New Diary Exposes the Konoha Crush Plan

Kitahara Kaede quickly began carrying out his duties as squad captain. In truth, he had long since become adept at it.

Ever since he had been promoted to Chunin, Kaede had led the team on several missions. Besides, missions during peacetime were not particularly dangerous, so their teacher, Akai Akimoto, had long since become a hands-off manager. Today merely confirmed the delegation of authority completely.

"Today's mission is picking up trash. Sigh, another boring mission."

Soten Genryu sighed.

"When will we get a proper ninja mission?"

"By then, you'll probably be so scared you can't move again." Hyuga Keiko mercilessly mocked him.

That reminded everyone of a previous mission. During his first real ninja battle, Soten Genryu had been so overwhelmed by an enemy Chunin's killing intent that he had been unable to move.

Yes, even an Elite Chunin who had barely any presence in the original work still held an overwhelming advantage over ordinary Genin.

"That was a long time ago, okay? Sensei said I have Chunin-level strength now. I'll definitely pass the next Chunin Exams," Soten Genryu said unwillingly.

Kitahara Kaede nodded at that. His two teammates had also initially reached Chunin-level strength. Under normal circumstances, being promoted to Chunin would not be difficult for them, but the next Chunin Exams would be hell mode.

They would encounter the major event where Otogakure and Sunagakure joined forces to attack Konoha. In the end, only Shikamaru, with his exceptional intellect, would be deemed to possess the talent to command a squad and be promoted to Chunin. Everyone else would become Cannon Fodder.

Yes, early Naruto had such a rule: to become a Chunin, one had to possess the intelligence and ability to command Genin.

Unlike later on, when it completely went off the rails.

"Come on. Let's hurry up and finish today's mission."

Kitahara Kaede waved a hand as he spoke.

After a busy day—or rather, after spending most of the day picking up trash—Kitahara Kaede returned home after completing the mission and receiving ten thousand ryo in payment. After eating the dinner prepared by his mother, Kitahara Yoshiko, he entered his study, opened the Sealing Scroll he carried with him, and released its seal. An exquisite diary appeared before him.

As usual, he began recording today's diary entry.

May 11th, Sunny

[Akai-sensei actually got promoted to Tokubetsu Jonin. While that's a good thing, being transferred into the Anbu is hardly good news. The Konoha Crush Plan is about to begin, and being by the Third Hokage's side at that time won't be a good thing. He might even get casually killed by Orochimaru.

This is Shippuden, not the era where Kage Level ninja are a dime a dozen. In this era, the early Hatake the 50/50 could be said to be unable to perish together with Orochimaru even if he went all out. Orochimaru was still incredibly intimidating, though later he turned into Snake Lady, and it seemed like anyone could beat him up.

But as I said, the times are different.]

Meanwhile, in the Hatake Clan's ancestral home, Hatake Kakashi sensed the notification that the diary had updated. He hurriedly put down the towel he had been using to dry his hair, ran to the table, and opened the diary, immediately seeing what had been recorded inside.

He almost instantly finished reading the diary entry at astonishing speed.

At the same time, he opened the dossier beside him containing information on Kitahara Kaede. It recorded all the information about Kaede that could be found, starting from his birth.

Kitahara Kaede. His father had only been an ordinary Chunin and had already died during a mission. He currently depended on his mother, Kitahara Yoshiko, for survival.

The Kitahara Family had been original residents when the First Hokage founded Konoha. Though they did not come from a Ninja Clan and Kaede himself was not an especially gifted genius, his background was still impeccable.

His teacher was Akai Akimoto, an ordinary Elite Chunin.

However, Kakashi immediately crossed out the words "Elite Chunin" with his pen and changed them to "Tokubetsu Jonin."

"He's already been promoted to Tokubetsu Jonin?"

Hatake Kakashi frowned. Although it did not completely match the intelligence report, he did not care much.

Apparently, this had happened just today. It was perfectly normal that he had not received the latest intelligence.

He had asked colleagues in the Anbu to gather this information. It was not particularly confidential in the first place, since the Kitahara family's records had no security classification.

But that was not the key point. He soon saw several words that made his pupils contract slightly.

Konoha Crush Plan!

Those words instantly put the war-hardened Hatake Kakashi on high alert.

And they still said this Kitahara Kaede was not a spy?

He even knew the name of this invasion plan.

Hatake Kakashi then recalled what Kaede's file stated: he was merely an ordinary Chunin with average talent. He usually trained diligently, but he had only been promoted to Chunin half a year ago and possessed only the strength of an average Chunin.

For Hatake Kakashi, becoming a Chunin was something that had happened far too long ago. He had been promoted nearly twenty years earlier.

With his talent and abilities, becoming a Chunin had been effortless. Even becoming a Jonin had not been difficult.

But after becoming a Jonin, the price he had paid for the gift he received from Obito had been far too great.

At that thought, Hatake Kakashi touched the Sharingan in his left eye. It was the relic left behind by his old friend Obito. He had carried Obito's eye with him, using it to see the world for so many years. In the blink of an eye, many years had passed.

He had also lost everything—his father, his mother, his teacher, his Master's Wife, and his close friends Obito Uchiha and Rin.

Even now, despite having trained his heart to become as hard as iron and stone, he still felt a faint pain in his chest.

His thoughts drifted for only a moment before Hatake Kakashi immediately pulled himself back and refocused on the contents of the diary.

Konoha... collapse... plan?

And Orochimaru!

This was a name whose very existence was enough to make anyone in Konoha who knew of him stop breathing.

A terrifying existence reputed to stand on equal footing with the Kage of every village.

When Orochimaru had defected all those years ago, Hatake Kakashi had pursued him and nearly died at his hands.

But according to Kitahara Kaede's Diary, even if he went all out against Orochimaru, he still wouldn't be able to take him down with him?

That had been back then. Now, he should at least be able to guarantee mutual destruction, right?

Hatake Kakashi wasn't that confident. After all, Orochimaru was an existence on the same level as his father. Kitahara Kaede's Diary had been absolutely right to call him a Kage Level expert.

But what did it mean when it said Orochimaru had become Snake Lady?

What was that supposed to mean?

Hatake Kakashi couldn't understand it at all.

Even if Orochimaru had become some so-called Snake Lady, it couldn't possibly mean that anyone and everyone could beat him up, could it?

Hatake Kakashi couldn't imagine such a scene.