"06, once we reach the island, we'll split up. Two people would draw too much attention."
Inside the swaying cabin, 04 pointed at a crude map of Kirigakure.
After memorizing the mission details and route, Uchiha Shisui nodded to 04.
"Once you have the intel, don't meet up with me. Just retreat immediately. This mission's tricky, so don't screw it up."
With that, 04 put away the map and headed out of the cabin.
"That Uchiha kid isn't even the slightest bit scared... And he's only been in the Anbu for a short time." After walking a little way, 04 glanced back at the tiny cabin and thought to himself.
Uchiha Shisui didn't mind. Working alone suited him just fine; teammates could end up being a burden.
Rumble! Thunder roared as rain began to fall from the gloomy sky, making it harder and harder to see across the sea.
Uchiha Shisui peered out the window through his mask. In the intermittent flashes of lightning, the village surrounded by islands appeared and disappeared like a giant beast in the rain.
Kirigakure stood on an island surrounded by sea on all sides and was made up of many islands. The main island was its primary residential and activity center, with numerous smaller islands around it. This geography left it relatively isolated from other countries.
After the merchant ship docked, Uchiha Shisui used the Transformation Technique alongside his Sharingan to make his disguise harder to see through.
Shisui, now disguised as a burly dockworker, began surveying the unfamiliar surroundings.
He was at the docks. Kirigakure was mostly mountainous, and its buildings were scattered. Its most recognizable landmark was the cylindrical Mizukage Building, perched on an arch bridge in the center of the village.
The docks were crowded. As the only place in the middle of the sea where supplies were available, Kirigakure attracted plenty of merchants, who often stopped there and took on commissions.
Uchiha Shisui followed the crowd into the center of the village without any trouble.
At a street corner, Shisui moved an inconspicuous stone aside, revealing a scroll tucked beneath it.
"Found it." Shisui picked up the scroll and put it in his ninja pouch.
"Bzzzt!"
"These are Explosive Tags!"
The moment Uchiha Shisui picked up the scroll, the Explosive Tags planted on the surrounding walls detonated.
"Rumble!" Shisui reacted and Body Flickered to the end of the street, but the blast's shockwave still sent him flying.
"Oh? You're still alive. But we'll send you to hell soon enough."
"The blood of someone terrified must taste delicious."
After the explosion, several figures appeared on the rooftops in a flash.
"Damn it, I let my guard down!" Uchiha Shisui looked battered. He shook his dizzy head, trying to clear it.
Once he had recovered a little, Shisui saw the Kirigakure Ninja surrounding the street.
"The Mizukage has ordered us to take him alive!" Karatachi Yagura, about as tall as Uchiha Shisui, stepped out from behind the other ninja and gave the order.
As soon as Yagura finished speaking, the Kirigakure Ninja charged at Uchiha Shisui with cruel grins, like sharks scenting blood.
"Got you!"
The moment the Ninja Blade came within an arm's length of Uchiha Shisui's neck, the Kirigakure Ninja sneered.
"Hmph, playtime's over! Fire Release: Ash Hiding Technique!"
Uchiha Shisui took a deep breath, his chest swelling, then stepped back to avoid the horizontal slash. His hands flew through the Hand Seals so quickly they were hard to follow.
As soon as he finished speaking, he spewed out billowing smoke and red-hot flames that spread across almost the entire street.
Thick smoke billowed, obscuring everyone's vision.
Some Kirigakure Ninja who had their eyes wide open even suffered burns to their eyes.
"Ah! What's going on? I can't see a thing!"
"Hey, you idiot, you stabbed me! Put your Ninja Blade away already!"
"Damn it, where's Lord Yagura? Protect Lord Yagura!"
The Kirigakure Ninja were in complete disarray.
Inside a hollow tree in the forest, Shisui stuffed several Military Ration Pills into his mouth. He had used the Dust Concealment Technique to hold off his pursuers, but the Kirigakure Ninja would soon lock down the entire village and send out search parties.
"For now, I can only hide in Kirigakure until things die down, then look for a chance to return to Konoha." Shisui looked around and thought to himself.
"Quick! Don't leave this area unchecked! Search over there!"
From the tree hollow below ground, Shisui could clearly hear ninja leaping overhead. There were hundreds of them.
"They got here so fast! And there are hundreds of times more of them than me. With my chakra this low, if I go out there, they'll wear me down for sure." Shisui concealed his presence and used Storm Release chakra to form a small barrier around himself, masking his scent from trackers.
Ordinary sensory ninjutsu wouldn't be able to find him.
A year later, at the Konoha cemetery, Kakashi approached a gravestone with flowers in his hands.
"Shisui, I've become a Chunin. You were supposed to be a genius, and yet you died on a mission. Honestly, you're just..."
Kakashi, wearing his Chunin vest, set the flowers on the gravestone and sat down to talk. He spent the entire day there.
"Kakashi! Get back right away! The whole village is talking about Senior Sakumo!"
It was late. After returning from a mission, Namikaze Minato heard that people throughout the village were verbally attacking Hatake Sakumo. As Kakashi's teacher, Minato knew he had to inform his student.
"Minato-sensei? What happened?" After hearing Minato's explanation, Kakashi realized something was wrong and sprinted home.
Dusk settled like ink spreading across the sky. The noise of the streets gradually faded in Kakashi's ears, leaving only his hurried breathing and frantic footsteps.
An ominous feeling gnawed at him, driving him to race home as fast as he could. He stumbled and nearly fell several times.
At last, he reached the front door. His trembling hand pushed it open, and a pungent smell hit him.
The sharp, overpowering scent of alcohol filled the air. Beneath it, however, he could just make out the faint smell of blood. His heart began to pound.
"F-Father?"
Kakashi's voice trembled, betraying his fear and unease as he called out tentatively.
His voice echoed through the empty house, but no one answered. Only an endless silence greeted him.
Kakashi's legs felt like lead, and every step was unbearably difficult.
He slowly made his way toward the bedroom and rested a hand on the doorknob. Taking a deep breath, he tried to steady his racing heart.
But the moment he opened the bedroom door, the sight before him froze him in place.
Hatake Sakumo lay motionless on the floor, clutching the Hokage's short-sleeved jacket, a symbol of his honor, and the bloodstained White Fang short blade. Alcohol bottles lay scattered all around him. Bright red blood spread beneath his body, a glaring, despairing sight.
His eyes were closed, his face haggard and pained, as though he had endured immense suffering before he died.
"Father!" Kakashi let out a grief-stricken cry, his voice filled with despair and helplessness. He rushed forward and fell to his knees beside Hatake Sakumo.
His hands trembled as he reached for his father, afraid that this was all a nightmare, afraid that touching him would make the cruel reality even more real.