kakashi. Trust me."

With that, he hurled a marked kunai, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Kakashi clenched his fists tightly as he stared at the spot where Minato had disappeared.

Please, Minato-sensei… Bring him back.

----------------

Pls Drop some Power Stones

Read more than +70 chapters and support me on Patreon

Patreon(.)com/Jixo