The vast expanse of Konoha's Training Ground stretched out before them, bathed in the early morning light. The sounds of clashing kunai, shouted commands, and the thud of taijutsu sparring filled the air.
Kakashi Hatake walked calmly at the front, his hands tucked casually into his pockets. Behind him trailed two men who had once shaken the entire shinobi world: Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi.
As they approached the checkpoint at the training ground entrance, the guarding shinobi straightened immediately.
"Captain, you're here," one of the guards greeted respectfully, bowing his head.
Kakashi gave a light nod in acknowledgment and passed through. The guards' eyes, however, drifted quickly to the two figures walking behind him. Their gazes sharpened, disbelief flashing across their faces.
"Isn't that… Uchiha Itachi?" one whispered.
"The same Itachi who annihilated his entire clan?"
Another frowned, lowering his voice but unable to hide the unease. "It really looks like him… but who's the one walking beside him?"
"I don't know. But why would Captain Kakashi bring them here?"
Kakashi ignored the murmurs and continued deeper inside. He turned his head slightly, speaking in his usual easy tone.
"This is where our shinobi spend most of their time. On the left is the mess hall. Medical tents are set up further down, so if you get injured during sparring, head there for immediate treatment. The main training zones are split by skill—taijutsu sparring rings, ranged weapon practice areas, and ninjutsu fields."
Itachi and Shisui listened silently, nodding. Their expressions remained calm, but they could both feel the weight of every gaze upon them.
Along the way, shinobi saluted Kakashi respectfully, though their eyes inevitably darted toward Itachi.
Unlike Shisui, whose existence was shrouded in legend and known only by name, Uchiha Itachi's face was infamous throughout the shinobi world. His portrait had been plastered across bingo books for years after the Uchiha Clan Massacre. He was known as the Clan-Slayer, the Genocidal Weasel.
"It's him," someone whispered harshly from the side.
"It's Itachi! The one who slaughtered the entire Uchiha Clan."
"Why is he here? Why would Kakashi bring him to the training grounds?"
Others reacted differently.
"Wait—remember what Hokage-sama announced? Itachi acted under orders… He bore the hatred of the village for peace."
"Yeah, Lady Tsunade already removed his name from the bingo books. He's no longer a wanted man."
"Even so… knowing the truth doesn't erase the image of what he did. To massacre an entire clan, even if ordered… that's still terrifying."
The whispers spread like wildfire, a mixture of skepticism, unease, and reluctant acknowledgment.
Kakashi caught fragments of their words, but he kept his expression unreadable. He simply gestured for Shisui and Itachi to follow him further inside.
Once they reached the central grounds, Kakashi stopped and addressed them directly.
"Listen. The truth about the Uchiha Clan has finally come to light. But that doesn't mean people will immediately accept it." His single visible eye sharpened. "You'll face resistance, doubt, even open hostility at first. Don't let it shake you."
Itachi and Shisui exchanged glances. Kakashi continued:
"You both sacrificed more for this village than most can even imagine. There's no reason to hide anymore. You have nothing to feel guilty about. Be bold. Stand as yourselves."
He paused, voice firm.
"And one more thing—respect in this world doesn't come from explanations. It comes from strength. You have the power. Don't bury it. Show them why the Hokage chose you."
The two Uchiha nodded silently.
At that moment, a familiar voice called out.
"Captain Kakashi!"
Shiranui Genma jogged up, senbon pinched casually between his teeth as always. He stopped, gave a quick nod, then glanced at Kakashi.
"How's the training been while you were away these past few days?" Kakashi asked.
Genma smirked confidently. "Smooth. The squads have been pushing harder than ever. Coordination's improving across the board."
Genma, once a guard assigned directly under the Fourth Hokage, had been entrusted with derivative applications of the Flying Thunder God Technique. Though it required three-man execution, his battlefield experience made him invaluable. That same skill had earned him the role of Kakashi's right-hand man here.
Genma adjusted his senbon, then froze. His eyes flicked to the men behind Kakashi.
"…Itachi?!" His expression stiffened, suspicion flashing in his gaze.
"Captain," Genma said lowly, "what is this?"
Kakashi's eye crinkled into a calm smile. "Gather everyone. I have an announcement to make."
Though still frowning, Genma obeyed. He moved off to summon the other squad leaders.
Kakashi looked back at Itachi and Shisui. "From here on, it's in your hands."
Before long, the squads assembled. Hundreds upon hundreds of shinobi stood lined across the training grounds. Leaders like Genma, Raido Namiashi, and Iwashi Tatami moved among them, curious and uneasy.
When silence fell, Kakashi stepped onto the raised platform.
"Everyone," he called out, his voice carrying. "A few days ago, Lady Tsunade summoned me to her office. She has reassigned me. From this day forward, I will no longer serve as your training captain."
The announcement rippled through the crowd. Gasps and mutters broke out.
"What? Captain Kakashi stepping down?"
"Did Hokage-sama give him a different mission?"
"This doesn't feel right…"
On stage, Kakashi continued evenly.
"Though I am leaving this position, there will be replacements. I stand here with Lady Tsunade's official appointment letter."
He drew a scroll from his vest and unrolled it.
"By order of the Fifth Hokage, Senju Tsunade: Hatake Kakashi is relieved of the position of Training Captain. Effective immediately, Uchiha Shisui shall serve as Training Captain. Uchiha Itachi shall serve as Vice-Captain."
The words fell like a thunderclap.
Shinobi erupted in disbelief. Even Genma's composure faltered as his eyes widened. Vice-Captain? Taken by Uchiha Itachi…?
"It's Shisui—the one they called 'Shisui of the Body Flicker'… alive?"
"And Itachi?! The clan killer as our vice-captain?!"
"This has to be a mistake!"
The murmurs turned into open dissent.
"We don't agree!" someone shouted.
"That's right! Hokage-sama must take back this decision!"
"Two Uchiha in command? After their clan nearly staged a coup? This is madness!"
The uproar swelled, the voices of five thousand shinobi roaring in protest. Even Hokage authority could be shaken if the entire force resisted.
Kakashi raised his voice sharply.
"Silence!"
The uproar lessened, but anger still simmered in the air. Kakashi's tone cut through it.
"This is the Hokage's decision. Are you questioning Lady Tsunade herself?"
That silenced them completely. Even if they disagreed, defying the Hokage was crossing a dangerous line.
Kakashi turned slightly, prepared to continue—but a hand rested lightly on his shoulder.
"I'll handle this," Itachi said quietly.
He stepped forward, black cloak brushing the platform floor. His gaze swept across the gathered army of shinobi. Then, with deliberate calm, his eyes shifted.
The tomoe of his Sharingan spun, transforming into the crimson brilliance of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
The air itself seemed to still as the infamous eyes of Uchiha Itachi bore down upon Konoha's elite.
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