Within the Land of Fire.
Tenfu Gorge.
At this moment, a team of Konoha's Ninjas was swiftly making their way into the gorge.
Leading them was a fat man holding a spiked club. Beside him was an unremarkable middle-aged Ninja, followed by a young man and a young woman, both with slightly youthful faces.
The Kunoichi wore a Konoha's forehead protector. She had smooth, short brown hair and beautiful dark brown eyes. Her straight legs were clad in brown leggings, and her fair feet were in blue open-toed ninja sandals, her toes delicate and lively.
Her companion, however, had his face covered by a mask, obscuring his features. He had white hair and carried a short sword on his back. The eye visible above his mask always held an inexplicably gloomy coldness, giving off an aloof, unapproachable vibe.
Even more strangely, the masked boy's right eye seemed normal, but his left eye had a vertical scar, and its pupil shimmered with a strange red hue.
"Kakashi!"
At that moment, the fat Ninja with the spiked club suddenly turned his head and smiled, "The enemies this time are Kirigakure's Anbu. They specialize in assassination techniques, so you must protect our Medical-Nin. Make sure she doesn't get into any danger!"
"Yes!"
"Captain Akimichi!"
Kakashi said with a stern and resolute expression, "I will definitely protect Rin!"
"Don't underestimate me!"
The girl tucked the wind-blown strands of hair behind her ear and said, "I'm a Konoha's Ninja too! Besides medical duties, I won't hold everyone back in combat either!"
"Just be careful no matter what!"
The Akimichi Clan's Ninja's face suddenly turned serious. "The opponents are experienced Anbu. We can't afford to be the slightest bit careless!"
"Don't worry, I will complete the mission!"
Kakashi took a deep breath.
Now,
Having experienced the Battle of the Kannabi Bridge, Kakashi was no longer the naïve youth who would falter before an Iwagakure's Jonin. Tempered by life-and-death trials, he had truly grown into an elite Ninja capable of holding his own.
The group advanced and soon arrived at the lake in the center of the gorge.
Kakashi's gaze continuously scanned the surroundings.
A few days ago,
A Kirigakure's Anbu had infiltrated, assassinated a Konoha's supply officer, but was quickly discovered. Konoha's Ninjas had pursued him all the way to Tenfu Gorge, where they lost his trail.
Kakashi, Rin, and the others had received orders from their superiors to support their comrades and search for that Kirigakure's Anbu who might be hiding within the gorge.
Therefore,
The moment they entered the Tenfu Gorge's area, Kakashi became extremely vigilant. His eyes constantly searched back and forth around them.
Suddenly,
Within the vision of Kakashi's Sharingan, he detected strange clusters of Chakra Flow beneath the calm lake surface.
"This is..."
"Watch your feet!"
Kakashi shouted, then immediately formed hand seals so fast they seemed to leave afterimages.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Just as the water wall surged upwards, several rotating water projectiles slammed hard against it.
Boom!
Water splashed everywhere, emitting a piercing roar.
"Well done, Kakashi!"
Rin exclaimed, her face showing joy.
The other two Konoha's Jonin instantly prepared for battle.
"Heh!"
"So we were discovered?"
"It seems Konoha has some decent Ninjas too!"
Amidst the splashing water, a masked Kirigakure's Anbu suddenly appeared on the lake's surface.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
The Kirigakure's Anbu formed hand seals, and a roaring water dragon charged once more towards the location of Kakashi and Rin.
"Partial Multi-Size Technique!"
"Super Push Hands!"
Unexpectedly,
The Akimichi Clan's Ninja's hands suddenly enlarged tremendously. He raised them high and slammed them down directly onto the roaring water dragon.
Bam!
Bam!
The two giant hands descended, actually smashing the roaring water dragon aside, resulting in a stalemate.
Amidst the roar, the Kirigakure's Anbu who had launched the surprise attack had his face instantly changed.
'Damn!'
'Ran into a tough opponent!'
Just from that brief exchange, he could tell this team was extraordinary. Their reaction speed and destructive power in combat were definitely not that of ordinary characters, even among Jonin.
His mind racing, the Kirigakure's Anbu thought about using the Hiding in the Mist Technique to escape. But just as he was about to form the hand seals, he abruptly saw a black figure, stepping on the water spray from the explosion, charging towards him at super high speed.
In his hand was a ball of shimmering lightning!
"Chidori!"
Whoosh!
A body passed by with a flicker.
The Kirigakure's Anbu tried to counterattack with his kunai, but Kakashi, charging from the opposite side, perfectly dodged it.
Then, the arc of lightning in Kakashi's hand traced a perfect curve, accurately piercing through the Kirigakure's Anbu's sternum and shredding his heart to pieces.
"Pfft!"
A mouthful of blood gushed out. The Kirigakure's Anbu's gaze instantly turned dull.
Instant kill!
A single strike, certain death!
The next moment,
Kakashi impassively pulled his hand from the chest cavity of the dead Kirigakure's Anbu, then let the corpse sink into the lake water.
His gaze remained as cold as ever, as if he hadn't just killed a man, but merely chopped a piece of firewood.