Chapter 188: I’m Begging You
The Land of Water.
Three figures blurred through the canopy, moving with lethal speed.
Minato led the way, his left hand gripping the collar of a Kirigakure ANBU. The man's mask was shattered halfway, and blood stained both his mouth and chest. He was being dragged so violently that he could barely keep his footing.
"I'll ask one last time."
Minato came to a sudden halt, his fingers tightening around the man's throat.
The ANBU gasped for air, his eyes rolling back as he clawed desperately at Minato's wrist. His voice came out in ragged, broken bursts.
"Six... six kilometers southeast..."
"An abandoned... village..."
"The prisoner... in the center... in a stone house..."
Minato didn't let go, staring coldly at him for a few seconds.
The ANBU's lips trembled as he added one final detail. "There are sentries... and a communications team... Please... don't kill me..."
Only then did Minato release his grip.
The man collapsed, rolling across the dirt. He struggled for a moment before falling completely still.
Standing nearby, Kakashi let out a visible sigh of relief upon hearing that Rin had not been sent back to the Hidden Mist Village. If she had been moved deep within their internal facilities, rescuing her would have been exponentially more difficult.
"There's still hope," Kakashi murmured, his voice laced with a hint of hope.
Kitahara Kaede glanced at the unconscious ANBU, understanding the situation instantly. Kirigakure had done this on purpose; they *wanted* Konoha to come for her.
He looked toward the southeast, his expression calm.
Minato turned back to them. "Let's move."
Fifteen minutes later, a cluster of dilapidated buildings emerged at the edge of the forest. The place had been deserted for years. Most of the houses had already collapsed, and knee-high weeds swayed in the wind.
Minato raised his hand, and the three of them stopped instantly.
"I'll clear the perimeter and cut off their communications. You two infiltrate from the north. Wait for the right moment to strike."
Kakashi nodded. Minato then shifted his gaze to Kitahara Kaede.
"I'm counting on you."
Kitahara Kaede replied curtly, "Leave it to me."
In the next heartbeat, the golden blur of Minato vanished from the spot.
Kitahara Kaede and Kakashi exchanged a glance and circled around to the north side. The village was small, and the stone house in the center stood out prominently. Two Kirigakure ANBU stood guard at the entrance, weapons drawn.
Kitahara Kaede raised his hand, giving Kakashi a signal.
*Go.*
Before the two ANBU could even react, their throats were slit simultaneously. Their bodies went limp, and they collapsed without a sound.
Kakashi kicked the door open.
Inside, a single oil lamp cast a dim, yellowish glow across the room. Rin was tied to a wooden chair, her head hanging low, her hair falling forward to obscure half of her face.
"Rin!"
Kakashi rushed toward her, a short blade flashing as he sliced through the ropes. Rin slumped forward, and Kakashi caught her instantly.
"Rin, wake up."
He kept his voice low, gently patting her cheek.
Rin's eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. When she realized who was standing before her, she froze for a moment, and then her eyes instantly welled with tears.
"Kakashi..."
"It's me. You're safe now. Let's go."
Rin nodded, but as she tried to stand, her legs gave out. Kakashi steadied her.
"Can you walk?"
"I just... need a moment," Rin whispered.
Just as the three of them stepped out of the house, a sharp bird cry echoed from outside the village.
Kitahara Kaede looked up. "A Kirigakure signal."
Minato flickered back into view before them, his expression grim.
"The main force is here," Minato said rapidly. "Three directions, at least fifteen men. They're making a lot of noise."
Kakashi's grip on Rin tightened slightly. Neither of them noticed, however, that the moment Rin heard the words "Kirigakure," her expression changed.
Fragmented images began to flood her mind.
A cold operating table.
Strange, alien voices.
Broken, disjointed scenes that refused to fit together.
"I'll intercept them," Minato told the group. "You three retreat toward the Land of Fire. Don't stop, and don't look back."
Without another word, Kitahara Kaede and Kakashi flanked Rin and bolted into the forest. The shadows of the trees whipped past them.
After running for a while, Kitahara Kaede noticed something was wrong. Rin's pace had slowed significantly, and her breathing was becoming erratic. After about five minutes, she stopped completely.
Kakashi looked back. "Rin, what's wrong?"
Rin stood still. She looked toward the Land of Fire, then looked at Kakashi. Her lips trembled for a moment before she finally forced the words out.
"Kakashi... I can't go back to the village with you."
Kakashi's brow furrowed instantly. "Why?!"
"Because..." Rin pressed her hand against her abdomen. "They sealed the Three-Tails inside my body."
Kakashi's eyes widened in shock.
Rin continued, "If I enter the borders of Konoha, it will rampage. The village will be destroyed."
Kakashi stood frozen, his face twisting in agony.
"So... please, just leave me behind."
As soon as she finished speaking, Rin drew a kunai. But just as the tip aligned with her heart, her arm suddenly stiffened. It felt as if an invisible force was pinning her down, stripping her of the strength to push the blade forward.
She froze, the light in her eyes fading.
'Why...'
Rin looked down at her trembling hand. *Can I not even die?*
The kunai slipped from her fingers and hit the ground with a soft thud.
Holding his short blade, Kakashi was completely paralyzed. In his mind, the face of Obito flashed—the moment he had been crushed by the boulder.
*"Protect... Rin for me..."*
"No," Kakashi gasped, fighting through the pain. "There has to be another way... there must be a way to break the seal!"
Rin looked at him. She looked at Kakashi's face, mostly hidden by his mask, yet still radiating unbearable suffering.
She suddenly smiled. It was a smile filled with endless bitterness and tenderness.
She knew Kakashi would react this way. That was exactly why she couldn't bring herself to ask him to do it. He had promised Obito. Moreover, she couldn't be so selfish as to force Kakashi to carry this burden for the rest of his life.
Rin let out a slow breath, as if exhaling her last shred of hesitation. Then, she turned her head.
Her gaze landed on Kitahara Kaede.
From the moment they had rescued her, he had remained mostly silent, simply standing guard. Rin looked at him with a faint smile—a smile that carried both an apology and a plea.
"Kitahara-kun."
"I'm begging you... please do it."
Kitahara Kaede looked at her. He saw the unwavering resolve lingering in her eyes.
Everything had gone exactly as expected.
He remained silent for a moment. Then, he slowly nodded.