Copyright Awareness in the Shinobi World Is Far Too Lax

"There has always been a rule in the Shinobi World: genius and misfortune often go hand in hand, and the parents of geniuses are even more plagued by misfortune."

"Even more chilling, the Ōtsutsuki clan may have a curse: while being born as one of two brothers makes a genius more likely to appear, it also means one of them is almost certain to bear that curse!"

Dōmeki looked around the battlefield enclosed by the barrier. It seemed no one could escape this rule.

Orochimaru had lost his parents as a child and seen through life and death at a young age. From then on, he had been obsessed with achieving immortality, even killing his own teacher to sever his ties with Konoha.

Kimimaro, Hozuki Mangetsu, and Ringo Ameyuri, the seriously ill trio, were all rare geniuses in the Shinobi World, yet every one of them had died young. Mangetsu in particular, a prodigy beloved by the Ninja Blades, had also carried the big brother buff.

Zabuza and Kisame Hoshigaki: one had killed everyone in his class to change a cruel examination system, while the other had abandoned his beloved companions for a mission.

Karatachi Yagura had a happy family, but the dignified Mizukage had been manipulated and controlled, harming the village he loved most.

Kaguya Tsuhito, a useless extra, could be disregarded.

And then there was...

Dōmeki looked toward a white-haired figure lying in a pool of water. Both his parents had died when he was young. Of the companions he had formed bonds with, one had willingly died by his hand, while the other had faked his death, turned evil, become one of the masterminds behind the scenes in the Shinobi World, and killed the teacher and teacher's wife who cared about him most.

He had flirted with plenty of girls, yet remained obsessed with smutty books, ultimately ending up single, with only his disabled best buddy for company.

Now he was a true harbinger of doom to everyone close to him!

The red-haired boy grinned, then turned to Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru, I saw a senior who used to look after me. Please allow me to say hello to him!"

"Oh?" Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. "That brat from Konoha's Hatake Clan?"

"Shun-kun, please be careful. I don't want Konoha noticing Otogakure just yet."

Dōmeki made an OK sign, then vanished into the mist.

Meanwhile, in a pool of water on the other side of the battlefield,

Kakashi, who was hiding in the water, suddenly felt the hairs on his body stand on end. It was as if something terrifying had fixed its gaze on him.

He quickly looked around. Sensing that Kirigakure's people hadn't discovered him, he relaxed a little, though he still prepared to change positions.

At the same time, he couldn't stop lamenting. He had learned from the Third Hokage that this mission would be troublesome, but who could have guessed it would be troublesome to this extent?

The Mizukage was being controlled, Kaguya and Zabuza were in revolt, and the remaining Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were fighting among themselves. On top of that, the other Kirigakure shinobi had been preparing to rescue Yagura in the first place, not to mention that the Uchiha might also be involved.

Every single thing was trouble. If he made one careless mistake, he probably wouldn't have the slightest chance of survival!

Kakashi glanced at the barrier that had cut off his retreat, then quietly rose, preparing to find a spot closer to the Mizukage.

Suddenly, Kakashi felt someone tap his shoulder. His expression changed instantly, and lightning flashed in his hand as he thrust it behind him amid the screeching of countless birds.

"Whoa! Kakashi-senpai, that's a little too enthusiastic for a greeting!"

A familiar, somewhat exaggerated voice rang out. With his right hand held firmly in place, a flash of red appeared in Kakashi's eye.

"It's you! The Sound Ninja brat!"

Kakashi frowned. "Why do I run into you everywhere?"

Dōmeki released Kakashi's right hand and looked at him with some hurt. "How mean. I saw a senior I respect and came over especially to pay my respects!"

Kakashi felt goosebumps rising all over him. "Brat, can't you talk normally? That's disgusting!"

"I suppose so!" Dōmeki folded his arms and looked at Kakashi. "Kakashi-senpai, are you here to watch the show too? A free-for-all in one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages is a rare sight, isn't it?"

Kakashi sensed deep malice in the boy's words. Suddenly, he raised an eyebrow and ventured a guess. "Brat, you wouldn't happen to have something to do with what's going on in Kirigakure, would you?"

"Hey, senpai, don't go accusing people at random!" The red-haired boy looked thoroughly displeased. "Shouldn't you Konoha people be more suspicious when it comes to this sort of thing?"

Kakashi didn't believe a word the boy said. How could it be such a coincidence that the boy happened to be here on this particular night?

Seeing how wary Kakashi was, Dōmeki sighed helplessly.

"All right, I'll tell you why I came here, senpai!"

"Uh, you'd really be that kind, brat?" Kakashi remained expressionless, but his ears quietly perked up.

Dōmeki prattled on regardless. "You know I came to Kirigakure to look for an elder, right, senpai?"

"The reason I'm here is that my elder has a rather embarrassing hobby!"

"What hobby?" Kakashi's curiosity was piqued.

Dōmeki looked around furtively before leaning close to Kakashi's ear and whispering.

"That is..."

"That is?" Kakashi had a feeling he was about to discover some incredible secret.

"He likes collecting orphans!!!"

Kakashi stared at the boy in disbelief, then was immediately rendered speechless. "You're not messing with me, are you, brat?"

"I'm serious!" Dōmeki sighed. "Think about it, Kakashi-senpai. After Kirigakure's rebellion today, what local specialty will there be the most of?"

"Orphans!"

"Ah, come to think of it, you seem to be one too, Kakashi-senpai. Would you like to join our miserable, wretched Sound Ninja Orphanage-"

Before Dōmeki could finish, Kakashi immediately clapped a hand over his mouth. Only when the boy saw Kakashi's unfriendly expression did he reluctantly lower his voice.

The two stared at each other awkwardly for a long while. In the end, Dōmeki spoke quietly. "Besides coming to say hello to you, senpai, my other purpose was to pay a copyright fee!"

"Huh? A copyright fee?" Kakashi looked at Dōmeki in confusion, only to freeze completely at his next words.

"The Genjutsu on the Mizukage was cast by a Mangekyō Sharingan, and the owner of that eye is very close to you, senpai!"

Kakashi instinctively covered his left eye. Just as he was about to ask more, he heard the familiar sound of a thousand birds chirping.

When he abruptly looked up, his eyes widened. At some point, lightning had gathered into a mass in the red-haired boy's right hand.

Powerful currents flashed in every direction. In the blink of an eye, the boy shot like lightning between the two white-haired youths, his right hand already pressed against the two Ninja Blades radiating masses of Chakra.

"Lightning Release: Chidori!!!"

Kakashi stared in astonishment at the Ninjutsu he had developed himself. It was a long time before he recalled what the boy had said about a copyright fee, and he couldn't help exclaiming,

"Fuck, copyright awareness in the Shinobi World is far too lax!"