Seven days later, under a low, star-spattered sky.
"We're almost at the Kumogakure. Let's rest tonight and recover our condition." Kakashi said, voice soft as they finished setting up sensing wards and traps.
The three of them leaned against trunks and sat. Night insects chirred around the clearing.
Kakashi looked at Yun. "I only just heard you left Anbu. That surprised me."
Yun cocked his head. "You heard?"
Kakashi smiled. "You probably couldn't stand some of Anbu's methods, could you?"
Yun nodded. "You were in there too. You were darker then than you are now. But what I saw in there made me understand what I was really searching for."
Guy, who had been listening nearby, finally reacted. He stared at Yun with bright, open envy. "So Yun was an Anbu member?!"
Kakashi and Yun exchanged a look that said, 'You just realized that?'
Guy scratched his head. "Although I will always let my youth bloom wherever I go, I applied to join under the Yondaime and under Danzo… and they all rejected me."
Yun smiled. "You tried to join Anbu for Kakashi?"
"Hoh!" Guy flipped up, landed with an aerial somersault, and pointed at Kakashi. "As a lifelong rival, how could I tolerate Kakashi remaining depressed? So—" He struck a dramatic pose. "—as a lifelong rival, I decided to join Anbu and save the misguided Kakashi. What touching friendship—this is youth!"
A flash of light accompanied his flourish. "But in the end, Yondaime-sama and Danzo both righteously and directly rejected me."
Yun took Guy in, the man sparkling just like in his memories. He stroked his chin and glanced at Kakashi. "Actually, we could suggest it to Yondaime-sama…"
Kakashi hesitated. "Suggest what?"
Yun pointed at Guy. "If we let this Guy join Anbu, it wouldn't be a bad choice. Konoha's rare beast—who knows, maybe the Anbu would turn into the Bright Division."
Kakashi stared at Guy. With that personality, it just might happen. Yun pictured a husky mistaken for a wolf amid a pack.
They were still smiling when the sensing barrier trilled.
The three froze, exchanging tight glances. Guy kept grumbling about being rejected by Root.
*Swish!*
A dark figure dropped out of the trees, and three blades of cold light landed simultaneously at the necks of Yun and his two companions.
"Konoha-nin are idiots—ambushed and all done for, oh yeah!" came a booming voice.
Killer Bee, finishing a line of rap, had intended to put his blades away but found both his back and neck held by blindingly sharp chakra threads.
"Killer Bee, long time no see." Yun managed a smile.
"Is this Kumogakure's way of greeting guests? Quite unique." Kakashi said, eyes lowered.
A roar split the air from above. "Konoha Great Whirlwind!"
A green figure dropped in, aiming a downward kick straight at Killer Bee's head.
"Guy!!!" Kakashi barked, reaching to stop him.
Guy didn't pause. Mid-air, he only wondered why Kakashi was yelling his name at that moment.
*Boom!*
A thunderous crack followed. When the dust settled, a woman swathed in lightning had intercepted Guy's kick, standing with arms crossed.
"Bee-sama, I told you not to do that. We're only here to welcome the Konoha ninja." she said.
Guy, jolted by the electric shock, drew his leg back and blinked at the woman. "Not an enemy?"
Killer Bee sheathed his blades with a grin. "Haven't seen you in years! I just wanted to test if this kid had regressed, yeah!"
He nodded toward the figure he'd pinned earlier.
Bang! — a shadow clone dispersed with a shimmer.
Yun smiled. "As someone under the Fourth Hokage, isn't it normal to know a few sensing barriers?"
Killer Bee gave a loud chuckle. "Fair enough."
Mabui, who had dispersed her lightning, rubbed her forehead. "Raikage-sama only let Bee-sama come because he said you had a connection with the visiting Uchiha Yun." she said to Kakashi. "Bee-sama's sudden attack could have caused a misunderstanding."
This time Killer Bee didn't rap; he wagged a finger in mock-seriousness. "No—Uchiha Yun is not weak. But compared to the great Killer Bee-sama… he's a tiny bit short."
"Such intense confidence!" Guy enthused, offering Killer Bee a thumbs up.
The two men, like two mountains nodding to one another, began whispering animatedly—kindred spirits in exaggerated rivalry.
Kakashi, reading the situation, stepped forward. "We planned to travel to the Kumogakure tomorrow morning. I didn't expect you to come out this late to welcome us."
Mabui inclined her head. "Raikage-sama places great importance on this alliance with Konoha. He calculated the time and sent Bee-sama and me to welcome you. Bee-sama wasn't supposed to come initially, and the earlier incident was his doing—rude, yes."
Kakashi waved away the concern. "Killer Bee only wanted to test Yun's skills. Thank you for allowing us not to sleep outdoors tonight."
Mabui's tone remained polite, but her eyes were unreadable. "Please follow us. The welcome ceremony is tomorrow, but tonight we have prepared a banquet to entertain the three of you."
Kakashi and Yun exchanged a glance.
Killer Bee's brashness matched Guy's showmanship, but Mabui's measured words held a different note. It wasn't enthusiasm so much as formal courtesy—an obligation performed with precision.
'Kumogakure's senior officials aren't eager about this alliance, but they sent a welcome party anyway,' Yun thought. 'What does that mean?'
…
Deep inside Kumogakure, in the Raikage's building.
The Fourth Raikage Ai peered at the report. "The people the Hokage sent include those two." he said, meaning Bee and Mabui. "The incident with the Second Hokage has made him cautious."
Darui replied, "That Uchiha Yun—Bee-sama reports he awakened a special Sharingan. That's what the Eight-Tails said."
The Raikage frowned. "The Sharingan can restrain Tailed Beasts, but Bee is not an ordinary jinchūriki. They didn't determine a winner that time. Perhaps—"
"If we move against them in Kumogakure, war becomes inevitable." Darui interjected.
The Raikage snorted. "Kumogakure has never been afraid of Konoha…" His voice cut off as he weighed the cost.
"In that case…it would be too troublesome."
*****
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✓ Killed For 100 Years in Hueco Mundo, Aizen Invited Me To Soul Society!
✓ Naruto: Senmei Asahi
✓ Naruto: Uchiha's Intelligence Dealer
✓ Naruto: The Fifth Hokage Is Naruto's Uncle
✓ Naruto: Who Made Him a Ninja?
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✓ To Love-Ru: Spoiler Route [R-18]
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✓ The Academy's Saint Is Too Popular, But He's Not the Protagonist [R-18]