I'll Keep My Promise to My Companion!

At the ravine camp, the evening breeze blew with a cool, damp chill.

Kakashi fell silent for a moment, then slowly spoke:

"I'm sorry."

To a ninja, leaked information about a jutsu meant danger.

If Jiraiya had known about Pain, he wouldn't have died in Amegakure.

So Kakashi chose to apologize without hesitation.

Kazuhiko looked at Kakashi but didn't respond right away.

If apologies were enough, what would we need the police for?

"You'll definitely give Lord Hokage a detailed report about this mission. I hope you can keep this matter confidential."

Kakashi furrowed his brow slightly.

Kazuhiko was right. Anbu Ninjas reported every detail of their missions to the Hokage.

That was part of their duty.

Anbu was an extension of the Hokage's will, another set of eyes through which the Hokage kept watch over everything.

Kakashi began to consider the matter.

On this escort mission, he had to ensure Kazuhiko's safety and conduct a detailed assessment of his treatment of Tsunade, determining whether Kazuhiko intended to cure her.

The unknown Kekkei Genkai Kazuhiko had just revealed clearly had nothing to do with the mission.

With that in mind, Kakashi looked at Kazuhiko, his tone somewhat cautious:

"As long as it isn't a forbidden jutsu or one that could endanger the target's life, I can keep it secret."

That went straight to the funny part.

Kazuhiko burst out laughing.

A Uchiha Clan ninja would dare research forbidden jutsu?

Under Konoha's thorough surveillance, if some Uchiha got it into his head to study forbidden jutsu, there'd be only one outcome—

He'd be arrested in the morning, and Root would have perfected the forbidden jutsu by afternoon.

As for using Storm Release to endanger Tsunade's life, that was even more absurd.

If a single Kekkei Genkai were enough to take Tsunade out, the Sannin's graves would probably be overgrown with grass three yards high.

"I'm not about to do something that'd get me killed."

Kazuhiko shook his head and began to demonstrate.

The next moment, the chakra inside him began to surge violently.

Two distinct streams of chakra, lightning and water, began to mingle in his palm like flowing water.

Pale blue lightning wrapped around the gentle current. The two didn't repel each other at all; instead, they produced a completely new, razor-sharp, and immense surge of energy.

"Watch closely. I'm only doing this once."

As Kazuhiko finished speaking, the two different chakra natures fused perfectly. A beam of black lightning appeared in his hand, pierced through a tree trunk, and swept across a boulder.

Everything in its path was cut down. Trees toppled, and rocks split apart, leaving smooth, flat surfaces.

Black lightning still danced along the cuts, leaving behind traces of chakra that scorched and seeped into them.

"This is... a Kekkei Genkai created by combining lightning and water!"

Kakashi's pupils contracted. Seeing it with his own eyes left him even more shaken.

He had seen countless Kekkei Genkai, such as the Sharingan, Byakugan, Shikotsumyaku, and Ice Release. Every one of them was an innate bloodline talent.

But Kazuhiko's Kekkei Genkai was something entirely new, formed by completely fusing two chakra natures right before his eyes!

"Storm Release."

Kazuhiko lowered his hand, and the black beam slowly faded from his palm.

"It's not a forbidden jutsu, nor is it some special technique I developed to harm Tsunade."

"It's simply a Kekkei Genkai I created by fully mastering the lightning and water chakra natures and combining them through countless experiments. That's all."

Kakashi stood motionless, waves crashing through his mind.

He had accurate information on Kazuhiko. It showed that Kazuhiko hadn't been born with either lightning or water chakra.

First, he had to learn and master new chakra natures, then train in chakra nature transformation, and finally combine the two natures to develop the corresponding Kekkei Genkai.

Mastering even one chakra nature was no easy task for an ordinary person. Being able to master two or more was already one of the basic requirements for becoming a Jonin.

And yet this Uchiha had not only trained two chakra natures he hadn't been born with to the "perfect" level, but had also broken through the barrier between them to create a brand-new Kekkei Genkai. The effort that must have taken was beyond what most people could imagine.

"How did you do it?"

Kakashi's voice sounded a little hoarse.

He had been born with all five basic chakra natures and could copy thousands of jutsu with his Sharingan, earning renown throughout the Shinobi World.

For that very reason, he understood better than anyone how difficult it was to train in chakra nature transformation.

This wasn't an achievement that could be described with the simple word "genius."

"I can keep it secret for you, but..."

Kakashi didn't understand.

"Developing a Kekkei Genkai must have been incredibly grueling. Now that you've succeeded, why stay unknown?"

"That's right. I've reached this point one step at a time, with every bit of progress watered by countless drops of sweat."

Kazuhiko met Kakashi's astonished gaze, his tone calm.

Of course, he couldn't deny that [Deep Blue] had also offered a tiny, insignificant amount of help along the way.

"I'm not that interested in jutsu, actually. Rather than developing a Kekkei Genkai, I'd rather prove myself through Psychological Medicine and earn everyone's recognition."

Kakashi gazed at Kazuhiko's determined expression, momentarily dazed.

"I see..."

He thought of the ever-energetic Guy, who was always shouting about "youth."

Guy had no talent for ninjutsu, yet through day after day of Taijutsu training, he had become a Jonin and earned the title Blue Beast of the Hidden Leaf.

Perhaps Guy was to Taijutsu what Kazuhiko was to Psychological Medicine.

At that thought, Kakashi felt ashamed.

He was hailed as a "genius among geniuses" and had received countless accolades.

He had developed Chidori, a jutsu that could cut through lightning, making his technique famous throughout the Shinobi World. From then on, it was known as Chidori.

Kakashi asked himself honestly: although he didn't care much about fame, he did feel pleased with himself over those empty accolades.

Compared to Kazuhiko, his own accomplishments seemed to be nothing worth boasting about.

He took a deep breath, his eyes turning utterly solemn:

"I won't report anything about your Kekkei Genkai to Lord Hokage."

[Kakashi's favorability toward you has risen significantly to: Trust (Even Kazuhiko, who isn't interested in jutsu, managed to develop a Kekkei Genkai. What about you, Kakashi?)]

[Jonin Trait Draw Chance +1]

Having gotten the answer he wanted and gained Kakashi's favor, Kazuhiko felt great.

Sure enough, the Talk no Jutsu was one of the strongest jutsu in the Naruto world.

"I trust you. You'll keep your promise to your companion, right?"

"Companion...?" Kakashi froze.

Kazuhiko winked at him. "Of course. Don't forget—we're companions with a secret in common now."

The word "companion" sent ripples across Kakashi's long-still heart.

How long had it been since Obito and Rin died? How long had he gone without a companion?

Kakashi couldn't quite remember.

He only remembered that in Anbu, the teammates around him changed one after another. They carried out missions and fought side by side, but no one ever called him a "companion" again.

Kazuhiko's figure began to blur, slowly overlapping with Uchiha Obito in Kakashi's memories.

"Those who break the rules of the Shinobi World are called trash. Those who abandon their companions are worse than trash."

After several seconds of silence, the dazed look in Kakashi's eyes faded, replaced by a trace of warmth.

He gave a slight nod, his voice soft:

"I'll keep my promise to my companion."

[Kakashi's favorability toward you has risen significantly]