Minato Namikaze took five seconds to explain his breach of etiquette.
Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe again...
"Minato, you're really... making me anxious here."
That's your student, isn't it?
How could you not even know what chakra natures he has?
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Minato Namikaze with suspicion.
Young, energetic, inheritor of the Will of Fire—an excellent ninja.
But he still felt it necessary to question whether Minato Namikaze was qualified to be a team leader...
Minato Namikaze's expression was sheepish.
"Sorry, Third Hokage-sama..."
"I only just found out he can use Water Release and Lightning Release."
That was the truth.
If Uchiha Obito and Kakashi Hatake hadn't mentioned it, he'd still be agonizing over whether to tell them Yuto Souta was dead...
But he had only graduated less than ten days ago—when did this kid master chakra nature transformation?
And the training in Water Release and Lightning Release.
According to Kakashi Hatake, it seemed Yuto Souta had only gotten the ninjutsu scrolls right before they set out.
For a moment, Minato Namikaze started doubting himself...
So,
Was Yuto Souta... dead or not?
...
The scene shifts.
Konoha, still within the Uchiha clan's territory.
Yuto Souta had arrived at Uchiha Obito's house.
Of course he wasn't dead... and he was currently chatting animatedly with Uchiha Obito's grandmother.
She was a kind old lady who, beyond asking after his well-being, was particularly concerned about Yuto Souta's diet.
It had to be said,
Though he hadn't yet turned six, Yuto Souta was already about 1.34 meters tall. He had a fair, clean complexion and didn't look sickly—just a bit thin...
This clearly became the focus of the grandmother's concern.
Yuto Souta patiently assured her he'd eat more meat.
The sunset was beautiful, and the scene was heartwarming.
But perhaps because Yuto Souta had racked up too much bloodshed recently, his luck always seemed to take a turn for the worse.
Just as the old lady and the young boy were happily chatting,
A young man dressed in Uchiha clan attire, wearing a Konoha headband, walked in.
"Old hag, here's your living expenses for the month."
The young Uchiha's face carried a trace of impatience. As he spoke, he pulled a paper bag from his chest and tossed it onto the ground.
Yuto Souta's brow furrowed.
As a science-minded person, he still had basic rationality.
He believed he wouldn't let some nameless small fry, who didn't even deserve a proper introduction, provoke him into impulsive actions that might reveal his true nature.
What would the consequences of that be?
The arrogant Uchiha would pay a price for his behavior, getting beaten to a pulp before crawling back to the clan.
Then, he'd return with his seven aunts and eight uncles, trying to reclaim his dignity and lost face.
After that, he and Uchiha Obito—maybe even Kakashi Hatake—would launch a series of rebellions against the bullying of the larger Uchiha clan.
The situation would escalate. The best outcome would be a handshake and reconciliation, but from then on, he'd be an outcast among the Uchiha.
The worst outcome... he might defect from Konoha even before Itachi was born?
It had to be said, this main mission of destroying the Kannabi Bridge had a profound impact on a science nerd who had only ever beaten people up, never killed.
Yuto Souta's mind ran wild with thoughts, but in the end, his gaze settled on the flimsy paper bag on the ground.
The arrogant Uchiha who'd come to deliver the money hadn't gone far yet.
The old lady, with a helpless expression, bent her hunched body to pick up the paper bag...
It was her and her grandson's living expenses. Her grandson had potential now, having become a ninja, but he wasn't yet at an age to earn money.
He was still growing...
Seeing this, Yuto Souta could no longer stay calm.
He couldn't shake the feeling... that ever since he'd gone out, he'd been targeted?
The Hyuga, the suspected Root Anbu, and now the Uchiha...
Screw it.
Before the old lady could pick up the bag, Yuto Souta grabbed it and placed it in her hands.
"Grandma, wait a moment."
"I'm staying for dinner tonight!"
Yuto Souta's smile was as bright as sunshine.
But the moment he turned around, that smile vanished entirely, replaced by an icy coldness!
Science-style mage ninja, combat mode activated!
Who cares what this guy is—beat him first, figure it out later!
Consequences were too much to think about... He'd already beaten a Hyuga, so what's one more Uchiha?
Rolling up his sleeves, Yuto Souta, pent-up with frustration, prepared to let loose.
But just then... a familiar voice rang out, halting his advance in its tracks.
"Stop right there, you bastard!"
"Who the hell do you think you're looking at with those damn eyes?"
A familiar voice, a familiar vibe—it was none other than a certain spiky-haired kid who'd gone to Yuto Souta's house, found no one, and rushed back home to check.
Only, instead of finding the person he was looking for, he caught sight of an arrogant Uchiha with a disdainful glare.
How could Uchiha Obito, already in a hyped-up state, tolerate that?
Yuto Souta had to admit a truth.
When it came to picking fights and stirring trouble, Uchiha Obito was clearly better at it than he was.
After all, this guy, once he turned dark, was the one who sparked the Fourth Shinobi World War...
Raising an eyebrow, Yuto Souta instantly flickered forward, blocking the young Uchiha's path from behind!
"Obito! This jerk bullied your grandma!"
"Beat him up!"
Yuto Souta spoke the truth and issued the battle command.
"What the—?!"
With a weird shout, Uchiha Obito reflexively pulled out a kunai, chakra at the ready, even his single-tomoe Sharingan flaring to life!
Kakashi Hatake, standing nearby, silently drew his short sword.
This wasn't the first time the three of them had done something like this.
Their coordination was seamless...
But this time, the trio didn't immediately jump into action.
After all, the events of a day ago were still fresh in their minds. Seeing a teammate who'd "died" and come back to life for the first time brought a sense of loss and recovery worth savoring.
So...
"Beat him to a pulp!"
--- Translator Note ---
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