Chapter 68: Minato's Late Arrival
Minato flickered through the trees, swiftly closing the distance to where Shikayu had described.
The sharp, metallic tang of blood hit his nose. It was overwhelming, so thick it nearly made him recoil.
His brows furrowed deeply as his pace quickened.
Obito, hold on!
Your teacher is coming!
At the clearing outside the forest, Obito panted heavily, his grip on the short blade trembling.
Across from him stood what remained of the sixty Iwagakure ninjas who had surrounded him earlier. Now, only a dozen or so were left.
Their wariness of his strange abilities had them on edge. None dared to approach, choosing instead to keep their distance and attack cautiously.
"Is it just me," one of them whispered, "or is the brat running out of steam?"
Another ninja immediately responded, "Yeah, he hasn't used that kekkei genkai of his for a while now..."
They probed further, cautiously testing Obito's limits.
It didn't take long for them to realize—he was almost spent.
The group exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with anticipation.
"What are we waiting for? Let's kill him!"
As they charged, one ninja suddenly paused. "Wait… Do you hear that? Something strange…"
The ninja next to him frowned and tilted his head. "It's like… some kind of weird melody?"
"Who cares! Focus on the kid—finish him first, then worry about weird sounds!"
The Iwagakure shinobi pressed forward.
Obito sighed, a tinge of helplessness in his breath.
After fighting this long… even my seemingly abundant chakra has finally run dry.
But just as his energy was about to give out, a peculiar sound filled the air around him.
"♪ Bright golden sunshine, rooster sings three times~
♪ Magpies build their homes, bees gather nectar's prime~
♪ Joyful labor never ends, creation is sublime~"
Obito's lips curled into a slight smirk.
Ah, here it is—my buff activation!
[System: "Labor is Glorious BGM" background music has activated. During this BGM, your stamina cannot be surpassed. Upon depletion, 20% of your max stamina is instantly restored, including chakra.]
"Though… this BGM is really something else." Obito winced slightly.
How could he describe it? It was like Kaguya herself opening the door to let Black Zetsu come home.
With his strength partially restored, Obito gripped his short blade and sprang into action, launching a fresh wave of attacks.
Screams and cries filled the air.
"Ah! He was faking it! This brat is shameless!"
"I… I can't believe I am dying at the hands of—ugh—Obito of the… ham?"
Obito rolled his eyes, finishing off the ninja with a precise strike.
"You're dead. Why does it matter what you call me?"
"This must be it!"
Minato teleported with the Flying Thunder God Technique, emerging from the tree onto the battlefield.
"Obito…"
Minato froze at the sight before him.
His student slumped against a tree, clutching his blade. Surrounding him was a veritable sea of Iwagakure corpses—at least seventy to eighty bodies strewn across the ground.
Obito opened his eyes at the familiar voice, smiling weakly.
"Ah, Minato-sensei. You're here."
The boy's grin, coupled with the blood splattered across his face, painted an eerie image.
Minato's chest tightened as he spoke, voice trembling slightly.
"I'm sorry, Obito… I'm late."
Obito shook his head gently, his tone carrying a deeper meaning.
"No, Minato-sensei. This time, you're not too late. There's still time to fix everything."
Minato knelt down, carefully helping Obito to his feet. He didn't care about the blood that stained his hands and cloak, pulling his student into a tight embrace.
For a long moment, they stood there.
Finally, Minato released him, hesitating before asking, "Obito, this… what happened here? How…?"
He didn't want to press, but he couldn't help his curiosity. Obito's strength had clearly skyrocketed—far beyond what Minato had expected.
Obito lowered his head, his voice tinged with sorrow.
"After Nagano's sacrifice… my grief awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan."
He paused before continuing, "And I've also gained mastery over the kekkei genkai, Lava Release."
Minato nodded thoughtfully. "The Three Tomoe… and Lava Release…"
Glancing at the burnt and scarred remains of the enemies around them, he began piecing it together.
So that's how…
Still, Minato marveled at Obito's incredible chakra reserves.
He might have at least one percent of Kushina's chakra capacity now… And his strength… he's likely among the upper echelons of the ninja world.
But… his heart ached for Nagano.
"Sensei," Obito said hesitantly, "we failed the mission you assigned us."
Minato shook his head gently. "I know. I've already spoken to Kakashi and the others. They explained everything."
Obito's expression shifted to concern. "Are they alright?"
"They're fine," Minato assured him. "They were worried about you, especially Rin."
Obito let out a sigh of relief, though his chest tightened at the thought of Rin's concern.
Minato ruffled Obito's hair affectionately. "Alright. Rest here. I'll handle the rest and take you back soon."
Obito nodded. "Thank you, Minato-sensei."
Living up to his name as the Yellow Flash, Minato vanished in a blur and returned just as swiftly.
Obito, now slightly recovered, stood anxiously.
"Sensei, did you destroy the Kannabi Bridge? Did you… finish off the remaining Iwa ninjas?"
Minato nodded silently, his expression firm.
Though he longed for peace, he was no fool who would hesitate against enemies in war—especially those who had initiated the conflict.
"Good…" Obito muttered, exhaling in relief.
Now, there was little chance of his Kamui being exposed.
But he knew his rising strength wouldn't remain hidden for long. After this battle, he might join Shisui as a renowned name in the ninja world.
"Shisui of the Body Flicker… and Obito…"
Obito grimaced. The title didn't quite have the same ring.
Well, he'd just have to think of something better later. After all, everyone who fought him was dead now.
As long as none of them were resurrected through Edo Tensei, his reputation was safe!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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