Chapter 12: Kakashi
"What... what is going on?"
Watching the Iwa-nin leaving the camp one after another, Uchiha Kei was utterly confused.
Just moments ago, as they were about to make a move, a messenger hawk suddenly flew in. These birds were commonly used for delivering information, so that wasn't the odd part. But what happened next left Kei baffled. The more powerful Iwa-nin suddenly gathered together, swiftly executed the last three Konoha prisoners, and then left the camp without a word.
Kei wasn't the only one stunned—Yamanaka Masato looked just as bewildered.
Once the Iwa-nin were all gone, the remaining Konoha ninjas cautiously crept out and gathered together.
Masato quickly sent a few of them to check on the fallen comrades, while the rest assembled to decide their next move. This abrupt evacuation was suspicious, and no one felt at ease about it.
"Ayaka, can you use your Byakugan to see what those Iwa-nin are up to?" Masato turned to the lone Hyuga member among them.
"I can try," Hyuga Ayaka nodded, but added, "If they're too far away, I won't be able to see them clearly. My range is still limited..."
"That's fine. We can tail them for a bit," a jōnin named Kageshima Kōsuke spoke up. "If they're heading back to their base, we might get the chance to sabotage something and draw their attention. That would take the pressure off Minato's squad."
Kei's face twitched at that. He couldn't help but regret saving this guy earlier. Another one infected by the so-called 'Will of Fire'...
Do you even know where the Will of Fire comes from? Do you know who said it first?
This idiot probably didn't know a damn thing, and yet here he was, spouting nonsense and trying to drag everyone to their deaths.
Kei had no intention of throwing his life away. He quietly decided that if things went south, he'd break off and pursue his own agenda.
"Don't be reckless, Kōsuke," Masato clearly didn't like the plan either. "Let's follow them first and decide once we understand the situation. Rushing in will only get us killed. Don't waste the chance Kei gave us by rescuing us."
I didn't save you out of kindness—I just needed more meat shields, okay?
Kei kept a calm expression, but he rolled his eyes hard on the inside. Still, he had no choice but to follow the others who were already on the move.
Authority was a strange thing. If Kei were a jōnin, he could easily make decisions based on his Uchiha status alone. But being just a chūnin meant one thing—his Sharingan would have to be exposed.
There was no way to hide a three-tomoe Sharingan. And while revealing it could bring benefits—even getting him off the front lines—Kei was no fool.
He knew the higher-ups of Konoha weren't fond of the Uchiha clan. They hadn't even given the Uchiha real chances during the war. And not long after peace returned, the whole clan was wiped out!
"Sure, the Nine-Tails incident may have been the spark, but the execution was too clean and coordinated for it not to be premeditated."
As an Uchiha, Kei had no choice but to view everything with suspicion and caution. The Uchiha Massacre hung over him like a sword. He even believed Uchiha Fugaku might've had a chance to save the clan—after all, the man was crafty. He kept his Mangekyō hidden until death.
If he had tried to make a last stand, maybe the Uchiha could've survived. But perhaps Fugaku was just too disappointed in the clan... or maybe his love for his sons outweighed his loyalty to the Uchiha.
And then, like everyone else, he went mad... and that was that.
As they continued tailing the Iwa-nin, it became increasingly clear they were in a hurry. They were leaving too many tracks behind, something no competent ninja should do. Even Masato began to wonder if they were being deliberately lured into a trap.
But after nearly ten minutes of tracking, Hyuga Ayaka suddenly spoke up.
"I think I found their destination," she said, frowning. "There's been a major cave-in. I can see a few people there... one of them is—Kakashi!"
"Kakashi?" Kei blinked in surprise. "Are you sure? What's going on?"
Everyone, including the senior jōnin like Masato, was visibly stunned.
Kakashi was a member of Minato's squad—the very squad their mission was supposed to support! If they had been discovered and ambushed, then everything their own team had done was pointless.
But Kei's reaction was different. He knew what was happening. If he was right, Uchiha Obito had just been crushed by rocks. The eye transplant might have already taken place.
And if that was true, Kakashi was about to go on a rampage—albeit with a borrowed eye. He'd exhaust himself and pass out soon after.
That would be when Minato would arrive for the rescue. It might look dangerous, but Kei knew they were actually safe.
With that in mind, his brain kicked into scheming mode again.
"Where's Minato-sama?" Masato asked, snapping Kei out of his thoughts.
"I don't see him," Ayaka replied calmly. But both Kei and Imai Kenta noticed the barely restrained excitement in her voice.
Of course she was excited. If the mission-critical team was wiped out, they'd get to withdraw immediately. Sure, the war would drag on, but at least they'd live!
"No way!" Kageshima Kōsuke suddenly shouted. "We have to help them! They're the key to the mission—we can't let everyone's sacrifice be in vain!"
For a moment, Kei thought this guy was... kind of adorable?
Funny how just minutes ago, he regretted saving him. But he wasn't wrong—if they wanted to survive, getting close to Minato was the safest bet, at least for now.
Kei stopped hesitating. Rather than chasing the Iwa-nin, it made more sense to head toward Minato's position.
"Here's the plan," Kei finally spoke. "You guys intercept the Iwa-nin. I'll take my squad and rescue Kakashi's team."
"You?" Masato blinked in surprise.
"Yes. Once they're safe, Ayaka can help them escape with her Byakugan. Then we'll rendezvous with you. Our squad is best suited for this."
Masato thought it over and then nodded. "Alright. We'll leave it to you."