Uchiha Shinsuke and Yakushi Kabuto. Orochimaru hadn't expected that just a bit of daily physical training could foster a bond between them—but apparently, it had.
Still, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
"Understood, Lord Orochimaru," Shinsuke replied, visibly relieved.
He had been able to gather news about Kabuto from the samurai of the Land of Iron. If he could do that, so could the village. Which meant Orochimaru likely knew as well.
If Kabuto truly had become a threat again, it would be trouble. Shinsuke knew he wasn't strong enough to face him—not yet. And even if he were, he wasn't in a position to act on it.
Orochimaru glanced over at the still-dazed Hidan, then turned back to Shinsuke.
"Where's Shisui? I have some things I need to ask him."
Shinsuke, being both part of the Uchiha clan's security force and a member of Anbu, often worked closely with Shisui. If anyone knew his whereabouts, it would be him.
There were two reasons Orochimaru needed to see Shisui: First, the preparations to restore the Mangekyō Sharingan in Yamato were nearly complete. Second, Hidan was a walking powder keg—an unstable devotee of a death cult. Even Orochimaru wasn't entirely confident he could control him.
If there was another, more elegant solution... why not take it?
"Shisui..." Shinsuke thought for a moment. "He's out on a mission, likely something involving the Land of Iron."
It was taboo for shinobi to openly discuss each other's missions, but in practice, people often figured things out anyway.
"The leader of the Land of Iron's samurai fled in a hurry, leaving all his possessions behind. Word is, he's now secretly trying to retrieve their treasury."
"I see." Orochimaru gave a faint nod and glanced at Hidan again. "I'll leave him to you. Make sure he doesn't cause any trouble."
"Understood!" Shinsuke replied with a crisp salute.
---
Land of Iron – Snowy Mountains
Along the jagged mountain ridge, thin, cloaked figures trudged uphill against biting winds. Snow blew hard, hiding the narrow paths and covering the once-marked entrances.
Buried beneath layers of snow and ice was a sealed cave—the former treasury of the Land of Iron. Without the keen sense of a trained samurai, locating the exact spot would've taken days of blind searching.
Kakashi, Shisui, and six other Anbu operatives waited silently outside, guarding the entrance. This was a legitimate escort mission. Their job: protect the samurai as they recovered the nation's hidden gold and silver reserves.
While many smaller shinobi villages or rogue organizations might be tempted by such a haul, the five great nations had reputations to maintain—and the power to back up their honor.
Still, the samurai were cautious. They didn't allow a single Konoha ninja inside the vault.
That was understandable. Though the Land of Iron was small compared to the Land of Fire, its treasury was vast. From a nation's perspective, they were weaker—but compared to individuals, they were still wealthy and powerful.
After about fifteen minutes, two samurai emerged from the cave. They looked exactly the same as when they went in.
None of the Konoha shinobi showed any signs of suspicion, but a few—Kakashi and Shisui included—exchanged knowing glances. Their eyes lingered subtly on one samurai's stomach area, one from the front, one from behind.
The samurai seemed rattled by their stares. "Let's move," he urged.
Kakashi gave a brief nod and signaled his team. The group of ten began descending the mountain.
Once they returned to the forests at lower altitude, they shed their heavy winter coats, switching to lighter gear for the long journey back to Konoha.
After several miles, a Hyūga from the squad raised his voice.
"Two ninja teams approaching from ahead."
Kakashi held up a hand, halting the group. "Hold position."
Moments later, four shinobi emerged from the trees.
Kakashi immediately noticed the headbands.
"Grass Ninja?" he said, narrowing his eyes. "Why are you blocking us?"
One of the Grass Jonin stepped forward, a deep scar running across his face, nearly splitting it in two. He sneered.
"Konoha shinobi, huh? I recognize you—you're Kakashi."
He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder.
"This is the Land of Grass. What are you doing here?"
Kakashi didn't flinch. "Land of Grass? We're still in the Land of Iron. And you really want to know what our mission is?"
Shinobi etiquette was clear: missions were confidential, even within the same village—especially with outsiders.
The Grass Jonin let out a twisted chuckle.
"Fine, I won't ask anymore. Just leave those two samurai behind. The rest of you can go."
Kakashi's eyes darkened.
"You're not here to talk, are you?" he muttered.
"Not really."
"Then— do it!" Kakashi barked.
"Heh. Finally." The Grass Jonin formed hand signs rapidly.
"Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!"
Glittering ice mirrors materialized from thin air, encasing the area in a massive ring of reflective panels.
Tall walls of ice rose between the shinobi, separating Konoha's forces into isolated zones.
Kakashi's eyes widened. "Ice Release… You're not from Grass. You're from the Yuki Clan—Kirigakure."
"So what?" the masked man sneered, vanishing into the mirrors. "Doesn't matter what village I'm from. Today, you die here."
Thick mist began to roll across the battlefield, swallowing the ice mirrors in a white haze. The other three ninja disappeared into the fog.
This wasn't a Grass team. It was clearly a Kirigakure ambush, disguised as Grass ninja.
"Damn it." Kakashi pushed up his forehead protector, revealing the Sharingan. "Shisui, protect the samurai!"
"Got it!" Shisui vanished in a flicker.
Just then, a flare exploded high above the canopy. Kakashi's heart sank.
It wasn't one of theirs. Which meant the enemy was calling for reinforcements.
They had to end this quickly.
But the enemy wasn't rushing. The Ice Release users stayed hidden in their mirrors, warily probing and delaying the battle. Their attacks were precise, evasive—stalling for time.
"Focus on one target!"
Kakashi blocked a silent kunai, then made a quick series of seals.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
With a loud bang, eight ninja dogs burst from the ground, locking onto one of the enemy shinobi.
Lightning sparked in Kakashi's palm. In an instant, he became a bolt of light and pierced straight through the trapped enemy's chest.
Only then did a wall of ice rise behind him, too late to stop his advance.
"Impressive," one of the enemy murmured, materializing from a mirror behind a samurai. An ice pick gleamed in his hand as he drove it forward.
The samurai reacted quickly, barely managing to twist sideways.
Clang!
The short sword met the ice pick, shattering it.
The mist-shrouded shinobi clicked his tongue in annoyance and vanished again into the mirror.
"Damn Shisui..."
_____________________
The story is Finished on patreon (394 Chapters)
Join my patreon
patreon.com/Silver757
Or Tip me on
coff.ee/silver7959
http://buymeacoffee.com/silver7959