I Will Become the Wind

CHAPTER 18 | Mission At Kannabi

Obito emerged into Konoha at a safe distance from the meeting place, landing at a hidden spot behind several shops that put him reasonably close to the gates. It was better not to kamui-travel inside the village, especially during the day, but he was already running late. Every old shopkeeper in the Uchiha district would want to say hello if he walked from home.

The street was all clear. Obito trotted onto the main road and toward the gates, where the team would be waiting.

The nerves jangling in his stomach threatened to upend his breakfast, but he had to act normal. If Minato-sensei noticed something was weird, he might ask about it, and Obito had nowhere near the resolve to not let everything come spilling out—

Which is what you should have done to begin with, the nagging voice of doubt inside his head told him. Protecting Rin was more important than this mission, right?

Yes. But if Minato was supposed to make a big move against Iwa today... there was no way to predict what would happen if that part of history didn't get fulfilled.

Should have gone back and asked old-Kakashi more about it.

"You're late," Kakashi said, brutally cutting through Obito's thoughts and Rin's greeting wave.

Yeah, nevermind.

"Sorry I'm late," Obito said in a rush. "I was talking to this old man and kid, and the old man started reminiscing about his wartime days, and—"

"No one wants to hear your stupid excuse," Kakashi said. "We're in a war right now, in case you forgot."

"Kakashi!" Rin said in a hushed voice. She glanced aside at Obito.

"If he's not up for this mission, he should stay home. We don't need anybody dragging us down."

"That's enough. Everyone has a vital role to play in this mission, Kakashi," Minato said. He frowned at them and then shook his head. "Let's go."

It was like that ever since Obito returned from the Lightning Country. Kakashi was even more of an asshole, Rin acted like he might have a breakdown at any moment, and Minato-sensei thought if he ignored the problem, they might eventually get along.

But none of that mattered.

Obito pulled his goggles up over his eyes, mouth set in a grim line of determination. He couldn't let Kakashi get a rise out of him today. Even if the new jounin missed out on a much-needed reality check. Even if the whole team went on favoring Kakashi instead of him.

"I'm not going anywhere," Obito said. "You better get used to it."

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Naruto and Jiraiya waited for hours. Naruto kept pacing around, chafing at their inability to see what was happening on the other side. Jiraiya passed time by talking to Kabuto and asking questions. Kabuto, who always seemed more reserved around adults, warmed up to the Sannin quickly. He told him all about where he came from and how he'd met Obito and Naruto in the future. And about his current situation. Jiraiya seemed genuinely interested.

"So are you planning on staying here forever? Even when you get older?"

"I'll probably never be able to go home," Kabuto admitted. "But I do want to see the outside world sometime. Someday, I think I want to live in one of the other timelines. This body should age naturally, but how long it can live... all we know is it's probably a really long time. It can be destroyed, though, which is good because I don't want to be immortal."