From Naruto onwards, I've become a dreamer.

Chapter 161: It was you who lured the Cloud Ninja here, kid?
Raikage Ai kept his promise and let Nohara Rin go.

Obito Uchiha narrowly escaped death, and the reason was ironic, seemingly just as the Raikage said, that he disdained to attack those who betrayed their comrades.

This was the first time he had ever truly felt how cruel war could be!

His predecessors and comrades-in-arms, who had just been educating him, turned into cold corpses in just a few minutes.

Looking at the unconscious Rin, Obito Uchiha knelt helplessly on the ground, clutching his head in pain, his body curled up in a ball.

Tears, as if out of control, gushed from his eyes like a ferocious beast, falling with endless pain and regret. Obito let out low, hoarse, trembling, and sharp growls, as if he wanted to vent all the emotions deep in his heart.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."

Obito kept apologizing, his head repeatedly hitting the ground with loud thuds.

He had never been in such pain, but the situation at the time did not allow him to think it over. In a fraction of a second, perhaps it was instinct or intuition that forced Obito to place Rin and Sogetsu on the scales at the same time, and his final choice was Rin.

Without a doubt, this move will push Uchiha Muneki into a huge fire pit.

The Raikage knew perfectly well that he would use the entire village's resources to kill Uchiha Muneki at all costs, but he still did it anyway.

"I'm sorry, Brother Zongyue. I really have no choice. I have to save Lin."

"You'll forgive me, right? Brother Zongyue, you're so amazing, nothing bad will happen!"

"That's right, you're so strong, the Raikage definitely can't do anything to you!"

Obito could only keep praying, as if trying to justify himself and find a suitable reason.

Only in this way can he feel a little better, so that the immense guilt and regret will not completely crush his fragile nerves.

With constant self-comfort, Obito quickly rallied and slapped his cheeks: "Obito, Obito, cheer up! We need to get back to Lord Fugaku right away, and Rin's injuries are serious; she needs a medical ninja!"

Although he took a punch from the Raikage, fortunately the Raikage didn't intend to kill him; he only broke seven or eight of his ribs.

After quickly assessing the situation, Obito knew he couldn't stay there any longer. So, despite the excruciating pain from his broken ribs, he walked over step by step, gritted his teeth, and carried the unconscious girl on his back: "Rin, you'll be alright. I'll protect you, I swear!"

"Obito?"

Lin, who was on his back, slowly woke up, staring at the receding scenery around her, her mind a complete mess.

Her memory was stuck on the second before she was choked by the Raikage and lost consciousness; she had no recollection of what happened afterward.

"Great, Rin, you're finally awake!" Obito was overjoyed; it seemed Rin was alright.

But Lin's next words made his heart skip a beat.

"How...how did we escape?" Lin, clinging to the boy's back, vaguely recalled a scene from the Raikage interrogating Obito, though she hadn't heard clearly due to suffocation. So, she asked curiously, "Raikage, how did you let us go?"

"."

Obito opened his mouth weakly, but the words he was about to say were swallowed back down.

Should he be made to tell Rin that he betrayed Uchiha Muneki in order to get the Raikage to spare their lives?

Despite her seemingly gentle and weak appearance, Rin is actually very stubborn. If Obito were to tell her the truth, he could almost imagine the look of disappointment on her face.

What he feared even more was that Lin, once she learned the truth, would distance herself from him and despise him!

As a ninja, secrecy is the first prohibition engraved in the ninja code, regardless of the circumstances. Violating the prohibition of secrecy, no matter the purpose, is equivalent to being a rogue ninja!

Obito was well aware of the consequences, so he dared not reveal the truth.

"We must have been lucky. The Raikage seemed to have something to do and suddenly left," Obito made up a lame excuse.

"Oh"

Lin's head was spinning, and without thinking too much, she leaned against his back again.

Seeing that Rin didn't press the matter further, Obito breathed a sigh of relief. He really didn't know how to continue the conversation.

Obito quickened his pace and headed towards the main force.

It was late at night, the moon was bright and the stars were few, and dark clouds filled the sky.

Obito, who was running wildly through the woods, was suddenly blocked in his path.

A sharp kunai was silently placed against his neck, and at the same time, a deep voice sounded in his ear: "Uchiha Obito, I remember you should be with the reconnaissance team, responsible for gathering intelligence on the main force of the Cloud Ninja. Why are you suddenly here?" Obito shouted as if he had grasped a savior: "Quick, I have important information to report to Lord Fugaku!"

The ANBU member, gripping the kunai, felt a sudden tightness in his chest. He then noticed the boy was covered in blood and realized what was happening. He roughly grabbed the boy's collar, hoisted the unconscious Rin onto his shoulder, and rushed out in one stride: "Hold on, I'll take you to see Lord Fugaku!"

He was a sentry responsible for the outermost warning perimeter and was not qualified to receive such intelligence; it had to be handled by the commander, Fugaku.

The secret agents moved very quickly; in less than five minutes, a large camp appeared before them.

Several camps were brightly lit. The secret agents arrived at the central camp, knelt outside the gate, and shouted, "Lord Fugaku, the reconnaissance team has brought urgent intelligence from the front!"

"Come in!"

Inside the camp, Fugaku's calm voice rang out.

After receiving permission, the ANBU glanced at Obito and gestured for him to go inside.

"Uncle, I'm counting on you, Lin. Please make sure the medical ninja takes a look at her!"

Obito glanced at Rin with some unease, but knowing the priorities, he went straight into the camp.

Seven or eight people were standing in the tent, gathered around a sand table map, seemingly discussing their next strategy. Besides Fugaku Uchiha, there was Danzo's most trusted right-hand man, Ryoma Aburame, a Jonin from the Root organization responsible for supporting the Uchiha clan, as well as a small number of Jonin drawn from several other clans.

"Obito Uchiha, what exactly is happening at the front lines?"

Fugaku Uchiha frowned slightly, exuding an imposing aura without anger, and his tone unconsciously carried a hint of urgency.

"Lord Fugaku, the reconnaissance squad has been wiped out!"

As Obito wiped away his tears, he sobbed, "It was the Raikage! The Raikage suddenly appeared and ambushed us! Lord Tetsuka and the others are all dead!"

"What did you say?!"

Fugaku's pupils contracted sharply, and he stumbled, nearly falling, but fortunately, he reacted quickly and managed to steady himself on the table.

The loss of several Jonin and a large, middle-aged force was devastating. Even the mighty Uchiha clan couldn't withstand such a heavy blow. He forced back a mouthful of blood and gritted his teeth, saying, "Raikage, why are you on the battlefield? How did you encounter him? Explain everything to me clearly!"

"Yes, Lord Fugaku!"

Startled, Obito quickly recounted the entire incident without daring to conceal anything.

However, he deliberately omitted the last part, about betraying information in exchange for being spared by the Raikage.

However, everyone present was shrewd, and they could easily see that the most important part of the story this kid was describing was missing.

"Kid, your lie is too obvious."

After listening, Aburame Ryoma sneered, "The entire reconnaissance team was wiped out. How did you and that little girl manage to escape?"

"me."

When questioned by a Jonin from Root, Obito was immediately flustered by the sharp look in Obito's eyes that seemed to see right through him.

"Obito, do you know that by deliberately concealing information, I could treat you as a rogue ninja right now?"

Fugaku's forehead veins bulged, and he slammed his hand on the table in anger. His eyes were filled with murderous intent as he shouted, "Tell me honestly how you escaped!"

"I...I'm sorry."

Obito completely broke down, kneeling on the ground and weeping: "It was the Raikage who said that if I told him the name of the Uchiha who killed the Third Raikage, he would release me and Rin."

"Wait, you said the Raikage let you go?"

Fugaku Uchiha was shocked. The next second, he couldn't suppress his anger and blurted out a string of profanities: "Fuck your mother, you big idiot, did a donkey kick your brain?!"

"what?"

Before Obito could react to the insults, he saw that everyone in the tent had a look of terror on their faces.

The next moment, the silent night sky was suddenly pierced by a sharp whistle.

A deafening thunderclap, accompanied by raging fire, rockfalls, and roaring water, swept across the entire camp as if a natural disaster had struck!
“Enemy attack—!!!”

(End of this chapter)