[Mission Level: A-Rank]
[Mission Details: Have Obito Uchiha select any name from the Konoha Memorial Stone and carve it a hundred times with a kunai.]
The Konoha Memorial Stone.
It was the faith of all Konoha shinobi, the symbol of the sacrifice made by fallen comrades.
Just like the Great Bridge in the Land of Waves, it represented the courage of Konoha's ninja.
Every name on that stone was a hero of Konoha. And heroes must never be desecrated.
No wonder everyone looked so grim. If Kakashi had taken off his mask, his face would've probably been completely pale.
Just as Minato-sensei said—this wasn't about the difficulty of the mission. It was something they simply could not accept.
"This mission…" Kakashi opened his mouth, looking toward Obito, who had been assigned such an unreasonable task.
He wanted to tell him to refuse it. But then there was the special A-rank mission bonus…
Minato's expression grew heavy. "It's not just a matter of the mission reward…"
"Besides, it's the same in every shinobi village. If a mission fails, the shinobi responsible will face corresponding punishment."
"Even though the mission scroll doesn't state it clearly, we must consider the possibility."
Kakashi: "!!"
The mission scroll plainly stated "Obito Uchiha" as the executor.
Obito said, "The Memorial Stone is everyone's faith. I can't accept this mission. Even if I'm punished for failing it, it won't change my answer."
Sasuke spoke up. "The scroll also doesn't specify a completion deadline. At least until another mission appears, we have plenty of time to think."
"Sasuke's right!" Naruto said. "Let's put Obito's mission aside for now. Tomorrow, I'll go do my A-rank mission first!"
"What?"
Kakashi froze.
Naruto's A-rank mission?
The others had only just realized Naruto had drawn an A-rank mission as well, and they immediately stared at him nervously.
But the most unpredictable ninja among them simply grinned and made a face—
"Top secret!"
"Wait, Naruto." The Fourth Hokage reacted instantly. "Don't tell me you're planning to complete an A-rank mission alone?"
Sasuke bristled. "Idiot! No matter how competitive you are, completing an A-rank mission by yourself is impossible!"
Sakura added, "Exactly! Naruto, don't do anything dangerous and make trouble for everyone!"
"Relax, Sakura," Naruto said proudly. "That A-rank mission is a piece of cake for me!"
He abruptly changed the subject. "Oh right—Kakashi-sensei, about the Chūnin Exams~~~"
With that flattering expression, he didn't even need to finish his question.
Sasuke and Sakura also stared intensely at the silver-haired, shameless jōnin.
"Uh… I do plan to let you take the Chūnin Exams this time, but…" Kakashi said, helpless under their combined staring.
Before Kakashi could even finish speaking, Naruto launched himself forward and slammed into his waist.
"I love Kakashi-sensei the most! Oh yeah!"
"Hey! Naruto! Get off Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura yelled.
"Idiot! You knocked into the table!" Sasuke muttered, nearly splashing himself with soup when Naruto bumped it.
Rin let out a small laugh. "Exactly like Obito back in the day."
Suddenly exposed, Obito flushed red and muttered complaints, telling Rin not to bring up such embarrassing memories again.
...
At that moment, a hoarse voice came from the doorway. "This Chūnin Exams will also include participants from Sunagakure, Amegakure, Kusagakure, Takigakure, and Konohagakure. You must train diligently during this period."
"Third Hokage?"
"Grandpa Hokage?"
"Hokage-sama?"
The group turned toward the little old man hobbling in.
Obito Uchiha couldn't hold back and blurted, "The Third Hokage is this old?! His hair's completely white?!"
"Obito!" Rin and Young Kakashi tried to stop him, but neither could overpower that idiot mouth of his.
Yet the Third Hokage didn't get angry. Instead, his eyes softened with nostalgia.
That look immediately reminded the once-cheerful group…
In this world, Obito had been dead for many years.
Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the table full of dishes and put on a pitiful act. "You wouldn't mind letting a starving old geezer join you for dinner, would you?"
This…
He was the Hokage—how could anyone say they minded?
Rin went to call Zabuza and Haku to the table. Seeing another old man there, one who looked oddly familiar, didn't surprise Zabuza at all. Nor did he show any awareness of being a guest. He simply sat down with Haku and started eating.
...
During the meal—
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stared intensely at the two Kakashis—one adult, one in his youth. Sasuke nearly activated his Sharingan from sheer concentration, but still failed to see Kakashi's real face beneath the mask.
Zabuza, who usually kept his face wrapped in bandages, pulled them down to reveal a mouthful of shark-like teeth, shocking the Konoha ninja. Naruto even asked what he'd do if he bit his tongue while eating, earning a fierce glare in return.
As someone from Kirigakure, Zabuza showed zero courtesy toward the Third Hokage, snatching meat from his chopsticks multiple times under the excuse that "old men shouldn't eat greasy food unless they want to die early."
What truly surprised Hiruzen, however, was that brat Naruto offering him food several times.
Even Minato could tell the kid was hiding something.
"My A-rank mission is simple—just make sure Grandpa Hokage and Fourth Hokage don't get mad, dattebayo!"
Hiruzen coughed. "What kind of mischief are you planning now?"
But Naruto kept the mission tightly sealed, refusing to tell anyone.
Conversation inevitably shifted back to Obito's A-rank mission. On one hand, they could alter the regret surrounding Kannabi Bridge. On the other, they risked desecrating the names of heroes. It was a difficult choice either way.
Zabuza swallowed a piece of meat. "What's there to agonize over? They're just names. Scratch them out."
Minato explained, "The Memorial Stone holds extraordinary importance for Konoha. I agree we should set this mission aside for now."
Zabuza stared at Obito. "Didn't you say this brat was already dead in your timeline? But thanks to time distortion, he's alive now. So go scratch your own name."
Obito was seconds away from agreeing, amazed he hadn't thought of such a simple solution.
Adult Kakashi slammed the table and roared, "I refuse!!!"
Obito recoiled instantly in fright.
To Kakashi, the Obito sitting here was Obito—but the hero who belonged to him had long since died beneath Kannabi Bridge, sacrificing himself to save him.
Feeling he hadn't controlled his emotions properly in front of two Hokage and his student, Kakashi apologized and left the table early.
Zabuza snorted, completely unbothered. If anything, he felt the Konoha people were too pretentious…
Young Kakashi had never experienced Obito's death firsthand and couldn't understand the grief and regret consuming the adult Kakashi. Obito quietly confided to him and Minato-sensei that he actually liked Zabuza's proposal—but he didn't dare suggest it to the adult Kakashi, leaving the matter at a standstill.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. Kakashi's long-standing habit of standing before the Memorial Stone in remorse had become common knowledge among Konoha's jōnin.
Even if a parallel-world Obito personally scraped off his name, Kakashi would still struggle to accept it.
It was a hurdle he would never be able to overcome.
...
After the meal, the Third Hokage spoke privately with Minato Namikaze.
When the topic shifted to Naruto's identity as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki being exposed too early, Minato's expression inevitably darkened.
And when he heard about Danzō's countless attempts to seize custody of Naruto, it wasn't hard for him to imagine the tragedy that would have unfolded if Naruto had joined Root, or worse—been imprisoned and turned into Konoha's ultimate weapon.
His anger manifested not in yelling but in a suffocating darkness across his face, his eyes sinking into shadow, releasing the cold, murderous aura feared by the Iwa and Kumo shinobi during the Third Shinobi World War.
Though the Third Hokage offered a solemn apology, Minato chose to move past the topic—offering neither forgiveness nor condemnation.
...
"The Uchiha matter..."
"It was this old man who gave the order." The Third Hokage had grown visibly older since Minato Namikaze last saw him.
Minato said, "So it really was you. Then Itachi..."
"He is currently carrying out a spy mission within the Akatsuki."
"Akatsuki?" Minato's brows tightened sharply. What kind of organization could force Itachi Uchiha to infiltrate as a spy?
The Third Hokage replied, "Akatsuki recruits only the most dangerous Missing-nin. According to the intelligence Itachi has sent back, the organization has fewer than ten members, but any one of them possesses enough power to destroy a small nation."
"Then what is their objective?"
"Objective... or perhaps ambition is the better word." Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled. "They intend to conquer the world."
Minato was stunned, yet a possibility immediately crossed his mind. He said to the Third Hokage, "If Itachi has another chance to pass on information, please allow me to speak with him."
"And why is that?"
"I want to ask him whether there is a 'masked man' within the Akatsuki."
Hiruzen Sarutobi instantly understood. "You mean the SSS-rank mission listed on your scroll?!"
Minato nodded. "For a mission to qualify as SSS-rank, it must be something capable of saving the world... or destroying it."
The Third Hokage nodded and handed Minato a full ANBU uniform and mask.
"With this identity, you can enter Konoha freely. Go see Naruto whenever you can... Regarding your family, I truly carry deep guilt."
Minato nodded silently. But if one day he were forced to choose between Konoha and Naruto...
No matter how agonizing the choice, hesitation would not be a luxury he could afford.
...
The next morning, Minato donned the ANBU attire and went to observe Konoha from the shadows.
But the sight that met his eyes shocked him so thoroughly that his mind went blank on the spot.