"Sorry I'm late. I got caught up talking to Kushina."
"Sensei! Why are you always a step behind!"
Obito Uchiha complained loudly once he saw that Byakuya hadn't actually hurt Kakashi.
Minato Namikaze scratched the back of his head and laughed sheepishly. "Kushina was just reminding me to protect you guys properly."
"Yeah, yeah, we know..." Obito grumbled helplessly.
His teacher was unbelievably fast, yet always seemed to be late at the critical moment. It was infuriating.
Minato turned his attention to Byakuya, who was wearing the Shuten-doji mask. "Are you an ANBU ninja? Please sheath your blade. The spar is over, and we need to be on our way."
Byakuya withdrew his sword from Kakashi's shoulder, sheathed it, and bowed respectfully to Minato. Without a word, he turned and walked out the gate.
The gate guard shouted, "Hey, your pass—"
Byakuya casually waved the Root pass in the air as he sprinted away, disappearing into the distance.
Minato watched his retreating figure, thinking to himself, From his build, he looks about the same age as Kakashi. I didn't expect him to be stronger than Kakashi. I've never heard of a young ninja like that in the ANBU. Could he be...
Most likely.
From Root. Danzo Shimura's people.
He withdrew his gaze and patted the shoulder of Kakashi, who was standing there frozen like a wooden statue. "Get ready. We need to move out."
Kakashi's eyes were wide, his pupils filled with shock, fear, and frustration.
Everyone always praised him as a genius ninja.
But today, he had lost to someone else.
Kakashi knew deep down that the opponent was about his size. The hand gripping the sword hilt was clearly that of a teenager.
When did the Leaf get another genius ninja? Why had he never heard of him?
"Sensei... I'm sorry. I lost."
Minato smiled and comforted him. "Kakashi, don't be discouraged. You're not worse than him; you just lack a bit of combat experience."
"I know. His sensory perception is stronger, he's faster, his kenjutsu is better..."
Kakashi recalled Byakuya's sword strikes. Simple, clean, efficient. No wasted movement. On a battlefield, that kind of sword technique was what killed enemies quickly.
Minato listened quietly until Kakashi finished venting. Then, he placed both hands on the boy's shoulders and gave them a squeeze, smiling with his signature warmth. "Then you'll just have to train hard with me!"
The teacher's words seemed magical. Kakashi instantly regained his spirit. "Yes! Sensei!"
"Obito?"
"Sensei! Sensei! Next time you have to support us faster! You scared me and Rin to death! We thought the mystery man was going to kill Kakashi. I almost cried!"
"I know, I know. Tell me, how did he get into a fight with Kakashi?"
"Ah, well, it's a long story..." Obito tried to dodge the question.
Rin, however, explained exactly what happened without hiding anything.
After listening, Minato said, "His target wasn't Obito. It was Kakashi."
The three students were surprised.
"Based on how he swung his sword, it looked like he was waiting for Kakashi to save Obito."
"Was he that sure Kakashi would save me?"
Minato spoke earnestly. "Obito, because he is also a Leaf ninja. And Leaf ninja do not abandon their comrades."
For some reason, Kakashi suddenly became agitated. "Do you also believe that Leaf ninja won't abandon their comrades? Then, Sensei... do you think the mission is more important, or comrades?"
Minato instantly understood what Kakashi was really asking. He fell silent for a long time. Even when Mimura and a boy from the Inuzuka clan arrived, he hadn't answered Kakashi's question.
Mimura called out, "Captain Minato! I didn't expect to see you here."
"Hello, Captain Mimura."
They shook hands.
Mimura looked around, confused. "What happened here?"
Minato briefly explained the incident.
Mimura realized quickly and whispered, "There's no ninja like that in the regular ANBU."
"Indeed."
"From that organization?"
"Likely."
Mimura lowered his voice further. "I heard that organization has been playing a big role recently."
"They've provided a lot of intelligence, only..."
"Ha, I know what you're going to say." Mimura finished Minato's thought. "Only they operate independently, ignoring the Hokage's orders and listening only to that man."
"Yes."
"Ah, don't worry about it. Let's focus on teaching the kids."
"Captain Mimura, why are you here? I thought you were rotated to the front line command unit."
Mimura sighed. "Kurenai's original team captain was killed in action. I'm filling in temporarily."
"I see."
War was cruel.
Minato knew that Special Jonin. He was talented, just slightly lacking in command ability to make full Jonin.
Mimura, on the other hand, had excellent command skills. Because of fears that war might break out on the Mist or Sand fronts, he was kept on standby in the village, occasionally teaching at the Academy.
"Everyone's here. Let's go."
The two squads walked out of the Leaf Village gate together.
The captains discussed the battlefield situation while the squad members followed behind.
Although Kakashi was a bit down, Obito's cheerful personality helped him shake off the gloom temporarily.
He still placed the mission above all else.
Rin watched Kakashi return to normal and smiled brightly.
The Hyuga Branch girl walked up to Kurenai. "Kurenai, why do you look so listless?"
" nothing. Just thinking."
"About what?"
Kurenai whispered, "I feel like that ninja in the Shuten-doji mask... felt familiar. Like I've seen him somewhere."
"You've seen him?"
"Yeah."
"No way. That guy's aura was freezing cold—colder than Kakashi's. How would you know someone like that? Besides, I know all your friends. None of them fit that description."
Obito suddenly whipped his head around. "Hey! I think I heard you mention Kakashi!"
"Uchiha brat! I did mention Kakashi. You want to fight?!"
Obito glared at her. "It's just the Byakugan. What's so great about it? Remember this: as long as the Uchiha exist in the Leaf, your Hyuga clan will always be second to us."
"Hmph! I can't beat Kakashi, but do you think I can't beat you?!"
"Fine! Try me! Even if you're a girl, I'll beat you until you're crawling on the ground looking for your teeth!"
Rin and Kurenai shouted simultaneously, "Quiet down, both of you!"
The effect was instant.
Kurenai took the Hyuga girl's hand and slowed down a few steps.
Obito, wearing his goggles, crossed his arms and huffed, turning his head away.
Rin whispered to him, "We are comrades. Don't fight."
"Comrades, huh? I'll listen to Rin." Obito grinned, happy that Rin was mediating for him. He felt like he had won a point over Kakashi in Rin's heart.
---
Noon.
Byakuya leaned against a tree, chewing on a soldier pill.
The pills he brought still didn't restore chakra; they were basically just high-calorie compressed biscuits.
He ate until he was about sixty percent full.
He walked to the stream, crouched down, and scooped up some water to drink.
He formed the seal.
"Storm Style: Torrential Lightning."
He opened his mouth and spat a stream of blazing blue-white lightning, like a rushing river of lasers.
Large swaths of laser light covered the opposite bank, converging precisely on a single large tree.
The tree suddenly exploded, then burst into flames, as if struck by lightning in a storm.
Except for that tree, the surrounding grass, wildflowers, and insects were completely unharmed.
This was Storm Style—control like a laser-guided missile.
> [System: Hard Work Pays Off]
> Limited Time Mission (1 Day): Practice Storm Style Ninjutsu (10/10)
> Status: Complete.
> Reward: Minor increase in Chakra Capacity.
> Destiny Choice 2: Establish a foothold in the ANBU Training Division (Limited Time: 23 Days).
> Reward: Major increase in Chakra Quality.