Chapter 84: Undercurrents
As the attack descended, the scorching fireball erupted with a searing breath, instantly engulfing Minato's location.
"Did we get him?" Kakashi and Obito wondered simultaneously.
As the smoke cleared, only a charred log lay in the impact zone.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed. His hand flicked, and a kunai shot toward a spot behind him.
Ting!
The kunai was deflected. Kakashi spun to find Minato casually perched on a nearby stump, the bells on his hip jingling softly as he regarded them with an amused smile.
"Obito!"
Kakashi's voice was a sharp command.
Obito understood instantly. His hands flew through seals, and another Great Fireball roared forth.
Simultaneously, Kakashi, his own hands a blur, slammed his palms to the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
Three stone walls adorned with dog-head carvings erupted around Minato, sealing him in.
"And me!" Rin's voice called from above. She'd been lying in ambush since the test began. Now, she dropped from the trees, casting a large net over Minato's only remaining escape route—the sky.
Earth to block movement. Fire for assault. Rin to seal the exit. As a newly-formed team, their coordination was surprisingly smooth.
But…
"Rasengan!"
Minato's voice was calm. A massive hole instantly appeared in one of the earth walls.
Rin, still in mid-air, could only watch helplessly as her sensei strolled out of the encirclement.
Whoosh!
Obito, caught off guard, felt a sudden chill at the base of his neck. A light chop connected.
Obito: "...Ugh." His vision swam, his limbs went weak. Stars danced before his eyes as he slumped to the ground.
In the Woods
Minato and Liumu squatted together on a high branch, observing the tied-up Obito in the distance while discussing other matters.
"If you have time in the coming days, accompany me to the front," Minato said quietly.
"The front?" Liumu frowned, confused. "There's no war right now. What front line?"
A shadow of weariness crossed Minato's face. "The most dangerous battles are the ones you can't see."
He explained that the years of surface-level peace between villages were fraying. Small, covert movements were increasing. Currently, most of Konoha's Jonin had been deployed. Promoting Liumu at this time was a calculated move by the village, forced by circumstance and a recognition of his latent strength.
While the great powers maintained their public truce, in remote border regions, skirmishes and probing actions never ceased, and were now escalating.
"Recently, numerous advance teams from other villages have infiltrated the Land of Fire. My mission is to… remind them to leave," Minato stated, a flicker of icy intent in his eyes.
"You alone are more than enough for that. What do you need me for?" Liumu leaned back lazily against the trunk.
"I need someone to protect them." Minato nodded toward Team 7 below, his meaning clear.
Genin were Konoha's future, but they were still seedlings. The brutality of war could crush them before they had a chance to grow. Minato wanted to shield them from that reality for as long as possible. No one who saw their bright, hopeful smiles wanted to drag them into hell prematurely.
"So… when do we leave?" Liumu finally relented.
"If possible, tomorrow."
As the sun began to set, painting the leaves a melancholy orange, a cold wind picked up.
Ah-choo! Ah-choo!
Tied to the training post, Obito sneezed repeatedly.
"Here. Eat."
Kakashi sat nearby, expression cool as he held out his own lunch box.
"Kakashi…?" Obito was stunned. Before leaving, Minato-sensei had clearly stated that anyone who shared food with the "failed" member would also fail. Even Rin looked surprised. Kakashi and Obito had always been rivals, constantly bickering. This sudden kindness was as unexpected as winning the lottery.
"Eat mine. We'll fail together," Rin said softly, a gentle smile on her face, showing no hesitation.
"You… you guys…"
Gurgle…
His stomach growled loudly, overpowering any protest. The aroma was too tempting.
Obito took the lunch box and shoveled a huge mouthful of rice into his mouth, swallowing more than half of Kakashi's portion in one go.
Kakashi: "..." "I said eat, not devour everything. That was just plain rice. Why didn't you touch the chicken in Rin's box?"
"I was worried Rin would get hungry," Obito replied, his eyes sincere and guileless.
Kakashi: "...Hmph." He turned away, but a faint, almost imperceptible curve touched his lips.
Whoosh.
In the distant woods, the sound of rustling leaves marked Liumu's departure.
Minato, watching from the shadows, looked at his three students and smiled, truly satisfied.
The Next Day
Dawn had just broken.
Team 7, led by Minato, had been waiting at the village gates for some time. Seeing Liumu sauntering over, yawning widely, Kakashi shot a questioning look at his sensei.
"Hey, you guys are up early."
"So you're the extra member Sensei mentioned. And you're over ten minutes late," Obito grumbled, taking the goggles from his forehead and carefully placing them over Rin's eyes. "It's dusty today. Protect your eyes."
"Alright, now that everyone's here, let's go over the mission," Minato said cheerfully. "Today, we're helping old man Bājiě find his beloved dog, which he's raised for years. Here's a photo. Everyone, take a good look."
He produced a photograph and held it up for the team to memorize.
"See? I knew it! Becoming a ninja means dog-catching duty!" Obito moaned, remembering Kurenai's warnings from the Academy.
"Now, now, no complaining," Minato said, ruffling Obito's hair.
Liumu gave the photo a cursory glance, not taking it seriously. Minato's position in Konoha was unique. This "mission" was clearly a cover. Looking for a dog? Unlikely. They were probably hunting for spies.
Liumu's role was simple: follow Minato's lead and protect Team 7. Any "unexpected incidents" during the "mission" would be handled by Minato himself.
Outside a Border Forestry Village
Minato led the team to a spot just outside the village. He examined a patch of crushed dry grass, pondered for a moment, then gestured for them to follow as he picked up speed, heading northeast.
"Liumu."
Perched on a branch, Minato called his name meaningfully.
Liumu met his gaze and gave a slight, understanding nod. The real mission was about to begin.
(End of Chapter)
✨If you're enjoying this story, consider supporting me on Patreon —
Patreon.com/TofuChan
💕Patreon members get early access to chapters, bonus content, and voting power on future ideas.💕
Every bit of support helps me write more and faster. Thank you so much for reading! 🥰
Bonus Chapter For Every 100 Power Stones
Lets hit the goal of 200 Patreon Members now for 5 Extra Chapters 💕