Assassination Technique

The newcomer wore a completely expressionless face, not the coldness of a dead face created by Impure World Reincarnation, but simply because that was how he had always been.

After his strike failed, he swiftly retreated into the shadows nearby, waiting for the next opportunity.

That ambush instantly made the previously restless group assume a combat formation, ready to face the coming challenge.

"Impure World Reincarnation again. As expected, Kabuto Yakushi is behind this. Looks like we weren't following the wrong trail this time."

For more than a day, so many experts had been circling around this place, only finding a few decoys meant to mislead them. Now that a powerful combatant had been sent to stop them, they must have drawn close to the enemy's true location.

"Hinata, are you all right?!"

Naruto Uzumaki, who had been a step too late, rushed over and saw that his companion was unharmed. He immediately looked eager to defeat the enemy who had suddenly appeared.

"Let me handle this one!"

Naruto, desperately needing to prove his strength with Toad Sage Art, had long been waiting for a powerful enemy to come knocking and serve as his touchstone.

"Wait, Naruto..."

Hatake Kakashi grabbed Naruto Uzumaki just as he was about to act and said gravely, "You and Hinata fall back first. This enemy isn't suited for the two of you to deal with. Sasuke and I will handle him."

Looking at that familiar face before him, Hatake Kakashi was overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

Other than the lifeless eyes and the obvious fact that he was under someone else's control, he looked exactly like Kakashi's biological father, who had died long ago.

Kakashi had long since put the past behind him. Even the man's voice and smile had been worn faint and blurry by