The duel between Might Guy and Kakashi Hatake had officially come to an end.
Perhaps from this day forward, the way Kakashi and Guy interacted might change. But their bond — their unshakable friendship — would never be broken.
Guy stretched his arms, his usual fiery energy returning as he declared with a wide grin,
"Ahh, it's been so long since I've felt such a hot-blooded battle!"
Rock Lee rushed to his side, his eyes burning with admiration.
"Teacher Guy, your youth has triumphed once again!"
Guy laughed loudly, his spirit radiating.
"Of course! But Kakashi did not lose either. His youth also shines brilliantly. Kakashi, now that you've become Hokage, you must protect the village of Konoha with all your strength!"
Kakashi, calm as ever, gave a faint smile.
"I will."
At that moment, Rin Nohara and Obito Uchiha approached, offering their own congratulations for the end of the duel.
Kakashi glanced at them, then said warmly,
"Come on. Let's go. Now we should visit our teacher's house."
Knowing Kakashi intended to visit Minato-sensei and Kushina with Rin and Obito, Guy didn't stop him. He had originally wanted to invite Kakashi for dinner, but clearly, there wouldn't be time.
So, after parting ways with Guy and Lee, Kakashi accompanied Rin and Obito to the market, where they purchased some offerings, before heading together to Minato Namikaze's home.
At that time, Minato and Kushina were still busy with preparations for Naruto's upcoming marriage. The two of them had been decorating the new home that Naruto and Hinata would live in, pouring their love into every detail.
A knock came at the door.
Minato walked over and opened it with a soft creak. His eyes widened in pleasant surprise.
"Kakashi! What brings you here?"
Rin stepped forward from behind Kakashi, gently pulling Obito along with her. She smiled warmly.
"Minato-sensei, we came too."
Minato blinked, stunned.
"Rin… Obito…"
The moment Kushina heard the names, she rushed out from the room, setting aside what she was doing. She looked at the familiar figures standing in the doorway. For a moment, she hesitated, not recognizing them immediately — but Kakashi gave a formal bow and introduced them.
"Master, it's me — Kakashi. This is Rin, and this… is Obito."
Kushina's eyes softened with joy. It had been so long since she had seen Minato's disciples.
"Rin!" she cried, immediately pulling the young woman into her arms.
"Sensei's wife!" Rin exclaimed, her voice shaking with emotion.
Kushina squeezed her hand tightly, relief and affection in her eyes. Yet as she studied Rin more closely, she realized something unusual — Rin's body still held the youthful appearance of a teenager, and her eyes carried the unique glow of someone who had been resurrected.
Kushina sighed quietly.
Her gaze then shifted to Obito, who stood stiffly, guilt etched into his face. He looked uneasy, clearly burdened by the weight of his past sins.
Kushina, however, smiled gently and tugged Rin further inside.
"Don't just stand there. Come in, all of you."
Kakashi nodded, following her lead. He called to Obito, who finally stepped inside reluctantly.
They placed the fruits they had brought down on the table before settling onto the sofa. Obito sat near Kakashi, his eyes darting nervously, while Rin sat close to Kushina, who immediately took her hand again.
"Rin," Kushina asked softly, "were you resurrected as I was?"
Rin nodded.
"Yes, Kushina-sensei. It's been so long… it feels like a miracle to see you again."
Kushina stroked her hair affectionately.
"Silly girl…"
Kakashi, watching the tender moment, smiled beneath his mask.
"Sensei's wife, it's been a long time for me as well. Do you still remember me, Kakashi?"
Kushina chuckled warmly.
"Of course I do, Kakashi."
But her eyes inevitably shifted toward Obito. They narrowed slightly, a trace of pain and anger buried beneath her warmth.
"Obito…" her voice lowered. "You have something to say, don't you?"
Obito drew in a deep, trembling breath. He had known this confrontation was inevitable.
Slowly, he stood. Then, with a heavy heart, he knelt before Minato and Kushina. His voice cracked with sincerity and guilt.
"I'm sorry, Minato-sensei… Kushina-sensei. I should never have done what I did. I brought you both so much pain — especially Naruto. The damage I caused is something that can never be undone. I'm so sorry!"
With those words, he lowered his head and kowtowed deeply.
Rin's eyes widened, and she whispered his name.
"Obito…"
Kushina stared at him in silence. It would be a lie to say she wasn't angry.
How could she not be?
She had raised Obito like her own, cared for him since childhood. And yet — when she had been at her most vulnerable, giving birth to Naruto — Obito had come, ripped the Nine-Tails from her body, and nearly killed both her and her child.
Worse, Obito had even used baby Naruto as a hostage, wrapping him with explosive tags. If Minato had not been so quick to act with his Flying Thunder God Technique, Naruto would have died that night.
Naruto — her baby.
No mother could ever forgive such a thing easily.
And yet… here he was, kneeling in front of her, broken, remorseful, no longer the masked monster but the boy she once knew.
The room grew unbearably silent.
Minato finally stepped forward, breaking the tension.
"I also bear responsibility. When I fought you that night, Obito, I didn't recognize who you truly were. I thought you were Uchiha Madara. If I had realized the truth sooner, perhaps… none of this would have happened."
Rin's tears welled up. She quickly pulled away from Kushina, rushed to Obito's side, and knelt beside him.
"No… Kushina-sensei, Minato-sensei… It was also my fault!"
Obito turned to her in shock.
"Rin! Why are you kneeling? This has nothing to do with you!"
Rin shook her head firmly.
"If I had been stronger… if I hadn't been captured, Kakashi wouldn't have had to choose to kill me. If I hadn't died, you wouldn't have fallen into despair. None of this would have happened. Everyone would have been fine!"
Obito gripped her trembling hand, his own voice breaking.
"No, Rin… this was my fault. Madara chose me. He twisted my grief into hatred. I let him. I chose the darkness. If I had only been stronger, none of this would have happened."
Kakashi could no longer sit still. He rose, then knelt beside them.
Obito's eyes widened.
"Kakashi… what are you doing?"
Kakashi lowered his head.
"I broke my promise to you. I failed to protect Rin. If I had been stronger, she wouldn't have died. I wouldn't have failed you, Obito. All of this happened because I wasn't good enough."
Obito clenched his fists.
"No! This wasn't your fault!"
Kakashi shot back.
"How can you say that? It was my promise. My failure. My weakness."
Rin quickly intervened.
"No, Kakashi. It wasn't your fault either. If I had been able to protect myself, none of this would have fallen on you two. This blame doesn't belong to you."
Their voices rose, each one insisting the fault lay with themselves.
Finally, Minato spoke with firm authority.
"Enough! Stop this endless blame! If anything, it's my failure too. As your sensei, I should have been there. If I had arrived in time, if I had taken you away with the Flying Thunder God Technique, none of this tragedy would have unfolded."
The three students froze. None of them had an answer.
Then Kushina finally stepped forward. Her voice trembled, but it was strong.
"Enough. All of you."
She inhaled deeply, then spoke directly to Obito.
"Obito… when I first learned it was you who attacked me, who tore the Nine-Tails from me, I was devastated. Because I couldn't believe that the boy I had cared for so sincerely would do such a thing to me… to my family."
Her words pierced him deeper than any blade. Tears streamed down Obito's face.
"But then…" Kushina's voice softened. "Then Naruto told me your story. He told me of your regrets. And now, looking at you, I see it. You're no longer that lost boy consumed by hate. You've carried so much pain alone, hidden behind a mask. Obito…" she crouched down, meeting his eyes, "I forgive you."
Obito gasped, tears flowing freely.
Kushina continued, her voice filled with maternal warmth.
"You always wanted to be Hokage. You always wanted to protect Rin. You always wanted to be acknowledged by this village and by your teacher. That kind of love… that kind of passion… it's what created your hatred when you lost it all. No one can hate that deeply without first loving so strongly."
She reached out, wiping the tears from his face.
"You must have suffered more than anyone, hiding in the shadows, carrying that hatred alone. But you're here now. You're Obito again."
Unable to hold himself back, Obito collapsed into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Sensei… Kushina… I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I never meant for any of this…"
Kushina embraced him gently, like a mother comforting her child, her forgiveness washing away years of despair.
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