Return to the ANBU and a New Mission

Hokage's Office.

It had not been long since his last mission, and Kakashi had not expected Hiruzen to summon him again so soon.

"Lord Third, I heard you were looking for me," Kakashi said respectfully.

"Yes, there is indeed some business," Hiruzen tapped his tobacco pouch. "Because of various matters previously, you were temporarily reassigned from the ANBU."

"Now that everything is back on track, it is time for you to return to the ANBU," Hiruzen said.

The ANBU was the Assassination and Tactical Special Squad established by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, functioning as the ninja village's covert operations organization, controlled directly by successive Hokage.

ANBU members were the village's most elite shinobi, with their primary missions being the protection of the Hokage and the prevention of foreign enemy invasions, while also occasionally handling reconnaissance and assassination missions.

"You will serve as the leader of Squad Three for now," Hiruzen instructed.

"Understood, Lord Third!" Kakashi said.

The ANBU maintained several squads, each consisting of four smaller teams made up of four shinobi.

With Kakashi serving as squad leader, he was essentially the captain of a four-man special operations team.

"Your three squad members are waiting for you in the ANBU hall. Go on, don't keep them waiting too long," Hiruzen waved his hand, signaling that Kakashi was dismissed.

"Very well, Lord Third. Then I shall take my leave."

Kakashi got up to leave, gently closing the doors of the Hokage's Office.

Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction; he was growing more and more pleased with this young man, Kakashi.

Competent, capable, obedient to superiors, and belonging to his own inner circle—who wouldn't like such a subordinate?

Polish him for a few more years, and perhaps I can let him serve as a captain, Hiruzen thought.

After leaving the Hokage's Office, Kakashi removed his forehead protector and once again donned the cat-like mask.

Arriving at the ANBU hall, the three squad members were clearly already waiting there.

A tall female ninja wearing a butterfly mask complained, "You must be our new squad leader, Kakashi. We've been waiting for ages."

"Ah, apologies everyone. I simply lost my way on the path of life."

Kakashi felt quite helpless as well; he had just received his appointment, after all. He certainly couldn't tell them that his passive traits were chronic lateness and stalemates.

Kakashi looked over his three squad members. One was the female ninja who had just spoken, with shoulder-length hair and a seemingly very straightforward personality.

The remaining two said not a word and looked rather cold, though that was the state of most ANBU members, nothing strange about it.

Both were male shinobi around twenty years of age. One wore a mask resembling an insect, leading Kakashi to guess he belonged to the Aburame.

The other's mask showed no distinct features whatsoever, lacking even patterns, meaning he was likely just a civilian shinobi.

"From now on, we are a team. Let me introduce myself first; I am Kakashi Hatake," Kakashi said.

"Kenpei Aburame," the man wearing the insect mask said flatly.

Sure enough, he was from the Aburame, Kakashi thought with a nod, then turned his gaze to the other person.

"Hello, Captain Kakashi. I am Naquan Miyamoto." Perhaps because he was a civilian shinobi, Naquan Miyamoto's attitude was somewhat better than Kenpei Aburame's.

"My name is Sakura Hashimoto, and my hobbies are music and handsome guys," the previous female ninja declared. "I heard you're a cutie. Care to take off that mask for big sis to see?"

"Enough, Sakura. How many times have I told you, this is the ANBU, and no one cares about your hobbies."

Kenpei Aburame said coldly, then turned and left without looking back.

Kakashi felt he could already smell the thick scent of jealousy, and wisely chose not to interject.

"Hmph, that guy Kenpei, what's with the hostility?" Sakura Hashimoto sounded somewhat displeased.

"Well then, since that's settled, I suppose we're acquainted."

Kakashi clapped his hands together and said, "Everyone, go back and rest up. Right now, the relations among the major nations are treacherous and volatile, and I estimate our first mission will likely be heading to the border for guard duty."

"Ah, heading to the border again. I won't be able to take a bath every day," Sakura Hashimoto complained even more unhappily.

Kakashi felt a slight headache coming on. This woman really was overly familiar, blurting everything out.

"Alright, I have business to attend to and will be leaving first. You should dismiss yourselves as well," Kakashi slipped away directly.

Must be said, Kakashi's guess proved entirely accurate.

A few days later, the entirety of Squad Three received orders to head toward the vicinity of the border for reconnaissance.

The four gathered at the village gates. Naquan Miyamoto still looked thoroughly inconspicuous, while Sakura Hashimoto and Kenpei Aburame were still at odds.

Kakashi sighed. No matter how he looked at it, the squad he led didn't look like a coordinated team—what a headache.

"Since everyone is here, let's move out."

The destination awaiting the four of them was the border where the Fire Country and the Land of Rain adjoined.

The Land of Rain was situated between the three major nations of the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Fire Country, serving somewhat as a buffer zone.

Because of its "uniquely advantageous" geographical location, the Land of Rain had become an exceptional place for many major nations to plant their spheres of influence.

The Land of Rain was a land plagued by disasters, and perhaps precisely for this reason, it had given birth to radically minded shinobi such as Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko—though of course, those were stories for another time.

In short, the Land of Rain had been thoroughly infiltrated by various factions, making it strictly necessary to dispatch personnel to maintain watch at the border adjacent to the Land of Rain.

The journey to the border was long, giving Kakashi a massive headache.

It wasn't because of the travel itself, but rather because Sakura Hashimoto—having fallen out with Shihei Aburame—kept hovering around him, buzzing incessantly and driving him crazy.

"Big sis, can you be quiet for a moment?" Kakashi said helplessly.

"Who are you calling big sis?! I am only fourteen this year!"

Sakura Hashimoto's eyes widened so much that the fury in her gaze was visible right through her mask.

F... Fourteen!

Kakashi blankly swept his gaze over Sakura Hashimoto. With peaks gathered like a range and billows raging like storms, was this the sort of figure a fourteen-year-old was supposed to have?

You've got to be kidding me!

Sakura Hashimoto seemed genuinely angry; she stopped paying attention to Kakashi altogether and began harassing Naquan Miyamoto nearby, driving Naquan Miyamoto to distraction.

Kakashi let out a sigh of relief. The world was finally at peace.

The territory within the Fire Country was fertile, offering a lush green view as far as the eye could see.

As they walked into a dense forest, Kakashi raised a single fist to signal the others to halt.

Naquan Miyamoto looked somewhat puzzled, "What is it, Captain Kakashi?"

"Something isn't quite right here. It's too quiet," Kakashi said earnestly.

"Too quiet?"

Hearing this, Sakura Hashimoto began paying closer attention to her surroundings. Sure enough, just as Kakashi had said, the forest was dead silent; not even the chirping of insects or calls of birds could be heard.

Kakashi's hand was already resting upon the hilt of the White Fang as he vigilantly scanned his surroundings.