A Trip To The Past

chapter 20

The next day:

"It's healing well. But don't over-exert yourself or you'll open up the wound." Rin warned while wrapping up Kakashi's wound.

"Yeah..."

"Let's start heading out." Minato ordered.

"Hai!"

~time skip~

"We'll be splitting up from this point. Good luck to you all. The enemy the other day was doing surveillance alone. But from here on out, we'll be fighting teams. Be careful..."

"Let's get going... Captain." Obito said a blush on his cheeks, shocking everyone. Minato and Aimi, who was still watching from a far, smiled at his effort.

"All right... Let's go!" Minato ordered.

"Hai!"

"Scatter!" He said and all of them started making their way to their destination.

They were currently walking across a stream keeping their guard up.

"Hey..." an iwa nin said. "Mahiru went out for surveillance and hasn't come back. You don't think those young brats killed him, do you?"

"Well then, let's ask them." His teammate responded. "Camouflage jutsu..."

Kakashi stops when he smelled the enemy. Obito used the fireball jutsu to burn all the bamboo shots heading their way. The enemy ninja appeared and Kakashi engaged the enemy, while the other ninja grabbed Rin. Her scream alerted Obito and Kakashi, who stop fighting the enemy.

"We're taking this one." The ninja said, carrying the unconscious Rin.

Obito growled while Kakashi yelled at them to wait when he saw they were about to leave, but it was pointless and they disappeared in a poof of smoke.

"Damn it!!" Obito cursed and charged after them.

"Obito! Don't go after them!" Kakashi ordered.

"What?!" Obito demanded, turning around to face Kakashi. "Do you realize what you just said?!"

"Yeah... The two of us will continue this mission." Kakashi said.

"And Rin? What about Rin?!" Obito demanded.

"Rin comes later. The enemy wants to find out what we're up to. They won't kill her right away. And luckily, Rin is a medical ninja. So even if she ends up a prisoner of war, she'll probably be treated cordially... On the condition that she treat the wounded on their side. The problem is if the enemy learns our strategy. If they obtain that information, no doubt, they'll immediately increase the security on the bridge. That will make our mission much more difficult."

"You're assuming Rin's safety under baseless assumptions! What if those guys are lackeys who don't give a damn?!" Obito argued. "Right now, saving Rin takes priority over the mission!"

Meanwhile, Aimi was restraining herself from doing something stupid as Kurama would say.

"A ninja must sacrifice a comrade in order to complete the mission. That is the rule. If we fail in this mission, it is possible that the war will be prolonged and many more lives will be sacrificed."

"That is just an assumption! And for something like that, you're willing to simply abandon a comrade who's been through life and death with you?!" Obito asked, outraged. "When you and I were wounded, Rin saved our lives with her medical ninjutsu! If she hadn't been there, we'd be dead by now!"

"That was Rin's duty." Kakashi stated, his eyes shadowed. Obito sucker punched him in the face causing him to fly backwards and hit the ground.

"I don't like you, after all!" Obito yelled.

"I don't care. I'm the captain. You will obey me. Whatever the situation, in order to keep the team together, one person gives the orders. That's why we have the rule that states that members must obey the team captain. Obito, you're not strong. That's why I was chosen as captain of this team." He said and Obito grabbed him by the shirt.

"Then why won't you try to save Rin?! As captain, you're strong. Strong enough to rescue your comrades, right?!" Obito demanded.

"If you give into your emotions even for a moment and fail your mission, you will regret it later. That is why our code of conduct forbids any emotional feelings. You should know that." Kakashi said, his face blank.

"Rin... Rin was concerned about your well-being. That's why she gave you that medkit. She even sewed on a protective amulet inside it!"

"The medkit and medical ninjutsu are brilliant systems by Konoha in order to increase the success rate of our missions. But I told you yesterday, didn't I? Getting something useless would only get in the way."

"Something useless?" Obito repeated and Kakashi nodded his head.

"To carry out his mission, useful tools are essential for a ninja. Something like emotions are useless."

"Are you serious?!" Obito asked, unable to understand Kakashi's way of thinking. "Do you seriously believe that?!" Kakashi's eyes were filled with sadness and he looks away not able to look Obito in the eyes. He remembered his father and what happened to him. He hardened his resolve and looked back at Obito.

"Yeah... I do..."

"Forget it. You and I have been like water and oil from the start. I'm going to rescue Rin!"

"You don't understand anything!" Kakashi yelled. "Not about what happens if you break the rules." Obito stopped in his tracks, but doesn't turn around.

"I believe that the white fang was a true hero." Obito stated causing Kakashi's eyes to widen and a gust of wind blew past them. "It's true that in the ninja world, those who break the rules and regulations are regarded as scum... But... those who abandon their comrades are worst than scum!" He stated, giving Kakashi a quick glance. "I'm going to be trash anyway, so I choose to break the rules. And if that doesn't make me a true ninja..." He says before he started walking off again. "Than I'll crush this so called 'ninja'!!" Kakashi watched him leave before slowly turning his back to him and the two go their separate ways.

Aimi looked at Kakashi for a brief second before following Obito.