Infiltrating the Hidden Mist Village

"06, once we enter the island, we split up. Two people are too conspicuous."

Inside the swaying cabin, 04 pointed at a crude map of Kirigakure.

Uchiha Shisui memorized the mission details and the route, then nodded at 04.

"No need to regroup after obtaining the intel; just retreat directly. This mission is somewhat difficult, so I hope you don't mess it up."

After saying this, 04 put away the map and walked out of the cabin.

This brat from the Uchiha clan doesn't show a hint of fear... and to think he hasn't been in the Anbu for long, 04 thought to himself after walking a short distance, looking back at the small cabin.

Uchiha Shisui didn't care much; being able to act alone was perfect for him, as teammates could potentially become a burden.

BOOM! Accompanied by the roar of thunder, the originally gloomy sky began to pour with heavy rain, which made visibility on the sea increasingly poor.

Uchiha Shisui looked through his mask out the window. With the flashes of lightning, the village surrounded by islands in the distance appeared and disappeared like a giant beast in the rain.

Kirigakure was located on an island surrounded by sea on all sides, composed of numerous islands. The main island was the primary area for living and activity, surrounded by many smaller islands; this terrain made it relatively isolated from other nations.

After the merchant ship docked, Uchiha Shisui used the Transformation Technique in conjunction with his Sharingan, which made his disguise much harder to see through.

With his appearance and physique changed into that of a burly dock worker, Shisui began to survey the unfamiliar environment.

He was currently at the docks. Kirigakure was mostly mountainous, and its buildings were scattered. The most iconic structure was the cylindrical building located on an arched bridge in the center—the Mizukage Building.

The docks were crowded with people at this moment. As the only place for supplies in the vast sea, merchants often stopped in Kirigakure to post commissions.

Uchiha Shisui successfully entered the center of the village through the flow of people.

At a street corner, Shisui pushed aside an inconspicuous stone, and a scroll lay quietly inside.

"Found it." Shisui picked up the scroll and placed it into his ninja tool pouch.

"Zzzzt!"

"This is... an explosive tag!"

Just as Uchiha Shisui picked up the scroll, the explosive tags on the surrounding walls were instantly detonated.

"BOOM!" Although Shisui reacted and immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to reach the street entrance, the shockwave from behind still sent him flying.

"Oh? He didn't die, but we'll send you to hell soon enough."

"His terrified blood will surely taste delicious."

After the explosion, several figures appeared on the rooftops using the Body Flicker Technique.

Damn it, I was careless! Uchiha Shisui looked somewhat disheveled. He shook his head, which was still dizzy, trying to clear his mind.

Once Shisui recovered slightly, he saw the Kirigakure ninja surrounding the street.

"Lord Mizukage has ordered: take him alive!" Karatachi Yagura, who was about the same height as Uchiha Shisui, stepped out from behind the other ninja and gave the order.

As soon as Karatachi Yagura finished speaking, the Kirigakure ninja charged toward Uchiha Shisui with sinister grins, like sharks that had caught the scent of blood.

"Got you!"

Just as a ninja blade was an arm's length from Uchiha Shisui's neck, the Kirigakure ninja sneered.

"Hmph, playtime is over! Fire Release: Ash Hiding Technique!"

Uchiha Shisui took a sharp breath, his chest swelling high. Then, he took a sudden step back to dodge the horizontal slash, his hands moving with lightning speed to weave signs.

As soon as he finished speaking, he spat out billowing thick smoke and red, scorching flames, covering a massive area that engulfed almost the entire street.

The thick smoke was so dense it blinded everyone.

Some Kirigakure ninja who had their eyes wide open even suffered burns to their eyes.

"Ah! What's going on! I can't see anything."

"Hey! You idiot, you stabbed me! Put your blade away!"

"Damn it, where is Lord Yagura? Protect Lord Yagura!"

At this moment, the Kirigakure ninja were in complete chaos.

In a tree hollow within the forest, Shisui stuffed a few military ration pills into his mouth. He had just used the Ash Hiding Technique to stall the pursuers, but the Kirigakure ninja would soon place the entire village under martial law and send out search parties.

For now, I can only hide in Kirigakure. Once the heat dies down, I'll find a chance to return to Konoha, Shisui thought to himself after scanning his surroundings.

"Hurry! Don't let this area go! Search over there!"

Hidden in the underground tree hollow, Shisui could clearly hear the sound of ninja jumping overhead; there were nearly a hundred of them.

They came so fast! And there are hundreds of times more of them than me. With my current chakra levels, if I go out, I'll definitely be worn down to death. Shisui masked his presence and used Storm Release chakra to set up a small barrier around him to evade scent-based tracking.

If it were a standard detection jutsu, they would never be able to find him.

One year later, at the Konoha cemetery, Kakashi walked up to a tombstone holding flowers.

"Shisui, I've become a Chunin. You guy, you were a genius, yet you died while on a mission. It really is..."

Wearing his Chunin flak jacket, Kakashi placed the flowers on the tombstone and sat down to chat. He ended up staying there for the entire day.

"Kakashi! You need to go back now! The whole village is filled with gossip about Sakumo!"

Night had fallen by the time Namikaze Minato returned from his mission, only to hear many in the village beginning to verbally attack Hatake Sakumo. As Kakashi's teacher, Namikaze Minato naturally felt the need to inform his student.

"Minato-sensei? What happened?" After hearing Namikaze Minato's explanation, Kakashi sensed that something was wrong and sprinted toward his home.

The twilight deepened, spreading like ink. The clamor of the streets gradually blurred in Kakashi's ears, leaving only his own ragged breathing and the sound of his frantic footsteps.

A sense of foreboding took root in his heart, driving him to race toward his house. He stumbled, nearly falling several times.

Finally, he reached his front door. His hand trembled as he pushed it open, and a pungent odor rushed out to meet him.

It was the heavy scent of alcohol, sharp and stinging, yet beneath the liquor, there was a faint, underlying metallic tang of blood that made his heart skip a beat.

"Fa... Father?"

Kakashi's voice trembled, laced with unconcealable fear and unease as he asked tentatively.

His voice echoed through the empty house, but there was no response—only an endless, deathly silence.

Kakashi's legs felt as heavy as lead, making every step an arduous struggle.

He walked slowly toward the bedroom, his hand resting on the doorknob. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his frantic heartbeat.

However, the moment he pushed the bedroom door open, the sight before him caused him to freeze in place.

Hatake Sakumo lay quietly on the floor, his hands tightly gripping the short blade of the White Fang stained with blood, alongside his half-sleeve flak jacket that represented his honor. Empty liquor bottles were scattered all around, and a pool of crimson blood spread beneath him, blinding and desperate.

His eyes were tightly shut, his face gaunt and pained, as if he had endured immense torment before the end.

"Father!" Kakashi roared in anguish, his voice filled with despair and helplessness. He lunged forward, collapsing to his knees beside Hatake Sakumo.

His hands shook as he reached out to touch his father, yet he was terrified that this was all just a nightmare, terrified that his touch would only make this cruel reality more tangible.