Seeing Kakashi and Obito Uchiha about to argue again, Minato Namikaze commanded Kakashi and Obito Uchiha to stop it at once.
Minato said sternly, "Kakashi, I don't know how Chinya taught you, but rules and regulations are indeed important—yet they aren't everything. Sometimes improvisation is needed according to actual circumstances.
"And you too, Obito. You're clearly wearing goggles—how could sand get into your eyes? If you talk about self-control, then don't just say it; strengthen your mind as well."
As Minato lectured Kakashi and Obito Uchiha, Chinya stayed silent but wore a faint mocking expression on his face.
Obito Uchiha lowered his head without speaking.
Kakashi brushed the dust off his clothes and fixed Minato with an expressionless gaze. "Minato-sama, as ninja, rules and regulations are everything. There should be no room for improvisation. Just now I was the team leader, and I ordered Obito Uchiha to charge at the Rock Ninja as bait, which he must have followed strictly. Otherwise, that would've been breaking the rules.
"If anyone needs to hear that rule-breaking is sometimes necessary based on real-world situations, it should be told to those who create the rules—not to us who follow them as ninja. Otherwise, if something goes wrong during the mission, all blame will fall upon any improvisation made, causing everyone's condemnation, won't it?"
Minato solemnly stared at Kakashi and replied in a deep voice, "What matters most for a ninja is teamwork!"
Kakashi asked Chinya, "Is this true, Teacher Chinya?"
Chinya nodded and said, "That's right—it's definitely important. However, teammates aren't friends or brothers—they're just mission partners. So when a teammate's in danger, you walk away if needed. They can even serve as bait to protect an attack or cover our retreat. That's what I taught you from day one when I first took you into battle."
Minato frowned and angrily replied, "Chinya, what you're saying is wrong. Teammates are companions, friends, and brothers whom we trust enough to turn our backs to. How could you suggest abandoning them so casually and even use them as bait?!"
Chinya sneered, "Think carefully before arguing with me. What I and Kakashi fear the most is precisely teammates stabbing us in the back."
Minato wanted to refute Chinya, but deep inside, he knew convincing Chinya otherwise was practically impossible.
Minato felt regretful. Perhaps back then, he should've been the one training Kakashi instead.
At least he wouldn't have let Kakashi become such a cold-hearted person.
...
After Chinya's group evacuated the area, they found a place to set up camp and rest for the night.
Late that night,
Obito Uchiha found Minato alone on a rock, staring at the moon, and silently sat beside him.
Minato turned his gaze toward Obito Uchiha sitting next to him.
Obito murmured dejectedly, "I also understand the importance of teamwork... But Kakashi's treated me like a joke since our Ninja Academy days. I couldn't help getting angry… Though I was born into the Uchiha Clan, renowned for producing elites, I'm still the bottom of the class. I'll admit Kakashi's got skills."
Minato Namikaze said to Obito Uchiha, "Kakashi is the son of Sakumo Hatake, the legendary ninja known as the White Fang of Konoha. Even the Legendary Sannin couldn't match up to his father. Later, he trained under Chinya, another equally gifted ninja. His childhood was spent among such geniuses, so it's natural he might see you as somewhat lacking."
Obito frowned, puzzled. "The White Fang... I've heard the teacher talk about him. Kakashi's father died on duty. At that time, the teacher asked us to help Kakashi deal with his grief, but Kakashi never spoke of it at all. And whenever I mentioned his father, Kakashi would glare at me angrily."
Minato sighed softly and continued, "Back then, I had you out on missions most of the time, so it's only natural you didn't hear much about it. But he truly was an extraordinary man, one Kakashi deeply respected—until that incident happened."
Obito narrowed his eyes. "That incident?"
Minato nodded solemnly, "Perhaps I shouldn't speak of this, but since you and Kakashi are friends, maybe you deserve to know.
"That guy Kakashi sees you differently—even though he always talks down to you. Kakashi treats everyone else with cold indifference, yet he actually enjoys bantering with you. Though he never says it aloud, Kakashi clearly sees you as a friend, in his own way.
"His father, Lord Sakumo, suffered great slander and eventually took his own life."
Obito's pupils contracted in shock. "Eh?!"
Minato continued, "Five years ago, there was a top-secret mission. As team leader, Lord Sakumo infiltrated the enemy ranks. There he faced two options: continue the mission or save a comrade...
"According to Konoha's standard protocol, abandoning a mission is unacceptable. Yet, for the sake of saving a teammate, he interrupted the mission. However, this caused tremendous losses. He was blamed by fellow villagers, and even the comrades he rescued turned against him.
"As a result, his mental and physical health greatly declined… Eventually, he took his own life by seppuku in our home.
"Since then, Kakashi has been very sensitive to any mention of his father, fixating stubbornly on rules and regulations. This is probably the main reason behind that behavior.
"Obito… Try to understand him just a little. Kakashi doesn't mean any harm.
"But what truly worries me is Kakashi's sensei, Chinya."
Obito asked, confused, "Sensei Chinya? Why would you worry about him?"
Minato grew serious, "Since you're a member of the Uchiha Clan, you should have heard at least something about Chinya, right?"
Obito nodded, "I have heard some things, though I'm not sure if they're true, because most of them are just criticisms... Sensei, can you tell me exactly what kind of person Chinya really is? Just now, I sensed that Chinya seemed to have some deep conflict with you."
Minato replied with a helpless look, "Well, things are already much better now than before—we used to be even more at odds... Chinya's childhood can only be described as extremely tragic."
"I also heard that Chinya came to Konoha when he was five years old. However, as someone with Uchiha blood, he wasn't recognized by the Uchiha Clan."
"And you should understand the reputation your Uchiha Clan has in the village, right, Obito?"
Obito Uchiha gave a bitter smile. The Uchiha Clan's reputation in Konoha couldn't have been worse—he certainly knew that.
He loved helping others, but every time he did, the villagers would stare at him like he was an alien.
Because to him—who always loved helping others—the Uchiha Clan was a place where he just didn't belong.
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