It's Over

Chapter 27: It's Over

The process of catching cats was always helpless and boring.

Before that incident happened, Kagami had no liking whatsoever for the days spent catching cats. He had no desire to waste his limited time on these trivial chores. But after that incident, Kagami suddenly realized that although catching cats was boring, the process was also warm and comforting.

Konoha Year 55, November.

After struggling through September and October, Kagami and the others finally put their cat-catching journey on hold for the time being.

"All right. After doing D-rank missions for so long, I know you must already be extremely frustrated."

Kakashi looked at the three people in front of him with some amusement.

Saito Daisuke spoke listlessly.

"Teacher Kakashi, just tell us. Who are we helping catch a cat for today, and where did the cat run off to this time?"

The smile Suzuki Genji was famous for had also disappeared. She turned her head and sighed softly.

As for Kagami, ever since Kakashi appeared, he had been acting indifferent. He even rolled his eyes from time to time. His dissatisfaction was the most obvious of all.

Kakashi clapped his hands, signaling the three of them to cheer up.

"Hey, hey, I know you're tired of it. That's why I'm telling you that our team received a C-rank mission today."

Kagami's spirits rose at once. C-rank missions carried a chance of injury during their execution, though they were not especially dangerous. However, once a mission reached C-rank, there was a high probability of encountering combat instead of doing odd jobs every day like they did on D-rank missions.

"Teacher Kakashi, what kind of C-rank mission is it?"

Most C-rank missions involved escorting people, subduing dangerous beasts, conducting investigations, and so on.

Kakashi took out a sheet of paper and held it up.

"This mission is to subdue a dangerous beast outside the village."

Kagami and Saito Daisuke exchanged glances, then both jumped up excitedly.

Subduing a dangerous beast could be considered one of the more difficult types of C-rank missions under normal circumstances. More importantly, such a mission was guaranteed to involve combat.

For Kagami and the others, who had been catching cats for nearly two months, this was certainly worth celebrating.

"All right, don't get so excited. Prepare to leave."

The beast Kagami and the others had to deal with this time was a tiger not far outside Konoha's main gate. Since it posed a threat to travelers, someone had posted a mission to eliminate it.

A short while later, they arrived beside Konoha's gate. Suddenly, someone took the initiative to walk toward Kakashi's group.

"Yo, Kakashi. Where are you headed?"

Long bangs covered the right side of his face, and he wore standard Konoha attire.

Looking at the person before him, Kagami frowned slightly. He seemed to remember him. Was his name Kotetsu Hagane?

"Ah, yes. I became a Jonin instructor not long ago, and I'm taking them to carry out their first C-rank mission."

Kakashi pointed at the three people behind him.

Kotetsu Hagane's gaze followed Kakashi's hand toward Kagami and the others.

"I remember one of your students is rather famous. What was his name again? Hmm, I think it was Uchiha Kagato."

Kakashi walked over to Kagami and patted him on the shoulder.

"This is the kid."

Kotetsu Hagane smiled faintly, just as expected.

"So it really is him. Among the three of them, you can tell at a glance that he's the youngest. An Uchiha this young who's already a Genin—there's probably only one in all of Konoha, right?"

Kakashi scratched his head and thought for a moment.

"Uh, I think so."

Kotetsu Hagane smiled.

"All right, take your students to carry out their first C-rank mission. Remember to protect them."

Kotetsu Hagane had meant that as a teasing joke, but Kakashi instantly became serious and spoke each word clearly.

"I definitely will!"

Afterward, they left through the gate and walked along the road. Saito Daisuke could not help moving closer to Kagami and speaking quietly.

"Hey, Kagami, do you think Teacher Kakashi has been through something? Whenever the subject of comrades comes up, he becomes serious."

Kagami glanced sideways at Saito Daisuke.

"How would I know? But I hope you never have to go through what Teacher Kakashi did."

Saito Daisuke rolled his eyes.

"Didn't you say you didn't know? Why do you hope I won't have the same experience, then? You're acting like you know something. Do you know or not?"

Kagami turned his head to the other side and spoke lazily as he walked.

"Don't. Know."

"Tch."

Gradually, as time passed, Kagami and the others drew closer to their destination. By then, they had already left the main road outside Konoha and entered an uninhabited dense forest.

Kakashi held a map in his hand.

"Hmm, it looks like the target's activity area is just a little farther ahead."

Saito Daisuke was extremely excited.

"Hey, Teacher Kakashi, are we finally there? Good! Kagami, Genji, don't interfere later. I'll deal with that beast myself!"

Kakashi glanced back and teased him.

"Don't regret it later."

Saito Daisuke spoke boldly.

"Of course not! I, Saito Daisuke, will personally defeat this tiger that's been terrorizing travelers!"

Suddenly, a tremendous roar rang out, carrying clearly to Kagami and the others.

Saito Daisuke was overjoyed and charged toward the source of the sound without a second thought.

Suzuki Genji hesitated for a moment before rushing after Saito Daisuke as well.

Only Kagami and Kakashi frowned.

Kagami could not help speaking.

"Teacher Kakashi, that roar—"

But Kakashi shook his head.

"Those two have already rushed ahead. We can't ignore them. Didn't I teach you? We must never abandon our comrades."

Kagami could only nod and chase after Saito Daisuke and Genji.

That roar had definitely been a tiger's roar, but Kagami clearly heard something else in it. It seemed to carry a trace of sorrow.

Was that tiger in danger?

What awaited Kagami and the others ahead was probably more than just a tiger.

More importantly, from the moment he heard that roar, Kagami had been restless. He had the feeling that he had forgotten something—or someone—extremely important to this period.

Kagami had an intense sense of danger, but he did not understand why. This was only an ordinary C-rank mission. In his previous life, he naturally would not have dared confront a tiger alone, but in this ninja world, a beast like that truly amounted to nothing.

Besides, Kakashi, a Jonin who could be considered an expert throughout the entire ninja world, was accompanying them. At most, this trip should have been dangerous but not disastrous.

Kagami comforted himself with these thoughts, but the truth was that the inexplicable sense of danger in his heart grew stronger and stronger, nearly making his hair stand on end.

If Kagami had been alone, he would have turned around and left without a second thought. But he was not alone. For the sake of his comrades, he could only brace himself and continue after them.

By the time Kakashi and Kagami caught up with Saito Daisuke,

Saito Daisuke, Suzuki Genji, and Kakashi instantly became alert as they looked ahead.

As for Kagami, he was completely stunned. He made no attempt to defend himself. As a transmigrator, only one thought remained in his mind.

It's over. It's completely over.

Ahead of them, a tiger lay in a pool of blood. It had clearly died only moments ago. Beside the tiger's corpse stood a man dressed in black, wearing a red, patterned, single-eyed mask and carrying a sword at his waist.

Kagami's breathing nearly stopped. He knew exactly who the man in that red, patterned mask was. During the Nine-Tails' Rampage, he had worn a yellow, patterned mask. After the Akatsuki had been fully established, he wore a red Uzumaki mask. During the Fourth Great Ninja War, he wore a white mask with three tomoe.

And during the Uchiha Clan Massacre, he wore a red, patterned mask.

Uchiha Obito—or rather, Madara Uchiha.