Konoha F4

Hatake Sakumo left a note and then left home with Grey Dog.

Kakashi, who had woken up early, habitually looked at where Sakumo placed the note after washing up. Upon reading the message, he let out a helpless sigh.

Tying on his small apron, Kakashi skillfully took out eggs, bread, and vegetables to make two simplified sandwiches.

After placing the sandwiches on the table, Kakashi untied his apron and went to the room to wake up Kazashiro.

Drowsily following Kakashi to the washbasin, Kazashiro looked at the two identical toothbrushes and cups in front of him and suddenly realized.

"Here, I prepared them for you long ago." Kakashi, afraid the other person would unconsciously pick up his own toothbrush, quickly handed over a brand-new set of toiletries.

After washing up, Kazashiro, feeling hungry, hurried to the dining table. Looking at the sandwiches before him, he first sniffed them and then curiously asked:

"Did Uncle Sakumo make these?"

"No, I did." Kakashi rolled his eyes, sat down, then suddenly thought of something and stood up again, taking out a large box of milk from the cupboard nearby.

So domestic.

Although the wording was a bit off, Kazashiro couldn't think of any other way to describe his actions at the moment.

"Are you going to train later?" Taking the cup filled with milk that Kakashi handed him, Kazashiro took a sip and asked about Kakashi's plans after breakfast.

"Mhm." Before Kazashiro could react, Kakashi took a bite of the sandwich, his movements so fast that Kazashiro didn't even notice when he removed his mask.

Such speed!

Unwilling to believe it, Kazashiro ignored whether he might bite his hand and fixed his eyes directly on Kakashi.

The result was--

"You, you're still so mysterious even at home..." By the time the last bite of the sandwich was gone, Kazashiro still hadn't seen Kakashi's true face.

Kakashi seemed to enjoy this feeling. He said nothing, but his light movements clearly showed his current mood.

"Ah, I'll help too." As a fine young man of the new century, eating for free and not working was clearly not Kazashiro's way of conducting himself. Seeing Kakashi cleaning up the plates, Kazashiro quickly put away his cup.

Kakashi didn't refuse. The two of them stood on footstools, shoulder to shoulder by the sink, washing the dishes clean before placing them on the drying rack.

"Looks like you don't need to watch my training today."

Wiping his hands clean, Kakashi looked out the window. Kazashiro also looked curiously.

The figure of Aburame Ryoma appeared in their sight, startling Kazashiro.

Since he wasn't wearing a mask, Kazashiro quickly recognized him by his distinctive small sunglasses.

An Aburame, fond of bugs.

It seemed this was the Root ninja sent by his cheap old man to pick him up.

I wonder if Danzo plans to treat me like a Root member, or let me be an ordinary ninja...

Or maybe being a regular second-generation rich kid wouldn't be bad. If Danzo really kicks the bucket fighting the Great Bridge, no, fighting Uchiha Sasuke, I'll just quickly defect to the Third Hokage.

At least I'd end up as a wealthy man.

"Alright, let's go. Oh, and remember to return my clothes when you have time." Seeing Kazashiro standing still, Kakashi patted his shoulder.

"Ah, yes, I know. I'll wash them and return them to you." Kazashiro stopped his wild thoughts, pushed open the door with a heart full of unease, ready to face his destiny.

Hokage's Office.

The Konoha F4 were gathered, sitting on the sofa. Sakumo, dressed as an ordinary Jonin, stood respectfully behind Hiruzen.

Hiruzen, the initiator of the meeting, first glanced at Danzo, who was sitting calmly. Seeing no discernible emotion on his face, Hiruzen coughed and habitually took out his pipe. "A while ago, I dispatched two Anbu squads to Kirigakure to gather information."

"Kirigakure? Konoha has lost contact with them for a long time. They even ignore normal diplomatic greetings," Utatane Koharu said with a serious expression upon hearing the name Kirigakure.

"Ever since that Second Mizukage took the throne, Kirigakure has implemented a strict secrecy policy. Their pursuit of rogue ninja is also the most extreme among all the hidden villages," Mitokado Homura added.

"That's right. In this operation, out of the two Anbu squads, only Sakumo returned alive," Hiruzen said with a hint of sadness. These Anbu were loyal forces to him, and every loss grieved him deeply.

Moreover, the rewards from this operation were far below his expectations.

"Hmm? Even Konoha's White Fang personally went, and only barely escaped?" Mitokado Homura observed Sakumo behind the ninja through his glasses.

"I am very sorry. The strictness with which Kirigakure treats outsiders is indeed far beyond our imagination," Sakumo said with a touch of dejection.

"Then, what intelligence did you obtain?" Mitokado Homura, accustomed to the deaths of ninjas, did not notice, or rather, did not intend to pay attention to Sakumo's dejection. He directly asked about the results of the operation.

"Yes, forgive my rudeness. Unfortunately, regarding intelligence on Kirigakure, we currently only know that the current ruler is the Third Mizukage, but their name, abilities, age, and other details are completely unknown. Another point is that Kirigakure seems to have initiated an officially led purge of ninja with Kekkei Genkai. Many ninja with Kekkei Genkai have been attacked."

"However, from the operation, it can be confirmed that this action was not directed at all Kekkei Genkai, because when I fought with Kirigakure ninja, I noticed that some ninja with Kekkei Genkai were still participating in the battle."

"Cultivating forces loyal only to oneself..." Hiruzen placed the unlit pipe to his lips and stated his deduction.

"To actually attack their own village's Kekkei Genkai, it seems the internal conflicts in Kirigakure are very intense," Mitokado Homura agreed with the ninja's deduction and also somewhat understood the other party's actions.

After all, didn't their own village have a group of restless Kekkei Genkai?

Everyone present thought of that clan at almost the same time.

Hiruzen, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura turned their gazes towards Danzo with tacit understanding.

Usually, at this point, Danzo would present his "Uchiha threat theory."

However, strangely, although the three of them were looking at him, Danzo showed no intention of speaking. Instead, under their gaze, he calmly picked up the teacup in front of him and took a small sip of tea.

Is this still Danzo?