Namikaze Minato was unaware that after he left, the Mist Ninja returned to the battlefield where the fight had taken place.
Minato, worried about Obito's injuries, hadn't questioned Kakashi or the others in detail. Rin, devastated, and Kakashi, injured, hadn't immediately told him that a Tailed Beast was sealed inside Rin.
At the border of the Land of Fire, on a coastal stretch, Minato returned to the camp with Kakashi, Rin, and Obito. The sensory ninja stationed in the camp quickly detected their presence and notified Hatake Sakumo to respond.
Meanwhile, Uzumaki Raiden, who had ventured into Uzushiogakure territory to locate Minato and the others, sensed the movement of the curse mark he had placed on Obito and the group.
"Turn around and head back to camp!"
"Minato and the others have returned!"
Raiden announced to Fugaku, swiftly changing direction and speeding ahead, leaving the group behind. Sensing something amiss, Fugaku ordered his team to hasten their march.
Outside the camp, Hatake Sakumo, accompanied by the medical team, rushed out. Seeing his son, he immediately approached Kakashi with concern.
"Kakashi, are you hurt?"
"Medical team! Check Kakashi's injuries!"
At that moment, Sakumo's focus was solely on his son, ignoring the others. Kakashi, however, pointed toward Obito, lying unconscious nearby, and shouted anxiously:
"Don't worry about me, I'm fine!"
"Check Obito! He's seriously injured, has lost a lot of blood, and is unconscious!"
The medical team, hearing Kakashi's plea, immediately diverted their attention to Obito. After a quick assessment, they began treatment, stemming the bleeding with medical ninjutsu. Another team member rushed back to the camp to prepare plasma and an operating room.
"Rin, Kakashi, let's head back to the camp. Your conditions also need thorough examination," Minato said gently to Kakashi and Rin.
Hearing this, Kakashi suddenly remembered the Tailed Beast sealed within Rin.
"No, Minato-sensei! You can't bring Rin into the camp!"
Kakashi, visibly distressed, forced himself to stand despite his pain. Staggering, he was steadied by Hatake Sakumo, who asked with confusion:
"Why? What's going on?"
"Teacher, there's a Tailed Beast sealed inside me!" Rin said, her voice trembling.
"If I enter the camp, Mist Ninja could break the seal and release the Tailed Beast!"
At these words, Rin covered her mouth, her gaze falling on Obito's injured body as tears streamed down her face.
"A Tailed Beast?!"
The revelation caused an uproar. Even the medical ninjas treating Obito were startled. Hatake Sakumo's team quickly gathered around Rin, their expressions wary.
Minato fell silent, finally piecing together the situation. Now it was clear why Kakashi, Rin, and Obito were being pursued by over twenty Mist Ninja Anbu. Their goal was to retrieve the Three-Tails Jinchūriki.
"I brought Rin back, but Mist Ninja hasn't yet broken the seal to release the Three-Tails," Minato thought.
"That means there are two possibilities. The first is that Mist Ninja cannot unseal it without Rin being present. The second is that they're deliberately waiting for the right moment to act."
Minato considered the situation before instructing:
"Kakashi, return to the camp for treatment. Senior Sakumo, gather the sealing squad and join me to prevent Mist Ninja from breaking the seal. I'll try to sever the connection between Mist Ninja and the seal."
Kakashi protested:
"Minato-sensei, I want to come with you! Rin is Obito's most cherished partner. I must protect her!"
"If… if you fail, teacher…" Kakashi trailed off, his voice faltering.
"Nonsense!" Hatake Sakumo interjected, his voice stern.
"You're injured! Your first priority is healing. If Minato can't handle this, do you think you can? Go back to the camp and recover!"
Sakumo softened his tone and turned to Minato.
"Minato, Raiden and his team are heading back. Let's wait for them to return before making any decisions. With Raiden here, even if the Tailed Beast escapes, we can manage the situation."
Minato nodded but decided to act preemptively.
"Just in case, I'll check the Mist Ninja seal. Kakashi, stand guard outside the barrier," he instructed.
Kakashi reluctantly agreed as the barrier team arrived and began their preparations. Minato reassured Rin:
"Don't worry, Rin. Your teacher will protect you."
He then led Rin and the barrier team away from the camp to a safer location. After signaling the barrier team to construct a defense, Minato examined the Mist Ninja's seal on Rin.
"This seal resembles the Four Symbols Seal but is incomplete—a simplified version that incorporates a curse mark," Minato observed.
Before he could delve further, a sudden surge of chakra erupted from Rin's body. The barrier wasn't ready, and Rin's body began to transform. The monstrous chakra cloaked her in a Tailed Beast shroud, and a tail emerged behind her.
"Not good!" Minato exclaimed as his pupils dilated in alarm.
Far away, Mist Ninja sensed the chakra spike through special techniques.
"Captain, the chakra signal is at the Fire Nation border—likely Konoha's camp. Should we release it?" a Mist Ninja operative asked.
"Heh, since they're in the Land of Fire, release it."
"Notify the higher-ups; the border troops can move out!"
(End of this chapter)
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