Chapter 197: Teacher and Student
Even now, watching the devastated battlefield displayed on the screen, Minato still looked dazed, struggling to collect himself.
"All right, enough staring. Time for a proper introduction. I'm Franklin. From now on, you can call me Lord Franklin.
You two are officially dead, and Naruto has already been handed over to the Third Hokage.
Prepare to work for me continuously for the next thirteen years."
Minato's mind snapped back at the sound of Franklin's voice.
His emotions were tangled beyond words.
There had been no coercion, no threat.
The payment had been arranged in advance.
And Franklin showed no fear that they might betray the terms now.
Minato let out a slow breath and stepped forward.
"You're not afraid we'll go back on our word?"
Seeing Minato's troubled expression, Franklin chuckled and shook his head.
"You're far too weak. Weak enough that I can't even be bothered to lift a hand.
And the deal is already made. If you break it, so what?
I could erase your memories and rewrite your thoughts anytime I want.
But there's no point in that."
Hearing this, Minato's chaotic thoughts settled noticeably.
Even Kushina—still stewing over Naruto's future—temporarily pushed her worries aside.
"You two can relax. I want people with their own thoughts.
And I have other reasons for taking you in.
As for Obito—his methods are extreme and his mentality even more so.
But the goal he wants to achieve?
Ending the divisions and unifying the ninja world…
That part isn't bad.
I'll probably end up ruling an entire galaxy in another world's future anyway,
so treating the ninja world as a warm-up isn't a bad start."
Minato fell silent.
When he'd fought Obito, every word Obito said had just sounded like the raving of an extremist.
But when Franklin said it—
Minato found himself believing the man might actually achieve it.
"How do you plan to do it? Force? Brainwashing the village leaders?"
Franklin shook his head immediately.
"Too boring.
I want them to genuinely desire unification—
not be shoved together like mismatched puzzle pieces.
For the next few years, you'll stay by my side.
And don't try anything stupid.
I'm very patient and reasonable…
but if you act out, don't blame me for being rude.
I like Naruto a lot—
but that doesn't apply to you two.
I can rewrite every memory you have and you'd have no way to resist.
And after thirteen years, you'd still be grateful to me for it."
Just imagining that possibility made a bead of sweat run down Minato's forehead.
"A deal is a deal. Please rest assured, Lord Franklin—we won't break it or cause trouble."
Franklin waved dismissively.
"I don't need your guarantees.
My sensory range is enormous.
I'll see every little thing you do.
And I've already erased your existence from the minds of everyone in Konoha.
Even if you attacked the village yourself,
they'd think it was some invisible enemy.
Any note you leave, any message, any attempt to reveal yourself—
people's minds will simply ignore it.
I've already warned you.
Don't pretend you didn't know."
Realizing there was no getting off the ship once they boarded,
Minato and Kushina both fell into heavy silence.
Franklin paid them no mind.
He turned toward the immobilized Obito.
"Hey, Obito. How's your grandmother doing?"
Obito—still straining to break the spatial seal—froze and glared at him.
Minato and Kushina both turned to look as well,
eyes fixed on the unmasked, immobilized Obito.
Feeling their stares,
realizing he had no mask, no cover, nowhere to hide—
Obito trembled.
"Let me go! Let me go, you bastard!"
A complete social death.
Moments ago he'd come here intending to kill his teacher and teacher's wife—
now he was the clown being silently watched by all of them.
Obito was close to losing his mind.
"Obito… why?
You were supposed to be dead.
Why come back like this?
We never did anything to wrong you.
What happened to you in just one year?"
Sincere words—
a teacher's question—
struck deeper than any jutsu.
Even Obito, with all his twisted resolve,
wanted nothing more than to flee.
"I'm sorry, sensei.
The Obito from the past is dead.
I had to do this.
The villagers who died…
put it all on me.
Now that you've caught me, kill me or spare me as you like.
I have no complaints.
And I don't think anything I did was wrong."
Franklin wasn't planning to let him off so easily.
"You want to die?
To run away?
You want to create a world where Rin exists?
No—
you want a world without war,
where girls like Rin won't die because of it.
The goal is noble.
The method is filth.
Calling it monstrous wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Do you disagree?"
The deepest truth he buried—
ripped out and exposed—
right in front of Minato and Kushina.
Obito wanted to scream, deny it, rage—
but Franklin's pressure crushed every word in his throat.
All he could do was nod, then shake his head,
then collapse into a hoarse cry:
"You don't understand!
You don't understand anything!"
Franklin dug at his ear.
"Can't argue with me so you start whining?
You and your teacher are exactly the same.
Anyway, here's your chance:
I can create that world you want.
Interested?
I'm stronger than the Sage of Six Paths—
and I could cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi right now."
Obito's eyes widened in shock.
"How do you know?! That plan—only Madara and I—!"
Franklin spread his hands.
"Because I pushed that plan into motion in the first place.
Black Zetsu's existence?
Indirectly my doing too.
So stop babbling.
You have two choices:
One—
I extract your memories and then you die.
Two—
you tell me where Madara is
and join my plan to unify the ninja world.
Live until the unification is complete,
and then I'll personally send you to see Rin."
Two choices again.
But this time, far heavier than before.
Live—
and face his teacher, his teacher's wife,
and all the weight of his crimes.
Or die and run away—
the coward's route.
Seeing Minato's troubled gaze,
Obito exhaled shakily.
Determination slowly steadied in his eyes.