On the Hidden Mist front line, ever since Asuka took command, the chaotic battlefield gradually stabilized, as if a divine pillar had been set in place.
That day, Asuka had just returned from the front when he received intelligence from the village.
The report stated that on the battlefield between Konoha and Iwagakure, under the personal command of Jiraiya—one of the Legendary Sannin—Konoha's forces were advancing like a hot knife through butter, crushing the Iwagakure army into retreat.
At present, both sides were locked in a brutal war of attrition near the Kannabi Bridge. The fighting was deadlocked, and casualties were mounting rapidly.
After reading the report, Asuka casually placed the scroll on the table, his fingers tapping rhythmically—thud, thud.
His gaze deepened.
In an instant, he grasped the key point:
The Kannabi Bridge Battle.
Because of his interference, the Third Great Ninja War had started earlier and progressed much faster than in the original timeline. The entire pace of the war had accelerated significantly.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Asuka's lips.
At this rate… this war won't drag on for five years like before.
The struggle between the great nations will only grow more intense.
More importantly—
The outbreak of this battle meant that the man behind the scenes—Uchiha Madara—had begun moving.
And in this battle, another key figure would reach a turning point in his fate:
Uchiha Obito.
The mysterious masked man would soon step onto the stage.
Thinking this, Asuka activated his Byakugan and looked toward the Konoha camp.
Enhanced by multiple Mutant abilities, his perception range had far surpassed its original limits. He could now easily cover the entire border battlefield between the Land of Water and the Land of Fire.
No chakra fluctuation could escape him.
After scanning the area, Asuka found no trace of Minato Namikaze.
"It seems Minato has already left with his squad to carry out the mission of destroying the Kannabi Bridge," Asuka concluded, retracting his vision.
The bridge was Iwagakure's vital supply route.
If destroyed, their front-line forces would be cut off, and the pressure on Konoha's main battlefield would ease significantly.
And this mission—
Was the turning point of Obito's fate.
Without hesitation, Asuka used his Clone Human ability to create a physical clone.
The two exchanged a glance, nodded—
Then vanished in a swirl of red mist.
---
Near Kannabi Bridge
Dense forest stretched endlessly, blocking out the sky.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering broken patches of light across the ground.
Asuka appeared silently on a thick tree branch like a phantom. His black robe blended perfectly with the surroundings as he suppressed his chakra to the extreme.
Activating his Byakugan again, he observed the distant battlefield through the foliage.
His gaze swept across the area—
But he made no move to intervene.
He wasn't here to fight.
He was here to find Minato—
Or more precisely—
To find Obito.
He wanted to witness that pivotal moment with his own eyes.
And to meet the so-called "Dance King"—
Uchiha Madara.
After several minutes of searching, Asuka finally detected a familiar chakra signature in a secluded clearing.
He concealed himself within the dense foliage and focused his vision.
Four figures stood in the clearing:
Minato Namikaze.
Kakashi Hatake.
Uchiha Obito.
Rin Nohara.
With a thought, Asuka activated another Mutant ability—Chameleon camouflage.
His body instantly blended into the environment, becoming nearly invisible.
Even at close range, detecting him would be extremely difficult.
---
Mission Briefing
In the clearing, Minato spoke with a calm and steady voice:
"Our mission is to destroy the Kannabi Bridge and completely sever Iwagakure's supply line. The front line is at a stalemate. Once the bridge is destroyed, the enemy will be cut off from supplies."
He paused, scanning the three of them.
"I will draw the enemy's main force away. Kakashi, Obito, Rin—you will infiltrate and complete the demolition."
"Don't worry, Teacher Minato! We'll definitely succeed!" Obito said confidently, clenching his fist.
Kakashi remained calm.
"Yes," he replied flatly.
Rin nodded gently.
"We'll be careful, Teacher Minato."
---
Into the Forest
After Minato left, Kakashi immediately took command.
"Let's move. Follow the planned route and avoid patrols."
Without hesitation, he leapt forward.
Obito and Rin followed closely behind.
The three quickly disappeared into the forest.
Asuka followed silently from a distance.
With his speed and camouflage, none of them noticed his presence.
---
Ambush
Just as in the original timeline, the three successfully avoided multiple patrols and reached a cave near the Kannabi Bridge.
It was the perfect ambush point.
But just as they prepared to rest—
Shing! Shing!
Several Kunai shot out from the shadows.
"Be careful!"
Kakashi reacted instantly, drawing his blade and deflecting the attacks.
At the same time, a burly Iwagakure jonin stepped out, followed by over a dozen ninja.
The battle began immediately.
Kakashi engaged directly, while Obito stood in front of Rin, protecting her.
But the enemy numbers were overwhelming.
During the chaos—
The jonin suddenly cast a genjutsu.
Rin failed to evade.
Her eyes went blank—
And she was captured.
"Rin!"
Obito's eyes burned with rage as he prepared to charge forward.
"Wait!" Kakashi stopped him coldly.
"Our mission is to destroy the bridge. That comes first."
Obito froze, then turned, furious.
"What did you say?!"
"Rin is our comrade! How can we abandon her?! No mission is more important than a teammate's life!"
"Mission first—that's a ninja's rule," Kakashi replied firmly, though pain flickered in his eyes.
His father—
Sakumo Hatake—
had been driven to death for choosing comrades over mission.
That scar never healed.
"That's not a rule—it's cruelty!" Obito roared.
"If we can't protect our comrades, what's the point of being a ninja?! I won't abandon Rin!"
Without waiting, he charged forward.
Kakashi trembled slightly.
Memories flashed—
His father.
Obito.
Rin.
He clenched his teeth.
"Damn it…"
Then he rushed forward as well.
"Hey, idiot—wait for me!"
--------------Author---------------
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