"Kyoichi, you…"
Minato let out a helpless smile. Looking at Kyoichi, he honestly didn't know what he was supposed to say.
"Don't worry, Minato-senpai. I'll go easy on him." Kyoichi replied.
Those words instantly set Obito off.
"Who needs you to go easy on anyone?!"
He growled under his breath.
"If you want to go easy on me, I wouldn't mind." Kyoichi said lightly.
"Keep dreaming."
Obito snapped instinctively.
"See? Since you don't plan to hold back, naturally that means I'll be the one who has to."
"Kyoichi, you—!"
Obito was practically smoking with rage, and if Kakashi hadn't grabbed his shoulder, he probably would've thrown a Fireball straight at Kyoichi.
At that moment—
"Obito, calm down."
Nohara Rin's voice finally cooled him a little.
Seeing Obito fuming and Kyoichi smiling so cheerfully, Minato sighed.
"If I'd known… I wouldn't have accepted this mission."
He was beginning to regret taking on the assignment to escort Kirigakure's delegation.
In truth, when he first saw Kyoichi's name listed among the Kirigakure's envoys, he had already considered turning down the mission.
As their teacher, he knew Obito still hadn't gotten over what happened in the Land of Grass.
But clearly… he underestimated the depth of Obito's resentment toward Koeda Kyoichi.
The moment the two reunited, sparks were already flying.
"It wouldn't have mattered, Sensei."
Kakashi spoke quietly beside him. "Even if you didn't accept the mission, as long as Obito knew Koeda Kyoichi was in the village, he would've gone looking for trouble anyway. Better to let it happen now while it's still manageable."
"…You actually make sense."
Minato thought it over and couldn't deny Kakashi was right.
With Obito's personality, conflict with Kyoichi was inevitable—mission or not.
Better to handle it here than let it erupt in the village and cause political friction.
Under normal circumstances, everyone in Konoha should stand united when facing the Mist.
But Obito is an Uchiha.
If he acted recklessly, a few people who disliked the Uchiha might even support the Kiri side out of spite.
"All right, Obito. Since you and Kyoichi already agreed to settle things once we're back in the village, then behave yourself for now. If you try anything again… I'll put you under house discipline the moment we return. You'll stay there until the Kirigakure delegation leaves."
Minato's tone hardened with authority befitting a teacher.
"Sensei, I—"
"Hm?"
Minato shot him a look.
Obito immediately shriveled.
"…Yes. I understand."
"That's better."
Minato nodded in satisfaction. Then he turned to Kyoichi. "Kyoichi, stop provoking Obito too. He was wrong to speak rudely, but since you intend to settle things in a spar later… let's keep things civil for now."
Minato knew very well—
Obito's strength had improved dramatically since the Grass mission…
But against Kyoichi?
His chances were slim.
If they weren't, Kyoichi would never have proposed the spar himself.
"Don't worry, Minato-senpai. I'm one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist now. For the sake of the village, I wouldn't dare go too far."
Kyoichi smiled pleasantly.
"That's good to hear."
Minato nodded and stopped pressing the matter, turning to speak with Anjō Oniyuzu instead.
And so, after agreeing to settle things once they returned to Konoha, Obito finally calmed down and followed behind Minato without further incident.
With the little conflict resolved, Oniyuzu and Minato resumed chatting as though nothing had happened.
Soon after,
the two groups set off together.
More accurately—
Minato's team escorted the Kirigakure delegation toward Konoha.
Meanwhile—
as their figures faded into the distance along the broad, open highway,
a gigantic pitcher-plant emerged from the trunk of a large tree by the roadside.
Within its leaves, a half-black, half-white face opened its eyes, staring at the disappearing group.
This pitcher-plant was Zetsu—
the combined form of Black Zetsu and White Zetsu.
"No opportunity at all."
White Zetsu complained.
They had been watching in secret for quite a while, yet still couldn't find a moment to approach Mizushiro, who was hidden among the group. They could only watch helplessly as Konoha and the Kiri departed together.
"No need to rush."
Black Zetsu's voice oozed cold patience.
"This is only the beginning. There's plenty of time. Negotiations between the Kirigakure and Konoha won't end quickly, and they won't stay together forever. Sooner or later, there will be a chance."
"Well, that's true."
White Zetsu nodded. Then he chuckled. "Still, Afu's disguise really is impressive. Not a single flaw!"
"All right, enough chatter. We should follow them. Time is plentiful, but the sooner we begin, the better. Asu worked hard to delay Uchiha Hatoha from recovering too quickly… we should start his evaluation as soon as possible."
Everything was ready—
they only needed a catalyst.
And that "east wind"
was Mizushiro, currently holding the title of a Mist Seven Ninja Swordsman.
"True enough. I heard Asu's been so exhausted lately he's practically growing a new brain… I wonder if that Hatoha can pass the test…"
White Zetsu muttered.
"If Hatoha fails… then we'll have no choice but to set our sights on Uchiha Obito next."
Black Zetsu said suddenly.
"Huh?"
White Zetsu blinked. "Is that necessary? That Uchiha Obito already awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan. He won't be easy to handle!"
"Then pray Hatoha succeeds."
Black Zetsu said solemnly.
The Third Shinobi World War had ended.
Hunting Uchiha in the open was no longer easy.
If Uchiha Hatoha failed to awaken the Mangekyō…
they would be in real trouble.
"Let's hope everything goes smoothly."
Black Zetsu sighed faintly.
Then—
the pitcher-plant slowly sank back into the tree trunk,
leaving no trace behind.
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