Chapter 6 — The Funeral of Uchiha Obito
Konoha Village.
Though called a "ninja village," its prosperity once rivaled even the grand capital of the Land of Fire. But after years of endless war, that brilliance had dimmed. The once-bustling streets now carried a somber stillness — a quiet shadow draped over every rooftop and alleyway.
Only the laughter of children still rang freely, innocent and unburdened. The adults, however, all wore the same grim faces — tight with fatigue, with loss, with fear.
The wars had not ceased for years. Blood had not stopped flowing.
In Konoha, mourning had become routine. You couldn't walk three streets without seeing funeral banners or the black garments of the bereaved. Nearly every family had lost someone — a father, a brother, a friend — left behind forever on the front lines.
Those who returned home came either as corpses… or not at all.
---
Hyūga Ritsu had only just stepped foot back into the village when he heard it — faint sobs carried on the passing wind.
He turned a corner and saw them: clusters of villagers in black, walking slowly, faces drawn tight with grief. Women wiped at their eyes as they whispered prayers. Even Ritsu, who had long since steeled his heart, felt that sorrow seep quietly into his chest.
Another funeral…?
The thought flickered through his mind.
And then—
"Ritsu-kun?"
A familiar voice called out.
Ritsu looked up — and froze.
Standing before him was a man with golden hair and clear blue eyes, his handsome features almost too flawless to belong to the mortal world.
"Minato-senpai?" Ritsu blinked, stunned.
He hadn't expected to see him here — the Yellow Flash himself, hero of the battlefield. Minato Namikaze was supposed to be in the north, leading Konoha's forces against Iwagakure. What was he doing here, back in the village… attending a funeral?
A sudden, heavy realization struck Ritsu's mind like thunder.
No… it couldn't be.
This funeral — it couldn't possibly be—
He swallowed, his voice low and uncertain.
"...May I ask… who was it that fell?"
Minato's expression softened, his blue eyes dimming with a grief too deep for words.
After a long pause, he answered quietly:
"It was Obito."
Minato's expression was heavy with sorrow, and even his voice carried a faint rasp.
So it was true — Uchiha Obito was dead.
That meant the battle at Kannabi Bridge had already taken place. Which also meant… Obito had likely fallen into the hands of Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu.
Ritsu pressed his lips together, his tone low and respectful.
"Minato-senpai… please accept my condolences."
Minato shook his head gently, as though pushing the grief aside.
"Ritsu-kun, what brings you back? I thought the eastern front against the Mist was still active?"
He didn't want to speak further about his fallen disciple. Instead, he turned the topic toward Ritsu — a kindness disguised as small talk.
Their acquaintance was an indirect one.
Ritsu's teacher was Hiruko, while Minato's had been Jiraiya, one of the Three Legendary Sannin. Jiraiya, the Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku, was the most open-hearted among the Sannin, and his friendly relationship with Hiruko had led to Ritsu and Minato meeting a few times in the past.
Ritsu quickly assessed the situation — Minato must have just returned from the northern front, likely unaware of what had transpired on the eastern battlefield.
Keeping his tone calm, Ritsu replied,
"The war with the Mist shows no sign of ending soon. I came back because of a… clan matter. Once it's handled, I'll return to the front lines."
"I see." Minato nodded lightly.
"And you, Senpai? Has the battle with Iwagakure ended?"
"The Stone-nin have withdrawn," Minato explained, though the fatigue behind his calm voice was clear. "But the Cloud-nin are restless. The Fourth Raikage has just ascended, and he's eager to make his mark. I'll likely head north again in a few days to keep an eye on them."
"Cloud-nin causing trouble again?" Ritsu sighed softly.
The two exchanged a few more polite words — nothing deep, just the kind of restrained conversation between comrades-in-passing.
They were familiar, yes — but not close.
When Minato finally turned and disappeared down the street, Ritsu leapt lightly onto a rooftop and dashed toward the Hyūga compound. Meeting Minato, who didn't yet know the truth of the eastern front, was a stroke of luck. Had it been anyone else — someone aware of the chaos with the clan elders — it might have jeopardized everything.
---
Not long after, Ritsu arrived at the Hyūga estate.
As one of Konoha's most powerful clans, the Hyūga occupied a vast portion of land in the village. Their compound was like a miniature city unto itself — streets, shops, gardens — all operated by their own. The shopkeepers were usually non-Byakugan family members, those who'd never awakened the clan's signature eyes.
While the Byakugan wasn't as rare as the Uchiha's Sharingan, not everyone in the Hyūga was born with the ability to awaken it. Many lived and died with dormant eyes. Ritsu's own parents were among them — ordinary Branch members who had never opened their Byakugan.
Ritsu, however, was different. Whether due to the strange consciousness that had entered his body before birth or sheer natural talent, he had awakened the Byakugan at an unusually young age — earning the clan's title of prodigy.
---
Being one of their own, Ritsu slipped past the outer sentries with ease, unseen and unheard, and made his way deep into the compound.
He vaulted a wall, crossed a narrow alley, and landed silently in the courtyard of a secluded residence.
"Ritsu-nii?!"
The shout came from a young boy in the training yard, startled mid-practice. The boy's stance faltered as he saw Ritsu appear out of nowhere.
"Y-you're back?! Did the clan head and elders drag you here?"
Ritsu shot him a glare. "Watch your mouth, Arima. Who are you cursing?"
"But—but it's true! The clan head, Elder Daichi, and Elder Hishō all went to the front to punish you! I was worried if they really did something to you, I'd— I'd cover myself in explosive tags and—"
"Enough!" Ritsu cut him off sharply, though a faint smile touched his lips. "Arima, I need you to call Takuma and Akiha here. There's something important I need to discuss."
"Got it!"
Without hesitation, Hyūga Arima bolted off — not even bothering to ask why.
He'd always been that way — loyal to a fault.
Arima, only fourteen and recently promoted to special jōnin, was one of the few Branch members who'd managed to survive the war so far. Orphaned, impulsive, and fiercely devoted to Ritsu — ever since the day Ritsu had pulled him back from the brink of death on their first mission together.
If Ritsu told him to face down the Hokage himself, Arima would do it without blinking.
---
Ritsu settled cross-legged beneath the corridor's wooden eaves, eyes half-closed, waiting.
Seven or eight minutes later, Arima came bursting back in, dragging a young man and woman by the sleeves.
"Ritsu-nii!" he shouted breathlessly. "I got Takuma and Akiha!"
"Arima, you brat," grumbled Hyūga Takuma, seventeen, older and perpetually irritable. He smacked Arima lightly on the head before looking toward Ritsu, frowning.
"Ritsu, what's going on? What happened at the front? Why did you come back? Did you see the clan head or the elders?"
Ritsu's eyes opened slowly — calm, focused, unreadable.
The moment had come to reveal what he had discovered… and what he planned to do next.