Kaito Akaden (Kaito)

Chapter 12: To the Frontlines

After a much-needed rest, Minato and his team were on the move again, headed towards the shared border with the Hidden Grass. This mission marked Kakashi's first time as a team leader, and Minato saw it as an opportunity for him to gain valuable experience.

Kakashi took the lead, his senses sharp and alert. But it didn't take long for him to come to a halt, prompting Obito and Rin to stop and scan their surroundings as well.

"Nice, Kakashi," Minato thought to himself, his keen senses having detected the presence of an enemy ninja moments before.

Perched atop a sturdy tree, a ninja from the Hidden Stone concealed himself, patiently waiting to ambush the Konoha shinobi. As he observed them closely, he couldn't help but acknowledge their skill. His gaze focused on Minato, and a flicker of recognition crossed his mind. "Is that... no, it can't be. I'll keep a close watch," he decided, forming a series of hand signs with precision.

Minato, his finger lightly touching the ground, extended his sensory perception, trying to gauge the number of enemy ninjas lurking in the vicinity. "One... no, wait! Stay on guard, everyone. There are twenty of them," Minato warned, his eyes scanning their surroundings. "although it's probably a shadow clone jutsu,"

Kakashi, eager to make his mark as the team captain, urged, "I think you're right, sensei. I'll attack. Can you cover me?"

Minato, however, advised caution, "Don't rush, Kakashi. It might be wiser for you to support me."

But Kakashi, fueled by ambition and a desire to prove himself, ignored Minato's counsel. He began weaving hand signs, infusing his palm with crackling lightning chakra. "Sensei, today I'm the captain, and I want to test a new ninjutsu I've been working on," he declared with determination, naming his jutsu, "Chidori!"

A chorus of a thousand birds seemed to echo through the clearing as Kakashi completed the jutsu, his hand enveloped in a shroud of lightning chakra.

Obito, bewildered by the spectacle, couldn't help but mutter, "What kind of jutsu is that?" His eyes were fixed on Kakashi.

Rin, her gaze filled with awe, marveled at the incredible surge of chakra. "Such power," she whispered.

"Here I go," Kakashi declared, ready to charge towards the enemy. However, Minato intervened, swiftly placing his hand in front of Kakashi, preventing him from advancing.

"No matter how many they are, with this jutsu, I can deal with them in a flash. reminiscent of your nickname, sensei. Besides, you said it yourself. I'm the captain today, and our rules dictate that the team must follow their captain's orders," Kakashi asserted, a hint of arrogance in his tone.

Recognizing that some lessons needed to be learned the hard way, Minato reluctantly allowed Kakashi to proceed.

With Chidori at his disposal, Kakashi made his move, charging headlong at the enemy in a straight line.

The Iwa shinobi, taken aback by Kakashi's direct approach, swiftly unleashed a barrage of kunai towards him. Minato, quick to react, intercepted the projectiles with well-aimed shurikens, protecting Kakashi from harm.

"Your kunai attacks just helped me pinpoint your location. Here I come," Kakashi thought confidently as he continued his advance toward the Iwa ninja. Minato, seizing the opportunity, threw another shuriken to divert the enemy's attention, allowing Kakashi to strike. But to their surprise, the enemy ninja exploded in a puff of smoke.

"Damn it! A shadow clone... on to the next one!" Kakashi exclaimed as he pivoted towards the next adversary. Meanwhile, Obito and Rin found themselves ambushed by a shadow clone emerging from the ground, but Minato swiftly dispatched it using his kunai. "Stay vigilant," he cautioned.

Kakashi, meanwhile, systematically dismantled the remaining shadow clones, counting them off one by one. "Eighteen down."

"Don't get cocky, brat!" shouted the Iwa shinobi as he advanced, slashing his katana at Kakashi. Kakashi, unable to evade in time, faced the deadly blade. It was poised to cleave him in two when Minato materialized out of thin air, saving Kakashi's life. Though Kakashi escaped the worst, a minor cut marred his arm as he retreated. Minato positioned Kakashi safely on the ground beside his teammates.

A short distance away, the Iwa shinobi gasped for breath, his thoughts racing, "I could barely hold my own against that kid. But that yellow-haired guy's movements..."

"I've marked him," Minato mused as he removed his backpack, letting it drop to the ground. Before the bag even touched the earth, Minato materialized behind the Iwa shinobi, a kunai pressed against his throat.

"Sensei's teleportation technique... it's unbelievably fast!" Rin thought in astonishment.

"N-no way, are you the Yellow Flash of the Leaf?" the Iwa shinobi asked in terror. "Those of us from the Land of Earth... have been taught by our commanders to run when we see you. I finally understand what they meant." With those words, Minato ended the Iwa shinobi's life.

Rejoining his team, Rin focused on healing Kakashi's wound. "Your wound is healing well, Kakashi, but don't push yourself too hard or you'll reopen it," she cautioned as she carefully rebandaged him.

Minato addressed the team, "Kakashi's injury is significant. We'll retreat and regroup for the night."

"I'm fine!" Kakashi protested, but Obito countered, "No, you're not! You got into this mess by ignoring Sensei's warning and charging ahead!"

Kakashi's eyes flared with indignation. "I don't need to take that from the Uchiha elite who was quaking in fear back there!" he retorted, casting a disdainful look at Obito.

Obito, caught off guard, defended himself, saying, "I... I got some dust in my eye. That's why it was watering!"

Rin intervened, her voice pleading for peace. "Please, both of you, stop."

Minato's tone turned serious as he stepped in, putting an end to their bickering. "Enough, both of you. Kakashi, rules and regulations are important, but they aren't everything. Didn't I teach you that? There are situations where you need to adapt on the fly and respond to the enemy's actions." He then turned to Obito, who seemed about to speak. "Obito, you too. With goggles on, dust in your eyes isn't a plausible excuse. If you're advocating self-control, you should embody it as well." Returning his attention to Kakashi, he added, "One more thing, Kakashi. I strongly advise against using that jutsu again. Your concentrated, high-speed attack is undeniably powerful, but it leaves you vulnerable to counterattacks. It's an imperfect jutsu, and I don't want to see you put your life on the line unnecessarily." Minato then addressed the entire team with a profound message: "Remember, above all else, a shinobi's most critical asset is teamwork."

Deciding to rest for the night in order for Kakashi to heal a bit more, later on, during Minato's watch, Obito learned from Minato about the tragic fate of Kakashi's father and why Kakashi was so hell-bent on rules.

The next morning, Rin checked up on Kakashi and said, "It's healing well. But don't overexert yourself, or you'll reopen the wound," while rebandaging Kakashi.

The following morning brought a fresh start, with the team ready to resume their mission. Minato gathered them and announced their next course of action. "From this point forward, we'll be splitting up. I wish you all the best of luck. The enemy we encountered yesterday was operating alone, but now we'll be facing teams. Stay vigilant."

Obito, a hint of embarrassment in his voice, spoke up, "Let's go, Captain."

Minato, offering a warm smile, responded, "Indeed. Let's go! Scatter!" With that, Minato and Team Kakashi dispersed, each member sprinting in a different direction.

As Minato dashed towards the front lines, a sense of unease gnawed at him. "I must conclude matters quickly at the front and then rush to their aid. I hope everything unfolds smoothly," he pondered, increasing his speed as he neared the impending battle.

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