Chikura

Early the next morning, at Konoha's gates.

The morning mist had yet to fully disperse. The guards at the village entrance were changing shifts, while faint smoke and the scent of grilling meat already drifted from the barbecue shop in the distance. When Uchiha Rin arrived, Naruto was squatting by the roadside teasing a stray cat, while Sakura sorted through her ninja tool pouch, checking each kunai and bandage.

Kakashi had arrived before them.

He leaned against the cold gatepost, an orange-covered book concealing half his face. His silver hair hung down, covering part of one eye. Only when the three approached did he slowly close the book and casually tuck it into his ninja tool pouch, without a trace of the laziness he had shown during yesterday's exercise.

His Sharingan was not revealed, but the one exposed eye was exceptionally calm—calm like a lake covered in thin ice.

"Today's a simple mission," he said, his voice colder than the morning wind. "Catch a few wild rabbits in the forest outside the village and deliver them to the barbecue shop at the entrance. The reward is three thousand ryo, split evenly among the three of you."

Naruto's face immediately fell. "Huh? That's it? I'm the man who's going to become Hokage. How can I do something like—"

Halfway through, he seemed to remember the humiliation of being kicked flying by Kakashi yesterday. His neck shrank back, and his voice unconsciously lowered. "...Forget it. Catching rabbits it is."

Kakashi did not laugh.

He merely glanced at Naruto. His gaze was faint, yet it inexplicably made Naruto shut his mouth.

"A mission is a mission."

With that, he took the lead toward the outskirts of the village.

The four followed the small road outside the gates into the woods. Morning sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, scattering broken golden patches across the ground. The air carried the damp scent of earth, mingled with the fresh fragrance of pine resin and wild grass. It should have been a relaxing morning, yet Kakashi's back somehow made the atmosphere grow heavy.

Uchiha Rin walked at the rear of the group, his hand unconsciously resting on the hilt at his waist.

Last night, he had infused chakra into the blade once more. It absorbed it more smoothly than the first time, and the warmth was clearer, like a stone warmed by sunlight resting quietly against his waist. He could vaguely sense that the blade was slowly adapting to his chakra—or rather, slowly "recognizing" its new owner.

"Hey, what exactly is the story behind that sword of yours?"

Kakashi's voice suddenly came from up ahead, interrupting his thoughts.

Uchiha Rin looked up and found that Kakashi had stopped, turning his head to look at him.

Morning light slanted in from behind Kakashi, stretching his shadow long across the ground. There was not the slightest hint of a joke on his face. The orange-covered book was held between his fingers, its page edges slightly curled; clearly, he had not truly been focused on reading just now.

"I don't know," Uchiha Rin answered honestly. "The ninja tool shop owner said it was left behind by a ninja from the Cloud Village."

Kakashi fell silent for a moment.

He seemed to be judging whether those words were true, yet he also seemed to be recalling something. Several seconds later, he slowly nodded. He did not ask further questions, but his gaze remained fixed on the short sword at Uchiha Rin's waist.

That was not the ordinary curiosity of a jonin toward a student's ninja tool.

It was more like confirmation.

"Alright, get to work first." At last, he waved a hand, though his tone did not relax much. "You three, spread out and look for rabbits. When you find one, don't rush to catch it. Observe the surroundings first, and watch your safety."

Naruto muttered, "What's there to watch out for when catching rabbits?" But he still did not dare say more. He grabbed his kunai and slipped into the woods. Sakura glanced at Uchiha Rin, then quickly followed. The bushes swayed lightly before soon falling still again.

Just as Uchiha Rin was about to head in another direction, Kakashi suddenly called out, "Wait."

He stopped and turned back.

Kakashi walked over.

This time, he did not keep his distance. Instead, he stopped before Uchiha Rin and lowered his head to look at the short sword at his waist. When his eyes settled on the dull, unremarkable sheath, his expression grew noticeably more serious.

"This sword is called Chikura."

His voice was lowered, as though he did not want anyone in the forest to hear.

Uchiha Rin froze.

Ever since he had gotten this sword from the ninja tool shop, he had only known that it was sharp, could store chakra, and could faintly suppress the cold, restless force within him. He had never imagined it even had a name.

"Chikura..." he repeated softly.

Kakashi raised his eyes to look at him. The usual laziness was gone from that single eye.

"Konoha isn't as peaceful as it looks. There are some things you don't need to know right now, but one day, you'll encounter them."

Uchiha Rin was stunned.

He could hear the weight behind those words.

This was neither the deliberate mystery-making between boys nor a teacher's vague warning to a student. Kakashi was deadly serious—serious enough to make Uchiha Rin realize that this sword's origins were likely far more complicated than merely being something left behind by a Cloud Village ninja.

"Keep your sword safe," Kakashi said, watching him. "You'll need it someday."

With that, he turned and left.

There was no explanation, no further elaboration. He left Uchiha Rin standing there alone.

Uchiha Rin lowered his head to look at Chikura at his waist.

The sheath gleamed with a dark iron-gray luster under the sunlight. It was completely unremarkable, like an old object forgotten for many years. Yet when he gripped the hilt, that familiar warmth came again, like some silent response.

Chikura.

He silently repeated the name in his heart.

Konoha wasn't as peaceful as it looked.

He recalled what the ninja tool shop owner had said: this sword had been left behind by a Cloud Village ninja. The Cloud Village and Konoha had once gone to war; it was history clearly written in the Ninja Academy textbooks. Yet Kakashi's words just now were obviously not only about past wars.

He raised his head and looked toward the outline of Konoha in the distance.

Uneven rooftops, the faces of past Hokage carved into Hokage Rock, and cooking smoke slowly rising in the morning. Everything appeared quiet, prosperous, and peaceful.

Yet the calmer it was, the more he could sense the undercurrent beneath the surface.

Kakashi would not say something like that without reason, especially not to a genin who had only just graduated.

Uchiha Rin took a deep breath and turned into the woods.

The scent of grass and trees washed over him as he began searching for rabbit tracks. Yet Kakashi's warning continued to circle in his mind, along with the warm sensation Chikura had left in his palm.

Chikura.

He finally knew its name.

But he also understood that a name was only the beginning. This sword's true secret was likely still hidden deep within those pale blue patterns.