Hello everyone… It has once again been a while. I've been busy so I once again apologize. Good news: I have been hired!
This chapter is the long-awaited (by me lol) Kannabi bridge mission chapter. This is where we see the result of Daisuke's training with Obito. I hope you enjoy it.
By the way, in the last chapter I said in the end notes that I was going to slowly edit older chapters. I have started that already. All chapters up to chapter 3 have been edited as of the release of the chapter. If you are interested in what has changed, the changes will be briefly summarized at the starting notes of each chapter (on AO3… has weird chapter editing so sometimes I forget to include it… sorry..) Chapter 1 and 2 haven't really changed too much, but chapter 3's scene where Daisuke talks to his parents about his future as a shinobi has changed a fair amount. In this scenario, Daisuke is a little more open with his parents and gives them more of a reason to actually let him pursue the shinobi path. Before, it felt weird to me that parents like Daisuke's would accept his vague/feeble reasonings, so I tried to make his dialogue more profound and genuine. It's a little bit dramatic and some people may think that he's being too open, but I think it better suits the story I'm trying to tell a bit better than before.
By the way, as a general rule of thumb, (except for Hazuki's POV way back… that'll be changed once I get to it), only Daisuke's pov will ever be set in 1st person, not that it makes that much of a difference to the plot… it's mostly just a choice I made
—-
10:46 p.m., June 15th, 1bNb
(Namikaze Minato 3rd person POV)
Namikaze Minato is very conflicted right about now. Why, you may ask? Well, he's got a lot going on at the moment.
First off, he was proud of his student who has just become a Jounin. Kakashi was only 12, almost thirteen, and he has already been promoted to the same rank as Minato. Even if Konoha was admittedly a little desperate for capable team leaders, obtaining the rank wasn't by any means an easy feat. No matter how desperate the village was, they would never promote someone who wasn't at least minimally capable of the duties the role demanded, and if there was one thing Minato had learned in the last 7 years with Kakashi as an apprentice, it was that the kid was frighteningly talented and most definitely capable. He still had a long way until he would stand on equal footing with Minato, but becoming a Jounin so early was unheard of, and Minato couldn't be more pleased with his student's growth.
Secondly, though, he was worried. The war has been raging for years already, and every hidden village was significantly weakened and exhausted. Nevertheless, they were all unwilling to surrender. After losing so many good men on the field and spending so much in terms of resources, it couldn't be helped if the leaders of these nations were stubborn when admitting defeat. Minato was strong, though. He was Konoha's Yellow Flash. He was confident in his ability to defend the village he loved so dearly, even if the war went on for another five or ten years.
It was a horrifying thought and it sent shivers down his spine.
What worried him most, though, was his upcoming mission, or more specifically, his squad's upcoming mission. His own mission was simple, he had to run off to the Iwagakure front lines and wreck as much havoc as possible to create a diversion. It was a mission that suited Minato well. With his reputation, along with his famed Hiraishin, the Iwa shinobi would have their hands full trying to keep him and his allies at bay.
His students had a more important mission in the grand scheme of the war. Deep in the Land of Grass, the nation Iwa had been invading to open up a front against Konoha, lies an important bridge. The Kannabi bridge was used as the main supply route for Iwa's campaign against Konoha. Their mission was to sneak through the Land of Grass, avoiding Iwagakure and Kusagakure forces, and destroy the Kannabi bridge, crippling Iwa's ability to supply their forces. It was a move that could spell the end of Iwa's war effort, a move that could force Iwa's surrender, and subsequently end the war.
And that important mission was entrusted to Minato's students: Jounin Hatake Kakashi, as well as Chuunins Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin. The mission would be dangerous for any shinobi: if they were caught, they would be forced to fight behind lines, where reinforcement or aid would be sparse or outright unavailable. A situation like that was a death sentence to most.
Minato didn't doubt his students in the slightest, either. Kakashi is the most talented shinobi of his generation and is an incredibly versatile frontliner and fighter. His mastery of kenjutsu and Lighting Release could not be understated, especially considering his age, and he had a summoning contract with ninken who were great trackers, fighters and loved Kakashi as if he was pack.
Rin may be soft-hearted, but she is very loyal to Konoha without a fault, highly passionate during training, and is an up-and-coming medic, who's talent in Iryo-ninjutsu makes her an important asset to Konoha and its future. He has seen glimpses of quick thinking and a strong determination, both in her work ethic and in her performance in missions and training.
Obito was… well, he is an interesting case. He is regarded as the black sheep of the Uchiha clan, a failure who represents everything an Uchiha shouldn't be: clumsy, emotional, compassionate, and most importantly to his clan, untalented and weak.
Minato, however, saw a different side of the outcast. Most of what their clan said was true, at least to a certain degree, but these traits are not necessarily negative. What Minato sees is a loyal shinobi, who throws everything he has in order to grow stronger for the sake of those he loves. A person who, despite his treatment, unconditionally loves those around him and wishes to prove himself to those who don't acknowledge him. He may seemingly lack talent, but Minato knows that one day, Obito will find a place in the world.
And his faith in Obito's character was only getting stronger. In recent months, he has been improving at a rapid pace. Minato had no doubt that his student's motivation to train harder was the main contributor to his rapid improvement, but ever since Kakashi's rival, Maito Gai and his friend started dragging him around to train with them, he was becoming stronger at record pace, blowing away Minato's expectation of the boy.
His once clumsy movements were becoming sharper and sharper, and his taijutsu style, strength and speed became more and more refined as weeks passed, evolving to fit his personality and adapting to whatever training he was going through. During stealth practice, he could detect others easier and hide his presence more efficiently, to the point he was able to outmaneuver Kakashi in various training activities.
The troublemaker who used to shed tears during practice was starting to make Kakashi sweat in spars, and that fact was being acknowledged by the prodigy himself. He was forced to accept it after Obito began to land solid blows on him during their spars. To the eyes of the Uchiha clan, the boy may have been a failure, but Minato knew that at this rate, Kakashi wouldn't be his only student making Jounin in their teens, and he couldn't wait for the day Kakashi would fall to him in a fight.
Not that Minato had anything against the prodigy, but he needed to be knocked down a peg or two before his arrogance got him into trouble.
No matter how impressed he was, no matter how much praise and respect he held for his students and their accomplishments, he knew just how dangerous a mission like that could turn. They all had great potential, yes, but they were all still children. They were years away from their prime. Even if Konoha saw them as adults, Minato still remembered when they were half their size. He remembered Rin's childish eyes brimming with excitement on their first day, he remembered when kicking up dust was enough to make Obito tear up, and he remembered Kakashi's dull stare after witnessing the death of his father.
Minato was their sensei, but after so many years, his students felt more like his family to him. It pained him to send them to this mission, and the danger they were about to face worried him to no end.
And so, even if he believed in them, and trusted in their strengths, he couldn't shake off the bad feeling he was getting from the mission. Perhaps he was more suited to the mission they had been assigned, but Sandaime-sama had explained that a smaller, less conspicuous force would have an easier time getting behind lines and completing the mission, insisting his students could handle it just fine.
The mission was going to be tomorrow, so there was no going back anymore. The best he could do was put up a strong front, to present himself to them as the confident and strong sensei they had always known him as. To reassure them of their success, and to believe in their ability to return safely.
He sighed deeply, face resting in his hand. His mind was loud and racing, and yet in contrast, the night was quiet and uneventful. No rain, no wind, no one was even making noise outside of his apartment. It was silent, except for the regular nearly soundless tapping coming from the roof-jumping shinobi, who likely had missions of their own.
She was by his side, a woman whose head was covered in bright red, her cerulean eyes were centered on him, filled with concern. "Minato, this isn't like you at all. Kakashi-kun may be a bit of an asshat, but he can handle this, ya know." she said in an attempt to console him. "I know. They're all great students, but I can't just not worry about them," he said with a small smile, glad she was concerned.
She shook her head, exasperated, "You're too sweet for your own good," she sighed, then placed her hand on his cheek and smiled brightly, "but that's why I love you." His face grew red, "Kushina…" he groaned as she laughed good naturedly. "You're too easy to tease, ya know!" she chirped before her grin grew smaller.
"Look, if you're so worried, I've got an idea," she said, prompting Minato to raise his eyebrows. "Really?" he asked. She nodded confidently, "Really. Look, if your mission is to distract Iwagakure at the frontlines, there's another implication." she explained, with a glint in her eyes.
"It implies that there is a frontline in Grass, so, if for whatever reason there was no frontline, then your mission would be completed, right?" she suggested seriously. Minato widened his eyes. "So you're saying… I could find a way to end that battle completely? And in the matter of days?" he asked with wonder, "Can I even do that?"
"You're the Yellow Flash, Minato. If I didn't believe you could think of a way, then I wouldn't have suggested this to you." She smiled with pride, "You're the one who saved me so many times, and the one who suppressed the raging Kyuubi all by yourself. When you finish your job, then you can rejoin those three and make sure they're safe, ya know?" she added with certainty.
Assuming Minato could defeat Iwa's army in the matter of days or even hours, then he could rejoin his students with the Hirashin Kunai he had planned to give to Kakashi. That way, he could be sure that they would succeed unharmed. Minato wasn't sure if he really could beat Iwa's forces basically by himself, he knew that there were at least a thousand shinobi on the front, but if it gave him the chance to make sure his students were safe, then he would find a way.
"Thanks, Kushina. You're the best girlfriend I could ask for." he said gratefully. This time it was her turn to blush. She slapped Minato's shoulder, "Jeez, you're hopeless without me, ya know?!" she exclaimed, "Now let's get to bed already, it's late. You don't wanna be tired tomorrow," she said, averting her gaze to hide her embarrassment.
Minato was truly grateful to have someone as thoughtful as Kushina as his girlfriend. Hopefully the war would end soon, because he knew when that time came, that he would protect peace with everything he could, so everyone in the village could live their lives in peace and harmony.
As he settled into bed with his girlfriend, the Jounin idly wondered if Obito would be late to the mission tomorrow.
—-
7:36 a.m June 16th, 1bNb
Obito was panting in front of the team, catching his breath after presumably rushing to their meeting spot. Obito did, in fact, come late this time. Even if he was late, he managed to avoid Kakashi's little wire trap. "Did I make it?" he asked, noticing Kakashi's glare and Rin's frown. "No, Obito, you're late!" Kakashi said scornfully.
Obito sighed, before Kakashi raised his voice again, "What time did you think we were supposed to meet? When you're a full-fledged shinobi, you're expected to follow the rules!" Obito scratched his face awkwardly, "Well… I was on the way, but an old lady carrying a load asked me for directions…"
"Come on, I know you're lying!" Kakashi pointed at the boy accusingly.
Minato was getting tired of this comedy routine. If they didn't get moving, they might actually be late. "That's enough, Kakashi. Obito showed the old lady the way, isn't that right?" He intervened politely. "I carried her bag, too," Obito offhandedly remarked. "You're too lenient with him, Sensei." Kakashi criticized, "Besides, there's no way that some needy person appears before Obito every single time!" he locked eyes with Minato, "Those who break the rules and regulations are branded as scum, isn't that right?"
"What are you, a robot? Don't you have any empathy?" Obito asked with disbelief, "All you ever talk about are rules! The key is to maintain self control." he reaffirmed, shaking his head. "Stop it, guys. We're on the same team!" Rin, ever the peacekeeper, pleaded. "You're also too lenient on Obito, Rin." Kakashi reminded her with a glance. "Today's an important day for me, too."
Kakashi was right to be entitled to some respect. Kakashi's promotion to Jounin had been made official starting today, and so he now bore the same rank and responsibilities as Minato. Rin had gotten Kakashi a specialized first aid kit as a gift, and Minato had given Kakashi one of his own custom-made Hiraishin kunai, and when Kakashi held his hand out towards Obito, he wasn't at all shocked to find that the boy hadn't gotten him any promotion gift. Obito had probably just forgotten about Kakashi's promotion, but he decided to double down and declared that Kakashi didn't deserve a gift from him.
The two were as rowdy as ever, fighting like this even when they were about to have a mission.
Minato ended up stepping in, and finally got to the mission and their plan going forward. Kakashi would lead a squad consisting of himself, Rin and Obito, with the ultimate goal to destroy the Kannabi bridge, and Minato would split off somewhere along the way to join a large portion of Konoha's forces at the Grass front. The group would initially consist of the four as usual, until they reached the border.
Their trip towards the border was swift and professional for the most part, even with the occasional bickering between the two boys. They may have fought more than needed, but when it came to missions, they could usually remain professional. The trip to the border lasted several hours, and the sun was soon to set. Kakashi may have been harsh and cocky, but Minato could tell that Kakashi was being more attentive than usual, bearing the weight of his new responsibility with quiet determination. His prowess was undeniable, and now he was determined to prove himself and his leadership capabilities.
Obito and Rin both understood the importance of the mission and the danger it posed. Obito, despite appearing carefree and ignorant to many, proved that he could be serious when he needed to. His gaze shifted between the members of the squad, lingering on Rin, and his surroundings. Rin's nervousness wasn't as well concealed as her teammates' was, but despite her occasional fidgeting and the nervousness in her gaze, her eyes shone with the resolve to get through the mission.
Eventually, after reaching the Kusa border, Minato and Kakashi detected an incoming ambush, along with the presence of enemies. The scene was suspicious to the two Jounin, it was far too tranquil, the telltale signs of manmade tampering keeping even birds from entering the area. The path below the trees would be a perfect spot to rain down kunai and shuriken. The shinobi were clearly rather exceptional at stealth, as even Minato had a hard time detecting their exact location, but despite that, Minato could sense that there were a large number of shinobi.
Nonetheless, the two quickly realized that there was, in fact, only one enemy. Each separate signature Minato could sense had exactly the same chakra level, and the exact same scent coming from each 'separate' shinobi likely alerted Kakashi to that fact.
Kakashi, feeling the need to prove himself as a squad leader, decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to test his new jutsu. The jutsu, named Chidori – A thousand birds, was similar to Minato's Rasengan, except it sacrificed Shape Manipulation for Nature Manipulation. Lightning crackled and chirped with the sound of a thousand birds like its namesake, and the chakra in his hand was incredible. Minato could tell it was a powerful jutsu that Kakashi had spent a lot of time developing, but he also knew it wouldn't work. From the instant Kakashi began his mad dash, he knew the genius was in trouble.
Kakashi didn't heed Minato's, and after rushing towards the enemy, the tunnel vision caused by his increased speed allowed the enemy to counterattack and nearly kill the boy. He was able to eliminate all of the enemy's shadow clones, but his overconfidence would cost him dearly. Obito eliminated the shadow clone that split off to attack him and Rin, so when the enemy swung his sword to counter Kakashi's advance, Minato was able to save the boy's life with his Hiraishin in an instant, teleporting him back to join the others. The Iwa-nin seemed to be rather skilled at kenjutsu and could produce an impressive amount of shadow clones, and to other Jounin the fight could easily turn deadly, but that wouldn't matter, not to the Yellow Flash.
After all, Minato had marked him in the previous exchange.
Rin started healing Kakashi with her medical ninjutsu, and used supplies for the gifted first aid kit to patch him up. It seemed that so far, Rin's gift was the most useful so far. Kakashi winced in pain as the green light forced his body to accelerate its healing process. The atmosphere was tense as Minato teleported behind his marked foe.
It was over in an instant.
He returned to his squad, donning a stern expression. "Kakashi's wound isn't trivial. We'll retreat for now and set up camp." Minato said, once again taking the mantle of team leader. Kakashi was arrogant and overconfident, but even he realized that he had messed up. "I'm fine!" he said, not wanting to burden his squad or the mission.
"You don't look so 'fine'! This is your fault for ignoring Sensei and acting so reckless!" Obito shouted angrily. Minato understood his frustration, but this wasn't the time or place. "Don't talk to me that way, failure of the 'elite' Uchiha clan!" Kakashi shot back.
"Oh, shut up, that's all you ever say! At least I haven't gotten injured, and now Rin has to heal you! Some squad leader you turned out to be!" Obito countered with a scowl. Kakashi glared back at him. The air was heavy and tense with their frustration and anger with each other.
"Guys, please knock it off already!" Rin finally said, attempting to break the tension. "Obito, it's my job to heal you guys, so I don't mind, and Kakashi-kun, don't take your frustration out on him! We're on a mission!" she reprimanded the two. "Rin's right, you two. That's quite enough." Minato finally said, "Kakashi, rules and regulations are certainly important, but they aren't everything. You may have been the leader, but it is up to each shinobi to interpret and adapt to all of the information at his disposal and act accordingly. Remember, moving recklessly doesn't only endanger you, but also your teammates and the mission." his gaze shot over to Obito, who fidgeted under its pressure, "And Obito, it's okay to offer criticism and advice, but escalating an argument and losing your cool like that during a mission is unacceptable, understood?" Minato said sternly. Obito nodded stiffly, as Minato turned away.
"Oh, and one more thing," Minato paused in his step, turning his head back, "Kakashi, about that new jutsu of yours, you probably shouldn't use it," he advised, and Kakashi widened his eyes at his sensei, "From what I saw, it's a strike with a single focus. It's certainly incredibly fast and powerful, but you move too quickly to react to an opponent's counterattack. It's still imperfect." he added with certainty. Kakashi looked down with shame.
"Now, before we leave, listen to me carefully. For any shinobi, above all else, the most important skill is teamwork." he declared, "Let's go," he ordered without room for refusal. The squad followed him without a word, reflecting on what Minato had said. He knew that this lesson would be the best lesson he could impart before they would separate.
The group ventured out and found a relatively safe place to set up camp. Tension was still running high, even with Rin and Minato trying to occupy the silence with normal conversation. In the end, it was decided that Minato would keep watch alone so Rin, who exhausted part of her chakra healing Kakashi, and Kakashi, who was wounded, could rest properly.
In the silence of the night, Rin and Kakashi sound asleep, Obito sought out Minato, who was sitting atop a rock, taking watch as promised. The young Uchiha was hurt by Kakashi's words, and he felt that his words were unfairly harsh. Rather than offering Obito criticism, Kakashi merely attacked not only his discipline and prowess, but also disregarded his struggles and aspirations. He explained that even after taking the time to calm down and evaluate his sensei's words, he felt that Kakashi was not only too critical of him, but also unprofessional in his remarks.
Minato listened to his student intently, his expression a blend of understanding and pensive sorrow. He knew Kakashi's cutting words and disdainful comments were a mask for a deeper wound; the passing of the White Fang. His strict inflexibility when it came to rules and competence were not born from arrogance, but instead from a profound place of loss. The boy was projecting.
It was Kakashi's way of caring for his teammates, even if the genius himself didn't know that. Kakashi's harshness was the only way he could express protectiveness over his squad. To him, breaking the rules was akin to a death sentence. On a subconscious level, Kakashi was projecting his regret over his father's death onto his teammates, trying to protect them from the same fate. From ending up on a rope.
Minato hesitated at first, wondering if it was appropriate to expose a matter so private to Obito, yet he knew it would shed some light on Kakashi's behavior. If Obito could empathize with Kakashi, it could strengthen the team's bonds and improve their cohesion. So, he chose to open up about Kakashi's father, the famed White Fang, detailing his final mission, its subsequent failure, and his eventual demise. It was a tragic tale, and it exposed deep-seated problems in shinobi society.
Out of everybody in the village, no one had loved Sakumo as much as Kakashi, so coming home from a regular day at the academy, expecting to tell his loving father all about his day, but instead being forced to stare at his father's lifeless corpse absolutely destroyed him, and changed his mentality for good.
Obito may have resented Kakashi, ( he didn't hate Kakashi, Obito hated no one) but he was fundamentally a compassionate boy. The tale of Sakumo's downfall had moved him deeply, filling him with a newfound sense of empathy for Kakashi. Watching the boy's body language as he walked resolutely to his sleeping bag, Minato could tell that the boy would have a greater understanding of his teammate when they next day came.
After the night passed, the group woke up early in the morning. They were already behind on the mission due to the slight detour, so they were all eager to get moving as soon as they could. Thankfully, the squad's rest had freed the atmosphere of its prior tension.
Kakashi's wound was healing well and was slowly closing, but he would have to be careful to not open it in the next day or two. Rin offered to heal it more, but he refused, deciding that she should conserve her chakra. He was still fit for combat, if needed, and if the scout from yesterday indicated anything, conflict was to be expected. There were probably two or three shinobi up ahead, who were going to notice that their scout had perished.
Minato was anxious, but if they took his lesson to heart, they could get through anything.
The time finally came to separate. The change in landscape from the previous hilly plains to a bamboo forest solidified the fact that they had entered the Land of Grass. "We'll split up here. All of you, do your best." he said professionally, "The enemy we met yesterday was a lone scout, but from now on, you should expect team conflict, so be on your guard." he advised.
The group was silent for a moment before Obito piped up, "Let's go then, …Leader." he said carefully, averting his gaze stubbornly. Minato felt pride swell in his chest. Obito was acknowledging Kakashi as squad leader.. Rin and Kakashi stared in shock before Minato decided to take charge. "Right then, ready?!" he asked, "Yes sir!" the squad declared in unison.
He took one last look at his team and smiled fondly.
"Scatter!"
—-
Hatake Kakashi 3rd person POV
Kakashi was a little ashamed. He had finally been promoted to Jounin rank, and it was his time to lead. Leaders had to take charge. They had to be decisive and strong. Kakashi thought he had it down, he thought he could take charge as the leader. When he detected an ambush, it was surely the perfect opportunity to show Minato-sensei that he was fit to be a leader, and to show his teacher the jutsu he had been working on.
But it ended in disaster. Not only had he failed to kill the enemy shinobi, he nearly died for it and pushed the mission back a day due to his injuries. Sensei explained that the jutsu cost him his perception and made him tunnel-visioned, and that the jutsu was imperfect. Kakashi was so used to being praised by his teacher that facing criticism from the man filled him with shame and embarrassment, but he knew he had made a mistake, and he could sulk later. Shinobi couldn't show their emotions, it was against their code that they swore to follow, and he knew exactly what happened to those who broke the rules.
He knew it all too well.
It wasn't easy for Kakashi to keep his emotions separated from his mission when Obito, the embodiment of what a ninja should never be, kept criticizing him. It was already enough for his mentor to take apart his behavior and jutsu, but for a failure like Obito to try? It was too much. The Chuunin let emotions rile him up and now it was Kakashi's job to talk the fool down. Who did he think he was? Even the Hokage couldn't afford to show his emotions, so what gave him the right to rant as he pleased? Who gave him a free pass in breaking the rules?
Kakashi had few complaints about Rin and Minato-sensei. Rin kept her emotions in check, was a fairly intelligent and talented Iryo-nin and followed the shinobi code. She diligently healed them, as her duty dictated. Minato-sensei was the Yellow Flash, a Jounin who's name struck fear across the Elemental Nations. He was someone Kakashi could respect and obey. But Obito? He was stubborn, clumsy and emotional. Sure, he was getting stronger in recent months, his Uchiha genetics seemingly kicking in at long last, but his attitude and mentality was a fundamental mismatch for any shinobi. He would be a liability on missions until he could cut off his emotions. Shinobis have many tools to use in order to complete their missions, but emotion wasn't one of them.
Admittedly, Obito proved earlier in the day that he might be ready to mature. After the failure that was yesterday and Minato-sensei's reprimands, he finally acknowledged Kakashi as the squad leader. It was a shock to the new Jounin, but not an unwelcome one. If Obito could keep this up, maybe Kakashi and him would get along better in the future. Maybe the squad would be a proper unit.
After separating from Minato-sensei, they discretely covered ground for about half a day, crossing through the bamboo forest of Grass, avoiding pitfalls and traps, all while watching their surroundings with keen eyes. The squad eventually stumbled upon a suspicious pond, and after reaching the middle of it, Kakashi detected enemies by scent. Judging by their scents, the enemies were two adult males. There were no shadow clones present, as their smell was differentiated. Kakashi halted Rin and Obito and signaled to prepare for a clash. They would have to fight these two to complete the mission. For a moment nothing moved, like the calm before the storm.
… Before conflict broke out all at once.
Pointed bamboo surged towards them from above, threatening to impale them. Obito jumped in front of the group and burnt the barrage of spikes with his Fireball jutsu, and one of the enemies immediately emerged. The man had messy brown hair down to his chin, and two blades attached to his hands. His eyes were manic with excitement, as if he was itching to tear them into shreds.
Kakashi wouldn't let him. He took a deep breath, focusing on the enemy in front of him, his body language, the twitching of his fingers, the bending of his knees. He wouldn't underestimate an adversary a second time.
He pulled out Minato-sensei's custom-made kunai and intercepted his bloodthirsty opponent. The clash lasted only three blows, as the two struck at each other with their blades, intent to kill the other, but Kaksahi could tell from the numbness of his hands, the force behind those slashes, and the Iwa-nin's reaction speed. There was no mistaking it, he was surely a Jounin.
Following the clash, Kakashi briefly fell back to the water, his descent hardly making a sound even as he landed on the water, and his concentration turned back into awareness. A deep grunt sounded out from behind him followed by the distinct smell of blood, a sharp tangy copper with hints of earthiness. Someone had been injured. There were two scents earlier, and an instant before the confrontation, the second scent had disappeared. His head snapped back, following the scent of the blood, and…
Obito stood there, bloody kunai drawn, surprised huffs and grunts echoing themselves from the boy. An aged man with a large build and light hair was kneeling in front of the Chuunin, one hand frantically grasping at a large slash across his chest. Amidst the silence, only Obito's mildly disorderly breathing and the other man's frantic and pained huffing could be heard.
A red glint reflected off of the water in front of Obito.
"What's… with those… eyes?!" he muttered weakly in between gasps, before collapsing face first onto the surface of the water, unsinking. Obito turned to face Kakashi and his opponent. He was shaky with adrenaline, and his breaths were uneven, but his gaze was filled with a resolve Kakashi had never seen from the boy, his eyes shining with an alluring crimson light, two black tomoe spinning rapidly in each eye.
"Rin, stay behind me – I've got this!" He said confidently, determined to protect her, before leaping forward to Kakashi's side. Rin nodded and took up a defensive stance behind the two boys. Kakashi eyed Obito, "Stay alert, he's quick on his feet," he warned. Obito shared the glance, "Fine," he reluctantly agreed and kept his eyes on the enemy in front of them. The Iwa-nin was visibly irritated, eyes narrowed, and barely stopped himself from grinding down on his teeth. "Ah, they're all so pathetic…" he huffed with more frustration than worry, lowering into an aggressive stance. His body tensed like a snake, poised to strike at any moment.
The two boys ran at the man with surety, both with unbending focus on their opponent. The unnamed man was more skilled than Kakashi first thought. The confrontation was more like a dance than a death match. Each slash or jab sliced through the air or against another blade. Metal sang, and blades clashed as sparks flew wildly between the three. Between Obito's heightened visual prowess and each Jounins' full attention, Kakashi knew he needed to find an opportunity to make a decisive move. Obito wasn't used to this level next, and his moves were losing their sharpness with each sidestep, parry and flip. Kakashi was nothing like a Nara, but even he could analyze an opponent's style. He could tell by now, that in the next few moves, their adversary would open himself up to a counterattack, whether it be a wide swing out of annoyance or stepping too far overzealously, the man wasn't a rational fighter.
And finally, the Iwa-nin, feeling hasty or bloodthirsty, Kakashi couldn't tell, swung both blades at once in a wide arc, aiming to kill Obito in one move. The spin of Obito's tomoe accelerated as he smoothly leaned back to dodge the fatal strike, leaving the man's chest and head open. Kakashi knew it was now or never, tensing his entire body before racing forward to take advantage of his opening. He swung his Sensei's kunai down, aiming to slash down his chest. His wound screamed in pain as a dull heat filled his side and slowed his approach.
"Remember, moving recklessly could endanger the mission and your team." Minato-sensei's words echoed through his mind.
The blades suddenly changed trajectory and were closing in on Kakashi's exposed neck with a vengeance. His injury had opened him up to a counterattack. He cursed himself mentally for being stubborn about Rin healing him. The man's face lit up with a ferocity unfit for a shinobi. He had messed up. His judgment would cost him his life, he was sure. He tensed up in anticipation for his death, but the blades never came. Obito's legs drove their opponent's arms, keeping the twin blades from reaching Kakashi's vitals. The Uchiha had risked a dangerous opening just to cover for Kakashi's mistake, and had consequently forced the man's guard open. The silver haired boy's focus sharpened as his wide eyes took in the situation before him.
There was no hesitation in his next move, no remaining regret for his mistake. His grip on the kunai was so tight he thought he might crush it, and he slashed down the man's shoulder, creating a satisfying crunch of bone and cartilage, with enough force to be thrown face first into the water below. The wound wasn't necessarily fatal, but the man wouldn't be able to use his right nearly as freely. If they kept it up, the fight would be theirs. Kakashi prepared himself to finish the man off.
A scream echoed out from behind them. The two shot their heads back hastily and they saw it. A kunai was pressed against Rin's throat, drawing drops of blood. Rin's body was slumped over, unconscious through either physical force or genjutsu, Kakashi couldn't tell at the moment The man who had taken her hostage was the one Obito had defeated. Kakashi's mind snapped to a realization. The larger shinobi hadn't sunk into the water, not even a bit. If he had truly been knocked unconscious, he would've sunk a few inches into the water and floated like a dead man. He took that time to recover and find an opening to grab Rin. It was an embarrassing oversight for a Jounin, and a devastating failure for Obito.
The man's ragged breath felt to Kakashi worse than a chalkboard getting scratched. The fact he was still breathing was an insult against his capability as a Jounin of Konohagakure.
The situation wasn't ideal, Kakashi reminded himself, but the mission could go on. Kakashi and Obito just had to finish off their opponent, and continue with the mission before that man would alert his comrades about their presence. With those injuries, he couldn't move at full speed. Rin wouldn't be killed, and would likely be spared as a prisoner of war because of her abilities as an Iryo-nin.
She would be freed as the war ended.
"Don't you dare move…!." The man boomed with an intimidating tone, but it would take more than that to stop Kakashi. His mind was racing with thoughts. Minato-sensei had told him yesterday that a shinobi had to adapt to any situation, and that was exactly what he would do. That man, he was clearly bluffing. No shinobi would waste a potential source of intel. He scoffed and turned back to face his opponent.
"RIN!" Obito screamed as he ran at Rin and the shinobi who had taken her hostage, full of rage and worry. The boy was fighting so well that Kakashi had forgotten how emotional Obito was. Of course that dunce would charge, full of openings, right into the enemy's hands! Kakashi's chest tightened as he dreaded the next moment. "Wait, it's bait, Obito! Stop!" he ordered, but his voice didn't even register to the desperate boy. The Iwa-nin with the twin blades vanished from behind Kakashi and reappeared in front of Obito.
Time froze to a standstill as Kakashi watched the blades dig themselves into Obito's abdomen. The nauseating sound of flesh being forcefully split apart filled the air. The twin blades slid through the skin and across his innards like a hot knife against butter, splattering blood onto the man's pleased face. Even if his right was weaker at that moment, Obito was completely unguarded. It was a fatal blow, Kakashi could tell. Nine times out of ten, that kind of wound was fatal, and he didn't like those odds.
For just an instant, silence prevailed. No panting, no shouting, no steps were taken, only the drips of blood could be heard. Kakashi felt both repulsion at Obito's naivety and disobedience, yet strangely enough, he felt he couldn't let them get away with this. He needed to act, and right now. He clicked his tongue, shaking his head to focus up, and observed his surroundings. Freezing up wouldn't win him this fight.
In that instant the larger shinobi had been shocked by the fatal blow on Obito, Kakashi reached for his tanto and ran towards him and Rin. He bent to sweep the brute's legs, before using the tanto to chop his right hand off at the forearm. He screamed partly in agony and partly in shock, attempting to back away in panic. The man's eyes ignited with aggression through the pain. As long as the man was near her, Rin would remain in danger.
Kakashi flipped and spin kicked him, striking decisively at his temple. He dropped Rin, equilibrium shot, and wobbled backwards, legs dropping into the pond due to the sudden head trauma. His hold on his chakra had been compromised. The boy grabbed Rin and took her a short distance away. He held up the snake seal, "Kai." he whispered, pulling Rin out of the genjutsu she was trapped in. Kakashi was quietly relieved that she wasn't simply knocked out. Without delay, he gestured towards Obito's now unconscious form. "Rin, grab him and take him away from the water right now!" he demanded with the most stern tone he could muster. Her sharp gasp echoed through the clearing, she barely held back a sob, but she obeyed without a word in order to grab Obito. Kakashi knew Rin was a capable shinobi, and that she would push her emotions down to ensure his safety.
Kakashi also knew the messy haired shinobi would try to hastily finish Obito off, so he flung eight shuriken at him as he was about to finish the unmoving Uchiha off. Each shuriken was aimed at a vital point, so he couldn't afford to commit and swiftly retreated, and in that moment, Rin sprung herself towards Obito with great desperation. She grabbed his body in a hurry, and yet with all the care in the world. Leaping towards the grass with the wounded Chuunin in her arms, she was no longer in proximity of the pond.
"Stupid little runt!" he screamed with fury, stomping towards Rin's position. He reached for her with his right, but the sudden movement worsened his slash wound, causing him to hiss in pain and slow his advance. Kakashi had made enough mistakes for today, and it was now up to him to finish this, it was his responsibility to see the mission through. Considering the enemy's injuries, he wouldn't get out of range in time. Monkey, Dragon, Rat, Bird, Ox, Snake, Dog, Tiger, Monkey, Kakashi powered through the seals faster than he ever had before. "Chidori!" Kakashi shouted, bending down to the water as lightning crackled from his right hand and spread across the entire pond in an instant. All three shinobi shouted in pain as lightning screamed and screeched around him, electrifying the whole pond. Both men who were left on the pond's screams increased in volume as the lightning coursed through their bodies.
Kakashi's skin stung and burnt with the abundance of lightning, but his primary affinity was lightning. He would be fine with some rest. The enemies, on the other hand, seemed to not possess the same affinity. Tortured wails bellowed out from the two men, slowly becoming hoarser and quieter as their vocal cords fried in their throats. Their stiffened muscles refused to hold them up and each of them fell into the water, the sound of the water splashing more quiet than their painful cries. Their skin was sizzling and cooking in the lightning and its heat. Kakashi tried not to gag from the overwhelming smell of their searing flesh.
After 15 seconds of electrocution, the two went silent. Kakash reasoned that they could be faking their unconsciousness, but they wouldn't be able to fake their way through temporary paralysis, as lightning still lazily flicked out of their smoking bodies. Kakashi forced his stiff muscles to work as he rushed towards the groaning men, slicing their necks open in two slick movements. The larger shinobi died nearly instantly, but the bloodthirsty one desperately clutched at his neck as it sprayed bleed, vocal cords refusing to produce even a sound as he screamed a silent death. Kakashi watched to make sure his eyes would lose their light before moving on.
The fight was finally over. Kakashi exhaled deeply as he took note of his surroundings. The lack of noise or incoming scents indicated a lack of reinforcements. For the moment, they weren't in danger. He panned his head over to his slain opponents. He sensed no disruption in his chakra pathways or the environment, there was no genjutsu. Their blood flows freely into the pond, its color shifting to a light red.
He looked over the now calm clearing, and if you ignored the steam, bodies, and blood staining the pond, you could almost imagine a fight hadn't even broken out. Kakashi shook his head, who was he kidding, the spot now carried the unmistakable scent of charred flesh. Even the blind could tell how hectic the battle must've been, how much agony the fallen had been in. This wasn't his first time killing enemies, but these were by far his most gruesome kills.
"Please–!" a sob bellowed out from Rin, "Wake up, Obito!" she pleaded, tears running down her face as a brilliant emerald light coated his stomach wounds. Rin was sobbing by the boy's side, her trembling hands hovering over his injuries. Kakashi sighed as he carefully stepped over to Rin.
He looked at Obito's face, more serene than he had ever seen it. Obito's face never bore such a calm expression; it was always animated with smiles, scowls and glares. Kakashi remembered how the boy's face lit up with triumphant glee the first time he landed a hit on Kakashi during a spar. He remembered the countless times Obito would launch himself into arguments, fueled by his beliefs and sense of justice. They were never logical, always full of naivety and idealism, but admittedly, he argued more passionately than anyone Kakashi had ever met. Seeing this side of Obito, it was jarring. His previously uncontrollable flame of life was now extinguishing, barely holding on to its last embers. Every version of him Kakashi could recall felt so distant now, as he watched the dying Chuunin take tiny breaths, clinging to life.
"Rin," he stood over her, "We can't afford to waste time here. Get up." he ordered curtly. She didn't budge. If anything, the light shining from her Mystical Palm Jutsu intensified. "There's no way Obito's going to survive that," he sighed, "so from here on out, the two of us will proceed with our mission without him." he justified his decision reasonably.
A strangled cry escaped from Rin's lips. She was devastated, that much was obvious to Kakashi, and while he could understand grieving the loss of a friend, there was a time and place for everything. They were shinobi, and they still had a job to do. There would be plenty of time in the future, in front of a memorial stone.
"If he's still alive, we can spare some time to stop his bleeding and hide him somewhere nearby, and retrieve him on the way back, but his chances of survival are slim. You should know that, you're an Iryo-nin, right?" he rationalized, "a few minutes should be enough," he allowed, tossing the first-aid kit over to her. It slid across the ground next to Obito.
It was truly unfortunate. He had finally proven himself with that battle. He may have blundered at the last moment, but he fought valiantly for the mission's sake. Kakashi wouldn't forget about his former teammate, and would respect his memory so he could move on in peace. It was the least he could do. His gaze lingered on Obito's fallen form.
"... Kakashi-kun," she muttered, "We can save him, if we act right now." she hiccuped miserably in between each word. "Part of his intestines were perforated, and bacteria is leaking into his bloodstream and abdominal cavity. We don't have much time, but if I c-cut away any remaining infected tissue with my Chakra Scalpel, it'll buy some time to stop his sepsis from progressing and I can extract bacteria with the Poison Extraction jutsu… a makeshift herbal solution might work... a-and I have some practice with the jutsu, too! So if I can concentrate for a few hours…" she said hopefully, stuttering and slurring words in between.
Kakashi's eyes widened in shock. He wasn't completely medically illiterate, so he knew how complicated a procedure like that could be. Was Rin really capable of saving someone with this kind of injury? Performing that level of treatment? It didn't make sense. Even if she knew what to do in theory, the procedure she explained was extremely complicated. Isolating bacteria had to be done carefully and on a microscopic scale, and sepsis was notoriously difficult to prevent. It was a job for a Senju medic, not a grieving teenage girl. Yes, it was blind hope.
"We both know you can't manage that, Rin, and even if you could, it would take hours or even days. It would exhaust your chakra and mind too much. Saving his life and completing this mission at the same time is not possible, so you have to get up, We're proceeding with the mission." he ordered seriously.
Again, she wouldn't budge. Instead, she worked harder on Obito's abdomen. The bleeding was noticeably slowing down as she doubled down. Tears continued falling freely from her eyes, staining Obito's clothes, but even as she cried, her hands steadied themselves. Her chest stopped heaving, making way for greater precision. "I-I'm going to heal Obito, Kakashi-kun." she declared, voice hoarse. Kakashi narrowed his eyes on her. "We can't afford to heal him! The shinobi regulations state that the mission is always the first priority! Leave him be!" he ordered once again, frustrated at her lack of professionalism.
She was being too emotional, and now she was being indecisive. Kakashi thought she was a decent shinobi before, but he had clearly misjudged her resolve.
"What about Obito?! He's our teammate! He fought to protect us, too!" she demanded an answer, locking wet eyes with Kakashi stern gaze. "And that was his duty, Rin! He fought well to the end, like a real shinobi. As long as we succeed, he'll be praised as a hero of war and his name will be engraved in the memorial stone. Wasn't that his goal, to be acknowledged by his peers?" Kakashi shot back, acknowledging Obito's contribution to the mission.
She had to let go, she had to let him die. Kakashi knew all too well what failing this mission would entail. Even if she could save Obito, the three would return home as scum who couldn't even follow the rules and regulations. They would be slandered, harassed, and threatened. The village would never forgive them, and Team Minato would find themselves hanging lifelessly, as Hatake Sakumo had. As his father had.
"Real shinobi?! Obito doesn't care about anything like that! He just wants to protect everyone, and become the Hokage, and I will not be the one to strip that dream away from him!" She picked him up again, straining from exertion. "A shinobi who doesn't abide by the shinobi code is regarded as scum, Rin. Is that who you want to be?" Kakashi asked calmly. "I'm the squad leader, remember? No matter the circumstances, I have the authority to make our decisions. Team members must follow the command of their leader without question."
Losing Obito was his responsibility as the leader, and he wouldn't disgrace his death by failing this mission. Now that Obito was dying, he could tell that he had appreciated the boy's energy, on a deeper, more emotional level, but it was a shinobi's job to suppress his emotions. He would continue the mission with Rin in tow; moving forward as a single unit was dangerous, and she was a medic. The success rate of the mission would go down without her participation, and if they failed because of their fleeting emotions, then…
A figure appeared in his mind of a man with silver hair and a tanto on his back. It was the last time that man would stand proud.
"If you're the team leader, then Obito is your responsibility. Use your power and authority and just help me save him, please…!" she pleaded, facing away from Kakashi. "If you give in to your emotions and fail an important mission, you'll regret it later. That's why shinobi have set rules about suppressing our emotions. You have to understand that much."
"Obito… he was starting to open up to you. Even though he didn't like you, he tried to tolerate you, he tried to understand you. He called you 'Leader', didn't he? He even fought alongside you, Kakashi-kun. Does all that mean nothing to you?"
Kakashi thought back to the beginning of the day, when Obito had acknowledged him as leader, he thought back to how obediently Obito listened to his commands as they traveled. How they fought side by side, and how he had… Kakashi sighed, hiding sorrow from his expression. The Jounin wasn't emotionless. Losing a comrade was never a good thing, but…
"For any shinobi, something like that shouldn't mean anything while on duty. We need to prioritize using tools suitable to the mission at hand," he paused, "Emotion isn't one of those tools." he concluded with surety.
"...I see. Good luck with the mission, Kakashi-kun. The next stage of treatment means I can't afford to be distracted, so I'm going to hide with Obito." Rin said calmly, her voice now calm. She started walking away with the unconscious boy. His throat tightened, watching her walk away, the sight bearing an uncanny resemblance to his father's figure, leaving on the mission that would result in his death. He was just trying to help her – to spare her from that same fate.
"You don't understand, Rin. Do you know what happens to those who break the rules?" he asked, a final push to stop her. She stopped and turned her head just enough to gaze into the prodigy's eyes. Her eyes were red and puffy from her tears, still stained with them, but her gaze was firm.
"I don't know what will happen when we return empty-handed. Will I be demoted? Punished? Will Sensei look at me differently?" she inhaled deeply, "Will I regret not going through with the mission? I don't know, Kakashi-kun, but there's one thing I do know." she turned to fully face him.
Her eyes met his gaze steadily, alight with the same flames Kakashi had seen in Obito's determined glare. The resolve in her eyes was unwavering, firmly communicating her stance. She would not abandon her dying comrade. Her grip on Obito's body tightened.
"If I don't even try to save his life, then I'll regret it for the rest of my life. Even if his chance at survival is low, I know that no matter what, I'm going to try to save his life every single time, and if I'm regarded as scum for breaking the rules as you say," she lifted her head with intently and raised her voice, "then embrace it proudly for Obito's sake!"
Kakashi's eyes widened as he registered her words. If it meant saving Obito, she would gladly become scum. Her words reminded him of his father once again, the man who saved his squadmates instead of completing his mission. Hatake Sakumo loved the village and its inhabitants on an irrational level that Kakashi could never agree with.
Kakashi recalled Obito's final moments of combat, and how he saved Kakashi's life. The battle was far out of his league, and yet he stood his ground to protect Rin… and even Kakashi, who he hated. Kakashi wondered if Obito had ever even hated Kakashi. Rin's words echoed in his head over and over.
"Even though he didn't like you, he tried to tolerate you, he tried to understand you. He called you 'Leader', didn't he? He even fought alongside you, Kakashi-kun. Does all that mean nothing to you?"
Everytime Kakashi or Rin was in danger, he moved recklessly. During the heat of battle he gave up his footing, a fighter's lifeline, in an instant, and trusted in Kakashi to finish their opponent off, and then he charged after Rin without a shred of care for his own life. He didn't hesitate, he simply acted, guided by his unwavering desire to protect. And he was rewarded with a slash across the abdomen. With death. If Kakashi had just finished the twin-blade user off at that moment, maybe Obito's guts wouldn't be spilling out of his stomach.
The way Rin's voice, laced with determination and remorse, replayed in his head over and over. Her words were so fiercely spoken, she was so sure of herself. How were his teammates able to make the decision so easily? Kakashi weighed every move he made against the regulations as he evaluated the pros and cons of those decisions, but he never once wondered if his strict adherence to those regulations had blinded him to the value of a human life.
Did his father hold that same resolve? Did Sakumo have a similar outburst? Did he, too, know the consequences of saving his comrades, and chose to go through without despite the consequences? Was the thought of them dying so unbearable that he would sacrifice himself for their sake?
Were the lives he saved truly worth more than the chance to watch Kakashi grow up? Were they worth more than the pleasure of raising his only son? Did he really have to die, and leave Kakashi behind?
A gust of wind blew through the clearing, leaves rustling. Kakashi could hear the distant cries of animals, the flapping of birds' wings, and he could smell the powerful scent of petrichor, even among the nauseating scent of burnt flesh and metallic scent of blood. It was a reminder to him that the world wouldn't stop for him and Rin. The mission was still ongoing: it would only be a matter of time before Iwa would notice this disturbance.
Her declaration was loud and clear; Kakashi knew she wouldn't be convinced otherwise. He stared at her retreating figure until she was no longer in sight, and as the gust of wind died down, a single tear traced down his cheek, betraying his stoic shinobi facade. He didn't dare wipe it away.
Maybe if he had tried to understand his father's motives instead of outright rejecting him, Obito might've been spared this fate. Maybe if he had paid closer attention to Obito's motivations, he would have had the foresight to prevent this tragedy.
Maybe, just maybe, if he had tried to understand his father's motives earlier, he wouldn't have spent all this time cursing the man he had missed so dearly.
Had he truly made the right choice?
—-
?
A lone figure stalked a rocky cave from a distance, well hidden in the shade of the trees. The cave was an Iwa hideout, and while it was rather suspicious-looking, it served as a solid shelter against enemy attack and a good rendezvous point for Iwa-nin.
"This is pointless," they snarled venomously, their deep voice distorted with malevolence and frustration. They didn't know why He had given them such an order. That man was growing old, and they had been ordered to find him a successor. They weren't in a position to deny the order, but it felt like a waste of their precious time. They could be in a region of greater interest, perhaps Mist, Fire or Cloud, but instead they were stuck in the uneventful woods of Grass.
If He wanted a successor so badly, it was a better option to simply manipulate a capable youth, rather than waiting on coincidence, and out of all places to stumble upon a promising pawn, the wilderness of the Land of Grass was unlikely to be of any note. Fighting was a constant during the war, but they seldom came across anything of promise on the frontlines, where shinobi were thrown into the meat grinder as cannon fodder.
Agonized screams resounded from an area not far from the creature. Another fight between shinobi had likely broken out. They faced the direction of the battle, intent on spectating. Orders were orders, after all, and observation wasn't hardly ever a waste of time. The ominous figure of black and white silently slid into the ground beneath them.
—-
Hello everyone! I was originally gonna do all of Kannabi in one chapter, but holy FUCK was it getting long. I haven't finished the whole thing as of writing these endnotes, but it is already over 14 000 words, and it's not even finished! Kinda insane… I got on some sort of writing routine, and honestly it has only taken me about two weeks to get all of this one. This speed likely won't last forever, as my job is kind of weird with scheduling, but I'll do my best to maintain a schedule so I can reach the end of this story one day…
By the way, if anyone is confused on how I'm saying both Grass and Kusa, or Fire and Konoha, here's how it goes:
Country name: example, Land of Fire - localized name
Village name: example: leaf - Konoha or Village Hidden in the Leaves - Konohagakure = Japanese name. Technically, the hidden villages aren't really countries, only autonomous military cities funded by the head of state, so…
It's a bit of a weird system, but meh, who cares. The only thing I know for sure is that I'm going to stick to a more fixed name system in my next fic…
Anyway, I'll be uploading about half of the mini-arc as chapter 14 and then chapter 15, the conclusion of the mission, will be finished within a week or so (probably, since it's about 70% done right now)
Content-wise, I really tried a lot of new things here when it comes to descriptions and POV's. I hope I didn't get too ambitious with this one, but if I did, please feel free to let me know if you have any criticisms. Personally, I think the start with Minato and Kushina is a little bad and direct, but it's a big improvement from previous chapters so I decided to let it be. The argument between Rin and Kakashi was something that obviously took a lot of inspiration from Obito and Kakashi's argument, but I really tried to put Kakashi's character into his monologues and reflections.
Someone might say that Rin is being OOC here, and I guess she's a little bit more passionate than in canon, but you do have to remember that Obito is Rin's best friend, and Rin did show glimmers of a strong character in the manga: her determination in transplanting kakashi's eye, the brief shot of her reflecting on Obito's death, and her fierce loyalty to Konoha and her comrades that she showed by choosing to kill herself rather than letting Sanbi tramble Konoha and potentially hurt her comrades… If you take some of her character moments, I don't think it's that much of an exaggeration to say she has a strong mind, however I do think I made her at least a little more passionate than canon, but it is my story, so…
Also, if there is anybody who can't stand Rin having strong resolve in this chapter, you probably won't like the next one either :)
Thank you for reading, even if it's just a small number of you, I really appreciate you keeping up and writing comments, be it criticism, praise, or even BlackBird17 sending hearts (I don't know if you're a bot or not but 3). Stay tuned for a QUICK UPDATE (IMPOSSIBLE :O)