"No problem," Kakashi replied, glancing at the group.
He naturally wanted to carry Rin, regardless of gender; she was simply lighter.
However, when he met Raj's gaze, he immediately and self-consciously offered to carry Obito instead.
"Then Rin will be with me..."
"Meow~ I'll take care of it," Raj interrupted.
Raj stood up, stretched his limbs, and used the Expansion Jutsu to transform into a calf-sized creature.
He then modified his fur with the Wild Lion's Mane Technique, shaping it into a more suitable form for carrying people.
Kakashi stared in stunned silence.
'This guy's clearly bursting with energy! How dare he make me, a wounded and exhausted mess, carry Obito?!'
He nearly cursed aloud.
"Hahaha, let's go," Minato chuckled, making no changes to the plan.
These interactions would strengthen the team's bonds.
Kakashi had always been somewhat detached from the group, and this was a perfect opportunity to improve that.
The Land of Rain continued to be drenched in rain.
After entering the Land of Rain, Raj controlled his hair to form a small "rain canopy," but Kakashi had no such protection.
A while later, Obito was jolted awake by the downpour.
Without the rain, he wouldn't have woken up so quickly.
But once conscious, he glanced down...
'Gasp! Kakashi! Why is he carrying me? I'm grateful, but couldn't you at least put on a raincoat?'
Then, he immediately remembered Rin.
The enemy forces had been overwhelming, and the situation had become too perilous.
Obito had done his best to stall them, somehow mastering Kakashi's Earth Return technique and the hardening jutsu frequently used by the Iwa Ninja.
Without the hardening jutsu, his injuries would have been far worse.
But when he turned his head, Obito witnessed a heart-wrenching sight.
Rin was being carried by Black Cat, whose dense fur had been meticulously woven into a perfect rain canopy, completely shielding her from the downpour.
Moreover, the cat's fur had been arranged beneath her, creating a soft, bed-like cushion.
'We're both injured, but I want treatment like that too!'
Obito thought, glancing down at Kakashi, who hadn't even bothered to put on a raincoat for himself.
"Being carried is already more than enough," Kakashi snapped through gritted teeth, as if sensing Obito's thoughts.
"Don't get greedy. If you're awake, get down and walk yourself."
'This preferential treatment is outrageous...'
Obito grumbled inwardly but still climbed off Kakashi's back.
He could sense that Kakashi's stamina was also running low; the ride had been bumpy, and Kakashi was panting like a broken bellows.
"Ugh..."
As soon as he touched the ground, Obito felt weakness in his limbs and soreness in his muscles.
The first two gates of the Eight Inner Gates didn't cause significant physical damage, but Obito had opened them for the first time during intense combat.
His body hadn't yet adapted to wielding 100% of his power, and many taijutsu techniques had been forced through in his gate-enhanced state.
While the power was immense, the backlash was equally severe.
Of course, his current muscle weakness was simply due to insufficient rest.
"Forget it, I'll support you," Kakashi sighed.
He didn't fully understand the situation, but it was clear Obito couldn't move well for now.
Considering how much time he'd bought them, Kakashi decided to lend a hand.
Meanwhile, Raj carried Rin on his back, heading toward Yahiko's small hideout.
The journey was long, especially with two injured and immobile companions.
Their pace was naturally slow, but fortunately, Yahiko and Konan arrived halfway there.
Yahiko greeted them warmly and immediately hoisted Obito onto his back, sprinting off.
Raj "entrusted" Rin to Konan, who used her origami technique to transport her.
'The difference in treatment between men and women is truly stark,' Obito thought, tears silently streaming down his face.
Yet the thought of Rin being safe brought him a wave of relief.
'As long as Rin is safe, everything is worth it.'
Back at Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato's hideout, Kakashi collapsed into a deep sleep the moment he arrived, utterly exhausted.
Minato helped them lie down comfortably before leading Raj out of the room to prevent Raj from disturbing Kakashi and Obito's rest.
"Senior Minato, could you share what intelligence you've gathered?" Yahiko asked, approaching them.
He didn't directly ask where Minato had been, knowing it was classified, but exchanging information was fair game.
After all, their collaboration was based on mutual intelligence sharing, and this was part of their agreement.
"The Third Kazekage has indeed gone missing, and Sasori of the Red Sand is suspected to be involved," Minato revealed.
"Sasori of the Red Sand?" Konan exclaimed, surprised.
"Isn't he Sunagakure's proud new-generation puppet master? It's hard to believe he'd be involved in the Third Kazekage's disappearance."
"If he's involved... no wonder Sunagakure has sent search parties everywhere. But for the Third Kazekage, such a powerful figure, to be defeated by Sasori... it's utterly humiliating."
Yahiko couldn't help but grumble.
As usual, Nagato stood silently behind him, saying nothing.
After speaking, Minato and Raj looked at them, their meaning clear.
Konan was the first to respond.
"Our investigation revealed that Sunagakure intended to collaborate with Iwagakure, but the two villages couldn't reach an agreement. Shortly after, your side experienced the incident, forcing Sunagakure to urgently withdraw, ending the negotiations."
"Thank you," Minato said, bowing slightly.
Though the information was limited, the mere mention of "collaboration" was enough to put Konoha on high alert.
There were few reasons for Sunagakure and Iwagakure to cooperate, and across the entire Ninja World, the only common targets were the Land of Fire and Konoha.
Given Akatsuki's capabilities, uncovering even this much was already remarkable.
Yet both Minato and the trio could sense
The impending urgency of war settled over them.
After hesitating, Yahiko asked.
"What can we do to prevent this war?"
"We can't prevent it. After years of recuperation, the villages have largely recovered their strength. Sunagakure is eager to strike, Iwagakure craves more land and resources, Kumogakure's intentions remain unclear but they certainly won't stay quiet, and Kirigakure..." Minato replied.
Minato paused when he mentioned Kirigakure.
During the Second Shinobi World War, Kirigakure had rarely participated.
After years of recuperation, no one knew what state the village was in or how strong it had become.
He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
This wasn't a conflict sparked by a simple issue; it was a war ignited by the major powers' dissatisfaction with the status quo and their unwillingness to remain content with their current circumstances.
No one could stop it - not Konoha, and certainly not Akatsuki.