Just as Kakashi was about to leap forward and race with all his strength toward their original destination, he never expected to spot a familiar figure and hear a familiar voice before he'd even gone a few yards.
"Hey, what are you standing around here for? Move a little farther ahead. This place isn't safe."
"Yang Xing!"
Kakashi hurried over first. His gaze swept over the area behind Yang Xing, but he couldn't hold back his questions. "What happened to those people?"
"Oh, I took care of them. But those guys were way too strong. It took everything I had just to get away."
"Haha, you're so useless! You actually ran away?" Obito teased, but despite his joking words, his smile was sincere.
Kakashi's expression shifted slightly. "Is that so?"
He'd escaped from five ninja in less than ten minutes. How was that possible? The only explanation was that all five had suddenly died, and that was even less likely. Yang Xing couldn't have done something like that.
"Yeah. I've been running the whole way. I'm exhausted. By the way, are we still continuing the mission?" Yang Xing asked mildly, still catching his breath.
Kakashi came back to himself. Though he didn't understand why Yang Xing was lying, he didn't call him out. He glanced at the B-rank mission and gave a wry smile. "Well, we're not continuing the mission. Let's head back first."
"Great! We can finally go back. Damn, that was dangerous. I really thought I was done for."
"You're lucky you managed to get away at all." Obito stepped forward and gave Yang Xing a playful pat on the shoulder.
Yang Xing smiled without saying anything. For some reason, he felt Rin Nohara's gaze on him was a little strange. He met her eyes.
She was clearly holding a hand to her chest and taking a deep breath. "I'm just glad you're okay."
"You were lucky to make it out alive. Mm-hmm," Obito added repeatedly. "We really have you to thank this time."
Kakashi glanced anxiously behind them, his expression grave. "All right, this isn't the time to chat. We should hurry before those people catch up."
He clenched his fist and lowered his head, muttering to himself, "Ninja from the Land of Earth. I'll have to report this to the Lord Third."
They didn't talk much more before setting off again.
They traveled even faster than they had on the way there, pressing on without slowing down. They didn't stop until the afternoon was nearly over.
After nearly four hours on the road, and without having eaten lunch, they needed to find somewhere to rest.
"I'm exhausted. I could really go for an ice-cold drink." Yang Xing lay on the ground, looking truly worn out. He'd used up too much chakra this time and had been on edge the whole way. Of course he was tired.
Obito gave him an exasperated look. "You almost died, and you still have time to think about stuff like that?"
"Haha..." Yang Xing pursed his lips, then glanced around and noticed Kakashi was gone. "By the way, where's Kakashi?"
"He went over there to check if anyone was following us."
"Is that so?" Yang Xing replied casually. He took a Military Ration Pill from the pouch Rin Nohara had held out to him, popped it into his mouth, and chewed. As he felt his chakra returning, he savored the moment of peace.
"Oh, I haven't given Kakashi his Military Ration Pill yet. His chakra must be running low too." Remembering that Kakashi was probably tired as well, Rin picked up the pouch of Military Ration Pills and headed over to where he was, without giving it another thought.
Behind a large tree,
a masked boy was facing off with a dog. It was a small, cute dog wearing protective gear. It opened its mouth and spoke.
The sight made the person who had stopped behind the tree hesitate, not taking another step forward.
"Kakashi... Pakkun?" Seeing Kakashi talking with his summoning beast, Rin stopped despite having been about to approach.
The disgruntled dog addressed Kakashi in an unmistakably adult tone. "The Fourth Hokage isn't here? What on earth have you brats been up to while he's away? You really do love making trouble. I'm definitely reporting this to the Fourth Hokage."
Kakashi cut the dog off with a cold expression. "Enough with the nonsense. What did you find out?"
"Oh, you mean that matter? Well, you did a decent job." The dog licked its paw and praised him. "You made an awfully big mess, though. The damage to the area was terrible."
"I didn't do it. Anyway, what happened?"
"You didn't do it? Then who did?" Pakkun was clearly taken aback.
Kakashi grew impatient. "Don't worry about that yet. Just tell me what happened there, and what you found regarding the chakra traces."
"There were no traces of chakra from any living people, but..." Pakkun's expression grew serious as something came to mind. "I found some bones. No, I guess they were the ashes of a few people."
"A few people?"
"Yeah, five in total. In my experience, they were all elite ninja who'd undergone extensive training."
"You mean all five of those guys are dead?" Kakashi's expression changed.
Five elite ninja were dead, and it had happened in the ten minutes since he'd left. What on earth had happened? Had Yang Xing done it, or had someone else? No, no one else could have known about that place.
Kakashi's face paled. Anyone capable of killing two elite Chunin had to be at the level of a Jonin. Yang Xing couldn't have done it. He definitely couldn't have.
"Yeah, five dead. Kakashi, you're amazing!"
"I told you, I didn't do it."
"Why are you getting upset? If you didn't do it, you didn't do it. I'll head back now. And don't forget to report this to Konoha right away." After speaking impatiently, Pakkun's body suddenly turned into a cloud of smoke.
Only Kakashi remained, silent, while Rin watched from nearby, her expression just as unsettled.
The possibility they didn't want to acknowledge—that Yang Xing had taken out the five elite ninja who'd backed them into a corner—wouldn't leave their minds.
Late that afternoon, after a lunch that barely deserved the name,
"Those two are taking forever. Where'd they go? Don't tell me..." Enjoying the warmth of the sunlight, Yang Xing looked relaxed. "Well, that blockhead Kakashi probably wouldn't get it anyway."
"Ah, they're back! So Kakashi really was with Rin. Damn it!" When Obito saw them approaching, jealousy flickered in his eyes.
Yang Xing sighed beside him. He'd nearly forgotten there was another fool here.
Not caring why they'd taken so long, Yang Xing simply slung his backpack over his shoulders again and said easily, "All right, let's get ready to head back."
"Mm." Kakashi nodded. For some reason, that show-off's face seemed clouded with worry.
Yang Xing looked at him in surprise. "Why do you look so pale?"
"It's nothing. We—we should just get back quickly." Kakashi seemed to have something he wanted to say, but he glanced at Yang Xing and went to retrieve his backpack instead.
"Then let's go." Yang Xing couldn't be bothered with the brooding guy. He glanced at Rin and asked, "Oh, I nearly forgot. Rin, are you hurt?"
"Mm, y-yes." Rin looked up, unable to meet Yang Xing's eyes. She even stammered, then lowered her head, her cheeks faintly pink.
The girl had even stammered. Why did she seem so strange?
Never mind. He'd better get back soon and check out that aura of his. Yang Xing turned and walked away, his steps light.
He didn't know that Kakashi and Rin, following close behind him, were watching him with noticeably changed expressions—very different from before.
Kakashi was suspicious, while Rin was full of curiosity. She found herself curious about everything concerning this "outsider." Whenever her gaze met Yang Xing's, her cheeks would turn a little red.
Just thinking about the way he'd snatched the bells at the start made her face flush more than it should have.
If Yang Xing really was capable of killing five powerful ninja, why had he treated her that way? Rin couldn't make sense of it. All she felt was her heart pounding like a startled fawn.
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