Anbu Mission

The training ground was empty that morning, with Uchiha Yatsuhashi the only one there.

Might Guy, who usually trained alongside Yatsuhashi, sweating and shouting, "Youth!"

Was now leading his squad on a mission to hunt down bandits.

Uchiha Yatsuhashi balanced on one hand and did handstand push-ups.

Unlike before, when each one had been a struggle, his movements now flowed smoothly.

Each rise and fall carried a steady rhythm.

Today, he had not only easily surpassed Guy's previous record of one hundred,

but had also switched the arm supporting him while he was airborne.

He continued until he had done the same one hundred and first repetition.

Only then did he stop and stand, feeling the power surging through him.

Ever since he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan,

the chakra within his body had quietly risen to the level of an ordinary jonin.

And even without relying on his dōjutsu, his Taijutsu and control over his own strength had improved considerably.

"So this is... who I am now..."

Yatsuhashi murmured, clenching his fist.

He could feel the power within his body.

The sun was already dipping westward by the time he finished training and headed toward the neighborhood.

The familiar pancake shop was as lively as ever, with the diners' laughter and the aroma of food drifting together on the evening breeze.

But when Yatsuhashi stepped inside, he paused in surprise.

Mitaraishi Anko, who should have been teaching at the Ninja Academy,

was wearing a clean apron and working beside Uchiha Uruchi.

Her movements were a little awkward, but she was focused as she carried steaming Okonomiyaki to the customers' tables.

Ever since she had returned from her mission and been assigned to teach at the Ninja Academy,

she had come to help out at the shop whenever she had free time.

After escaping Orochimaru's shadow, this was the place where she felt safest.

"Hey, you're back!"

Uchiha Uruchi nudged Yatsuhashi, who was wiping away his sweat, with her elbow,

then tipped her chin toward Anko.

The meaning in her eyes was unmistakable.

"Why don't you go help her? Anko comes by every day. She's got her heart set on you!"

Anko happened to look up. The moment their eyes met,

her cheeks turned faintly red,

but she quickly composed herself and handed a steaming Okonomiyaki to the customer in front of her.

Yatsuhashi sighed helplessly.

At that moment, he had neither the heart nor the strength to accept her tender affection.

He could only quietly head into the kitchen and help Uchiha Tesho carry the heavy bags of flour.

Uchiha Uruchi watched her son's silent figure, then glanced at Anko, radiant but a little bashful.

She let out a heavy sigh and muttered under her breath, where only she could hear,

"Foolish boy... where are you ever going to find a girl this wonderful..."

Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze had given Uchiha Yatsuhashi three days to recover and get back into shape.

So early on the fourth morning, just as the eastern sky began to brighten,

Uchiha Yatsuhashi arrived at Anbu Team 6's assembly point.

As an elite force directly under the Hokage, the Anbu had a strict organizational structure.

The Anbu Commander oversaw four squads, each made up of four teams.

The total force numbered around seventy.

Aside from their leader, Kakashi Hatake, the other member of Anbu Team 6 was already waiting there.

The moment Uchiha Yatsuhashi arrived, he felt the undisguised hostility in Sano Yuji's gaze.

With his arms folded, Sano leaned against a tree. "Well, well. If it isn't the Uchiha Clan's special genin."

Sano deliberately raised his voice, making it ring sharply through the silent woods.

"Special genin, if you ever drag me down on a mission, don't expect me to save you."

Faced with the intimidation, Yatsuhashi remained calm and didn't respond.

"Hey, newbie!"

When Yatsuhashi ignored him, Sano stepped forward with a Kunai in his right hand and deliberately pressed it against Yatsuhashi's chest.

"I'm talking to you! Are all you people from the Uchiha Clan so full of yourselves?"

This time, Uchiha Yatsuhashi didn't back down.

He suddenly moved, too fast for Sano to react,

and took the Kunai from his hand.

"So who's dragging whom down now?"

Sano stared at the Kunai in Yatsuhashi's hand, furious.

The confrontation between them was on the verge of turning into a fight.

"Yuji."

A voice cut in, leaving no room for argument.

Kakashi Hatake had appeared beside them without either of them noticing.

"This is Anbu assembly time, not a place to settle personal grudges."

Kakashi yawned. "If you want to spar, wait until the mission's over.

And don't say I didn't warn you: that guy's eyes... are the Three-Tomoe Sharingan."

Sano's shoulders stiffened. He was clearly wary of Kakashi's words.

He snorted, shot Yatsuhashi one last glare,

and reluctantly stepped aside.

"Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Is he as strong as the captain?"

Kakashi recalled the strange sensation in his left eye after making eye contact with Uchiha Yatsuhashi.

He pondered for a moment, then answered quietly, "Possibly."

Those two casual words shook Sano.

After all, Kakashi was the strongest member of the Anbu. For him to make such an assessment

showed that Uchiha Yatsuhashi was formidable, too.

But it only made Sano even more displeased.

"Hmph. What an arrogant guy."

Kakashi didn't dwell on it. He gave Uchiha Yatsuhashi a brief, straightforward explanation of the Anbu's rules and structure.

Then he had Yatsuhashi choose a mask.

Yatsuhashi walked over to the box of masks and scanned them.

In the end, he picked up a prominent Eagle Mask.

He chose it only because he thought it would be easier to talk while wearing it and that it wouldn't fog up.

Once Yatsuhashi had chosen his mask, Kakashi said,

"Let's go. Lord Hokage wants to give us our mission in person."

The Hokage Office was brightly lit.

Minato Namikaze stood behind the enormous Hokage's desk, his blond hair gleaming in the morning light.

He smiled warmly at the three who had entered.

"Kakashi, Sano Yuji."

Minato's gaze fell on the last person. "And... Uchiha Yatsuhashi. Welcome back."

Then he brought out a map and showed it to everyone. It was marked with numerous villages and towns.

Minato's smile faded as he pointed to a circled location.

"The mission is simple."

"Over the past three months, children have mysteriously gone missing from several villages and towns throughout the Land of Fire.

According to the latest information gathered by the Anbu, the missing children may be connected to the rogue Orochimaru."

"Orochimaru?!"

The three of them reacted differently to the name.

Uchiha Yatsuhashi's heart clenched.

He hadn't expected his first Anbu mission to involve Orochimaru.

Was this a coincidence, or a test?

"Yatsuhashi." Minato's voice brought him back to the present.

Yatsuhashi straightened quickly, his voice slightly tense. "Lord Hokage."

"You don't need to feel any burden over this mission."

Minato looked at him earnestly. "Orochimaru's defection wasn't your fault."

At that, Uchiha Yatsuhashi visibly relaxed.

"Your objective is to find and bring back the missing children..."

After Minato had explained the mission,

the three of them replied in unison, "Yes, Lord Hokage!"

Minato nodded slightly. "Go."

After accepting the mission, Yatsuhashi and the others hurried toward the nearest village where children had gone missing.