Impossible

"Jiraiya-sama, are you going to save us?" The ANBU's voice trembled, filled with desperation and fear.

Jiraiya's silence fell like a heavy weight on the six ANBU.

A shiver ran down their spines, and cold sweat broke out on their foreheads. In their hearts, an ominous premonition began to take shape.

"Why isn't he saying anything?" they thought, confusion mixing with fear in their minds.

Jiraiya, the legendary Sannin, the man who was supposed to valiantly defend them, deliver justice and punish Luo Lei, remained silent.

Desperate, their eyes turned to Minato. Now known as the Yellow Flash of Konoha, known for his kindness and understanding, he had become their last hope.

"Minato-sama, please, say something," one of the ANBU pleaded anxiously. "I haven't colluded with Iwagakure, Luo Lei-sama is lying! You have to believe me!"

"You are the Yellow Flash, Minato-sama. Your word carries weight. Please, intervene," another begged, desperation evident in every syllable.

"We made mistakes, we admit it. But not like this, not as traitors," confessed a third, seeking any way out of this nightmare.

"We are the Hokage-sama's most loyal subordinates," insisted another. "How could we even consider conspiring with Iwagakure? Minato-sama, please help us."

The other ANBU joined in the chorus of pleas.

Minato and Jiraiya seemed lost in their own thoughts, their faces reflecting a concern that only increased their panic.

"This..." Minato hesitated. His fists clenched involuntarily, nails digging into his palms.

He wanted to confront Luo Lei, defend his comrades, but a voice in his head warned him about the consequences of such action.

Suddenly, like a beacon in the darkness, the memory of his encounter with the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, flooded his mind:

"Minato, do you understand the meaning of the Will of Fire?" Hiruzen's voice, laden with wisdom and experience, resonated in his memory.

"Where leaves dance, fire burns; the fire will illuminate the village, and new leaves will sprout..."

"You're a genius, Minato. I have high hopes for you. The future of Konoha might rest on your shoulders someday. So, when you face challenges, remember: the interests of the village must always be above personal ones."

"Even if your loved ones stand in Konoha's way, you must be willing to act with justice, even if it means sacrificing yourself."

"Only when you can do all this will you truly be qualified to be Hokage."

These words, etched in his heart, acted as a balm, calming the storm within him.

Minato understood that, painful as it might be, he had to think of the bigger picture.

Victory in the war and Konoha's safety had to be priorities, even if that meant making seemingly inhumane decisions.

"You..." Minato began, but before he could continue, Jiraiya intervened.

"Minato, let me handle this." His voice was now laden with unusual gravity. Jiraiya took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the accused ANBU. "You knew what you were doing," he declared coldly. "We're at war. I'll send you back to Konoha to be properly judged. I'll deal with you when we return."

"What?!" The disbelief in the ANBU's voice was palpable.

BOOM!

The impact of Jiraiya's words was like an explosion.

It not only shook the six accused ANBU to their core but sent shockwaves through all the ninjas present. Even high-ranking officers like Shikaku, Inoichi, and Chōza felt a chill run down their spines.

The realization fell upon everyone: Jiraiya and Minato had yielded. For the sake of the overall situation, for victory in the war, they had decided to compromise.

"This... Is this really happening?" Obito's voice was barely a whisper.

The young student, still in the early stages of his ninja career, suddenly found himself facing a reality that defied everything he had been taught.

For the first time in his life, he witnessed how unscrupulousness could manifest so crudely and be accepted by those who were supposed to be Konoha's moral pillars.

Beside him, Kakashi and Rin remained motionless, their faces pale with shock.

"Impossible..." Kakashi muttered, his usual composure crumbling before the scene unfolding in front of them.

The impact was not limited to this trio. Throughout the camp, Genin and Chūnin exchanged looks of confusion and bewilderment.

The Will of Fire, that fundamental principle they had sworn to protect and honor, seemed to vanish before their eyes.

An uncomfortable thought began to form in their minds: perhaps what they had always considered right could be wrong, and vice versa.

Suddenly, a heart-wrenching cry broke the silence.

"NO!" The ANBU's voice was filled with desperation and rage. "You are accomplices! You're all the same!"

Another ANBU shouted: "I see it now! Deep down, you're all the same. You're no better than him!"

A third, addressing Jiraiya directly, exclaimed with a broken voice: "Jiraiya-sama.... have you forgotten the Will of Fire? Are you abandoning us just because we offended Luo Lei-sama? Where is the justice you swore to protect?"

The ANBU's cries mixed into a cacophony of pain, betrayal, and fury.

A hatred that was not only directed at Luo Lei but extended to Jiraiya and Minato, whom they now saw as hypocrites who had betrayed everything Konoha stood for.

"SILENCE!!" Jiraiya's roar resonated throughout the camp, cutting off any ambiguous thought.

His face had transformed into a mask of cold determination.

He didn't want to explain further. Each additional word was a risk, an opportunity for the situation to spiral even more out of control.

His plan to send them back to Konoha was a thin line of hope, a possibility of survival that these ANBU, in their desperation, failed to understand.

'Can't they see I'm trying to save their lives?' Jiraiya thought bitterly. 'If there's a crime, let the Hokage be the one to judge it. Is that so hard to understand?'

But before he could articulate these ideas, a soft and dangerous voice cut through the tense silence.

"Jiraiya, allow me to help you."

Luo Lei's voice was almost a whisper, but charged with a threat that made everyone present feel a chill.

A twisted smile appeared on his face as his eyes began to glow with that terrifying crimson hue. "There's no need to move them. Leave it to me. It will be quick... and I assure you they won't feel any pain."

The very air seemed to freeze at these words.

The ANBU, who moments ago were shouting defiantly, now visibly trembled.

'Who do they think they are?' he thought. 'They've offended me and still expect to return to the village alive. How naive.'

"No, wait..." Jiraiya began to speak, his mind working frantically to find a way out of this impossible situation.

But even as the words left his mouth, a part of him knew it was too late.

________

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