Minato genuinely admired Iruka. Teachers like him, who treated their students with complete sincerity, were a rare resource in any ninja village. It was just a shame that the current Iruka was trapped in the past, unable to move on. And given his loyalty to the Will of Fire, it was highly unlikely he would ever become a member of the Seireitei.
His invitation having been declined, Minato used the Transformation Jutsu to become an ordinary passerby and walked through the streets. Every time he went out, he was monitored by countless ninja. Minato had long since grown used to it. The thought that Konoha's higher-ups couldn't stand the sight of him but were powerless to do anything about it gave him an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
Tsunade was aware of nearly every move Minato and Orochimaru made and was constantly trying to gauge their true strength. The moment she found a way to eliminate them, she would not hesitate to act.
What the Konoha leadership feared most was Minato. After awakening his Reiatsu and Zanpakuto, Minato's power had become a complete mystery to them. During the past few months, Jiraiya had challenged Minato to a fight. After just a few exchanges, he was soundly defeated by Minato's space-time ninjutsu. The current Minato was terrifyingly strong.
This made them even more wary of Naruto's Seireitei. They knew that within its ranks were not only Naruto but also the Nine-Tails and several other mysterious powerhouses. To put it bluntly, the current Konoha didn't even have the right to arm-wrestle with them.
As for why the Seireitei hadn't made a move on Konoha... it was likely due to their caution regarding the other ninja villages.
For now, Konoha was biding its time, building up its strength, and waiting for geniuses like Sasuke to mature. Or... waiting for the Seireitei's next move. Once the Seireitei revealed its true power, the great ninja villages would have a common enemy, and a Five Kage Summit could be convened.
So, for the time being, Konoha had no choice but to monitor Orochimaru and Minato.
Minato took a simple stroll through Konoha and found it dull. After the trauma of Naruto's defection, although the village appeared prosperous on the surface, a shadow lingered in the hearts of its people. There was less laughter and a heavier atmosphere. No one knew when Naruto might visit Konoha again.
As soon as Minato arrived at Mount Myoboku, he saw Sasuke receiving instruction.
"You brat! Why are you practicing that snake ninjutsu? You damn traitorous student!" Jiraiya cried out, looking heartbroken.
"Hmph. My snake ninjutsu is extremely practical in real combat. It is also aesthetically pleasing and beautiful to watch," Orochimaru said coldly, his arms crossed.
The pit in front of Sasuke was teeming with white snakes. He expressionlessly withdrew his hand and spat out a single sentence: "What a disgusting jutsu."
"Hahaha! Did you hear that, Orochimaru? Ahahaha!" Jiraiya burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.
Orochimaru's mouth twitched.
"Enough nonsense. Hurry up and teach me more ninjutsu. I have to defeat Naruto," Sasuke snorted.
"You really have a terrible personality, you brat," Orochimaru said, licking his lips with his scarlet tongue. He couldn't believe that even his kind face, magnetic voice, and charismatic personality hadn't made Sasuke completely devoted to him.
"Well, isn't this lively," Minato said with a smile, appearing beside them.
"Minato-kun. Off to see the sights in Konoha again?" Orochimaru greeted him.
"Eating bugs and looking at toads every day on Mount Myoboku, I was about to go crazy. In comparison, the scenery in Konoha is absolutely beautiful," Minato said with a laugh, scratching his head. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to enjoy such scenery for much longer."
"You're leaving?" Jiraiya's brow furrowed at Minato's words.
"Soon. We'll leave after Kakashi's surgery is finished," Minato said with a shrug.
Over the past few months, the Konoha leadership had been fiercely debating the issue of the Mangekyo Sharingan transplant. Jiraiya believed it should be given to Kakashi. Since Kakashi already possessed Obito's eye and his body had not rejected it, with the addition of Wood Release cells, his strength could definitely approach a level surpassing that of a Kage.
Tsunade, however, was worried. In her view, Kakashi was a disciple of Minato's lineage and the very person Minato had wanted the eye to be transplanted into. No matter how she looked at it, the risk was enormous. If Kakashi also defected, the blow to Konoha would be devastating.
But from another perspective, Kakashi was the most suitable test subject for the transplant.
The council of elders argued that the Mangekyo Sharingan should be given to a ninja who was completely trustworthy. Kakashi, having recently suffered the loss of his student and comrade, was in a fragile mental state that needed to be re-evaluated.
In the end, after much deliberation, the Konoha leadership decided to proceed with the transplant surgery on Kakashi.
Upon hearing the news, Kakashi's expression was calm. He knew that to Konoha, he was just an elite jonin who followed orders. All he could do was obey. If the experiment succeeded, he would live on with Obito's eyes. If it failed, it was only death. Having experienced so much, Kakashi had become indifferent to life and death.
It was a bright, sunny afternoon. He lay on the grass, staring blankly at the azure sky. The earnest words of Jiraiya and Tsunade echoed in his mind.
"Kakashi, Konoha is in a state of extreme crisis right now. You are the candidate with the highest chance of success for the Sharingan and Wood Release cell transplant. We're asking you to undergo the surgery."
He didn't need them to tell him. He knew the risks were extremely high, the mortality rate anything but low. But even so, they were pleading with him to accept. He had served Konoha diligently for so many years. His father, his comrades, his teacher, his student—all of them had either died or left because of Konoha. Only he remained, his heart still loyal to the Leaf.
Although Minato's words had moved him and made him hesitate, in the end, he had chosen to stand with Konoha. He didn't know how to describe his feelings. After agreeing to the surgery, he felt a mix of bitterness, sadness, and a strange sense of relief.
Let this be my final contribution to Konoha.
As he was thinking this, he suddenly found himself in shadow.
"Kakashi, you've been so listless lately. That's not the expression a ninja should have," Minato's gentle voice sounded beside him.
"Sensei," Kakashi said, sitting up and looking at Minato with a complex expression. The warm sunlight fell on Minato's gentle smile, just like the Fourth Hokage who had sacrificed himself all those years ago. Minato Namikaze was still Minato Namikaze, but he was no longer the Fourth Hokage.
"Are you afraid?" Minato asked, sitting down beside Kakashi.
"Eh?" Kakashi was taken aback.
"The mortality rate for the transplant surgery is not low. Are you afraid?" Minato repeated.
"Afraid? No," Kakashi said after a pause, mulling over the word before sighing. He did not fear death. For a failed ninja like him, perhaps death was a kind of release.
Minato understood Kakashi. This student of his had always been a difficult person. Having witnessed so much death and betrayal, he was lost once again. On one hand, he was moved by the ambition Minato had described. On the other, he didn't want to betray Konoha.
"It's not your fault, Kakashi. You've done everything a teacher should do. Those were their choices," Minato said softly with a sigh.
"Sensei," Kakashi's nose stung at Minato's words. He watched as Minato admired the sunset over Konoha, a look of peace on his face. For some reason, Kakashi's own heart began to calm. It felt like the old days, when he, Obito, and Rin would watch the sunset with Minato. If only time could have stopped in that moment.
Thinking of the fond memories, a small smile touched Kakashi's lips. The two of them watched the sunset in silence for a long time. Kakashi glanced at Minato, who, just like in his memories, was like a small sun—nostalgic and poignant.
Why does this world make so many people who were once on the same path walk such different roads? Perhaps this world really is sick.
At this thought, Kakashi felt an overwhelming urge to speak. He began, "I never thought the passionate Obito from back then would turn into... that."
Minato didn't speak, just listened with a gentle smile. He knew that what Kakashi needed right now was a listener, not an advisor.
"The old Obito was a dead-last, a fool who was always getting into trouble," Kakashi said, a fond smile spreading across his face as he spoke of his friend. "I know he always liked Rin and always wanted to show off. I may have acted like I couldn't stand him, but deep down, I always considered him a comrade."
"He was clumsy, but he was kind. He was reckless, but he was also a reliable partner. When danger struck, he would always rush in without a second thought. Sometimes, I really envied him. I wanted to live as happily as he did."
"Before he died, he asked me to protect Rin. I promised him, and I should have done everything in my power to protect her. But I failed. Rin died, and I'm still alive."
"I think that's why Obito gave up on himself."
Kakashi took a deep breath, his eyes distant. "Those who abandon their comrades are scum, but in my opinion, a ninja who can't protect their comrades is also scum," he sighed. "Now, I watch as Obito languishes in prison, tortured every day, and I'm powerless to do anything. I can't save him as a Konoha ninja, and I certainly can't watch him be experimented on as a Konoha ninja."
"I don't know what to do," Kakashi's eyes were filled with confusion.
"In that case, Kakashi, let's make a pact," Minato's voice was magnetic. As Kakashi looked at him in confusion, Minato smiled.
"If this transplant surgery is a perfect success, then you will cast aside all your confusion, devote yourself completely to Konoha, help it become stronger, and protect it."
"But if the surgery fails, then you will cast aside your identity and follow your heart to do what you believe is right."
"Let fate make the choice for you."
Kakashi looked at Minato in surprise, clearly not expecting him to say such a thing. "If the surgery fails, I'll be dead," Kakashi said, shaking his head.
"What if you don't die? This world is full of infinite possibilities."
"Is that so? Alright. Thank you, Sensei. Then I will leave my fate to this surgery," Kakashi nodded, suddenly feeling a weight lift from his shoulders.
During his previous conversation with Minato, the thought of leaving Konoha had already crossed his mind, but he had been held back by various reasons. This pact undoubtedly allowed him to cast aside all his worries. Just as Minato had said, let fate decide. If he succeeded, he would fight for Konoha one last time. If he failed but was lucky enough to survive, then he would follow his heart's true choice!
The day of Kakashi's surgery arrived. Minato, Orochimaru, and the others watched from inside the hospital as Kakashi was wheeled into the operating room. Tsunade herself would be the lead surgeon.
"I know about your pact with Kakashi. Don't worry, the surgery will be a success, and Kakashi will fight for Konoha," Tsunade said, pausing as she passed Minato, her expression complex. She knew that if the surgery failed, Kakashi had no chance of survival. Therefore, the pact was a way to secure Kakashi's loyalty to Konoha. And she had been so wary of Minato before, afraid he would influence Kakashi's judgment. She herself wasn't confident that Kakashi, after being hurt so much by Konoha, would still choose to protect it.
A sense of guilt washed over Tsunade. She looked at Minato with a complicated expression, her lips moving for a long time before she finally managed to utter two words: "Thank you."
As Tsunade's figure disappeared through the doorway, Minato's expression gradually grew cold.
"The success rate of this surgery is extremely low," Orochimaru's voice was raspy. "To obtain a shinobi who surpasses the Kage level, Konoha has gambled everything." His tone was laced with mockery. "Kakashi is truly pitiful."
"Pitiful? No. He will see everything clearly because of this. He will be reborn," Minato said softly.
Inside the operating room, a heavy dose of anesthetic made Kakashi's consciousness gradually fade. In his haze, he saw Tsunade's face.
"Is it starting?"
"If I fail, I'll be free, right?"
"Fate, please, make the choice for me."
As Kakashi's consciousness sank into the abyss, the transplant surgery began in an orderly fashion.
At the same time, a distress signal reached Konoha. A team led by the jonin Asuma Sarutobi had encountered powerful members of the Akatsuki and was in crisis, formally requesting reinforcements. According to intelligence, the Akatsuki had been very active recently.
"So they've started to move. They're all Kage-level shinobi," Jiraiya said with a wary expression.
With Tsunade in surgery, all decisions now fell to him. Konoha was short on powerful shinobi, and this mission would involve facing two Kage-level Akatsuki members. He had to stay in the village. The number of available jonin was few and far between. Jiraiya frowned. With Orochimaru and Minato still in Konoha, he couldn't leave.
That only left...
"Let me go," Sasuke said, glancing at the operating room, his voice firm. "I will prove to Kakashi-sensei and Pervy Sage that I can stand on my own now."
Jiraiya looked at the determined Sasuke and nodded forcefully. "Alright. You, Sakura, and another Konoha jonin will go!!"
Once the decision was made, Sasuke and Sakura immediately set off with a ninja named Yamato, heading for the location of Asuma's team. Less than five minutes had passed between the arrival of the intelligence and the dispatch of the reinforcements, a testament to Jiraiya's decisiveness.
"If it's Sasuke, this mission will definitely be a success," Jiraiya said with confidence. As the student of both Orochimaru and himself, Sasuke's progress was astonishing. In just three short months, he had learned nearly all of their ninjutsu and had even mastered the basics of Sage Mode. Combined with his Lightning Release and Mangekyo Sharingan, it was no exaggeration to say that the current Sasuke had already reached the threshold of a shinobi surpassing the Kage level.
Jiraiya looked at the door to the operating room and prayed, "Kakashi, hang in there. When Sasuke gets back, he needs to see you safe and sound!"
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