Interception (200 Bookshelf Bonus Chapter)

"Hehe, Minato-sensei's jaw will definitely drop in shock." On the way back to the village, Inuzuka Kawa and the other two trailed behind while Shimura Ran led the way ahead.

"Kawa, why do I feel like you're happier than Kakashi?" Aburame Haru, already fed up with Inuzuka Kawa, complained.

Ever since they had left the arena, and even after leaving Kumogakure so long ago, Inuzuka Kawa's mouth had not stopped moving. He kept talking about Kakashi taking first place.

"Of course! Kakashi winning the championship was largely thanks to me. I was the one who drained Kitsuchi's chakra first, so Kakashi could beat him so easily. Right? Right, Kakashi?"

"..."

Along the way, aside from responding to Kawa a few times at the beginning, Kakashi had long since lost the mood to pay him any attention.

As they drew closer and closer to the border of the Land of Lightning, the unease in Kakashi's heart grew stronger.

"Haru!"

Kakashi suddenly spoke, looking at Aburame Haru with slightly anxious eyes.

"Hm? Ah!"

Confused at first, Haru soon understood Kakashi's meaning, and her heart sank as well.

This was a look she had never seen from Kakashi, not even during their first mission outside the village when they had encountered an ambush.

Trusting Kakashi, she immediately released a few of her scouting insects without hesitation.

After more than half a year together, the three of them had developed a tacit understanding. Seeing Kakashi's expression, Haru and Inuzuka Kawa stopped talking. They merely heightened their vigilance and continued onward in silence.

Since Kakashi had noticed something was wrong but had not told their Jonin leader, Shimura Ran, that meant Shimura Ran was someone Kakashi considered untrustworthy.

After their first mission outside the village, Minato had sternly instructed them that everything which had happened during that mission was top secret and was not to be leaked.

From then on, they knew that someone in the village wanted to harm Kakashi. Moreover, that person held considerable power. Otherwise, Minato would not have made them keep it secret even from their families. It was for their protection.

Along the way, Shimura Ran seemed completely unaware of the state of the Genin behind him, keeping his head down as he led the way.

After continuously sprinting at high speed, Kakashi was still fine, but Inuzuka Kawa already needed to take turns riding and being carried by Dairiki.

Aburame Haru was in the worst condition, drenched in sweat.

Naturally, Kakashi and the others knew why. Haru had been maintaining her outer perimeter insect surveillance the entire time, consuming even more chakra than the two of them.

Kakashi frowned.

"Shimura-sensei, can we rest for a while? I can't run anymore." Kakashi stopped without hesitation and called out to Shimura Ran.

"What useless trash. You need to rest after such a short distance?" Shimura Ran stopped reluctantly and turned to look at the three of them.

Seeing Kakashi panting heavily, his legs trembling, Shimura Ran's doubts eased slightly.

Even if this brat had won the competition, he must have expended quite a lot.

Pretending to be exhausted, Kakashi silently walked over to a large tree and leaned against its trunk to rest after receiving tacit permission.

They were already very close to the border of the Land of Lightning. Not much farther ahead lay Frost Country.

Frost Country was at a higher altitude, and its temperature was far lower than that of the Land of Lightning.

"Thank you."

Haru moved closer and softly spoke to Kakashi. She knew he had suggested resting because he knew she was in poor condition.

He did not answer, only giving a slight nod.

Since he was pretending to be tired, he had to see the act through.

The four rested for less than half an hour before setting off again under Shimura Ran's urging.

As the altitude continued to rise, Kakashi and the others entered Frost Country.

They took out the windbreakers prepared in their packs. Once they put them on, they would stay warm without needing to use chakra against the cold.

After entering Frost Country, the sense of danger in Kakashi's mind grew even stronger. Yet Haru beside him had not sounded any warning.

That left Kakashi uncertain, and he carefully observed Shimura Ran.

He noticed that the man looked somewhat anxious, as though he were waiting for something.

Falling slightly behind, Kakashi held his hands behind his back and subtly used Team 7 hand signals to notify the two at the rear.

Inuzuka Kawa and Aburame Haru understood Kakashi's gesture instantly.

"Enemy ambush ahead. Scatter and flee once we engage!"

Though they felt slightly disappointed, the two of them, having grown considerably, understood that staying behind would only burden Kakashi.

Using the chance to retreat would instead lessen Kakashi's burden.

Sure enough, not long after, Aburame Haru stopped.

The other two, who had been watching Haru closely, immediately stopped as well, kunai and short blades already in their hands.

Turning back to see the three of them stop, Shimura Ran asked without revealing anything, "Hm? Why did you stop?"

"There's an ambush ahead!" Aburame Haru replied, already too lazy to call him sensei.

His expression darkened. He had not expected to be discovered. Shimura Ran put on a puzzled look and paced forward, preparing to ask a question.

Yet Kakashi, who had seen through him at a glance, had already thrown a kunai, interrupting the hand seal he was about to form.

"Now, go!" Kakashi charged forward right behind the kunai.

"Be careful!"

Leaving behind those words, Inuzuka Kawa and Aburame Haru sped away from the side and rear. They planned to circle back to Konoha.

"What are you doing, Hatake Kakashi?!" Shimura Ran dodged the kunai, furious and humiliated. He no longer hesitated and began fighting Kakashi.

"Hmph! You think passing a Chunin Ninja Exam makes you something special? You have no idea how vast the gap between a Jonin and a Chunin is!"

Shimura Ran's tone was full of contempt, but he failed to notice that, in his own mind, he no longer regarded Kakashi as a Genin.

Kakashi had thought Shimura Ran would be a formidable opponent, but after exchanging a few blows, he discovered that Shimura Ran's strength was, at most, that of a Special Jonin.

A so-called Special Jonin was a ninja whose overall ability fell short of a Jonin's, but who possessed a special talent in one area that allowed him to carry out Jonin-level operations.

Through his senses, Kakashi detected a vast frozen lake ahead. Several figures on its surface were rapidly approaching.

The enemy's reinforcements would arrive soon. He could not delay any longer.

Kakashi made his decision at once. "Ninja Art: White Shock!"

As soon as Kakashi unleashed his ultimate move, Shimura Ran—already a fraud who had become a Jonin through family connections—had no time to react and instantly fell into the genjutsu.

The blade flashed in immediately after, taking his head in a single stroke!

Enemy figures had already appeared at the edge of his vision. Snatching up Shimura Ran's severed head, Kakashi quickly left the area.

He fled in a different direction from Aburame Haru and the others.