"Go check on your comrades. They're badly injured," Haku said, nodding gently to Sasuke and Sakura.
"Why are you wasting words on the enemy?" Shion grumbled, walking ahead. Haku's personality was too soft. This was supposed to be the Seireitei's debut; they should have done something outrageous—no, something world-shaking—but Haku was always holding her back. In his words, the Seireitei was here to change the ninja world, not to be the villains. They had to be elegant!
If Haku hadn't come along, Shion would have already killed all these Konoha ninja and added their souls to her collection. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, and her pace quickened.
"Wait for me," Haku said with a helpless smile, hurrying to catch up. Shion's personality was willful, even merciless. In her eyes, anything not related to the Seireitei was just another ghost for her Zanpakuto. She only reined in her nature when she was in front of Naruto.
Only after Haku and Shion had disappeared from sight did Sasuke retract his resentful gaze.
"This is strange. Their bodies have no physical injuries, but their spirits are completely drained, as if they've been severely wounded," Sakura's anxious voice cut through his thoughts.
While Sakura was busy tending to their comrades, Sasuke looked at the smiling Gaara and the other Suna ninja.
"Thank you for your support. If it weren't for you, I might have been captured by the Akatsuki," Gaara said gratefully.
However, Konoha hadn't actually helped Sunagakure. The crisis had been resolved before their reinforcements arrived. Sasuke's mouth twitched.
"What is your relationship with them?" Sasuke asked, his tone slightly hostile.
"None. We don't know them," Gaara shrugged. "But the Akatsuki's goal is the Tailed Beasts. I imagine they must have encroached upon the Seireitei's interests," he added.
"Alright, I understand." Sasuke nodded and, without wasting any more time, prepared to leave with his subordinates and Sakura. Although his team was spiritually exhausted, they could still move.
After they had taken a few steps, Gaara called out to them. Sasuke turned back to see a meaningful expression on the Kazekage's face. "By the way, they said the Seireitei is making its debut."
The entire ninja world knew that Uzumaki Naruto was a Konoha missing-nin. And from what Haku had said, it was clear Naruto had joined the Seireitei and might even be its leader. This made everything much more intriguing. It meant that the Seireitei, an organization powerful enough to repel four Kage-level Akatsuki members, would also be Konoha's enemy.
Can the current Konoha stand against four Kage-level shinobi?
Sasuke's pupils trembled, but he quickly composed himself and nodded. "I understand."
As they walked back the way they came, the hearts of the Konoha ninja were in turmoil. Uzumaki Naruto's Seireitei had emerged. Sooner or later, Konoha would have to face it.
In Konoha.
Tsunade walked out of the operating room, looking lost. Her hands were covered in blood, and her eyes were filled with sorrow. She had overcome her hemophobia after becoming the Fifth Hokage, so during the surgery, she had done everything she was supposed to do. She was confident she had performed at one hundred percent.
But she had still underestimated the overwhelming power of the Wood Release cells.
The Mangekyo Sharingan transplant had gone smoothly, but after the Wood Release cells were injected, Kakashi's body began to break down uncontrollably. No matter what medical ninjutsu she used, she was powerless to stop it. The last hour of resuscitation had been almost entirely futile. Even she knew in her heart that Kakashi was gone.
A genius of Konoha had fallen.
Tsunade sniffled, an uncontrollable wave of grief washing over her. But she knew that as the Fifth Hokage, she could not cry. She had to be strong.
"Prepare Kakashi's body for burial," she said softly. She then quickly removed her surgical gown, washed the blood from her hands, and headed for the Hokage's Office.
After she left, space distorted, and Orochimaru and Minato appeared silently in the operating room.
"Enem—urgh." The remaining ninja in the room stared wide-eyed before collapsing to the floor.
"Exactly as I predicted," Orochimaru said, his expression unreadable as he took in the thick scent of blood that filled the room. "The Wood Release cells and the Mangekyo Sharingan are indeed a potent combination, but Tsunade has no experience. It's only natural that the surgery failed. If she had asked for my help, the success rate would have increased by at least twenty percent. A pity she doesn't trust me."
"The laughable part is, she actually thought I was helping Kakashi strengthen his resolve to protect Konoha," Orochimaru said, licking his lips with his scarlet tongue. "Little did she know that her every thought and action was calculated by Naruto."
"Minato, you've really raised a fine son," Orochimaru said, looking at him with amusement.
Minato ignored him, his gaze falling on Kakashi's body with a hint of sorrow. The once-handsome young man was now a mangled mess of flesh and blood, his chest cavity torn open. It was a gruesome sight. To see such a renowned genius fall to this state was truly a tragedy.
Konoha was not wrong. Tsunade was not wrong. Her choice was made to give Konoha another shinobi who surpassed the Kage level. Kakashi was not wrong. He was willing to risk his life for Konoha. Orochimaru and Minato were not wrong. They had brought resources to Konoha and had respected Kakashi's choice.
If anything was to blame, it was this world. This sick ninja world that forced everyone to live in fear of war. This was one of the reasons Minato wanted to help Naruto.
To overthrow the rule of the ninja villages and create a new world!
Minato took a deep breath and infused his Reiatsu into Kakashi's wandering soul. Kakashi's soul, which had been in a deep sleep, opened its eyes as points of light appeared on its body.
"Sen... sei? Orochimaru?" His consciousness was hazy, as if trapped in a swamp. His whole body felt light and airy, with no pain and no sensation at all. He didn't even have control over his own body.
"It's all over now, Kakashi," he heard Minato say, a relieved smile on his face as he looked at him with compassion.
"Over? What do you mean?" Kakashi's eyes were glazed over. A force seemed to be surging within his body, filling him with a warm, invigorating energy. He felt so full, so powerful. Kakashi, who was used to being constantly drained of chakra, couldn't help but let out a groan of pleasure.
A minute later, his Shinigamification was complete. Only then did he notice the body on the operating table.
"Is that... me?" he asked, completely bewildered.
He looked up to see Minato walking toward him, extending a hand. "Welcome to the Seireitei, Kakashi."
"If the surgery succeeds, then protect Konoha. But if it fails, follow your heart." Kakashi remembered the pact he had made with Minato before the surgery. He had wondered at the time how he could do anything if he was dead, but now, seeing his own corpse, he understood.
A Shinigami was a transformed soul. He was no longer human.
Had he... been reborn?
Kakashi suddenly felt a sense of release, and his heart grew much lighter. He had died once for Konoha; he had repaid his debt to the village. The current Kakashi had no connection to the past.
Having decided to let go, Kakashi's mind became clear. "Before I leave, I want to see Obito and say goodbye," he said to Minato.
"Of course," Minato nodded, and a portal to another dimension appeared before them.
Pain.
His entire body felt numb. Stabbing pains shot through him from every direction.
Uchiha Obito was imprisoned in the deepest cell. Without his limbs, he couldn't even move. Every day, he could only wait for Konoha to feed him.
"Damn it! Has Zetsu abandoned me?" his heart was filled with hatred, and also with despair. Every day in this sunless prison was an agony.
"Rin, I'm sorry, Rin," he sobbed softly, his emotions breaking down. He felt he had betrayed Rin. Even he couldn't protect her. He was a sinner.
Click. Suddenly, the crisp sound of footsteps echoed in the cell.
Obito struggled to lift his head. Though he couldn't see, he guessed who it was.
Kakashi.
"Have you... come to laugh at me?" his voice was as raspy as scraping metal, his tone filled with self-mockery.
"Laugh? No." Kakashi shook his head, a look of pity in his eyes. "I'm leaving, Obito."
"Leaving?" The word made Obito pause. He tried to decipher its meaning. Minato was an enemy of Konoha. Kakashi was standing with him and said he was leaving.
Is Kakashi defecting from Konoha?
Kakashi didn't explain further. He turned without a second thought, his voice firm. "I will no longer be trapped in the past. I'm leaving, Obito. I'm going to look forward. If you can ever free yourself from the past, perhaps we'll meet again."
With that, a portal appeared, and Kakashi and Minato stepped through it.
"What are you talking about?! Don't go! Explain yourself!" Obito roared hoarsely. "What do you mean, trapped in the past?! Don't you dare think you can just write off the past like that!"
They had all been trapped in the past, they had all grieved. But now, Kakashi's awakening felt like a humiliation to Obito. Has he just forgotten about Rin?
Obito screamed, and the guards from outside rushed in. Swish, swish. A few small ninjutsu subdued him. "What's all the noise?! Shut up!"
Hearing the warning from the guards, who clearly had no idea what had just happened, Obito went mad, a mocking laugh erupting from his throat. "Hahahaha! Hahaha! Konoha... hahahahaha!"
Using Minato's ability, Kakashi and the others appeared outside the gates of Konoha. He took one last look at the village, knowing in his heart that the next time they met, Konoha would be his enemy.
"Let's go. Back to the Seireitei," Minato said. He, Orochimaru, and Kakashi disappeared into the forest.
Interestingly, less than five minutes later, they saw a familiar figure.