Sustain

Shock and panic was the only emotions that Minato could feel as he knelt over his wife, trying to sense of he could feel any of the Nine-Tails' chakra. He was anxious as he carefully watched the seal on her abdomen for any type of change.

Nothing changed and he decided to act, stepping away briefly and preforming a couple of seals. "Summoning Jutsu!" He yelled, slamming his palm on the floor beside his wife. Chakra caused seals to spread beneath him and, in an instant, a puff of smoke erupted the room and clouded his vision.

When it cleared two frogs had emerged. He was about to say a greeting when one hit him over the head. And it hurt a lot. Minato clenched his aching head tightly as he grunted in pain.

"We were in the middle of dinner, Minato-boy!" The one with with a grey cloak yelled, glaring in annoyance at the blonde.

"Im sorry to interrupt your evening, Master Fukusaku." Minato said, running his head as the ache had calmed a bit. "But please do me a favor. Can you reverse summon Jiraiya-sensei for me?"

"Minato, whats going on with Kushina?!" Shima found herself asking without thinking, seeing the unconscious form of the redhead Jinchuriki and the seal holding the beast back in full view.

"I don't know." The Speedster admitted in a small panic. "She suddenly collapsed without warning and I can feel the Nine Tails' chakra slipping through the seal. I was wondering if you know anything about what's happening."

"I don't see a problem with the seal itself." Fukusaku said after a brief but detailed inspection of the seal. It looked completely normal to him and while he felt the Nine Tails' chakra slipping through the seal it was minute at best and it would cause no harm by his observation.

He told Minato as much, adding on the fact that he was being a bit hasty in calling them. If nothing was wrong with the seal then the Nine Tails would stay safety secure in the seal. At this, Minato to sighed in relief and felt the tension leave his body but the worry hadn't.

He had asked Fukusaku if he knew the cause of it but was disappointed when the Sage could offer no insight. He could only tell him that it would be best to bring the Jinchuriki to the hospital for any other problems unrelated to the seal and notify Biwako incase she knew anything. Minato nodded at the advice, intent on following and the two frogs left in a puff of smoke.

The prodigy of the Leaf had fixed Kushina's clothing before grabbing onto her and teleporting to the lobby of the Konoha General Hospital.

XxX

Kakashi had first expected to just be able to walk into the Uchiha District because of his teammates affiliation and even more so because of recent events. He decided he would bring his problems directly towards the Uchiha Clan Leader himself but the task was made more difficult when he was denied at the entrance. For some reason, the Uchiha thought they could control who could and couldn't enter this part of the Village and Kakashi found them more annoying than Obito could ever be. Maybe it was a Uchiha thing, to annoy him to the grave.

Confrontation was soon to start when the 'guards' got a bit more aggressive in when they tried to physically escort the newly promoted Jounin out of their way. It was only because of Rin's timely entrance that a fight hadn't escalated but words on both sides had been exchanged between each other.

Rin had been able to somewhat sedate her Jounin teammate and tried to negotiate with the irritable Uchiha to no success. She concluded they wouldn't let them in when they continued to insult her and turned their noses up at her in superiority. Surprisingly she found herself mad but deemed it necessary to keep it to herself. It wouldn't look good to stoop to their level when she had just spoken to Kakashi about that exact thing.

When she walked back to where her teammate was still bristling under a rather large tree, she sighed. "So, what do we do now?" She had already run out of options if the diplomatic one had failed. Rather miserably too.

"What other option do we have other than sneaking in?" She felt that it wasn't necessarily a question and had said nothing as her teammate began scanning the area, sending a glare at the Uchiha's who were watching them like a hawk.

He rolled his eyes in annoyance and turned away from the district, stalking away in quiet anger while Rin followed behind gingerly. She made attempts of asking him where they were going but stopped when she realized he would be giving her no response. He was purposely ignoring her when he knew he would most likely lash out to release his frustration. They walked in relative silence and Kakashi felt himself begin to calm down. He couldn't stay mad at dumb Uchiha who he didn't even know and wouldn't likely see again if he managed to avoid the Uchiha for the rest of his life. Though that might not be possible if his teammate was one.

Finally, he spoke. "We're going back to question Obito's Clan Leader. But this time, Guy will be coming with us." He would use his 'rival' to distract the guards so they could get in without complication.

XxX

Obito transformed into the White-masked Tobi as he landed on a building that would give him the perfect view as the Orochimaru a slithered between the densely populated street below. Civilians hadn't even been able to touch him as he slipped through each of them, managing to avoid being touched a single time. He had barely even been noticed. Obito made sure to keep his eyes on the snake all the time, sure he would be able to sneak away at any point.

Eventually, he did slip away—not from Obito's eyes but from the large crowd of the busy street. Obito kept to the rooftops following the Sannin into a shadowy alleyway.

He had gotten over his aversion to being near the Sannin, or suppressed it to the point where it wouldn't bother him. He thanked his iron nerves for that. Orochimaru was caution and checked his back almost constantly but Obito was much faster and was able to evade his sight and keep his chakra untraceable to even the best Sensors. He could not afford to get caught before he even knew where the base was.

Luckily, after minutes of silent following, Obito watched him enter some sort of hide away door that seemed to blend in with the old, chipped wall in was attached to. His Sharingan found it was no type of Genjutsu and it was simply a basic Shinobi skill taught in the Academy.

With that he was able to hide from even the Hokage. Simple but effective.

He waited patiently outside for about 10 minutes before heading inside himself. Upon entering he could immediately smell the smell of rotting flesh and burning chemicals that sent his senses into a frenzy. Experience kept the food in his stomach down as he waited until he got acclimated to the deep smells.

A sense of freak crept over his shoulder and never left as he walked silently but steadily through the long corridor. Surprisingly, his mind hadn't asked why exactly he couldn't smell anything until he entered the hidden base but he supposed it didn't matter in the long run.

It would not get him what he came here for. And with all the nausea inducing stench that nearly suffocated the air around him, he wanted to find that as soon as humanly possible.

Keeping his entire body calm he entered the first room of the long corridor.

It was safe, he had sensed no one inside but he had to be sure. This was Orochimaru and what the snake lacked in strength, he made up for with a sound mind. Wait… did people with sound minds cut people open and experiment on them? Orochimaru was a case in of itself, but he was getting off topic.

His base Sharingan glowering, ready to intercept any threat, he continued to look for the Senju Cells around the giant lab. It was a long process. One he had to be careful to keep quiet and search anywhere he was for traps or anything, especially if it were about anything important. Another thing was his curiosity. He saw that, similar to the hospital, Orochimaru owned a blood bank where he stored blood of individuals that interest him. He also kept an abundance of notes on particular individuals and he didn't miss the lack of ones on him.

He wasn't exactly noteworthy as a child.

Dismissing those depressing thoughts, he suddenly froze. He felt a presence behind him. It was sinister and if any other Ninja felt it they wouldn't be able to move because of the darkness that nurtured it. Feed it.

Obito was no normal Ninja.

He turned in a swift but fluid motion and found the Snake Sannin himself. He should have expected it, a part of him did. It was why he was able to show no emotion as the Sannin grew a smirk he was sure that could turn anyone unlike him pale upon seeing it.

"Orochimaru," he leveled the powerful shinobi with a gaze.

The smirk from the Sannin didn't move as he chuckled humorously. "Hmm, so you know this is my lair, huh? What brings you to my humble abode?"

"Hashirama Cells. I'm looking for some." Silently, the Uchiha decided not to cut corners. He was confident he could defeat the Snake if it came to it but he preferred more peaceful means. At least for now.

"Ah, those," the words slide out of his mouth slowly, with a sort of hissing sound following. It made the Uchiha take in a calming breath. The air around this man, no, this monster could do that to anyone. "I've had a very interesting influx in customers these days. It's very interesting."

"Will you tell me or no?" His patience was already wearing thin.

"Ah, ah, ah. Let's not be hasty now. There's plenty of time for us to talk." Obito felt that oppressing air around the Sannin become more clearer, more thicker as he began to approach. Obito stood his ground.

He was not afraid of Orochimaru.

"How do you know about my ingredients? How do you know about this place?" The Sannin's warm breath hit his mask but Obito was more than prepared to the horrid smell.

He had to deal with much, much worse.

"I will be the one to ask the questions." His voiced boomed in the hallow room filled with the decors of human innards.

"Kukuku," the snake chuckled in delight, the killing intent coming from Obito filling him with joy. He loved the feeling it gave him. "Such wonderful chakra you have. You must be Madara Uchiha, correct?"

Obito hadn't moved after that. It looked as if he weren't even breathing as he stared openly at the Sannin with startling silence. It was quite for mere moments but to Obito it felt longer. There was an unmistakable tension in the air and a commonly known question hanging in the air.

Orochimaru was quick to catch on.

He held up his arms to side, shrugging his thin shoulders. "Of course you want to know how, hmmm? Well, I suppose I'll tell you how I know of you," he paused, and Obito felt his gaze linger on the hole in his mask. He was looking at his Sharingan. "For a price."

"Are you a fool?" The Uchiha felt inclined to ask, tilting his head. "Do you think I would give you my eyes?"

Orochimaru chuckled once more and shook his head. His long, black hair flailing a bit at the action. "No, no nothing like that. Why would I need your eyes if I can simply get one elsewhere? What I want is for you to give an eye from one of the other members."

"And if I refuse?" Obito questioned before he could even think. It had come out before he could even control himself but the threat was issued. He felt his senses screaming at him to move as the tempature of the room seemed to dip. Obito stood firm regardless, not showing a hint of weakness. He figured out the Sannin was trying to intimidate him.

Before he could take in another breath, a snake shot at him from Orchimaru's mouth but Obito noticed it was aimed a little high. He was going for his eye.

With ease he grabbed the snake and began crushing it when it was only meters away from his mask.

"You dare try to strike me down?"

The Sannin didn't answer but Obito received it anyway when a sword shot out of the Snake's gaping hole and would've hit him had he not used the Body Flicker to gain distance.

It was close as the hole in his mask had been penetrated and his eyes were a short meter away from the blade.

Before he landed on the ground, he launched a series of Shuriken that the snake was not able to dodge. It cut into its skin with ease and forced Orochimaru to release it and jump away to avoid being impaled.

Obito watched him land silently and spoke when the Sannin seemed to keep still. He wouldn't attack again. Not yet at least.

"Will you willingly give me what I want or will I have to force it out of you?" The question elicited a response from Orochimaru. It was weird. He had seen a flicker of hesitation in the Sannin's eyes and stepped forward, further increasing the killing intent he let leak out of him.

The room was getting so cold that breathing could actually be seen visibly and a near transparent, almost invisible dew that formed low to the ground.

Then all of a sudden, to Obito's confusion, the Sannin began laughing. It wasn't maniacal, Obito could hear the genuine amusement in the deep laugh which only fueled his amusement.

"Ah," he sighed to relieve his lungs after all the laughing. "Don't worry, Madara Uchiha. I meant no harm by attacking you. I was simply testing your power to make sure you are who you said you are. Here," he held out a small vile of liquid that danced as it was moved. Obito watched it be set on the table beside them before the Sannin began to walk away.

But not before saying, "I hope we meet again, Madara-kun."

After that Obito didn't see him again.

Obito only stared down the long hall the Sanke had went into as the room's temperature began to stabilize. He only grunted in mild annoyance before grabbing the vile. He scanned the chakra within the vile and felt the familiar power of the Legendary Senju. This was what he was looking for.

With an abundance of effort, he activated his Mangekyō and a spiraling void appeared from his right eye. He quickly sucked the vial into his dimension in case of anything the Snake would try to pull. He would not lose what he needed and if he had to go a little more blind to do so then so be it. He was acclimating to the pain so his eyes didn't even bleed like that had at first.

He supposed that was progress. With another Body Flicker, the Time Traveler was gone.

XxX

"What's wrong with her, doctor?"

Minato was worried. Nothing was wrong with the seal but The Nine Tails' chakra was leaking and left his wife in a coma. Once he had made it to the hospital he told the desk the problem and she was immediately admitted into a room. He tried to come inside, arguing that he could help but was promptly shut out.

When Biwako, the Third's wife was allowed inside an indignant squawk of protest was all he could let out before the women disappeared behind the doors. He sulked for a bit afterward but decided to come up with theories on the problem to pass the time, hoping that whatever the problem was that it wasn't too big and could easily be fixed.

As soon as the doctor came out of the room, he was on her as fast as his title implied.

"O-oh," she replied in a flinch. Minato wanted to apologize, he was sure he had just scared the daylights out of her with his natural speed alone. Luckily, she gained her composure and went right back to being serious. "Minato-san, do you have any idea on what could be the problem?"

At her desperate tone, Minato held in a flinch. Was Kushina ok? What happened?

"No ma'am. Everything was normal until moments ago and everything regarding her is completely normal."

The woman seemed to hold her breath for a second and released a small, quick breath to relieve her stress. "Her condition has worsened, I'm afraid. We've managed to stabilize her heart as it had stopped a couple of times with constant chakra flow directly to it."

Minato was speechless. He couldn't react. He didn't know how. What was he to say? Kushina was dead a second ago and he didn't even know why. He clenched his fist, an unknown emotion rising in him. He turned his head away from the doctor, glad his bangs were long enough to cover his glistening eyes.

"Crying is unbecoming of our future Hokage." A stern voice lashed out, bringing his head up forcefully.

He saw that it was Biwako that had replaced where the doctor was standing. She had most likely ushered her away.

"But-"

"Nothing." She interrupted. "A Hokage takes the pain of the entire Leaf Village, Minato. Not only will you take on the responsibility of every citizen and Shinobi alike, you will also take on their grief, their frustration, and their rage. You cannot falter under any circumstances. Understand?"

Minato snuffled, the intense felling of despair leaving his body. He wiped his eyes before Biwako spoke to him.

"Kushina's seal holds strong and she is strong herself. She will fight whatever is happening and come back even stronger."

"Thank you, Biwako-san. You don't know how much it means to me for you to say that." He bowed respectfully and she nodded.

"Go see your wife," she turned away and added something a bit smirkingly. "Lord Fourth." She walked away right after and Minato rose fully up and smiled.

With a smile still in place, he nodded in her direction and went inside Kushina's room.

His mood immediately changed.

Replaced with a rather somber frown, Minato dragged his feet until he was right beside his wife as she law motionless in the bed. The room was silent, nothing but consistent beeping of a heart monitor tracking her heart rate, and if you listened close enough; soft breathing.

With a shaky breath, Minato bent down until he was on his knees, looking at his wife bedside.

"I wish I could stay Kushina, but Obito needs me." His beloved student was going through something that not even he could understand. He knew it had something to do with this… Kaguya person. The name itself he felt a chill run down his spine if he even thought of it. The name held power of some sort, that he was sure of.

He was scared.

He grabbed her hand softly. "Please come back." Suddenly, red chakra sprung from where he was touching his wife. A red hue filled the room and Minato attempted to pull away but found that the chakra had actually materialized and held him from moving his arm.

He tried to move to no avail and soon, he was unconscious.

…

…

…

…

…

"Wha-" Minato muttered when he finally awoke. His vision was blurry and he could barely see his surroundings. He felt terrible and a splitting headache kept him in place.

Eventually he got accustomed to the pain and his vision cleared. He looked beneath him, seeing a small pool of water but his clothes didn't feel wet.

He turned only his head to look behind him and froze instantly. Wide eyed, he gulped.

A deep, intense seemed to literally shake the area they were in as the sleeping beat behind a cage awoke, a single eye popping open.

"Nine-Tails…" Minato could only muttered.

Chapter End.

Author's Note

I'm baaaaaaack guys. Sorry for the long break. Did you think Obito's story of redemption was over? Hopefully not because it's only begun.

Hope you guys can stick around to the ending and if you're still here I wanna thank you for staying.