Naruto: The Abstract Strategist of the Akatsuki

"Minato, what's going on?"

Hashirama stared in astonishment at Minato's reaction.

He had considered that Minato might blame him, or he might invite him to help rescue Rin and atone for his sins.

I never expected Minato to have such a relieved expression on his face.

What does that mean?

This doesn't look like they're planning to save her at all.

"Senior, this is Lin's own choice, her own awareness. Saving the world and fighting against the imperial court is not just our responsibility, but the responsibility of everyone in the world."

Watergate provided an explanation.

"...So, you're not going to save her?"

Hashirama still wanted to hear Minato say it himself.

"Save her? She's not really imprisoned; she threw herself into it voluntarily. If I go and bring her back, I'm not saving her; I'm preventing her from realizing her ambitions."

Minato shook his head.

"Now I don't need to worry about anything anymore. I just need to find Tsunade to treat Kakashi... Hmm?"

As Minato was speaking, he suddenly saw Hashirama hand him a note.

After delivering the item, he jumped out of the window and left.

The note instructed him to test Obito one last time before leaving, and then make his own judgment.

This was Hashirama Senju's final warning.

If Minato doesn't realize this, he'll have no chance.

Before leaving, Hashirama had already discovered Obito eavesdropping outside.

Yes, that's right. After Obito returned from Madara's place, he happened to hear Minato's last few words.

This includes Minato's decision not to "rescue" Rin, and he even came up with a high-sounding reason.

This fueled Obito's hatred.

The next day, Minato found Obito and began to probe him as Hashirama Senju had instructed the day before.

"Obito, Kakashi's injuries are not optimistic. We must find the divine healer Tsunade to save him."

Obito, could you please deliver this letter to my closest friend and ask him to make the trip for me...?

"Master! After what's happened, do you still want others to take risks? Lin hasn't been rescued yet; doing this will only harm more people!"

Obito interrupted Minato Namikaze with a look of grief and indignation.

"Obito, you mean...?"

"Master, I'll take on the task of protecting Kakashi. You should go there yourself. Only you are not afraid of being intercepted by the imperial court and can bring the divine doctor back."

"Obito, you're right. I'll go pack my things."

Minato Namikaze agreed with Obito's statement.

Water Gate returned to the house.

His test was successful.

As expected, Obito was unwilling to go.

As Hashirama once said, Obito is a member of the imperial court. If he were to seek out the divine physician, he would not be ambushed, but he would also expose Tsunade's location.

Minato never intended for Obito to go, but Obito, unaware of this, still refused.

It was so that he would go in person.

What is it for?

Should they take this opportunity to have the imperial court intercept and kill him?

Minato Namikaze's test was successful, but he still held onto a sliver of hope for Obito.

Since Hashirama-senpai said yesterday that Rin's capture was her own choice, it means that Obito did not betray his friend, that he still has humanity, and that he can still be redeemed.

Even if Obito reveals his whereabouts to the imperial court this time, he will only be the one targeted for encirclement and assassination.

Perhaps Obito defected to the imperial court simply because he saw no hope of resisting it.

If he returns unharmed, Obito might change his mind and reform.

With this in mind, Minato Namikaze embarked on his journey.

Throughout the journey, Minato Namikaze remained hidden, constantly on guard against counter-surveillance.

Even when they stopped at an inn for a rest, they only ate the dry rations they carried with them, fearing that the inn's food might contain sleeping pills.

And so, without any incident, he arrived at the tavern where Tsunade was.

However, Minato did not go directly to find Tsunade.

He is now confused.

Why haven't we seen a single pursuer along the way?

It went by so smoothly, it was almost unbelievable.

Hashirama asked him to test Obito, and he found out that Obito intended to let him out. This means that Obito wanted to use this opportunity to have the imperial forces intercept and kill him.

Was Obito's real purpose not to intercept and kill him, but to follow him to find Tsunade?

This made Minato Namikaze hesitate; he didn't know whether he should reveal himself.

After thinking it over, he decided to play it safe and wait until nightfall to sneak in, find Tsunade, and explain the situation.

Everything went extremely smoothly.

Minato Namikaze found Tsunade at night, presented Jiraiya's token, and revealed his identity.

Tsunade was unwilling to leave the tavern. After listening to Minato describe Kakashi's injuries, she casually tossed him a homemade medicine and sent him away.

Minato knew this was the legendary miraculous medicine, and after thanking him, he quickly returned.

Upon returning, Minato immediately gave Kakashi the miraculous medicine, and Kakashi indeed began to recover.

Before Minato could even rejoice, Kakashi, who had just woken up, grabbed his arm anxiously: "Master! Quickly stop Obito! Quickly save Master's wife... No! Master, run!"

"What? Kakashi, what happened?!"

Minato Namikaze's smile vanished in less than a second.

"When my master's wife learned that I was seriously injured, she came to take care of me. That guy Obito said, 'Master, since you're unwilling to save Rin, then you'll have to experience the pain of losing your beloved.' He drugged my master's wife and me's food and then took my master's wife away!"

"What?! Obito, where did Obito take Kushina?"

Minato was completely flustered.

He considered one possibility.

The Imperial Palace!

If Obito wanted to take revenge on him, it seemed that this was the only option.

Aside from this place, no matter where Obito takes Kushina, he can always rescue her.

Indeed, Minato Namikaze guessed correctly.

In order to retaliate against Minato Namikaze for still refusing to save Rin, Obito kidnapped Kushina, who had come to visit Kakashi, and intended to send her to the Imperial Palace.

In Obito's dream, it seems that even his master from another world couldn't save Rin.

This intensified Obito's hatred.

He told Madara about his idea, and Madara didn't stop him.

But Madara told Obito that he had realized Hashirama might not be dead, so he also faked his death to escape and go into hiding. From today onwards, the two would cut off all contact.

From now on, Obito will have to make his own decisions.

At the same time, Madara also handed over his personal forces to Obito.

As for the position of Grand General, that was granted by the Emperor, and he couldn't give it to him.

If Obito were to impersonate him, it would be a crime of deceiving the emperor, and Obito would likely be executed.

However, Obito's mind was not on this at all. He wanted to send Kushina to the palace as soon as possible, and then take this opportunity to find out if Rin was there, and then find a way to rescue her.