Naruto : Minato back to the past

"Yeah."

Minato nodded, his expression serious. The one orchestrating this grand scheme had clearly anticipated his past connection with Mei Terumi.

They must have known that once Mei Terumi realized Kakashi and Rin were his students, she would help them escape without hesitation.

This was why only Kakashi and Rin had been captured.

Everything had been planned from the very beginning.

The forest around them had grown silent once more, save for the rustling of leaves in the cool night breeze. Both Minato and Kakashi stood in deep contemplation, the weight of the truth settling over them like an oppressive fog.

The longer Minato thought, the more certain he became.

The Kirigakure forces had been locked in battle with Konoha's troops along the coastline of the Land of Fire for some time.

But then, monsters with power comparable to the Tailed Beasts had suddenly been released upon the battlefield. The attack had been brutal—if Might Duy hadn't sacrificed himself by unlocking the Eight Gates, their forces would have been annihilated.

Even so, Kirigakure had sent even more reinforcements, overwhelming Fugaku and the other Konoha forces, allowing Kirigakure's shinobi to sneak deep into the Land of Fire's territory.

At the same time, Minato had been deliberately lured to Kakashi and Rin's location, right as they had managed to escape.

Minato's pupils contracted sharply.

Everything—everything—had revolved around him, Kakashi, and Rin.

And, crucially, the attack on the coastline had occurred not long after Minato had killed the Third Raikage on the Kumo front.

There was only one conclusion.

Whoever was behind this needed to delay Konoha's rescue operation for Kakashi and Rin.

It was all part of an elaborate design. But why? What was the true objective behind all these events?

And then—the Three-Tails.

The sudden memory of the chakra he had sensed sent a chill down Minato's spine.

"Could it be…?"

His eyes snapped toward Kakashi.

"When you and Rin were captured," Minato asked urgently, "were you imprisoned together the entire time?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No. There was a period where we were separated."

Minato's gaze darkened. "Did Kirigakure interrogate you?"

Kakashi hesitated, then furrowed his brows. "No. That's what felt strange. They never asked us anything. It didn't make sense to capture us if they weren't going to interrogate us…"

As Kakashi spoke, the pieces clicked into place for Minato.

His chaotic doubts from before suddenly aligned.

Kirigakure had made Rin the Three-Tails' Jinchūriki.

Then, they had deliberately allowed her and Kakashi to escape, all while their forces were launching an assault on Konoha's camp. The goal was clear—they wanted to ensure that Rin and Kakashi couldn't rejoin Konoha's main forces.

The only path left for the two of them to take was…

To return to Konoha itself.

And if the Three-Tails inside Rin lost control the moment they reached the village—

Minato's breath hitched.

At that time, no one in Konoha would have been able to stop it.

Rin must have realized this. She must have sensed the beast within her, understood the enemy's true intentions—and that was why she had chosen to die.

Not because she was trying to help Kakashi escape.

But because she was protecting the village.

The weight of the revelation struck Minato like a hammer to the chest.

His heart twisted painfully.

How hopeless must Rin have felt in that moment?

A kind and gentle girl—forced to choose death to save her home.

And yet, there were still unanswered questions.

Why had the enemy gone to such lengths to lure Minato himself to that battlefield?

And who had used Wood Release to kill dozens of Kirigakure shinobi that day?

Finally—where was Rin's body?

Only Kirigakure would have taken the corpse of a Jinchūriki.

But all the Kirigakure ninjas involved in the operation had been wiped out.

So who had taken her body?

"Damn it… Who is behind all this?!"

Kakashi's voice shook with rage as his fists clenched.

If Minato-sensei was right, then Rin's death had never been an accident.

It had all been engineered.

If not for that person—if not for their schemes—Rin would still be alive.

He turned toward Minato, his single exposed eye burning with frustration and fury. But Minato only shook his head.

He still didn't know the true identity of their enemy.

"How… How could this happen?" Kakashi muttered, his breath ragged. "Even you—even you, Minato-sensei, were caught in their trap!"

If even Minato, one of the strongest shinobi in the world, had been outmaneuvered, then what kind of enemy were they up against?

How powerful was this ghost in the shadows?

Minato lowered his gaze. "I don't know who they are yet, Kakashi…"

Then, his voice hardened.

"But I promise you—I will find that person. I will make them pay for what they've done to Rin."

His usual warmth was gone, replaced by an icy murderous intent.

The masked man who had attacked Konoha, the one behind this elaborate scheme—whether they were the same person or not, they would both die.

"No."

Kakashi met Minato's gaze directly, his body trembling not from fear—but from determination.

"This isn't your responsibility alone, Minato-sensei."

His voice was steady, despite the storm raging within him.

"I won't let them get away with this either!"

Minato's expression softened slightly.

He placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

"If that's the case, Kakashi," he said gently, "then you can't continue like this."

Kakashi clenched his jaw. "No. I have to train harder. I'm still too weak."

The one behind this had even been able to manipulate Minato Namikaze.

What chance did he—a mere Jonin—have against such an enemy?

But Minato shook his head. "I told you these things not so that you would burden yourself with hatred."

"If we only act out of revenge," he continued, "we go against Rin's will."

Kakashi's lips parted slightly.

"If Rin were still alive, do you think she would be happy to see you like this?"

The question hit Kakashi like a kunai to the chest.

"No…" he murmured.

Rin had always been kind. She had always put others before herself.

She would never have wanted them to be consumed by hatred.

Minato placed more pressure on Kakashi's shoulder.

"Don't betray Rin's memory by turning away from who you are. If you truly want to honor her, then live."

Kakashi's fingers trembled. He closed his eyes, recalling memories of Rin—her smile, her warmth, her unwavering belief in her friends.

Finally, he opened his eyes and nodded firmly.

"I understand… Minato-sensei."

The flicker of determination had returned.

Minato smiled in relief.

The night grew darker, the sky swallowed by shadow.

Far away, in a dense, unknown forest, a whirlpool of space twisted violently—

A masked man emerged from the distortion.

A voice whispered beside him.

"Your mastery of those eyes is improving."

The man's scarlet eyes glowed under his mask.

He had arrived.

And then—

A flurry of black kunai shot toward him from the depths of the cave.

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