Chapter 24: Are You Junior Brother Su Li?!
"How could it be Obito... Obito, he's not... he's not—"
Namikaze Minato's expression twisted in disbelief.He was clearly struggling to accept what he'd just heard.
In his mind, only Uchiha Madara should have possessed that level of power.
"You're thinking that he died, right?" Su Li said calmly. "No. On the contrary—he survived the Battle of Kannabi Bridge. Not only that, he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, which granted him the ability to let attacks pass through his body by turning intangible."
"..."
Hearing that, Minato fell silent.He couldn't deny the truth of Su Li's words.
Identities could be hidden—but abilities could not be faked.
He had never imagined that the mastermind who killed both himself and Kushina would turn out to be his own disciple.
Kushina had loved Obito so dearly—and yet, without a trace of hesitation, he had extracted the Nine Tails from her body.
"...Why did it become like this?"
Namikaze Minato's voice trembled.He couldn't understand.
"If Obito was still alive, why didn't he return to Konoha? Everyone missed him... so why do something like this?"
"This is a long story," Su Li replied. "But to put it simply—it's because he wanted to recreate a world where Rin exists."
"Rin?"
"Yes. Uchiha Madara saved Obito during the Battle of Kannabi Bridge. At that time, Obito truly wanted to return to Konoha... but Madara manipulated everything. He made Rin into the Three Tails' Jinchūriki, and she ended up dying by Kakashi's hand. Obito witnessed the entire thing—and that's when he awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan."
"I see... Rin..."
Namikaze Minato's gaze softened with sorrow.Of his three disciples, one had died for the village, and another had betrayed it.
"Where's Kakashi? Is Kakashi all right?"
"Kakashi's fine. He's still alive."
"Ugh..."
That, at least, was a small comfort amidst tragedy.Kakashi's survival was a blessing.
Now that he knew the masked man's true identity was Obito,as Obito's teacher, Namikaze Minato resolved to find him—and ask him directly.
"Speaking of which," Su Li said, "during your battle with Obito, you left a Flying Thunder God mark on him, didn't you? Can you still sense it now?"
He remembered the line from the original story—the Flying Thunder God mark was said to be permanent.
"..."
Namikaze Minato closed his eyes and tried.
Then he shook his head.
"No... I can't sense it. It must be too far away. And even if I could, I wouldn't be able to teleport to him in one jump. The longer the distance, the more chakra Flying Thunder God consumes. I don't have that much chakra right now."
"I see."
Su Li nodded. Minato's answer didn't surprise him.
After all, if Minato could locate Obito,he wouldn't have needed to travel together with the First, Second, and Third Hokage when he was revived through Edo Tensei later.
This only confirmed that the Flying Thunder God technique had its limits.
"Well, if you can't feel it, you can't feel it. It doesn't matter—you'll meet him eventually. Anyway—"
Seeing that Minato's mood was still down, Su Li shrugged, then tossed him another coin.
Minato caught it instinctively.
"...What is this?"
"A Resurrection Coin," Su Li replied. "I used one to bring you back. You can use that one to resurrect Uzumaki Kushina."
"Resurrection... coin?!"
Minato stared at the shining object in disbelief.
After realizing what Su Li meant, he almost dropped it out of pure shock.
Was there really such a miraculous item in the world?
And yet—he couldn't doubt Su Li.After all, he had been dead just moments ago.
"This time, don't die so easily," Su Li added. "I only had two Resurrection Coins. If you die again, there won't be another chance."
Even though Su Li still had one more coin and Emperor Keke in reserve,he didn't want Minato to take his own life lightly just because resurrection was possible.
Besides—that would cheapen the meaning of being brought back.
"...Thank you."
Minato finally spoke after a long pause.There was much he wanted to say, but all he could manage was a quiet, heartfelt smile.
He knew how precious these coins were.Su Li had used two of them in a row—one for him, and one for Kushina.
Such a debt of kindness was not something Minato could ever forget.
"By the way," he said after a moment, "how should I address you? Based on your age, you must have been a student around the time I died. But... I don't remember ever seeing you in Konoha."
"Me?"
Su Li smirked faintly, a playful look crossing his face.
"Technically, we've known each other for years—but this is our first time meeting in person, Brother Minato."
Known each other for years...?First time meeting...?Brother Minato...?
Realization dawned on Minato's face.A joyful expression spread across it, his eyes lighting up.
"You're—Junior Brother Su Li?!"