"Kai, you..."
"Don't worry. It was just a genjutsu that knocked him out. I know what you're thinking—and what the village expects—but we need to move fast. He's a Jinchūriki."
Uchiha Kai looked at Namikaze Minato with calm eyes. Of course he could guess what Minato was thinking—no, what the village wanted him to think.
If Konoha wanted to end the war decisively and prevent Iwagakure from dragging it out any longer, then some enemies couldn't be killed. Not someone like Loess. Not the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki, Han.
Loess probably thought he had narrowly avoided a fatal strike from the Yellow Flash. But the truth was far more calculated: Minato had deliberately spared him.
Iwagakure might be on the back foot now, but killing certain key figures could turn the entire Land of Earth into a pressure cooker. A few deaths in the wrong places, and their remaining forces would become an unpredictable powder keg.
After all, every great nation still retained considerable military strength. And if Konoha truly demonstrated what it meant to stand alone against the other four nations, then the Land of Earth might choose to go down swinging. That would be a nightmare for Konoha—especially if Kumogakure took the opportunity to strike from behind.
Kai understood Minato's decision perfectly. As much as he'd prefer to kill his enemies outright, especially someone as dangerous as Han, he knew he had to follow Minato's lead.
That said, the genjutsu wouldn't hold Han for long. If Han had been a normal shinobi, Kai's Sharingan genjutsu would've left him incapacitated—or possibly convinced him to take his own life. But Han was a Jinchūriki. The two distinct chakra signatures within him—his own and the Five-Tails'—would allow him to break free of the illusion far more quickly than usual, even if it was cast by a Sharingan.
Yes, the Sharingan could control Tailed Beasts—but only the Mangekyō Sharingan, and even then, only with specific abilities.
Kai had just awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, but how long had he had it? A few days at most?
Besides, his Mangekyō ability wasn't something he could afford to reveal openly. Not yet. He hadn't fully explored its powers, and what little he had used had left him cautious. The technique he'd developed—his unique dōjutsu—was immensely powerful, but the cost was staggering: chakra, ocular power, and mental strain all drained at once.
Unlocking and mastering a Mangekyō Sharingan wasn't something that could be done in a few short battles. It would take time, practice, and perhaps guidance. For now, he had to be careful.
Minato finally exhaled, visibly more at ease after hearing Kai's assessment. This kid—barely Kakashi's age—wasn't just powerful; he was thoughtful. He understood the bigger picture. The politics. The stakes.
Still, Minato found himself wondering: Why hadn't I heard of him before?
Looking into Kai's blood-red eyes, Minato understood. He sighed.
The Uchiha... That clan kept too many secrets, even from their own village. Talents like Kai were hidden away, their potential buried beneath layers of politics and pride. It was frustrating.
Minato had long since realized the danger of that clan's isolation. As Jiraiya's student and top of his class at the Academy, he had access to more information than most. And he didn't like what he saw in the village's handling of the Uchiha.
If things continued like this...
If I ever became Hokage... Minato thought. But it was just that—a thought. Even though the position of Hokage was technically open to anyone, it rarely went to just anyone.
"Captain Minato." Kai's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Should we take this guy back and wrap up the mission?"
"Take him back?" Minato blinked, then looked at Han's limp form. He considered it. "That's... actually a good idea. He could be a valuable bargaining chip."
"Exactly." Kai nodded. "By the way, what about Kenta Imai? Has he succeeded?"
Kai looked around. The mission came first, but completing it also meant finally returning home. The sooner they were done, the better.
The future of the ninja world would still be full of strife. Konoha's internal politics were far from settled. But maybe—just maybe—there would be a quiet stretch where Kai could rest and learn more about his powers. That was better than wandering endlessly from battle to battle.
"He's past the bridge," Minato answered. "No signs of a fight yet... but I'm not optimistic. Something feels off. I don't like—"
He stopped mid-sentence. His face sharpened with sudden seriousness.
Kai felt it, too. He turned sharply.
Han was still standing in a daze—but from his body, a suffocating chakra suddenly erupted.
The power of the Tailed Beast.
It surged out too fast. In seconds, crimson chakra enveloped Han's body. The chakra expanded and began to morph—taking the beginnings of a beast-like form.
Kai's eyes narrowed. Damn it. This isn't what I expected.
As expected, he thought bitterly, sometimes it's best to just kill the enemy outright.
But war wasn't that simple. Sometimes, politics made things messy. And sometimes, the living were more useful than the dead.
Kai sighed and reached for his kunai—his sword had been destroyed earlier. Maybe it was time to retrieve a new one from their supplies.
"This could get messy," Minato muttered. "Kai, stay on alert… Other Iwa-nin are closing in. Looks like this fight isn't over."
"Yeah." Kai's tone matched the grim mood. "I just hope Kenta can handle himself. I haven't sensed any reinforcements yet."
Minato frowned. "He's facing an unknown enemy. Let's just hope he's still alive."
"So there were enemies under the bridge." Kai nodded. "If things get worse… should we go down and force the mission through?"
It would be their last resort—and the most dangerous. If they turned their backs and tried to retreat, they'd be swarmed with kunai and jutsu from all sides.
Their best option was to hold their ground, support Kenta from above, and wait for him to destroy the bridge. If he failed, then they'd all charge in and detonate it themselves.
"If he pulls it off," Kai thought aloud, "he just has to regroup with us and we're out."
"Right," Minato agreed. "That's our best path forward. Let's hope he makes it."
"Same as before?"
"Same as before."