Kakashi-Five elements

Late at night, the Hokage's office was lit dimly by flickering lanterns, casting long shadows across the room. Inside, the atmosphere was tense and solemn. The silence was broken only by the rustling of parchment and the occasional creak of the wooden floor.

Kneeling on the tatami floor were Konoha's three powerful elders—Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Sarutobi Hiruzen himself. Between them was a large, detailed map of the Land of Fire and the surrounding nations.

For over a month, Konoha had been entangled in a brutal three-front war against the combined might of Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure. The scale of this conflict was unprecedented, and the strain on their military forces had reached a critical point.

Thankfully, in a strategic move early in the war, Sarutobi Hiruzen had sent Namikaze Minato on a diplomatic mission to Sunagakure. His goal was to persuade the Sand Shinobi to join their side. That effort had paid off.

Because of the Sand Shinobi's involvement, the Cloud Shinobi were forced to split their attention and engage them on a different front. This allowed Konoha to avoid being overwhelmed by a full-scale assault from all three enemy nations at once.

In return for their alliance, Konoha made a show of good faith. The Third Hokage had personally ordered Orochimaru to lead the elite Hokage Guard to the Sand frontlines in support of their new allies.

On the Mist front, Uchiha Fugaku and the Uchiha clan had been deployed to combat the forces of Kirigakure.

But the most difficult battlefield of all was located in Kusagakure—where the Rock Shinobi had launched a fierce invasion. Here, Hyuga Hizashi led the Hyuga branch family, various smaller clans, and many civilian ninja in a desperate struggle to resist the advance.

This war front was the most dangerous, and Konoha's forces were stretched thin.

Mitokado Homura leaned forward and pointed at a specific location on the map.

"According to the Intelligence Division's analysis, this location is critical for the enemy's logistics and supply chain."

He tapped the map, his expression grave.

"Kannabi Bridge?" Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured, adjusting his Hokage hat. Smoke drifted lazily from the pipe he held between his fingers as he studied the marked point with sharp eyes.

"Yes," Utatane Koharu said firmly. "If we can destroy this bridge, we'll cripple Iwagakure's ability to maintain its offensive momentum."

Sarutobi nodded. "Then we must formulate a battle plan to eliminate this location as soon as possible."

Homura frowned, rubbing his chin. "The frontlines are stretched thin. We don't have the resources to send a large unit."

"Exactly," Hiruzen agreed. "We'll need to send a small, elite team."

He looked between the two elders before continuing.

"Order Jonin Namikaze Minato to lead a team comprised of Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, and Nohara Rin. They will form a four-man squad for this mission."

Homura raised an eyebrow. "Minato is a good choice, no doubt. But those kids? Aren't they a bit young for such a dangerous mission?"

"We don't have many options left," Sarutobi replied, exhaling a long puff of smoke. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides, we've already witnessed Kakashi's strength. He's a Jonin now, and the others aren't ordinary genin either."

Koharu nodded in agreement. "If they move quickly and quietly, they might succeed where a larger force would be too obvious."

Sarutobi stood up, his decision made.

"In that case, inform Minato's team to mobilize immediately. The mission begins at once."

---

The Next Morning – In the Forest Outside Konoha

A cool breeze rustled the leaves of the Konoha Forest as morning light filtered through the canopy.

"Oh no! I'm gonna be late again!"

A boy with messy black hair and trademark goggles leaped from branch to branch, his breath ragged and his heart pounding. Fully equipped and carrying his ninja pack, Uchiha Obito was in full sprint.

"If I keep going like this, I'm gonna die of exhaustion! Is it too late already?!"

As he dashed forward, a thin wire hidden across two tree branches suddenly caught his leg. With a startled yelp, he tumbled forward, flipping through the air before crashing face-first into the ground below with a heavy thud.

"Ouch… That's gonna leave a mark…"

Ignoring the dirt and the pain, Obito quickly scrambled to his feet. Ahead of him stood a familiar figure, arms crossed and looking unimpressed.

"No surprise here. You're late again, Obito," said Hatake Kakashi, his silver hair swaying slightly as he reached out a hand to help his teammate up.

Obito grabbed the hand and dusted himself off. "I had a very good reason this time! An old lady carrying luggage asked me for directions—on my way here! I had to help her!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "And the dust just happened to get into your eyes, huh?"

"Exactly!" Obito said dramatically, pulling off his goggles and taking out a tiny vial of eye drops from his pouch. He quickly administered them, blinking rapidly. "You have no idea how much I cherish these eyes now…"

Behind them, Minato sat calmly on a large rock, his green Jonin vest freshly pressed. He smiled as he watched the two bicker.

"Well, at least you helped someone, right?" he said with a chuckle. "That's very much in the spirit of the Leaf."

Obito nodded proudly. "Not only did I give her directions—I carried her luggage too!"

Minato stood, clapping his hands to gather attention.

"All right, that's enough. Let's move out!"

He led the group forward, walking briskly.

"Since Kakashi is a Jonin now, the village has decided to split up our operations. Due to the current shortage of manpower, we need to divide our forces more efficiently."

Obito blinked. "We're splitting up?"

Minato nodded. "Yes. For this mission, Kakashi will serve as team captain and lead you and Rin. I'll be operating solo on a different task."

"What?! Kakashi's the captain?" Obito exclaimed, clearly caught off guard.

But before he could argue further, Minato raised a hand. "This is a direct order from the Hokage. Trust each other and support one another. I know you can do this."

---

Three Days Later – Near the Border of the Land of Fire

After days of travel, the team arrived near the border.

Minato called a halt and spread out a map on the grass.

"We're almost at the front lines. Let's take a break here, and I'll go over the mission details one last time."

The three students gathered around.

"Here's the route Iwagakure is using to push into Kusagakure," Minato explained, pointing at the red line across the map. "Thousands of Rock Shinobi are advancing through this path."

He looked up seriously.

"Reinforcements from the Land of Fire and the Hidden Grass Village are on their way, but it might be too late by the time they arrive. The enemy has already made deep progress."

Rin frowned thoughtfully.

"Based on how smoothly they've been moving, their supply lines must be very strong."

Minato nodded. "Exactly. Which brings us to our objective: Kannabi Bridge. This is a vital supply route for the enemy. If we destroy the bridge, we can seriously hinder their operation."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

"So this is an infiltration mission."

His mind flickered to the stories he had heard, and vague memories surfaced. Something important happened here in the past… something involving Obito.

Minato continued, "Your mission is to slip behind enemy lines, destroy Kannabi Bridge, and evacuate immediately."

All three students stood up straight.

"Yes, sir!" they said in unison.

Obito looked uncertain for a moment.

"Sensei, what about you?"

"I'll be heading to the front lines to support the main forces," Minato replied. "My job is to create a distraction, drawing the enemy's attention and firepower away from you."

He looked at each of them in turn.

"Kakashi, as captain, the team's safety and success rest on your leadership. Rin, Obito—watch each other's backs. Once we reach the enemy border, we split up."

Minato extended his right hand.

The three students each placed their hands atop his, forming a firm, unified stack.

"Let's do this. For the safety of the village—and for our future."

"Right!"

---

To Be Continued...

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