An Unknown World

Minato Namikaze

Minato p.o.v

I should never have agreed to take them on this mission, I should have gone alone when Lord Hokage assigned it, he would have understood with how dangerous it was.

Dangerous...More like inevitable death.

I shook my head trying to ignore that detail. I couldn't afford to be careless in this situation. Right now I needed to focus on making sure that the perimeter was secure for the night.

I took the first guard duty for that reason, I didn't want Kakashi to run in to trouble right before our mission began, we were going to need his strength at the gates.

The mission plan was stupid, there was no way that we would get in as refugees, and even if we could, I don't think that Obito could hold a transformation jutsu that long. Not that I didn't have faith in my student, Obito was strong, but transformation was his worst form of ninjutsu. All of them have weaknesses and unfortunately this one could mean life or death for our entire team.

...

I continued through the trees, every 500 feet I would stop to listen more clearly before heading in the next direction. South, West, North, East as I always did, routine was my forte. I wanted to get back to camp and rest, although I made a good show of not being exhausted in the previous 24 hours, I was drained and needed some sleep.

I stopped for a moment after finishing my rounds. The forest was peaceful, in the distance, you could hear the rain, anyone who wasn't a ninja could have never heard it from so far away. It made me remember how close we were to the possible last day of our lives.

As a shinobi, you are aware of the dangers that you will encounter around every turn, the possibility of death on every mission. The life of a shinobi was danger filled, that's why we try not to get close to others and build bonds, we only end up hurting our loved ones in the end. That isn't true for all the village, some of us are willing to risk heartbreak for even five minutes of being with someone that we love and cherish. A lot of former shinobi in our villages have families that they came home to when they were done fighting and that is what some of us younger ones look forward to in the future, we have so much more to fight for when we have these bonds.

I sighed. "I will try to make it home to you Kushina". I thought out loud. I always feel that if I speak into the universe, maybe some miracle will happen. I needed a miracle this time, I hope someone was listening.

I suddenly hated myself for a moment. I hadn't told her the severity of the mission, I made it seem like it would be no problem, that it was just a simple stealth mission, like every other one I have ever done. She had seemed worried, but she always was about me. If I would have told her what I told my students...I can't even begin to imagine what she would have done.

She probably would have taken the same route that Kakashi did when I told him that I was going alone. Saying that we couldn't go on the mission if she beat us to a pulp. She could be so scary when she's angry and upset.

The stillness of the night was calming, but I should get back to my team, I need to check in with them even from afar and make sure that they are....

" Who's there?" I spun around just in time to block the shuriken that came flying at me, sending them flying away with a few clinks.

"If it isn't Konoha's yellow flash." A voice echoing in the trees, seemed to come from all directions. "It's been a long time Minato."

"Who are you...Show yourself!" I didn't recognize his voice. If I could only find him, maybe I would know. An eerie mist rolled through the trees. I had even less visual ability than before. I'll have to rely on my other senses to find this guy.