Chapter 35: Kakashi… You Actually… Stabbed Rin!
The Land of Hot Springs was a long, narrow nation. Namikaze Minato's eastern army group was fighting Kumogakure in the central region of the Land of Hot Springs.
Nansha City was located near the southern part of the Land of Hot Springs, relatively close to the eastern army group.
Therefore, it received support the fastest, and personnel losses in Nansha City were relatively small.
The city's defense system had also been maintained fairly well.
Kakashi, as Namikaze Minato's prized disciple, had successfully advanced to jōnin at only 12 years old. Like a rising new star, he naturally attracted a lot of attention.
Because of this, many Konoha ninjas flattered and curried favor with Kakashi, hoping to build good relations with him.
However, ever since the fall of "White Bird City," Nohara Rin's medical team—more than twenty people—had all been captured.
For more than ten days, Kakashi kept asking people everywhere for any trace of Nohara Rin, but he never received any definite news.
In the afternoon, deep in the dense forest, three Konoha ninjas rushed toward Hatake Kakashi.
The leader bowed respectfully: "Kakashi-senpai, we found traces of Nohara Rin near the eastern coast. There are about fifty Kirigakure ninjas around her—it looks like they're preparing to withdraw to the Land of Water. Should we wait for Lord Minato…?"
Upon hearing news of Nohara Rin, Kakashi's pupils contracted slightly.
"No need. I'll handle this myself."
His voice was somewhat cold. He bit his thumb, slammed it to the ground: "Summoning Technique!"
Smoke cleared; eight ninken of various forms sat in a neat row.
The lead bulldog Pakkun sniffed: "Kakashi, looking for that little girl again?"
Kakashi's voice carried a rare hint of excitement: "Pakkun, please—help me find Rin. They're near the eastern coast!"
Pakkun nodded: "Kakashi, leave it to us. We're very familiar with Rin's scent."
Then he turned to the other ninken: "Bull, Urushi—you two take the eastern coastline. Akino, Guruko—search the reef area…"
Kakashi had already rushed ahead; his white porcupine-like hair flickered in and out of the tree shadows.
Pakkun sighed and quickly followed: "Kid, don't be reckless this time…"
The ninken's sense of smell was extremely powerful. Following the scent, they quickly located Nohara Rin—bound with ropes—inside a cave.
Pakkun raised his head, nose twitching: "Kakashi, this is a trap. There are over fifty people's scents around."
The moment Kakashi saw Rin, he didn't think further. He used Body Flicker Technique to appear beside Nohara Rin.
He gently patted her awake and began untying her.
After waking up, Nohara Rin immediately sensed something wrong.
Her trembling fingers pressed against her abdomen: "Kakashi… there seems to be something inside my stomach."
Fifty-plus Kirigakure Anbu were hidden around them, watching the two from the shadows.
One Kirigakure jōnin whispered: "Captain, should we capture them now?"
The captain gave a tactical hand signal: "Don't forget our mission. We need to pretend to pursue and drive them toward Nansha City. Then unseal her and let the Three-Tails emerge…"
Seeing Nohara Rin freed, the Kirigakure Anbu no longer hid. They revealed themselves all at once.
Pakkun raised his head, taking an attacking stance like a guard dog, growling low: "Grrr… grrr…"
But when the Kirigakure ninjas threw kunai at them, he immediately shouted: "We retreat—!" With that, all the ninken vanished in puffs of smoke.
Kakashi and Nohara Rin could only turn and flee.
…
Uchiha Obito sprinted madly, his figure flashing rapidly through the trees: "White Zetsu, why isn't my sensei with Rin and Kakashi?"
White Zetsu's voice stuck like a leech: "Namikaze Minato is on another mission!"
Uchiha Obito ran at extreme speed: "Damn it! Every time I need him, he's never there. Kakashi, you promised me you'd protect Rin well… faster… faster… I'm almost there…"
As an outstanding medical ninja, Nohara Rin sensed the abnormality in her body: "Kakashi, they sealed a tailed beast inside me. Kill me—I can't control my body much longer!"
Kakashi drew two kunai and turned: "You go ahead—I'll hold them off! I promised Obito I'd protect you!"
But the moment Kakashi used Chidori and charged toward the Kirigakure ninjas, Nohara Rin suddenly leaped in front of him.
"Pfft!"
A hideous spray of blood bloomed from Nohara Rin's chest; it splattered across Kakashi's stunned face.
"Kakashi… you stabbed me!"
Her eyes widened in disbelief. Just now her body had suddenly lost control.
She wanted to say this was a conspiracy, but her lips trembled: "Ka… Ka… shi…"
After uttering those three syllables, Nohara Rin lost all life and collapsed into Kakashi's arms.
"Aaah… AAAAHHHH… AAAAAAAHHHH!!"
A blood-curdling howl echoed across a hundred-meter radius. Uchiha Obito's Two Tomoe Sharingan spun madly, finally morphing into the shape of three magatama.
Kakashi… you actually… stabbed Rin…
Kakashi's left eye also transformed into the Mangekyō shape.
Kakashi's chakra reserves were never abundant, and since he wasn't an Uchiha, this Kamui Mangekyō directly drained him completely—causing him to fall into unconsciousness.
Watching this farce, the Kirigakure Anbu knew their mission had failed. They were furious.
The lead Kirigakure ninja snarled: "Send a few to kill that screaming bastard—it's annoying!"
One Kirigakure Anbu used Body Flicker to close in. Kamui space warped around Uchiha Obito; the attack passed straight through his body.
Then a branch extended from Uchiha Obito's arm, piercing clean through that Kirigakure Anbu's body.
"This guy's got some skill—everyone attack together!"
Four Kirigakure Anbu attacked Uchiha Obito from four directions, but their blades passed straight through his body.
At this moment, Uchiha Obito seemed like an untouchable phantom.
His figure flickered in and out; each appearance was accompanied by the sound of tearing flesh.
"Mon… monster…!" The Kirigakure captain watched in terror as his comrades were pierced through the throat by suddenly appearing wooden spikes.
When the last Kirigakure ninja was twisted into a mangled shape, Uchiha Obito gently lifted Rin's gradually cooling body.
Blood-tears flowed from the spiral patterns of his white mask.
His voice seemed to come from hell itself: "This false world… is the real hell… Rin, I will create a world with you in it…"
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