Minato was momentarily speechless.
However, after thinking for a moment, he smiled calmly, "Obito, you're right. In reality, everyone's so-called justice is ultimately driven by their own interests. Shinobi are indeed just tools for carrying out missions, and missions themselves have no inherent justice or injustice."
"However...", Minato paused for a moment, his gaze firm, "We still need to uphold Konoha's justice."
Minato pointed toward the distant village, "Let's take the most extreme example. Even if Konoha were just this small mountain village, we would still protect it. Because we are part of this village, we grew up here. We've long since become one with it—its prosperity is our prosperity, and its decline is our decline, isn't that right?"
Obito sighed emotionally, "Minato-sensei, you're kind, but not naive. This perspective explains the relationship between us and the village very well, it's actually quite convincing."
"Exactly. Instead of talking about grand ideals and constantly preaching about what's best for the ninja world, it's better to focus on reality. We were raised by Konoha, so it's only natural for us to give back to Konoha."
"Sarutobi Hiruzen made the right decision in this matter. Minato-sensei, you truly are the best choice for the Fourth Hokage."
Minato's face darkened, "Obito, now that your true nature is exposed, you're not even pretending anymore? That's the Third Hokage, at the very least, show some respect."
Obito sighed, "Minato-sensei, I know that blaming you in my past life was wrong. But did Kakashi ever tell you the specific reason? Probably not, because he himself wasn't fully aware."
Minato was taken aback and frowned, "Obito, what exactly happened?"
Obito continued, "When I learned that Rin had been kidnapped by Kirigakure and that Kakashi had gone to rescue her, I was frantic. I ran from the vicinity of the Mountain Graveyard, dashing madly along the borders of the Land of Fire, practically crossing half the country, before finally reaching the coastline near Kirigakure's inner territory."
"There, I personally witnessed Kakashi using Chidori to kill Rin."
"If I had arrived just a moment earlier, I might have been able to prevent the tragedy," Obito's breathing became erratic, "That location was clearly closer to Konoha. Konoha should have received the information even earlier than I did, yet I almost made it there in time. Why was there no reinforcements from Konoha?"
"How was I supposed to make sense of that?"
"As I was running, I kept thinking, 'Has Minato-sensei arrived yet?' Why was I checking? Because with your speed, sensei, you should have been able to provide support much faster than me. But in the end, you never appeared."
Obito chuckled bitterly, "That was the reason I blamed you back then. Of course, I know now that maybe you never received the intel, or perhaps you were carrying out some crucial mission and simply couldn't leave..."
"But regardless, at that moment, what was Konoha doing? And what role did Sarutobi Hiruzen play in all of this?", Obito grew angrier as he spoke, "The Third Great Ninja War was nearing its end at the time. Did he secretly make some kind of agreement with Kirigakure for the sake of so-called peace? Is that why he abandoned Rin and Kakashi? Is that why Kakashi had to go rescue her alone?"
"It's absolutely chilling. I had just been marked as dead on the Memorial Stone, and right after that, our team was discarded by the higher-ups. I couldn't help but wonder, why should Rin have to sacrifice herself to secure such a hypocritical peace? A village like this… it doesn't deserve her," Obito's words made Minato furrow his brows tightly. He knew where the Mountain Graveyard was, it was close to the Land of Earth, separated from the Land of Water by most of the Land of Fire.
If Obito could make it from the Mountain Graveyard to Kirigakure's inner region, then there was no reason why Konoha's shinobi couldn't.
The fact that Kakashi was the only one who went on the rescue mission already spoke volumes. There really might have been something fishy about this situation...
Minato awkwardly scratched the back of his head, "Obito, I really don't know what happened in the future. No wonder, in the Fourth Great Ninja War, when Kakashi tried to kill you, I stopped him. Maybe I truly did have some unspoken guilt back then."
"Hahaha, the Third Hokage really did some heartless things in the name of peace, didn't he?"
Obito nodded, "Sarutobi Hiruzen's chilling actions weren't just one or two instances."
"Forget about the Hatake Sakumo incident. Later on, when the delegation from the Land of Lightning came to Konoha to sign a peace treaty, they suddenly turned hostile on Konoha's turf and attempted to kidnap the Hyuga clan's young princess, only to be stopped and killed on the spot by Hyuga Hiashi."
"And then… Kumogakure refused to let the matter go. They twisted the story and demanded that the Third Hokage hand over the 'murderer.'"
"Guess what Sarutobi Hiruzen did?"
"He actually swallowed his pride for the sake of peace, agreeing to Kumogakure's demand and offering up Hyuga Hiashi."
"He was the Hyuga clan's leader. If not for Hiashi's younger brother, Hyuga Hizashi, taking his place, Konoha would have suffered a devastating loss, not just diplomatically, but morally. It was utterly disgraceful!"
Minato's face darkened, and his fists clenched tightly, barely containing his anger.
If Konoha surrendered one of their own just because Kumogakure demanded it, then what was next? If they could hand over the Hyuga clan's leader today, could they hand over the Uchiha clan's leader tomorrow? And then the Akimichi, Yamanaka, Nara clans…?
"The Third Hokage was incredibly foolish. Something like this should never have been compromised on. When did this happen?"
Obito sighed bitterly, "After the Nine-Tails attack."
"So I bear part of the responsibility for that, too. Konoha suffered immense damage at the time, and Minato-sensei, you had already died. With the Third Hokage's weak personality, perhaps he truly didn't have the courage to go to war with Kumogakure."
Minato shook his head, "I see now. Maybe the Third Hokage was no longer fit to lead. If I had been Hokage, and Kumogakure dared to pull something like that, I would have made them understand the true meaning of consequences!"
Obito sighed, "Unfortunately, Minato-sensei, you were already dead by then. If you had been there… everything would have been different."
Obito lifted his head, his gaze unwavering, "Minato-sensei, in this life, I will do everything I can to atone for my mistakes."
"I will protect Rin and Kakashi with my own hands. And you, Minato-sensei, you can now chase your ambitions without hesitation. Please, you must become the Fourth Hokage. Only with you in that position can Konoha truly rise."
Minato flashed a confident smile, "Alright, Obito. I promise you, I will do my best to become Hokage. After all, that is my dream."
Kakashi, standing to the side, gave him a deadpan look, "Hey, who needs protection from you, anyway?"
Obito snorted, "A guy who couldn't even protect Rin has no right to talk."
Kakashi grew increasingly annoyed, "I already said, it hasn't happened yet. Stop pinning a crime on me that I haven't even committed!"
Seeing the two about to start arguing again, Rin quickly stepped forward to stop them, "Alright, enough! You two, stop fighting. We're still on a mission."
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