In barely three seconds, Yoru was submerged up to his neck.
The swamp dragged him down mercilessly.
But the hidden attacker did not appear.
Just as the mud swallowed his head—
Poof!
White smoke burst forth.
The "Yoru" in the swamp turned into a log.
"Substitution Technique, huh…"
"Impressive. You're using what you learned at the Academy to its fullest."
Yoru's real body had already reappeared more than ten meters away.
But he wasn't relaxed.
His expression remained grim.
Too strong.
I'm not his opponent.
Who is this?
He racked his brain.
He had no enemies.
He barely knew anyone in the village.
Yet those attacks earlier—
They were lethal.
Who held such killing intent toward him?
As his thoughts raced, a figure stepped out from the darkness of the trees.
"Not bad," the masked man said calmly.
"You already have the strength of a chūnin."
Yoru's tension intensified.
The lighting was dim. The man wore a mask.
He couldn't identify him.
But the aura—
It was overwhelming.
Far stronger than Dōichi.
If he truly wanted me dead, I wouldn't still be standing.
So what's his goal?
This is the village. Would he really kill me in the street?
Even assassins followed rules within Konoha.
And someone of this level didn't need such elaborate setups to kill him.
The man approached.
"I don't believe I've offended you," Yoru said calmly.
The masked ninja looked at him briefly.
"Follow me."
Then he turned and walked away.
For a split second, Yoru considered running.
But he dismissed the idea instantly.
He can kill me at any time.
If he wanted to, I'd already be dead.
After a brief hesitation—
Yoru followed.
They moved in silence, separated by about ten meters, until they reached the back mountain of Konoha.
When they arrived at the lake Yoru's team had cleaned the previous day—
Moonlight illuminated the figure's silver hair.
Yoru's eyes narrowed.
White hair…
Don't tell me…
Hatake Kakashi?
The more he looked, the more it fit.
Did I offend him?
Or… did Dōichi-sensei offend him back in ANBU?
Is this some form of retaliation?
Once that possibility formed—
Yoru's tension eased slightly.
If this was Kakashi—
Then he wasn't in real danger.
And it was indeed Kakashi.
Earlier that day, he had technically been "leading" Naruto and Sasuke on a mission—
Which meant reading while they worked.
He was, after all, Jiraiya's loyal reader.
Reaching the lakeside, Kakashi removed his mask.
Yoru quietly exhaled.
Good. It's really him.
Now he was certain.
And with certainty came calm.
He didn't speak.
He wanted to know—
What grudge existed between Kakashi and Dōichi.
Those earlier attacks would have killed an ordinary genin instantly.
Yoru didn't resent him.
Kakashi wasn't the type to attack without calculation.
If he had struck, it meant he knew Yoru's approximate limits.
The two stood in silence.
The atmosphere grew awkward.
Finally, Kakashi spoke.
"Jingwen Yoru. Your performance just now was impressive."
Yoru remained silent.
He simply watched Kakashi standing by the lake, pretending to be profound.
Kakashi cleared his throat.
"You're wondering why I attacked you."
Yoru nodded.
"I assume Kakashi-sensei wasn't bored."
Kakashi felt slightly embarrassed.
Yoru wasn't panicked.
Wasn't curious.
Wasn't angry.
He was calm.
Even calmer than Kakashi expected.
Sasuke wouldn't react like this.
Sasuke's aloofness was pride.
Yoru's composure—
Felt genuine.
In reality, Yoru was calm because he understood Kakashi.
And understanding meant safety.
Kakashi sighed softly and turned toward the lake again.
"Those attacks would overwhelm most chūnin."
"That means your strength already surpasses the average chūnin."
"But that's where it ends."
"If I increased the intensity, you'd lose."
Yoru nodded without hesitation.
"That's correct."
"You're a jōnin."
"I could tell from the beginning that you could defeat me anytime."
"In front of you, I have no chance."
He wasn't being modest.
He understood the gap clearly.
The difference between chūnin and jōnin wasn't just a rank.
It was an abyss.
During the Land of Waves mission, two chūnin had been toys in Kakashi's hands.
Used—
Then eliminated instantly.
Yoru had no illusions about challenging him.
Kakashi studied him carefully.
No arrogance.
No denial.
Just clear self-awareness.
And that—
Was exactly what Kakashi had hoped to see.
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