Kakashi didn't want to admit it, but he had indeed lost.
Chuan Yu was right. If this had been a battlefield, he might already have been dead.
But life didn't offer second chances.
"Even so, you can't join the Anbu with Itachi. There's no humanity on the battlefield."
Kakashi immediately dashed Chuan Yu's hopes. Though he'd won by unfair means, when the time came, no one would be able to spare a thought for Chuan Yu's life.
"The battlefield won't show mercy just because I'm a child. You overlooked me, and that's why I survived."
Chuan Yu spoke calmly, and his words silenced Kakashi at once.
That was true. Joining the Anbu meant having one foot in the grave. If Chuan Yu died, it had nothing to do with him.
Kakashi's expression darkened. He coughed and said, "Itachi, you decide what to do with him."
Then he turned and left.
Seeing Kakashi give in, the two exchanged smiles.
"You really are full of surprises."
Itachi walked over and smiled.
"The more interesting part is still ahead. Come on, Big Brother Itachi."
And so, Chuan Yu successfully joined Team Kakashi, though only as an auxiliary member. He wasn't an official Anbu member and wasn't permitted to handle certain classified missions.
He could only take on missions of minor importance.
Still, it was good experience. Fortunately, Chuan Yu was highly talented and had never failed a mission. Though he completed them with Itachi's help, Kakashi had begun to see him in a new light.
"The Mist Village has appeared near Konoha's border defenses again. I don't think it's a coincidence."
Inside an Anbu room, Kakashi, Itachi, and the other members studied a map.
A spot near the Land of Fire's border had been marked in red.
"Do we have any reliable information about them?"
One of the members suddenly asked.
"Yes. Their leader is named Ao, a veteran jonin from the Mist Village. I believe his name is on Konoha's Gold-Level Wanted List. He has a Byakugan transplanted into his right eye."
"From what we know, Ao took the Byakugan as a trophy during the Third Shinobi World War. The last time he appeared within Konoha's patrol zone, Shisui drove them off."
Kakashi recited everything he knew about Ao with his eyes closed, then thoughtfully glanced at Uchiha Chuanyu beside him.
This kid really was a lot like Shisui...
"Then can we conclude that they're after the Byakugan?"
Itachi suddenly proposed.
Ao had only one Byakugan, but even that had greatly increased his strength. Itachi understood the value of those eyes, so their target had to be the Hyuga Clan.
"Shisui already gave them a warning last time. If they dare show up here now, could it be that they already know Shisui is..."
The member beside him looked at the others in shock.
Itachi's brow suddenly furrowed.
"Someone deliberately told the Mist Village that Shisui was dead."
Chuan Yu came over and spoke calmly.
"Then tell me, who would do something like that?"
Kakashi pressed him.
"In Konoha, the only darkness hidden from sight lies underground. Besides the Uchiha, there's only one other person it could be."
Chuan Yu pointed down. Kakashi's eyes widened in shock. "Root?!"
"Konoha is terribly vulnerable right now. It looks stable on the surface, but it's already in chaos inside. We have to keep an eye on the Uchiha, and the Hyuga don't want to get involved. That leaves the Anbu and Root as our main fighting forces."
"But the Anbu are the ones tasked with handling this kind of incident. The Mist Village is powerful. If we drive them off properly, there won't be any trouble. But if we kill them, the Mist Village will use that as an excuse to demand an explanation from Konoha. In that case, the Third Hokage will be the one in trouble."
Chuan Yu didn't need to think twice to understand Danzo's ambitions. With Shisui's suicide, the Uchiha coup had been halted, giving Danzo a temporary reprieve. Now, wanting to seize power, Danzo had turned his sights on Hiruzen Sarutobi.
How interesting.
Kakashi had to reassess Chuan Yu. At six years old, he already had such foresight and insight. He truly was a genius.
Chuan Yu secretly grinned to himself. Did Kakashi think he'd tell him he was a transmigrator?
"Let's assign the mission. But remember, the purpose of this battle isn't to wipe them out. Driving them away will be enough."
As he spoke, Kakashi drew a check mark beside the location.
"Chuan Yu, stay close to Itachi. They might go for the kill this time, but we can't do the same, or we'll be declaring war on the Mist Village."
Kakashi rubbed his hair, looking troubled.
Konoha was more vulnerable than ever.
At Konoha's border defenses, Ao, wearing an eye patch, concealed himself in a tree.
Behind him, hidden by the leaves, were numerous Mist Anbu Ninja.
"When the two of them cross the perimeter, they'll draw Konoha's attention. Then the rest of you will split into two squads. The first will cover the pair who went in, while the second will follow me and wait for the right moment!"
Ao stared resolutely at Konoha's distant watchtower as he issued his orders.
"Yes!"
Two figures leaped from the tree and raced toward the perimeter.
Ao sneered and pulled a Shuriken from his waist.
After three brief seconds, the Shuriken struck a Konoha guard on the watchtower, knocking him to the ground.
"Enemy spotted! Everyone, stay alert!"
The guard captain noticed the danger first and hurriedly called out to his comrades to be on guard and come to his aid.
Ao's first squad had already hidden near the two decoys, while he held his position.
Since Ao knew nothing about Danzo, if Danzo's information was true, then Shisui was dead and Root wouldn't take part in the mission. That left only the tough-to-handle Anbu.
He would send out an arcing projectile and carefully watch Konoha's response. If Shisui didn't appear right away, they could attack.
Their goal was to abduct a member of the Hyuga Clan.
"Captain, we've spotted two Mist Anbu Ninja!"
"Mist Anbu?! What are they doing here at a time like this? There can't be only two of them! Hurry! Call for reinforcements!"
The guard captain quickly sent one of his subordinates to get help.
They were only ordinary Chunin, while their opponents were Anbu. They couldn't afford to underestimate them.
"Surround those two first!"
The guard captain led the others down around the two Mist Anbu Ninja.
Just then, the first squad sprang out from the bushes. In an instant, every Konoha guard was cut down.
The guard captain stared helplessly at the reflection in his opponent's long blade.
The Mist Ninja expressionlessly brought their blades down.
Squelch.
The Konoha guards were all dead.
The Mist Anbu Ninja quickly cleared the scene, moving the bodies away before hiding again.
They were waiting for Konoha's reinforcements.
Ao wanted to confirm whether Shisui was really dead.
After entering the village, the guard sent to get help hurried to the Konoha Military Police Force's headquarters.
"This is bad! The Mi-Mist Village has crossed the perimeter!"
At that time, the Konoha Military Police Force was staffed by members of the Uchiha Clan.
Its captain was the clan leader, Uchiha Fugaku.
When he heard the guard's report, he didn't react.
These were extraordinary times. The Uchiha needed to keep a low profile more than ever.
"I'll arrange for someone to inform Lord Third Hokage," Uchiha Fugaku said calmly.
"You... You're not going to act?!"
The guard looked baffled, but before he could finish speaking, the other Uchiha pushed him outside.
Getting involved in an outside incident would only invite trouble, but Fugaku knew Hiruzen Sarutobi would understand.
Once Hiruzen Sarutobi received the report, he quickly dispatched the Anbu and several jonin.
But Kakashi and the others had already been waiting in ambush since Ao first appeared.
They still had to wait for Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders before they could act.
"Ao really is cunning."
Kakashi quietly commented as he watched Ao's movements.
"He's already getting impatient. In less than three minutes, once the reinforcements from the village arrive, he'll make his move."
Chuan Yu stared intently at Ao in the tree opposite them. Sending two decoys first, splitting his men into squads to protect them, and clearing the scene—all of that showed how wary he was.
He was waiting for Konoha's reinforcements to show up.
Shisui had left a deep impression on him...
A few minutes later, a squad of Konoha jonin arrived at the border. Ao immediately signaled the first squad.
The ninjas hiding in the bushes leaped out and clashed with the Konoha jonin.
"It's started!"
Kakashi hurriedly sent the other squad members into the fight. Every Mist Ninja who had come this time was an Anbu, so the Konoha jonin were bound to struggle against them.
Once the Konoha Anbu joined the fight, Ao would see that Shisui wasn't there and become completely fearless.
"Byakugan!"
Ao removed his eye patch, and veins bulged around his right eye.
After scanning the area, he fixed his gaze on Kakashi.
"Copy Ninja Hatake Kakashi. Interesting... It seems Shisui really is dead."
Ao was overjoyed and finally appeared with the second squad behind him.
"Big Brother Itachi, I'll stay behind and cover our rear."
Chuan Yu suddenly spoke up.
Itachi paused, then remembered the mission's main objective.
They only needed to drive the enemy away.
In that case, leaving Chuan Yu behind them seemed like the right choice.
"You're not much of a fighter, so that position suits you. But make sure you protect yourself. Just let them escape."
After speaking, Itachi patted Chuan Yu's head and leaped into the battle ahead.
[ Ding! The system has triggered an automatic sign-in! Location: Konoha border! ]
[ The scene in the host's mind matches the situation! Sign-in reward: Body Flicker Technique! ]
Ao had just landed, still gloating, when a hazy blur flashed past his eyes.
When he turned around, he couldn't see anything...
But a fresh slash had suddenly appeared on his shoulder!
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