A group of five people strolled leisurely through the lush woods.
"Hey kid, are you really only eleven years old?"
The alluring Mei Terumi looked at Uchiha Kei with a suspicious gaze.
With a leaf dangling from his mouth, Uchiha Kei lazily turned his head.
"Yes, it'll be twelve soon."
Mei Terumi's expression turned extremely ugly.
This little man is really only eleven years old!
This guy is tall and has strong features, making it really hard to believe he's actually that old.
But if you look closely, you can see that the boy's face does still have a touch of childishness that hasn't completely faded!
Eleven years old...
Mei Terumi's expression became even more troubled.
Why is it so small?
Why is it so small?
Naruto glanced at Mei Terumi with ill intent, then at Uchiha Kei, and gave a wicked smile.
"Jing, this auntie seems to have a bit of a crush on you~"
Naruto sidled up to Uchiha Kei and muttered something under his breath.
"What are you saying! What are you saying!"
Uchiha Kei was taken aback for a moment, then smacked Naruto on the head.
"Is Aunt Mei Terumi that kind of person?"
After saying that, he gestured towards Mei Terumi with his chin.
"Oh, you mean Aunt Mei Terumi?"
Seeing Uchiha Kei's innocent smile, Mei Terumi's lips twitched slightly.
This brat...
That's really awful!
She actually called me "Auntie"!
"Auntie" is not a term you use to address someone!
Naruto and his two companions simultaneously took a step back, their eyes filled with wariness.
This guy...
Trying to scam people!
"Aunt Mei Terumi, what are your plans after you go to Konoha? You can't really go to the Ninja Academy, can you?"
"Genji means for me to go to the Ninja Academy to participate in teaching."
Mei Terumi's expression remained grim.
This auntie...
Why does that sound so jarring?
"I see... Aunt Mei Terumi..."
"Don't call me auntie!"
Mei Terumi couldn't hold back any longer and instantly went berserk, her watery eyes blazing with fury.
Uchiha Kei kept quiet.
Tsk tsk tsk.
Women should not speak when they are angry.
This is the truth!
"Sizzle!"
A sound like Chidori chirping rang out from ahead.
Uchiha Kei frowned.
That sound is...
Chidori!
Full speed ahead!
Uchiha Kei let out a low growl and quickly leaped towards a nearby tree, disappearing into the distance in a few bounds.
Naruto and the others quickly followed.
Five hundred meters ahead.
The surrounding trees were snapped in half, the broken ends completely black.
The ground was full of potholes, and the place was a mess.
In the arena, four figures intertwined and collided.
A surge of Chakra permeated the surroundings.
Lightning Release: Chidori!
Among the four, a silver-haired man wearing Konoha Forehead Protector let out a low growl, his figure moving like lightning, and a ball of blue-white light suddenly appeared in his hand.
With a sound like the buzzing of Chidori, the silver-haired man pierced through a man's chest in an instant.
"Bang!"
White smoke rose from the man whose chest had been pierced, revealing a broken piece of wood.
Substitution Technique!
Without hesitation, the silver-haired man flipped over.
A Ninja Blade, gleaming with cold light, swiftly thrust towards his original spot.
Upon landing, the silver-haired man, with only one eye visible, warily stared at the group.
"How dare you, fellow members of Konoha's Anbu?"
The silver-haired man's voice was cold and sharp, and one of his eyes was filled with murderous intent.
"Snort!"
The remaining three also stopped what they were doing and stood in a neat line.
"The Anbu? We're not the Anbu."
The silver-haired man was taken aback.
The men simultaneously removed their animal masks, their faces contorted in a ferocious expression.
"Kakashi, we respect you, and we hope you won't put up a futile resistance. Hand over the information."
Kakashi frowned.
Intelligence?
His mission this time was only a B-level mission, not a big one.
Does this kind of intelligence require three elite Jonin to steal?
What kind of information do you want?
Kakashi asked tentatively.
"Konoha Daily! Information about Root members!"
Root?
A cold glint flashed in Kakashi's eyes.
His mission was to investigate the whereabouts of the daimyo of the Land of Water.
What does this have to do with the Konoha Daily?
What is the relationship between the Konoha Daily and the Root?
Most importantly...
Is this organization still standing?
"It seems this information is very important to you."
Although he didn't understand, Kakashi continued to ask.
As someone who was once recruited by Danzo, Kakashi is well aware of the darkness within Root.
He couldn't afford to take this matter lightly.
"This is none of your business."
The three spoke coldly.
"Hand it over, or you won't be able to return to Konoha!"
Kakashi, seeing that he couldn't get any information out of him, could only shake his head in disappointment.
"Hand me over and you'll let me go back to Konoha? Do you think I'm that easy to fool?"
The three of them were taken aback.
Of course, there's no way we'd let him return to Konoha alive.
While the three were still stunned, Kakashi's figure had already disappeared from the spot.
When he reappeared, he was already behind the three of them.
The Forehead Protector that had been tilted and blocking one eye has now been straightened.
A red-glowing eye suddenly appeared!
"Lightning Cutter!"
A dark blue flash appeared in his hand.
Unlike the piercing buzz of Chidori, Lightning Cutter was more concentrated, carrying a strong electric current sound.
The three were shocked and quickly dodged to avoid it.
Unfortunately...
Kakashi's figure moved like a phantom, leaving a trail of afterimages, and he appeared ghost-like in front of one of them.
The man opened his mouth, his hand instinctively reaching out to protect his chest.
"Puff!"
A muffled thud.
The man looked down, staring in disbelief at the arm that had pierced through his chest.
That speed...
How could that be!
"Earth Release: Rock Iron Cannon Technique!"
The remaining two acted swiftly and decisively. Seeing their comrade killed, they immediately distanced themselves from Kakashi.
His handprints flew, and he spat out a small pebble from his mouth.
The pebble hurtled towards Kakashi, growing larger as it flew.
By the time the pebble reached Kakashi, it had grown to half a meter in size!
Kakashi's Sharingan spun rapidly, quickly finding a blind spot between the two Taiseki.
With a single movement, two Taiseki flew past, grazing the side.
Before it even landed, sharp stone pillars resembling bamboo shoots instantly appeared on the ground.
Earth Release: Earth Pillar Explosion!
With a loud shout, the sharp stone pillars exploded one after another the moment Kakashi landed.
Dust billowed up, enveloping the entire area.
"Earth Release - Earth Flow River!"
Another person followed, pressing one hand to the ground.
The hard ground instantly turned into a swamp, enveloping the dust-filled area.
The two of them, panting heavily, bent over, staring intently.
Under such repeated attacks...
Even Hatake Kakashi should...
"Chidori!"
The buzzing of Chidori rose from the swirling dust.
A sudden burst of blue and white light!
"Careful!"
Their pupils dilated simultaneously, and they instinctively tried to dodge to the side.
Pity...
The swift and thunderous Chidori vanished in an instant, like lightning.
"Sizzle!"
Kakashi's gaunt figure appeared, and the blue and white Chidori pierced through someone's chest once more.
Fear flashed in the eyes of the last remaining person.
Hatake Kakashi...
"Copy Ninja!"
Their strength is unbelievable!
Them...
They were three elite Jonin!