(An hour ago)
"I will keep an eye on her from now," Kakashi said to Shisui.
"Ok, captain." Shisui nodded. He had kept watch on Sakura all night. So, he was tired and wanted to rest.
"Huh, who is there?" Kakashi suddenly became alert, feeling foreign chakra.
"Don't worry, Captain. It's the root ninja." Shisui said.
"What? Why haven't you chased him?" Kakashi said while taking out his kunai and throwing it in the direction the root ninja was hiding. The root ninja dodged the kunai.
"Will you leave, or will I have to kill you?" Kakashi threatened the root ninja. But the root ninja didn't say anything.
"Why is the captain attacking the root ninja?" Shishui was confused seeing Kakashi fight with the root ninja.
"It seems I have to make you leave." Kakashi began to attack the Root Ninja. He threw kunai toward the root ninja to test them. He doesn't want to engage in hand-to-hand combat with him. The root ninjas were made to kill. So, he may use poison-coated kunai or poisonous gas, and he will be in trouble if he inhales or gets scratched by them.
But, contrary to his expectation, one of the kunai hit the leg of the root ninja as he wasn't able to evade all of his kunai.
"Huh, you are a low-level root ninja, aren't you? They must have sent you thinking nobody would harm you in the village, but unfortunately, you met me." Kakshi said, making hand signs for chidori.
"You must now recognize me. I will give you one second to decide. Danzo will not care for a low-level root ninja, but you will die." Kakashi said with Chidori in his hand. Thinking it wasn't worth it to lose his life to a Konoha ninja or to provide this information to Danzo, the root ninja left after seeing Chidori in Kakashi's hand.
"Sigh, he finally left. Otherwise, I would have to kill him to warn Danzo." Kakashi sighed. If he had to kill the root ninja, then he would be in a lot of trouble, but he would do it anyway because it involves the student of Guy. Who is just below Naruto in his heart, whom he doesn't dare to face as he is still alive, while his teammates, teacher, and his wife are dead. Then Guy, the long-term annoyance and the friend who freed him from his darkness.
"Why did you attack the root ninja, captain?" Shisui asked Kakashi. He was shocked to see Kakashi threatening to kill a fellow Konoha ninja.
"Don't you know about root?" Kakashi instead asked a question to Shisui.
"I know," Shisui nodded.
"Then, why are you asking this question?" Kakashi began to suspect Shisui didn't know about the roots.
"Huh," Shisui was even more confused. "What do you mean?"
"Sigh… it means you don't know about Root. Didn't your clan tell you to stay away from Root and Danzō? Considering your clan's current situation, they must have warned you." Kakashi felt bizarre. It was strange that Shisui didn't know about Root in their current circumstances. The Root were the ones they needed to keep an eye on. It was their number one enemy.
It was no secret among the clans and high-ranking members of Konoha that Danzō hated the Uchiha. He had repeatedly tried to strip the clan of power, provided false information during the war, and was even accused several times of having Root ninja kill Uchiha members during missions or battles. If not for the fear of Root going rogue, the support of the other two Hokage advisors, and the third Hokage turning a blind eye to his actions, Danzō would already be in prison.
"They might have said something like that, but I thought, why must we be hostile toward fellow Konoha ninja?" Shisui replied nervously. Judging by Kakashi's tone and behavior, it seemed he had completely misunderstood his clan's intentions and the Root.
"If you don't know, then just remember this: Root is one of the worst organizations in the world. In terms of recruitment and training methods, only the Bloody Mist comes close. They kidnap young children or take in orphans to train as Root ninjas. They've even abducted children from clans except the Uchiha and Hyūga. So, don't let them get close to Sakura. From whom do you think the protection part of the mission is?"
"You can't imagine what will happen to Sakura if they get her. The children they abduct are put through inhuman torture to strip them of all emotions, turning them into the sharpest weapons who follow only Danzō's orders. Even the Hokage has no authority over them."
"In theory, Root is partially disbanded during peacetime, but in reality, they're still active, and right now, they're involved in a conspiracy against your clan. Be cautious, and don't trust them. I don't want to lose another friend," Kakashi warned as his Sharingan glowed in the dark.
Shisui gulped as he looked at Kakashi's Sharingan. He seemed to have figured out why Kakashi hated Root and where his Sharingan had come from.
"Was your friend killed by Root?" Shisui asked. "His friend must have been killed by Root. They covered it by saying he died in the war." Shisui thought.
"No, he died in war. What gave you that idea?" Kakashi didn't know why Shisui thought so when the entire village knew he got his Sharingan from his friend who died in the war.
"Oh, I thought you hated root because they killed your friend."
"Idiot, my teammate and I were the students of the Minato sensei, who was the student of Jiraya of Sanin and a Hokage candidate at that time. Do you think they dared to kill him?" Kakashi felt that Shisui didn't believe him when he told him about the dark practices of the root.
Kakashi was right, Shisui was thinking he was exaggerating about the root. Shisui belongs in the same category as pre-Tobi Obito and Naruto. They think Konoha is the best and the Hokage is most powerful, righteous, and other various adjectives. He has seen the darkness as ANBU but thinks them as necessary and for the good of the village. How could there be darkness and injustice in the best village ruled by the best Kages? In other words, he was completely brainwashed during his time in the ninja academy.
"Why do you think I dared to kill that root ninja just now? It is because I was a student of the fourth Hokage and the son of 'white-fang of Konoha'. If I were a common ninja and threatened root like that, then I would disappear from this world forever. I wasn't exaggerating even a little bit when I said the roots are the worst. Ask any high-ranking ninja, and they would say the same." Kakashi stressed again.
Now, Shisui felt everything Kakashi said might be true because he didn't have a reason to lie. It also looked like his clan was right about something.
"I would have to tell Itachi about this and think more about it. If what the captain has said is right, and the root is conspiring against the clan, then it would be like putting kerosene in the fire." Shisui thought to himself.
"Also, tell this to Itachi if he doesn't know. He is the clan heir of Uchiha, so he must know this, but Itachi looks up to you. So, I doubt it." Kakashi reminded Shisui.
"Hah, it is nothing like that. I am just a friend of Itachi." Shisui clarified because he also admires Itachi. Itachi may be younger than him, and he can also be considered Itachi's teacher in some ways, but that doesn't stop him from admiring Itachi. They have mutual respect for each other.
*****
Kakashi was once again watching Guy's and Sakura's interaction.
"Wait a minute. Let me rest for a while." Sakura said, breathing heavily.
"Don't even think about it. Guy never learned the word rest in his life." Kakashi commented.
"Sakura, training and rest cannot exist in the same place. When we rest, there will be no training, and when we train, there is no room for rest." (Guy)
"When it involves training, even Guy can say something philosophical." Kakashi was amazed. This was something new even for Kakashi.
"I don't know anything about Ninjustus, taijutsu, Genjutsu, even chakra, and so on. Why don't you start from there? I will listen while resting." (Sakura)
"I have to say, she is very smart." Kakashi praised Sakura.
"I wasn't using chakra now. Look at the damage I did to the ground; it is minimal, but if I had kicked an enemy with similar force, his bones would have broken. Ground is good at absorbing force." (Guy)
"That's an understatement. As someone who has taken quite a few kicks from Guy, I can say letting Guy get close to you is a death wish." Just thinking about it gave Kakashi phantom pain.
Sakura could see a bluish, water-like substance coating Guy's feet.
"Show off," Kakashi scoffed. He is never jealous of others' chakra capacity. He wasn't in the past, isn't in the present, and won't be in the future.
Cracks began to appear in the ground after Guy stomped. They radiated from Guy reaching up to Sakura.
"I am grateful that Guy hasn't used this directly on me. From what I have heard about this from Jiraya. It hurts like hell." Kakashi has good chakra control and could use it, but he doesn't have the necessary chakra to use it.
"Look again, this time I'll focus it on one spot." Guy
"Huh," Kakashi felt he was going to see something new.
"What? It's so deep." She was shocked. The hole looked like it was made to insert a large pole in the ground, if its shape is ignored.
Kakashi's mouth was wide open, and his forehead was sweating. "Why does Guy think I am stronger than him?"
"Found it," Guy picked a stone and handed it to Sakura. "Now, use the stone and hit me using the stone in my hand with your full strength." He said with his hand forward.
"Nobody has ever taught their student about the use of Chakra like Guy did. It may be because he is a Taijutus expert." Kakashi mused. He also has another theory. Guy forgot what they said about chakra in the Academy, and was teaching what he knows and how he uses it.
"Sorry, I used too much chakra." Guy wasn't trying to show her this. He had used a huge amount of chakra to make it visible, but didn't know it would have this effect.
"Haha, this seems very useful and answers my question about the defense of tail-beasts, jinchuriki, and Raikage, but what use can it have for someone with Chakra deficiency syndrome?" Kakashi said with a fake laugh.
"Wow." Sakura was genuinely surprised.
"I remember being surprised when my father showed this to me for the first time." Kakashi thought with nostalgia. "When will it be my turn to surprise others using this trick?"
Like how oil is the fuel of an oil lamp, the chakra is the fuel of a ninja. Without the chakra, you are just a target on the battlefield.(Guy)
"It is indeed a good analogy; he must have heard it from someone. He can't come up with something like that. I will also use the same when I become a teacher, which is never." Kakashi wasn't going to say what Guy had already said. He may be weaker than Guy in strength, but he has a personality to maintain.
"Now, we will start your training." Guy reminded Sakura.
"Now, she has to train. I don't know what she will do."
"Okay," (Sakura)
"Oh, she agreed. She is different indeed. She seems to have motivation and drive to become stronger."
Kakashi then proceeded to watch as Guy made Sakura run around the training area, and taught few basic stances for punching and kicking.
*****
Later, in the Hokage office.
"So, Kakashi, how is your mission coming along?" The Third Hokage asked Kakashi. He had asked his ANBU to call Kakashi to talk with him.
"It was going well. But, I think I have completed the mission, haven't I?" Kakashi asked. He was suspicious of why the Third Hokage had him, Shisui, and Itachi on this mission when the village needed more powerful ninja now, more than ever. Another war could break out because of the unstable hidden mist.
Furthermore, Shisui, an ANBU captain, had been placed under his command for this mission. Kakashi had been Shisui's captain once before, and leading him again wasn't a problem, but at a time like this, it felt highly suspicious. Then there was also Itachi, currently serving under him, but soon to be promoted. Assigning the three of them to watch over a single girl made no sense until Kakashi discovered, for some strange reason, that Shisui knew nothing about Root.
Kakashi was shocked to say the least; their clan was going to do a coup, which was common knowledge among the higher-ups. They have been pushed to a limit, and other clans, the Hokage himself, and Danzo know it.
But Shisui didn't know about their number one enemy, Danzō and his Root. Kakashi knew Danzō would use the coup as an excuse to wipe out the Uchiha, just as the Hidden Mist had done to the Kaguya clan only a few months ago. Yet Shisui and Itachi, who should have been wary of the ANBU and Root, seemed the least bit concerned about joining the ANBU or having Root operatives around them.
"Haha, I knew you would understand. You have completed your mission." The third Hokage chuckled. He then activated a seal so that no one could listen to their conversation.
"I've seen Shisui and Itachi speaking with Danzō alone on several occasions, and it shocked me. Their clan must have told them to stay away from him, yet they didn't. So, I decided to test them a few times. They didn't speak badly of Root or Danzō, even once, nor did they show that instinctive disgust everyone else has when the topic of Root comes up. Many try to hide it from me, but how could they possibly fool me?" Hokage sighed, thinking of the complicated situation of Root. Danzo had once made Root ease his burden, but now it was like a sword hanging on his throat.
"The Uchiha's arrogance had already made the villagers dislike them, but the Nine-Tails incident turned that dislike into hatred. My own negligence, combined with Danzō's schemes, has only further alienated the clan from the village. That's why Shisui and Itachi are my only hope of easing tensions. I can't allow them to fall under Danzō's influence. I've been wondering how to make them aware of the danger, and then, the incident with Sakura gave me an idea." He continued.
"Now, I can only hope they won't be as naive as they once were. They can see the darkness hidden within the village and understand more about their clan." The Third Hokage said, smoking his pipe.
"One of the objectives of the mission is fulfilled. Now, I have to observe what Itachi and Shisui will do." The Third Hokage thought.