"Kakashi!"
Lin's voice rang out urgently as she dashed across the battlefield, her footsteps pounding with desperate energy. Suddenly, summoning every ounce of strength she had left, she burst forward and rushed to Kakashi's side.
Minato, who had just dealt a fatal blow to the Raikage, didn't even glance back at the fallen enemy. Instead, he immediately appeared in front of Kakashi with the speed and precision that only the Yellow Flash could muster.
"Lin, how is he? Is he going to be alright?" Minato asked, his usual sunny confidence momentarily replaced by a rare flicker of concern.
Lin was anxious beyond words. Kakashi had risked his life to protect them all. If he hadn't intervened, Kakashi's injuries would have been far worse — perhaps even fatal.
Without wasting a second, Lin dropped to her knees beside Kakashi and tore open his shirt to assess the damage. The sight that met her eyes was horrific — a deep, jagged wound right across Kakashi's right chest, exposing raw muscle and torn internal organs. Her heart shattered.
A choking breath escaped Lin's lips as she fought to control the panic rising within her. Summoning all her chakra, she began to cast a Healing Jutsu, pouring every ounce of her skill into stabilizing the injury and preventing Kakashi from bleeding out.
"Hiss~" Kakashi gasped, his face contorting in pain.
"Don't… don't worry," he croaked, trying to reassure her despite the agony he felt. "I'm fine."
But Lin's eyes, rimmed red with tears and filled with worry, refused to be comforted so easily. Her trembling hands worked frantically to stem the bleeding.
As Kakashi opened his mouth to say more, a sudden, stabbing pain shot through his chest — the shattered right lung made every breath feel like shards of glass stabbing his nerves. A frothy spray of blood escaped his lips.
Lin, unable to hold back any longer, broke down and threw herself into Kakashi's arms, tears streaming freely down her cheeks.
"You idiot! Why do you have to be so stubborn?" she sobbed. "That was the Raikage! The Raikage! What if you died here like this? Do you know how worried I've been about you?"
Kakashi's usual stoic expression melted as he held the trembling Lin close, feeling the warmth of her body against his. He wanted to say something, to comfort her further, but the pain made words impossible.
Instead, he gently patted her back, careful not to apply too much pressure on his wounded side. In this moment, Lin was more precious to him than anything else in the world.
Obito, standing nearby, watched the scene silently. His hands clenched into fists involuntarily, then relaxed again after a brief internal struggle.
Minato cleared his throat softly, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. "Although this is a battlefield," he said with a light chuckle, "maybe you two should save the hugging for later."
The warmth and familiarity of the moment reminded Minato of the days when he was courting Kushina. Seeing Lin's strength and determination reminded him somewhat of Kushina herself — fiery and fearless.
"Ah!" Lin suddenly realized she was being watched and quickly pulled away, her cheeks burning with embarrassment as she turned her face away from everyone.
"Hehehe," Kakashi chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
He stood up slowly, straightening his blood-stained clothes, and then glanced over at the fallen Third Raikage's body.
Rasa and Fugaku, who had been smirking and joking moments ago, quickly sobered and shifted their attention toward the corpse.
"Since the Third Raikage was killed by the Minato brothers," Rasa said with a nod, "his body is a trophy belonging to them. It should be taken by them when the time comes."
Rasa's words were more than just tradition. The battle had been brutal, and the Konoha reinforcements had played a pivotal role in turning the tide. Without Minato's intervention, many more Sand Shinobi would have fallen to the Raikage's overwhelming power.
Thus, it was only fitting that the Minato brothers should claim the honor of taking the Raikage's remains.
At the same time, Rasa was also wary of the potential consequences. The Third Raikage was a powerful and influential figure, and taking his body could provoke a new wave of conflict with the Cloud Shinobi Village.
Though the Sand Village had won this battle, it was a hollow victory in many ways — a pyrrhic one. Rasa preferred to avoid further hostilities with Cloud Shinobi for the time being.
Minato nodded silently in agreement. He made no objections and calmly produced a sealing scroll, carefully encasing the Raikage's body within it.
With the matter settled, Minato turned to leave.
After multiple attempts to persuade the Konoha reinforcements to stay had failed, Luo Sha personally escorted Minato and his comrades to the village gates.
"Kakashi-senpai! Obito-senpai! Lin-nee! Long time no see!" a familiar voice called out cheerfully.
Kakashi turned to see none other than Uchiha Shisui approaching.
Shisui was Kakashi's opponent during the Chūnin exam. The two had earned each other's respect and admiration through repeated encounters and private discussions, developing a genuine friendship over time.
"Hey, Shisui! I didn't expect to see you here," Kakashi said with a smile.
"Yes," Shisui replied sheepishly. "Our clan's chief led an elite group out on the mission, and I was lucky enough to be included."
Despite his modesty, Kakashi could tell Shisui was underestimating himself. His skills were already exceptional for his age.
"If nothing unexpected happens," Kakashi added with confidence, "once the wars are over, your name will spread far and wide."
As the conversation continued, Shisui noticed Obito's quiet, distant demeanor.
"By the way," Shisui asked bluntly, "Obito-senpai, you've been unusually silent. Is something bothering you?"
Obito snapped out of his distraction and forced a smile. "Oh, it's nothing. Maybe it's just the heat, haha," he answered evasively.
But everyone could see through his words — Obito was clearly troubled.
Kakashi quickly stepped in before Shisui could press further. "Hey, Shisui, I've learned some new combat techniques recently. Let's exchange ideas later," he suggested, gently pulling Shisui aside to divert attention.
As someone intimately involved, Kakashi knew why Obito was troubled. But precisely because of his closeness, Kakashi felt he was not the right person to offer comfort.
For now, all he could do was hope that Obito would work through his feelings on his own.
After all, when it comes to matters of the heart, what truly matters is mutual affection.
Kakashi thought back to the original story — after realizing Lin's feelings for him, Obito eventually chose to let go, understanding that true love required selflessness.
But Kakashi remembered how, at that time, he blamed himself for Obito's death and felt unworthy of Lin's love. So, instead of accepting her feelings, he pushed her away.
The tragedy that followed plunged the entire ninja world into darkness.
These memories stirred a fierce determination inside Kakashi's heart.
I will protect Lin with everything I have. If anyone wants to hurt her, they'll have to get past me first.
Even if that person is Uchiha Madara himself.
---
The Aftermath
As the dust of battle settled over the plains of Yunsha, a heavy silence fell upon the warriors who had survived. The once deafening sounds of clashing steel and explosive jutsus were replaced by the quiet whispers of the wind and the distant cries of the injured.
The battlefield was littered with fallen shinobi, some familiar faces, others strangers who had fought valiantly for their respective villages.
Minato, Kakashi, and the others stood quietly, gathering their strength and emotions after the ordeal.
Minato glanced once more at Kakashi, whose breath was now steady but still labored. Though the healing had worked wonders, Kakashi was far from fully recovered. The battle had taken its toll on him.
"Don't push yourself too hard," Minato warned gently. "You saved us all today."
Kakashi nodded faintly. "I did what I had to."
Lin, standing close by, still looked shaken but relieved. Her tears had dried, replaced by a steely resolve.
"Let's get back to the village," she said firmly. "There will be time for rest and recovery later."
Obito remained silent, his thoughts far away, but his eyes never left Lin's back. The unspoken feelings hung thick in the air between them.
Shisui, seeing the tension, decided it was time to move on as well.
"We should return and report to the elders. This battle may be over, but the war is not yet finished."
Kakashi agreed.
"Right. We've earned a short rest, but the real challenges lie ahead."
As the group began their journey back, Kakashi took a last glance at the battlefield — at the fallen Raikage, at the scorched earth, and at the horizon where the sun was beginning to set.
This war had changed everything. And none of them would ever be the same again.