Chapter 18: Good Luck
Uchiha Obito's death didn't halt the progress of their mission. The tasks assigned by the village still had to go on—especially one as critical as this.
This mission could potentially end the war early—or at the very least, it could halt the entire Third Great Ninja War.
Uchiha Kei had already mentally prepared himself for it. Besides, he was the designated alternate for the team assigned to carry it out.
In the event of casualties or unexpected events, the Third Hokage had authorized Namikaze Minato to recruit replacement members and assign them to complete the mission.
It was clear just how seriously the upper ranks of Konoha regarded this operation. Kei never even considered the possibility of backing out.
After resting well for the night, he quickly regrouped with his team and got ready to depart.
This time, however, he felt far more confident. Now that he had the Mangekyō Sharingan—a truly overwhelming power—he wasn't afraid to reveal his Sharingan anymore.
Unlike before, he didn't have to hide in the shadows.
Though he still didn't dare use his full abilities, and his understanding of the Mangekyō was practically zero, the sheer presence of such power gave him solid ground to stand on.
Would revealing the Sharingan land him on Konoha's blacklist?
So what? Worst case scenario, he'd slap a kunai onto his forehead protector—let's see who gets more nervous then.
Still, I can't get cocky. The Mangekyō is just the beginning. I haven't even awakened Susano'o yet, and I'm still unfamiliar with my eye techniques. I need to study this more carefully.
Kei remained clear-headed. He didn't let the power get to his head.
He wasn't like Itachi Uchiha, who pushed himself regardless of the toll it took.
And he certainly wasn't like Sasuke, who could recklessly burn through his eyesight, and just swap in his brother's eyes when needed.
Kei had no brother to fall back on. Eternal Mangekyō wasn't even in the picture—at least for now.
But he wasn't discouraged either. He'd already taken the hardest step. With this foundation, he could bide his time and prepare for what's to come.
After packing up, Kei called Ayaka and Kenta to head over to Namikaze Minato's camp.
By now, Minato had clearly become the top commander for all the shinobi in their area. Even senior ninja like Yamanaka Masato had no objections.
As soon as everyone gathered, Minato got straight to the point:
"Here's the situation. We wiped out a large group of Iwa-nin in our last skirmish. That's bound to draw their attention.
So we need to move faster. Yamanaka-san, I'm assigning you the task of drawing the enemy's focus. Create distractions and buy us some time."
"Understood, Captain Namikaze."
Masato nodded calmly, showing no hesitation or disagreement.
"Kei-kun, please stay behind."
Just as Kei was about to follow Masato's team, Minato suddenly called out to him.
"I have a new mission for you three."
"A new mission?" Kei blinked in surprise, while Ayaka and Kenta exchanged worried looks.
It didn't take a genius to guess: if everyone else was being sent out and their team was being kept behind, it likely meant they were being given a tougher assignment.
The three of them started processing the situation rapidly. It didn't take long for their hearts to sink.
Minato's team was originally made up of four people, but at present, only three were left active.
With the front lines strained, and Minato possessing the Flying Thunder God technique, he could teleport between locations at will.
Not making full use of that ability would be wasteful.
This also allowed them to present a strategic illusion: make it seem like Minato was stationed solely at the front lines, keeping the Iwa-nin from suspecting any moves in their rear.
Now, with one team member lost, the remaining three should've continued the mission.
But the circumstances had changed. Kei's team had recently rescued a large number of Konoha shinobi.
This drastically reduced the burden on the decoy units tasked with distracting the enemy.
And those rescued ninja? They could now serve as reserves.
With sufficient manpower, there was no longer a need for Kakashi and Rin to complete the mission alone.
This shift allowed Minato to focus on suppressing Iwa-nin at the front, while still ensuring the mission behind enemy lines went smoothly.
As for why Kei's team was chosen?
The reason was obvious.
With members from the Uchiha and Hyuga—two powerful dōjutsu clans—and considerable combat experience, their squad was an ideal choice.
Not to mention, Kei was Kakashi's classmate, and Ayaka and Kenta were only a year or two older. Close enough in age to communicate easily.
That familiarity, along with their eye techniques, made them perfect for the job.
The three quickly pieced all this together, and for a moment, their expressions subtly shifted. Oddly enough, they felt… relieved.
All things considered, this mission might be the safest one available.
The original decoy squad was now vastly larger, and they had Minato—an overwhelming force—ready to assist at any time.
Compared to running around trying to draw enemy fire with no backup, this was definitely the better deal.
Sure, it was still dangerous. But at least this time, they had insurance.
Ayaka and Kenta glanced at Kei. If he hadn't 'conveniently' awakened his Sharingan at the right time, this opportunity might never have come to them.
Of course, there was also the chance their team would've been split up—but that wasn't ideal. Unfamiliar squads thrown together on short notice?
That was just a recipe for disaster in a warzone.
As expected, Minato spoke up again:
"I'm assigning you to a top-secret mission. This task is of utmost importance—it could determine the entire outcome of the war.
I need to requisition your squad for it. Any objections?"
"None!"
All three responded in unison.
"Good."
Minato nodded in approval. His tone then turned serious.
"This mission is highly dangerous. Kei-kun, since your team is still intact, I'm assigning you as squad leader.
Now, listen carefully while I explain the details."
"Me, the squad leader?" Kei was slightly taken aback but quickly nodded.
"Understood. I'm listening."