Kakashi Was Shocked!!

"Hm?"

At the sudden voice, Kakashi, Asuma, Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Shikaku Nara, Mitaraishi Anko, and the other Konoha Jonin...

all turned around in confusion, looking behind them toward the voice!

The next second, they saw:

A man dressed in a black combat outfit, wearing red armor in the style of the Warring States Period, black gloves, and a striking mane of long hair that fell to his waist,

standing behind the group of Jonin without anyone knowing when he had appeared.

"When did he...?"

Kakashi, Asuma, Might Guy, Kurenai, and the other Jonin were all startled.

The man had gotten so close to them without any of them noticing.

How had they failed to sense him?

If he were an enemy and had wanted to attack one of them...

Wouldn't they have been...

At the thought, Kakashi and the others couldn't help feeling uneasy and suspicious!

At the same time, they studied the man before them with curiosity.

The man who had suddenly appeared behind Kakashi, Kurenai, and the others

was naturally Chen Yiban, who had already obtained all of Uchiha Madara's powers from Create Konoha: Uchiha Madara!

"Then, would you mind if I joined you?"

Chen Yiban, clad in red armor with long hair flowing behind him, looked at Kakashi, Might Guy, Asuma, Kurenai, and the others around the table.

With a faint smile, he asked again!

It had to be said:

Madara's looks were truly top-tier when he smiled!!

Even Kurenai couldn't help admiring Chen Yiban's appearance in secret.

"Hey, who are you? We don't want some stranger mooching off our food."

Mitaraishi Anko rested her chin on one hand and looked at Chen Yiban, who stood nearby in red armor.

"And, come to think of it... you seem strangely familiar. I feel like I've seen you somewhere before."

As she looked at Chen Yiban, Mitaraishi Anko found him more and more familiar.

"I feel the same way," Kurenai agreed from nearby.

Asuma, Shikaku Nara, Choza Akimichi, Inoichi Yamanaka, and the other Konoha Jonin all felt that Chen Yiban looked oddly familiar, too.

It really was as if they'd seen him somewhere before!

Chen Yiban's appearance, his features, and even his clothes were exactly like those of [Uchiha Madara],

which made them feel as if they knew him.

But none of the Jonin could remember where they'd seen him!

"Is that so? Then perhaps we share a special connection."

Chen Yiban smiled faintly again.

But in his heart, he thought:

If I beat all these Konoha Jonin, would I get an extra chance to check in?

His immense strength gave Chen Yiban immense confidence.

It also made him seem like someone who toyed with the world, cared nothing for its rules, and looked down on everyone.

"Oh, I remember now!"

Just then, Mitaraishi Anko suddenly exclaimed.

Then she pointed at Chen Yiban:

"That red armor you're wearing—it's an imitation of old armor from the Warring States Period, isn't it?"

"No wonder it looked so familiar!"

Mitaraishi Anko felt she'd finally figured out what about Chen Yiban had seemed familiar.

But...

Nearby, Kakashi had been watching Chen Yiban the whole time.

Kakashi felt that it wasn't just the old armor that seemed familiar about him.

Just then:

"That does seem right. The enormous stone statues of the First and Uchiha Madara, one of Uchiha's predecessors and one of the two great warriors of their time, at the Valley of the End—they're wearing armor like this, aren't they?"

After hearing Mitaraishi Anko, Kurenai added this from beside her.

Those few words...

made Kakashi suddenly realize something.

His eye snapped back to Chen Yiban, and he began comparing him with the man he remembered seeing in the "stone statue."

The more Kakashi compared them, the more unsettled he became!

His right eye widened slightly, revealing his growing disbelief!

"That can't be... It's impossible!!"

Kakashi began to doubt himself.

Meanwhile:

"So that's it. You must like the old-style armor from the Warring States Period. Well, if you don't mind, have a seat with us!"

Kurenai felt it wasn't right to leave Chen Yiban standing in the aisle.

So after making a few casual remarks, she offered him a seat without giving it much thought.

"Ahem... My friend, take the seat over here!"

Seeing Kurenai offer Chen Yiban a seat, Asuma suddenly offered him one of his own.

He didn't want Chen Yiban sitting beside Kurenai!

"Sure, thanks!" Chen Yiban replied, still smiling, and gave a slight nod.

Then he started to walk over and sit down.

But suddenly:

"Wait!"

Hatake Kakashi rose to his feet, staring at Chen Yiban with a look of astonishment mixed with deep suspicion and even a hint of disbelief.

Chen Yiban couldn't help pausing mid-step!

"Who exactly are you?"

Kakashi's face had turned wary.

He was even ready to form Hand Seals at a moment's notice!

At that moment, Kakashi looked as if he were facing a formidable enemy!!

Just like that,

the atmosphere suddenly grew strangely tense.

"Hey, Kakashi, I'm a little annoyed that one more person will be taking a share of our barbecue, but you don't have to get so worked up, do you?"

Mitaraishi Anko looked at the extremely tense Kakashi and found it a little funny.

But she had no idea how astonished, suspicious, and disbelieving Kakashi felt right now.

Nearby, Asuma, Shikaku, Yamanaka, Choza, and the other Konoha Jonin also looked at Kakashi in confusion, wondering why he had suddenly become so tense.

"Hey, Kakashi, what's wrong?" Might Guy couldn't make sense of what his close friend was doing.

But knowing Kakashi as well as he did, Might Guy felt there had to be a reason for his defensive stance.

At that,

"You're called Kakashi, right..."

"Heh."

"What have you figured out about me?"

Chen Yiban smiled with interest and looked at Hatake Kakashi, his dark eyes fixed on him.