Kakashi Hatake

While Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and the others discussed how the war might unfold, Yemo followed the female ninja out of the meeting room and through an area filled with white tents.

They soon reached a small, dense patch of forest and entered a narrow path. Broken branches and trunks lay all along its sides. Clearly, the path had been made by people, and not long ago.

Yemo looked up and asked in confusion, "Pretty big sister, where are we going? Why are we coming into this forest?"

Hearing Yemo's question, the female ninja turned around and smiled sweetly. "I'm taking you to meet a group of kids about your age."

The ones about my age should be Shikaku and those guys. As for the rest, they're probably children from Konoha's other clans, Yemo thought to himself.

After a pause, the female ninja continued, "Like you, they came with their clan elders to experience the brutality of war. The aim is to train you all to become the pillars of Konoha in the future."

Yemo curled his lip. He didn't want to be lumped in with those guys. "I'm different from them. I came here to fight in the war, not to experience it."

The female ninja chuckled softly at Yemo's grown-up tone. She didn't think Yemo would be going into battle; she believed Lord Orochimaru had brought him along to experience the cruelty of war too.

Seeing that the pretty ninja didn't believe him and was even laughing at him, Yemo hurriedly protested, "Pretty big sister, I'm not joking. Didn't you hear what Teacher Orochimaru said earlier? He's taking me to the battlefield tomorrow."

The pretty ninja chuckled again at Yemo's anxious protest. She reached out with a fair, delicate hand and gently stroked his head. "I heard Lord Jiraiya say your name was Yemo Uzumaki, right? Kushina's little brother!"

The pretty ninja's smile was warm, like a spring breeze brushing against his face and refreshing him. But when Yemo heard the familiar way she said his sister's name, he froze for a moment and asked curiously, "Pretty big sister, do you know my sister?"

The pretty ninja smiled. "We're more than just acquaintances. We're very close, the best of friends. I've heard Kushina mention you."

Yemo thought about it, but he had never heard his sister mention having a best friend, so he asked, "Then what's your name, pretty big sister?"

"I'm from the Uchiha Clan. My name is Uchiha Mikoto," the pretty ninja introduced herself. Yemo was stunned for a moment to hear that she was from the Uchiha Clan. He hadn't expected his sister to have a best friend from the Uchiha Clan.

The name Uchiha Mikoto sounded familiar to Yemo. He seemed to have heard it in the Naruto manga, but he just couldn't remember. He figured she must have been some minor character without any special status, or he would surely have remembered who she was.

But Yemo had guessed wrong. Although Uchiha Mikoto was a relatively unimportant minor character, her identity was anything but ordinary. She was Uchiha Fugaku's wife, the wife of the Uchiha Clan's patriarch, and, most importantly, the mother of Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha.

Since she was his sister's friend, Yemo quickly warmed up to the pretty big sister Uchiha Mikoto, and the two chatted as they walked.

At first, they talked about his sister. Then Uchiha Mikoto suddenly asked curiously, "Yemo, I heard your sister say that you haven't even attended the Ninja Academy. How did you become Lord Orochimaru's student and a Genin?"

Under Uchiha Mikoto's curious gaze, Yemo explained, "The Third Hokage recommended me as Teacher Orochimaru's student, and the Third personally made me a Genin too."

Yemo spoke simply and calmly, but Uchiha Mikoto was stunned. She looked at him, her eyes full of surprise. She was no child who could be easily fooled. She was a Chunin, and she knew a thing or two about Lord Orochimaru.

Although Yemo said that Lord Third had recommended him, Uchiha Mikoto understood that for Orochimaru to accept Yemo, his talent had to be terrifying. Otherwise, Lord Orochimaru wouldn't have been interested. It wasn't as though Lord Third had never recommended anyone to Lord Orochimaru before, but Lord Orochimaru had never agreed.

If Yemo's talent wasn't strong, Lord Orochimaru certainly wouldn't have agreed, even if the Third had personally recommended him.

Moreover, the fact that Yemo had gotten Lord Third to personally award him a ninja forehead protector showed that Lord Third recognized not only Yemo's talent, but his strength as well.

Uchiha Mikoto studied Yemo closely, wondering just how great his talent was and what made him so special that Lord Orochimaru and Lord Third valued him so highly.

Before long, Uchiha Mikoto led Yemo to a hastily built wooden cabin.

In a clearing in front of the cabin, Yemo could clearly see dozens of kids around his age, each occupied with something different. Some were playing games in groups of two or three, some were training hard, and others sat motionless, doing who knew what. Two or three were even lying there, lazily sleeping in the sun.

Jiraiya had left these kids here partly because they were weak and of little use, and would only cause trouble if they went out, but also to keep them safe.

At its core, Konoha was still a village of clans. Clans held most of the village's power, and the many clans were also what supported Konoha's prosperity and strength. These were the outstanding young members of each clan, and they would become the pillars of the village when they grew up. They had only come here to get an early taste of the cruelty of war.

Watching these carefree people going about their business, Yemo wondered whether they had really come to experience the cruelty of war or to take a vacation. He couldn't sense any of the tension or pressure of being in a war from them.

"Yemo, get along with them, all right? I'll be going now!" Uchiha Mikoto reminded him before leaving.

"Okay, Sister Mikoto!"

Only after Uchiha Mikoto disappeared from sight did Yemo look away and walk slowly toward the open area.

Everyone there turned to look at Yemo at once. They were all very curious about the newcomer and which clan he belonged to.

Curious as they were, none of them came over to greet Yemo. They had no intention of getting to know the newcomer.

Yemo, however, looked curiously at someone leaning against a large tree. Not only was he the only one among the dozens present reading a book, but there was another reason: his appearance. With his silver-white hair and a black mask covering half his face, Yemo couldn't think of anyone dressed like that except Kakashi Hatake.

Still, Yemo found it strange. Why was Kakashi here too? Although he was also from a clan, he should have been a Chunin at his current age (Kakashi graduated at five and became a Chunin at six). He shouldn't have been hanging around with a bunch of little Genin. A Chunin was qualified to go to the battlefield.

Yemo was wondering whether he should say hello to Kakashi. He wanted to meet the famous Kakashi Hatake, but he didn't know what to say.

Just then, someone nearby suddenly called out, "Hey, Yemo, over here!"

Hearing the familiar voice, Yemo quickly turned around. Not far away, Shikaku, Chōza, and Inoichi were sitting together. The one calling to him was Chōza.

Seeing familiar faces, Yemo smiled, walked over, and sat down right in the middle of the three.