Konoha Year 44.
After the Second Shinobi World War, the borders had enjoyed years of recuperation, yet minor clashes had continued unabated.
Only this time, things were different.
Large numbers of Sunagakure ninja had left the village and invaded Konoha's borders, already causing countless civilian and ninja deaths.
Konoha's border.
A man dressed like a wandering ronin walked through the mountain forest.
His silvery-white hair was especially eye-catching. He was none other than Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo.
Although he had left Konoha, the frequent chaos along the border still led him to quietly aid the Leaf Ninja.
The Leaf Ninja he rescued tacitly understood the situation and never mentioned his existence to their superiors.
In fact, Orochimaru, the current commander of the border forces, had noticed Hatake Sakumo's presence long ago. The two sides had an unspoken understanding.
Whoosh!!
Suddenly, the sharp sound of something slicing through the air rang out. Hatake Sakumo stopped and dodged the unknown attack.
Looking over, he saw several senbon embedded in a tree, giving off faint, corrosive smoke.
Poisoned Senbon. Was it a Puppet Master from Sunagakure?
Senbon were needle-shaped weapons. If they were coated with poison, a ninja could easily be poisoned if they were careless.
Therefore, poisoned senbon were generally installed only on puppets used by Sunagakure's Puppet Masters.
Hatake Sakumo placed a hand on his Short Sword and swiftly scanned several locations suitable for hiding.
When footsteps sounded, a red-haired boy appeared before him.
"White Fang, I finally found you..." The handsome red-haired boy had a blank expression, and not a hint of emotion could be heard in his voice.
It was as if he were... a puppet.
"Sasori of the Red Sands... The genius Puppet Master of Sunagakure..."
Hatake Sakumo frowned slightly. He knew this boy.
He was hailed as the most gifted Puppet Master in Sunagakure's history, and was the grandson of the village elder, Chiyo.
Most importantly...
His parents had died at Hatake Sakumo's hands.
"You came to avenge them."
Sasori nodded, then shook his head.
"I only... want to turn you into eternal art."
"I'm no longer a Leaf Ninja. Letting you leave alive is the greatest mercy I can offer." Hatake Sakumo's voice was low.
If he were still a Leaf Ninja, a genius like Sasori of the Red Sands would certainly have to be killed without mercy—or, ideally, captured alive and brought back to the village.
Hatake Sakumo wasn't about to wait passively for death just because someone had come to avenge themselves against him.
He was willing to spare Sasori because he pitied him for having lost his parents.
"Konoha's White Fang... You really are arrogant."
Sasori thrust both hands forward, and the ground shattered.
A huge pit appeared, and dozens of puppets shot out at incredible speed!
A sky full of Poisoned Senbon shot forth like a torrential rain of pear blossoms!
He could control this many puppets?!
You've already surpassed your parents...
A silvery-white flash suddenly appeared. Wherever the blade-light passed, all the Chakra Threads were severed!
With a series of metallic clangs, every senbon was slashed apart.
Hatake Sakumo's gaze was icy as he pointed his blade toward Sasori of the Red Sands.
"If Elder Chiyo had been more responsible, she should have told you..."
"A Puppet Master can never defeat me!"
Hatake Sakumo lacked wide-area offensive techniques, and his Chakra reserves were inferior to those of some exceptionally gifted ninjas.
However...
As long as his opponent was human, Hatake Sakumo had a way to kill him!
Especially a Puppet Master with such a fragile true body. To him, they were even more helpless.
Dozens of puppets had been destroyed, but Sasori of the Red Sands wasn't surprised.
It was only natural that the renowned Konoha's White Fang possessed such strength.
"Elder Chiyo already told me that."
"So... I'm no longer merely a Puppet Master."
Sasori of the Red Sands's outer garment was torn open by a Kusarigama, revealing a puppet body beneath. The chain mechanism in his abdomen writhed like a snake.
Hatake Sakumo's pupils contracted slightly, and his voice dropped. "You really are... insane..."
"No matter how many times it breaks, it can be repaired. It isn't bound by a lifespan. This immortal art..."
"Isn't it beautiful?!"
"You've fallen into the wrong path!" Hatake Sakumo was about to raise his blade when he discovered that the Short Sword he normally wielded as easily as his own arm had suddenly become noticeably sluggish.
This feeling... Could it be?!
Slash—
That moment of distraction allowed an iron spear to tear across his arm.
Boom!!
A huge cylindrical metal object dropped from above, blasting up a great cloud of smoke.
Hatake Sakumo saw clearly who was standing atop the metal pillar...
No... It should be a Human Puppet.
"Third Kazekage!!"
Why had the Third Kazekage appeared here?!
Why had the Third Kazekage been turned into a puppet?!
"Konoha's White Fang, in order to kill you, I even assassinated the Third Kazekage..."
A trace of crazed delight appeared on Sasori of the Red Sands's handsome face.
"Come! Let's become immortal together!!"
Magnet Release—Iron Sand World Method.
Black iron spread like roots, covering the entire sky.
A bead of cold sweat slid down Hatake Sakumo's forehead.
This is... troublesome...
--
Konoha's border command post.
Inside the temporary station of the commander, Orochimaru.
"Jiraiya sent you here... You really are a powerful reinforcement."
Black hair, golden vertical pupils, purple eye shadow extending to the sides of his nose, and pale skin.
Orochimaru had not yet fallen into the wrong path. His only distinguishing trait was his somewhat aloof aura.
Namikaze Minato scratched the back of his head and smiled. "I'm truly sorry, Lord Orochimaru. The situation on the other border lines is also very tense, so my teacher could only send us."
Orochimaru shook his head. "Minato, I'm not being sarcastic. The three of you truly qualify as powerful reinforcements."
"The youngest Jonin, and the wielder of the Flying Thunder God Technique..."
His gaze shifted to the two people following behind Minato, and he smiled. "The most talented youth in the Uchiha Clan, who was promoted to Chunin on the very day he became a ninja."
"And the son of Konoha's White Fang, Kakashi, who is known alongside Jing-kun as the Twin Stars of Konoha."
"Such enviable talent..."
After another year of Medicinal Baths, Kagami Uchiha's height had reached nearly one hundred sixty centimeters. The childishness had faded from him, and people would believe it if he claimed to be fourteen or fifteen.
Kakashi, who was eight years old and the same age as Kagami Uchiha had been, was a head shorter and had yet to grow into his features.
"The Twin Stars and all that... Isn't it too cliché?" Kagami Uchiha said flatly. "With Kakashi? How is he worthy of being mentioned alongside me?"
"Ah~ Yes, yes, of course I can't compare with Lord Jing. I'll beat up whoever said that as soon as I get back."
Kakashi wore a dead-fish-eyed expression.
Kagami Uchiha didn't understand. During their years at the Ninja Academy, whenever he provoked Kakashi a few times, Kakashi would blow his top.
When had he started speaking so sarcastically?
Namikaze Minato turned around and patted them both on the shoulders. "That's terribly rude! Bow to Lord Orochimaru first!"
After Kagami Uchiha, Kakashi had also passed Jiraiya's test.
Now the three of them were Junior Disciples, which was a closer relationship than that of a normal squad.
Much like Hiruzen and Danzo.
Kakashi had effectively gained seniority as well. He should have become Namikaze Minato's disciple, but he had now become his Junior Disciple instead.
"It's fine, Minato."
Orochimaru waved his hand. "The situation is urgent, so I'll assign your mission first."
"Twelve li west of here, a squad of Sunagakure ninja was spotted. One of them is particularly troublesome."
"Pakura of the Sand is a rare Kekkei Genkai User..." As he spoke, Orochimaru's gaze fell on Kagami Uchiha.
Of everyone present, only Kagami Uchiha was a Kekkei Genkai User.
Kekkei Genkai differed in strength. Kekkei Genkai that could be acquired through training were generally inferior to Kekkei Genkai inherited through bloodlines.
Among inherited Kekkei Genkai, ocular techniques were a special category.
Simply put, Kekkei Genkai Users looked down on ordinary ninjas, while ocular technique users looked down on ordinary Kekkei Genkai Users.
Those eyes...
An ocular Kekkei Genkai that could never be obtained through any amount of training...
Before he knew it, a trace of greed appeared in Orochimaru's eyes.
"For the sake of Teacher Jiraiya..." Kagami Uchiha suddenly spoke.
His scarlet Sharingan emerged within his eyes.
"Use that look at me again, and I'll dig your eyes out."
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