The Kannabi Bridge (Part 1)

"Kakashi, this is all your fault, you almost got us killed!" Obito rushed to blame Kakashi for his reckless behavior.

Kakashi crossed his arms and snorted, "You're just too weak."

Rin long accustomed to their bickering, quietly tended to their wounds.

After Minato finished dealing with the mystical leeches, he approached and said, "Kakashi, Obito is right, you were indeed reckless."

"This time I was here. If I hadn't been, you can't do things like this."

"I understand, Minato-sensei." Kakashi nodded, and Minato still had to stare at him.

Minato then continued on their journey with the three of them. As night fell, the four of them set up camp in the wilderness.

During a brief rest, Minato sought a heart-to-heart talk with Obito.

The two of them leaned against a large tree under the night sky.

"Obito, you must know about Kakashi's father, right?"

The night wind blew, and Minato's yellow hair swayed in the breeze.

"I remember... I always visited Kakashi's house during that time." Obito answered honestly.

Minato nodded and said, "That incident had a huge impact on Kakashi."

"It's not that Kakashi doesn't value his comrades, but he doesn't trust his comrades' strength and always wants to handle everything by himself."

"That's what happened today. Kakashi actually wanted to face that Iwagakure Ninja alone to protect you and Rin."

Obito hadn't thought about this and was stunned for a long time.

Minato gently touched Obito's spiky head and said, "So you need to cooperate well in the future. I hope you can understand your friend's burden and trust their strength."

"It's getting late, you should go and rest. We'll set off later."

Obito nodded, leaned against the tree, and closed his eyes to sleep.

❀❀❀

At dawn, the sky began to brighten.

Team Minato and Kakashi started to part ways.

Minato turned to support the front lines, while Kakashi's team headed straight for the Kannabi Bridge.

Kakashi's team traveled through a dense bamboo forest.

Along the way, they encountered no enemies except for some bamboo spike traps.

However, deep in the bamboo forest, two pairs of eyes were watching the group.

"Why are Konoha ninja here, and it's just a few kids?"

"I don't know. Let's capture one and interrogate them for information."

Two Iwagakure ninjas spoke in low voices, one with smooth brown hair and the other a burly man wearing a blue turban.

These two ninjas were both from Iwagakure.

One was named Kakkō, and the other was named Taiseki.

Kakkō was adept at earth escape, swordsmanship, and genjutsu, while Taiseki had mastered a special ninjutsu, the Hidden Camouflage Jutsu.

Taiseki formed a seal with one hand, and then his entire body vanished on the spot.

"[Meisaigakure no Jutsu]."

Taiseki quickly approached Rin, who was at the back of the three, and successfully ambushed her, knocking her out and carrying her on his shoulder.

Kakashi reacted, drawing sword and stepping forward. Kakkō came from one side and briefly fought with Kakashi with a dagger tied to his arm.

"White Fang of Konoha?!"

Kakkō recognized the White Fang dagger in Kakashi's hand and was shocked, but soon remembered that the White Fang of Konoha was dead.

Kakkō retreated to Taiseki, and then they both disappeared from the spot with Rin.

Obito stepped forward anxiously to catch up.

And Kakashi stopped Obito.

"Both are Jonin, you'll die."

Obito brushed off Kakashi's hand and said, "So what if I die? Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash."

Kakashi said helplessly, "I mean not to save Rin, but to let me save her and you continue to complete the mission."

"Saving Rin is as important as blowing up the bridge, but there are two Jonin on Rin's side. You can't save her."

Obito heard this and immediately objected, "No, I must save Rin too."

Kakashi thought for a moment, knowing that Obito had a stubborn character and valued Rin greatly. Besides, he was facing two Jonin, so he indeed needed help.

So Kakashi decided to stay with Obito.

"Then follow quickly, don't hold me back."

Kakashi caught up first, Obito followed slowly.

"Hmph, it's you, Kakashi."

Obito said uncertainly, but his heart was still touched.

Because Kakashi chose to trust his own strength and not abandon his comrades. Obito was now determined to save Rin.

The two followed the trail ahead until they reached the outside of a cave.

"They should be inside."

Kakashi looked at the signs on the ground and analyzed.

"Then let's go in quickly, I don't know what they will do to Rin!" Obito said and was ready to enter the cave.

"Calm down, Rin is a medical ninja. Even the enemy won't kill a medical ninja indiscriminately. Let's proceed cautiously."

Kakashi drew his sword and slowly approached the cave.

Obito took out his kunai and followed.

But even with utmost caution, they were discovered by Taiseki.

Taiseki once again used the Hidden Camouflage Technique to approach and appeared behind Obito, slashing at him with his sword.

"Watch out!"

Kakashi turned and saw Obito behind him, rushing forward and pulling him away.

"AH!"

Kakashi's left eye was hit by the slash, and blood splattered.

"Kakashi!" Obito shouted anxiously, holding his kunai and attacking the rock.

And Taiseki once again used the hidden camouflage technique to escape.

Kakashi covered his eye, holding the sword in one hand and said, "Leave me alone."

Seeing Kakashi's state, Obito blamed himself, "I'm still dragging behind..."

Regret was evident, he gripped the kunai tightly and closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, they had become a pair of two-tomoe Sharingan.

At this moment, Obito relied on his Sharingan to sharply detect movements behind him, and decisively stabbed backward with his kunai.

PU-CHI

There was the sound of penetration, and Taiseki's figure appeared.

"These eyes..."

Taiseki stopped holding the sword and reluctantly fell to the ground.

Obito also noticed the change in his eyes.

"My Sharingan is open!"

He was filled with excitement.

Only by opening the Sharingan could the Uchiha Clan's bloodline advantage be maximized.

As a result, Obito's strength was also elevated to a higher level.

Kakashi opened his only remaining right eye, looked at Obito, and sighed, "It's not a loss to trade one of my eyes for a pair of your Sharingan eyes."

Obito felt guilty again after hearing this.

"Let's go save Rin. Maybe Rin can heal my eye."

Obito nodded heavily.

The two then entered the cave.

Kakkō had tied up Rin and was using Genjutsu to torture her for information.

"To blow up the Kannabi Bridge... just you kids? It's really ridiculous!"

Although Kakkō said this, he still considered a few people a big threat.

The Kannabi Bridge was the most important transportation hub for Iwagakure's attack. If it was bombed, it would greatly affect the battle situation.

Kakkō suddenly turned around and saw Kakashi and Obito breaking in.

"Taiseki is dead? Looks like you have some skill."

Kakkō revealed the dagger on his arm, and he rushed towards the two of them with extreme speed.