Inside the Hokage Residence.
Hiruzen sat at his desk, a pipe in his mouth, wearing his Hokage hat and the ceremonial robes of the Third. Standing before him were four people, one adult and three youths.
The lead man had spiky, sun-blond hair and wore a Konoha headband. He had a warm, brilliant smile that felt like radiant sunshine. Even in a standard, unremarkable Jōnin flak jacket, he exuded an aura of effortless charisma.
This was Konoha's premier "gentle soul," Namikaze Minato.
Behind him were his three students. One had an indifferent, slightly world-weary expression and silver-white hair. A mask covered half his face, leaving only his eyes visible, eyes that often looked like "dead fish eyes."
Despite his standoffish attitude, the boy's looks were undeniable. This was the son of the late hero Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang of the Leaf. He was Hatake Kakashi. He was Minato's star pupil and the only Jōnin among the youngsters in Team Minato.
Standing next to him was a boy with goggles perched on his forehead and spiky black hair. He looked a bit thick-headed, possessed of a typical "hot-blooded idiot" vibe, and kept stealing glances at the girl beside him. This was Uchiha Obito, who would one day become a scourge of the shinobi world.
But right now, Obito hadn't darkened yet. He was a sunny youth whose goals were simple: surpass Kakashi, marry Nohara Rin, and become the next Hokage. He was one of the rare "late bloomers" (or "underperformers") of the Uchiha clan.
Despite his lack of early genius, Obito was well-liked in the village. He was the type of person who couldn't ignore someone in trouble; he was the kind soul who would patiently help an elderly lady across the street every single time. A truly good guy, a pushover in the best sense.
But therein lies the cruelty of the world. Often, when these "good guys" do good, it is seen as worthless. Yet, once their convictions are shattered and they fall into darkness, they become demon kings who make the whole world feel pain. The greater their previous kindness, the more absolute their subsequent cruelty.
The girl Obito kept glancing at had two purple markings on her cheeks and short, light-brown hair. Her Konoha headband was tied around her forehead. At first glance, she seemed ordinary, but a closer look revealed a truly endearing charm. Her large eyes seemed to radiate the words "empathy" and "understanding." She always wore a gentle smile, as if nothing could ever make her sad.
It was this gentleness, this kindness, this radiance that made Rin the only light in Obito's world.
Obito was born into the elite Uchiha clan, but his parents had died young. He lived with his grandmother until she passed away, leaving him an orphan. The vast Uchiha clan felt alien to him. Furthermore, as an Uchiha, he was expected to be a prodigy, yet he struggled throughout his childhood and academy years, consistently ranking at the bottom of his class.
Though he projected a confident, boastful exterior, claiming he would become Hokage, Obito's heart was fragile and sensitive. A small setback could leave him deeply depressed.
In that vulnerability, he found Rin.
"Do your best, Obito! You're going to become Hokage and save the world for me, remember? It's a promise!"
"It's no use trying to hide your wounds. I'm always watching you."
"Keep going, Obito! I'll always be watching you."
The world is cruel, yet it is also tender. Obito's luck was meeting a girl he would do anything for. And his tragedy would stem from that very same luck.
"What's wrong?" Rin asked, gently nudging Obito with her elbow. She had noticed him staring again.
Obito's face turned bright red. Embarrassed, he looked away. "N-nothing!"
Kakashi watched this play out with a look of pure disdain. "Childish," he muttered. Yet, in saying so, wasn't he also just a childish brat?
Minato noticed the small commotion behind him, but he only offered a gentle smile without intervening. Hiruzen saw it too, his eyes filled with warmth and grandfatherly affection. This was the Konoha he wanted to see—mutual love, friendship, and kindness. This was the essence of youth.
However, he was the Hokage. He quickly set aside his sentimentality and tapped his pipe against the desk to draw their attention.
"Minato, have you told them?" Hiruzen asked.
Minato shook his head. "Not yet."
"Then I shall. Team Minato," Hiruzen addressed them.
Kakashi and the others stood at attention, looking at the Third Hokage. Despite the rumors and gossip circulating in the village, Team Minato were Minato's students and thus members of the Hokage faction. They would never speak ill of the Third.
Furthermore, all three admired Hiruzen. Hiruzen had always been very kind to them. In fact, Obito aspired to be exactly like the Third Hokage.
"This long war has brought Konoha immense pain. Myself, the shinobi, the villagers, everyone is exhausted and disillusioned by this conflict. Yet, Iwagakure remains stubborn. I have written multiple times to the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki of Both Scales, seeking peace negotiations, but he has rejected me every time. Iwagakure's intent is to seize what we protect, and that is intolerable. Now, the war must end. It needs to end. Therefore, I have a vital mission for Team Minato," Hiruzen said gravely.
Obito, being the impulsive one, puffed out his chest. "Hokage-sama, we will definitely complete the mission!"
Kakashi wanted to say something but remained quiet. Rin smiled at Obito's heroics; she didn't look down on him or find him pathetic. Instead, she appreciated his optimism and hot-blooded nature.
Hiruzen nodded with a smile, his expression then turning serious. "Kannabi Bridge, located at the junction of the Lands of Birds, Rain, and Earth, is a strategic logistical hub for Iwagakure. I have already dispatched a vanguard to begin the assault. Although the main battle has yet to erupt, we anticipate that a frontal assault will yield little. However, that's fine. The frontal assault is merely a feint, a diversion to pave the way for you. Team Minato, by order of the Third Hokage, you are to proceed immediately to Kannabi Bridge. You must destroy the bridge and sever Iwagakure's supply line. If you succeed, we will launch a massive counter-offensive in the Land of Rain and drive those Iwa wolves from our doorstep. If we win this campaign, victory in the Great War is within sight, and the war will end swiftly. The burden on your shoulders is heavy; you carry the future of the village. Go, and I hope you return as heroes of Konoha!"
The words set Obito's blood on fire. In his mind, the moment the Kannabi Bridge campaign ended, he would become a legendary hero, marry Rin, become the Fourth Hokage, and reach the pinnacle of life. It was a beautiful dream. Just hearing the speech made him want to charge to the bridge right then and there to take out those Iwa bastards.
"Yes, Lord Third! We will definitely become heroes!" Obito shouted excitedly.
Kakashi glanced at him helplessly. Heroes, heroes... he talks about it all day. How childish.
Rin was still smiling at Obito. "Do your best, Obito," she whispered.
A simple word of encouragement was all it took for Obito to feel like he'd been injected with adrenaline. He practically vibrated with energy.
Minato smiled, then turned to Hiruzen with a look of serious resolve. "Lord Third, we will not fail."
In truth, Hiruzen didn't place too much expectation on kids like Obito or Kakashi, even though Kakashi was already a Jōnin. He simply wanted the "young sprouts" of the village to get some real experience. Furthermore, Konoha's war structure dictated that teams operate as cells, which then formed squads and divisions. Since Minato was going to the front, his students naturally had to follow.
The one Hiruzen truly placed his hopes in was Minato. He understood that regardless of the war's outcome, the people would be dissatisfied. He himself felt guilty and blamed himself for the conflict. Therefore, he had already decided that once the Third Shinobi World War ended, he would step down as Hokage and take all the blame upon himself.
When that happened, he wanted Minato to take over as the Fourth Hokage. Hiruzen was grooming him, giving him every opportunity to earn the kind of military merit that would silence any opposition to his appointment. He was paving the way.
"I believe in you. But as always, stay safe," Hiruzen said.
"Yes!" Minato replied.
"Good. Prepare yourselves and depart immediately."
As Minato and his team opened the door to leave, they saw Shikaku walking in. Shikaku nodded to Minato with a smile; neither spoke, simply acknowledging each other as they passed.
As Minato closed the door, he heard a faint fragment of the conversation inside.
"Lord Third, Orochimaru has returned," Shikaku said.
Hiruzen paused, then barked irritably, "He still knows how to find his way back?!"
Minato closed the door fully, chuckling to himself, and didn't think much of it.
"You three, go pack your bags. Quickly. We meet at the main gate," Minato said to his disciples.
"Sensei, I want to say goodbye to Kushina-nee before we go," Obito said.
Although Kushina was Minato's wife and they technically should have called her "Sensei's Wife," Kushina's personality was such that she forced Kakashi and the others to call her "Big Sister."
"Then be quick about it," Minato said, not refusing the request.
This showed that before his fall to darkness, Obito had a very close relationship with Kushina. She had always looked after him.
And by contrast, it highlighted just how utterly insane and heartless he would become after his descent...
———————
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over here ——— pa-tre-on.c-om/AlexandrusTL [remove the hyphen for normal access]