Classified Mission

Kakashi had been out of the Ninja Academy for nearly a year. That lively barbecue in the yard felt like it had happened only yesterday, but life would not stop and wait for anyone's happiness.

Hatake Sakumo was in the yard fixing the wooden post Kakashi had hacked crooked. The replacement post had not even been there for a month before Kakashi's kunai left it covered in scars, leaning to the left. Sakumo crouched beside it, used a shovel to dig away the dirt around its base, straightened the post, then shoveled the dirt back in bit by bit and tamped it down.

Bai Ye returned from ANBU and saw Sakumo crouching in the yard, filling in the dirt.

"Master."

"Mm."

"The Third Hokage asked you to go to the Hokage Building. He said there's an important mission."

Sakumo planted the shovel in the dirt, stood, and dusted the grime from his knees. Looking at the straightened post, he flicked its body with a finger, judging from the sound whether the soil had been packed firmly enough. The post gave a dull thud. Sakumo nodded, then turned and went inside to change clothes.

Bai Ye stood in the yard, watching Sakumo's back disappear through the entryway.

In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk. A document lay open before him. Its cover bore no title, only a dark-red "Classified" stamp in the lower-right corner.

Sakumo entered. Hiruzen Sarutobi did not exchange pleasantries and simply pushed the document toward him.

"Over in Hidden Stone Village, our people have sent back intelligence. Hidden Stone Village is reorganizing its garrison along the eastern border, on a scale far larger than in the early postwar period. This intelligence is highly valuable, but there's a problem with the delivery route. The informant carrying the full report is trapped in the gap between the Land of Grass and Hidden Stone Village's border, and could be exposed at any moment. On top of that, the informant has a complete deployment map of Hidden Stone Village's eastern defensive line. If we can bring it back, Konoha will hold a tremendous advantage in diplomatic and military negotiations with Hidden Stone Village over the next three years."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze sharpened.

"Sakumo, I need you to personally lead a team there and bring all the intelligence back."

Sakumo silently finished reading the document, then rose from his chair. "All right. I'll go back and prepare."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Report the personnel list to me before you depart."

When Sakumo reached the door, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly called out to him. His lips moved slightly.

"Be careful."

Sakumo left. The Third Hokage sat in his chair, picked up his pipe, then set it back down.

He had stopped Sakumo because he had wanted to say, "When you come back, let's persuade Jiraiya to return together," but the words reached his lips and he swallowed them.

At the same time, deep underground, the lights in a Root base cast ring after ring of dim halos across the concrete walls. Danzo sat in a chair, several documents spread across the desk before him. The cover of the topmost one also bore the word "Classified," yet this document should never have been in Root's archives.

Danzo opened the document. It was filled with intelligence summaries, route plans, rendezvous arrangements, and retreat routes. Every detail was clearly marked, every step thoroughly laid out.

"Someone."

Viper emerged from the shadows and stopped before the desk.

"Tomorrow, Hatake Sakumo will lead a team to rendezvous with a Hidden Stone Village spy." Danzo's voice was quiet, but it rang exceptionally clearly through the enclosed underground space.

"My lord means... we should surround and kill Hatake Sakumo?"

"Hmph! It would be best if you could kill him! Useless fool! You only need to follow them along the way and find a way to make this mission fail."

"Remember, change into Hidden Stone Village uniforms. Erase every mark connecting you to Konoha or Root. Do not expose yourself. Complete the mission at all costs!"

Viper lowered his head. "Yes."

The next morning, Hatake Sakumo led his team out through Konoha's main gate. Only two people accompanied him.

Yakushi Tenzan, a special jōnin and medical ninja.

He was in his early thirties, with a lean face and round-framed glasses. His fingers were long, his knuckles distinct, and his nails neatly trimmed. He carried a ninja tool pouch on his back. It was not large, but it held more than twice as much as anyone else's: hemostatic bandages, clotting powder, antidotes, serum, suture needles, scalpels, disinfecting alcohol, burn ointment, and painkillers. Everything was arranged in perfect order, placed in waterproof bags, then tightly wrapped with bandages.

Yamanaka Mita of Konoha's Yamanaka Clan, a special jōnin attached to the Intelligence Division.

His long hair was tied into a low ponytail that hung down his back. A few loose strands over his forehead obscured half his brows and eyes, leaving visible a pair of pale-blue pupils that seemed perpetually bloodless. His cheeks were gaunt, his cheekbones sharply defined, and the corners of his mouth drooped slightly. Over his combat uniform, he wore a dark-gray sleeveless cloak, its inner lining sewn with hidden pockets full of sealing scrolls.

By evening, the aroma of braised pork drifted from the Hatake Clan kitchen.

Kakashi sat at the dining table without taking off his forehead protector or goggles. The two items crowded together and pressed a dent into his silver-gray hair. Bai Ye carried the final dish out of the kitchen and set it on the table.

"Big brother, where's Dad?"

"He went on a mission."

"What mission?"

Bai Ye pushed the bowl of braised pork toward Kakashi. "Eat."

Kakashi looked at Bai Ye and pouted. Knowing he would not get an answer, he simply stopped asking. He picked up a piece of braised pork and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing a few times until his cheeks puffed out.

"Good."

Bai Ye's lips twitched. "Eat more."

The two silently finished their meal. As Bai Ye cleared away the dishes, Kakashi remained seated at the table.

"Big brother."

"Mm."

"When will Dad come back?"

Bai Ye paused while washing the dishes. He rinsed the last plate clean and stacked it on the rack. "I don't know."

"Big brother, there's only a little over a month left. Do you think I can pass the Chūnin Exams?"

Bai Ye dried his hands and sat down across from him. "You can."

The corner of Kakashi's mouth lifted.

Bai Ye looked into Kakashi's eyes, and his own reflection lay within those silver-gray pupils.

"Big brother."

"Mm."

"When I take the Chūnin Exams, Dad probably won't go on any more missions, right?"

"He won't."

Elsewhere, after traveling for eight or nine days, the three arrived in the hilly region of northwestern Land of Fire. Sakumo stopped beside a dried riverbed and directed the other two to set up a temporary resting place.

Yamanaka Mita walked to the riverbed, crouched down, and felt the temperature of the ground with his palm before looking up.

"It rained here two days ago, and it was quite heavy. Judging by the color of the rocks, it was at least moderate to heavy rain. This place only dried up in the past few days. In weather like this, sensory ninjas have a reduced detection range. That benefits us."

Yakushi Tenzan took several military ration pills from his ninja tool pouch and distributed them to the other two, swallowing one himself as well. The pills tasted as awful as ever—dry and hard, like chewing sand—but all three chewed slowly, grinding every bite thoroughly before swallowing.