One Word: Green Enough to Make Your Heart Panic

Kenpei Aburame felt as though his head was covered in green, and he left with a humiliated, furious expression.

"Uh..."

Watching Kenpei Aburame leave, Kakashi felt like the guy had misunderstood something.

When he turned back, he saw Sakura Hashimoto looking at him shyly. Kakashi felt that Kenpei Aburame might not have been the only one with the wrong idea...

"Lord Kakashi, what did you want to say to me?"

Sakura Hashimoto moved closer to Kakashi, her delicate face nearly pressing against his. Kakashi could even feel her Ki lightly brushing against his face.

Come to think of it, this was the first time he had seen Sakura's true face.

Sakura Hashimoto had blue eyes, crystal-clear like gemstones. Her delicate nose stood high, and paired with her small Kurenai lips, she was quite a beauty.

But why was such a pretty girl so hot-tempered?

That was what Kakashi was thinking at the moment.

Kakashi pressed a hand against Sakura Hashimoto's head and pushed her away.

"Just talk if you want to talk. Why are you standing so close to me?" Kakashi said helplessly.

Sakura Hashimoto was so filled with Ki that she nearly ground her Kiba to dust. "With the way you treat girls, you deserve to be single for the rest of your life."

Sakura Hashimoto was genuinely filled with Ki. The slightly trembling peaks made that quite obvious.

Kakashi was shocked. How did she know I'd been single my whole life?!

She guessed. She had to have guessed!

Ahem, I'm getting off track. Women only slow down the speed at which I draw my blade. Why was I even thinking about this?

Kakashi's expression turned serious. "Sakura, I have something important to discuss with you."

Seeing Kakashi's solemn expression, Sakura Hashimoto had no choice but to rein herself in. She pouted and said, "Then say it. What is it that you have to hide from Kenpei?"

After pondering for a moment, Kakashi said, "After arriving at the border, I realized that the situation here is even more severe than I imagined."

"Our mission here is to guard against infiltration from other ninja villages. If Lord Xuan Ce is a wall holding back the enemy, then we are a sharp blade piercing into their ranks."

"We are responsible for clearing out the stragglers who slip into the Fire Country. That requires us to maintain high mobility, and high mobility means..."

Kakashi said a great deal. Sakura Hashimoto did not understand at first, but as she listened, her face gradually turned Haku.

Sakura Hashimoto gently bit her lip. "So you think I'm too weak and can't keep up with the team..."

"That's not what I mean." Kakashi sounded somewhat helpless.

Upon hearing that, Sakura Hashimoto revealed a hopeful expression again.

But then Kakashi tilted his head and thought for a moment. "I think that is exactly what I mean."

"Kenpei has the strength of an Elite Jōnin, and he's from the Aburame clan. His survival skills and combat strength are both extremely powerful."

"You only have the strength of a Chunin, and you also have weaknesses. Ordinary reconnaissance missions are fine, but if you run into..."

Sakura Hashimoto said tearfully, "You bastard, Kakashi!"

A kunai flew straight at Kakashi. He raised his hand and caught it, only to see that the word "Sakura" was engraved on it, still carrying the girl's warmth.

"Uh..."

Watching the girl run away while crying, Kakashi felt as though he could faintly hear Kenpei Aburame's furious voice beside him.

"Sakura, what did that beast Kakashi do to you? Why are you crying? Tell me, and I'll kill him for you..."

Three days later, Kakashi summoned Kenpei Aburame alone.

For some reason, Sakura Hashimoto had followed him as well.

Kakashi's expression turned cold. She could be as willful as she wanted during private discussions, but throwing a tantrum during a mission was disobeying orders.

"Sakura Hashimoto, who told you to come?"

Kakashi's Ki was extremely cold, and the air around them seemed to freeze.

"Why are you yelling..." Sakura Hashimoto had wanted to say it loudly, but after seeing Kakashi's expression, she only dared mutter under her breath.

"I told her to come." Kenpei Aburame pulled Sakura Hashimoto behind him and faced Kakashi head-on.

"The Third Hokage told us to act as a team, not for you to abandon weaker companions and act alone."

Seeming to recall something, Kenpei Aburame said disdainfully, "Forget it. What is there to say to someone like you, who always abandons his companions?"

A trace of killing intent flashed through Kakashi's eyes, and his hand lightly rested on his short blade.

Kenpei Aburame sneered. "What, did I hit a sore spot and make someone fly into a rage?"

Kakashi forcibly moved his hand away from the hilt and said coldly, "The Third Hokage does not know the situation here. As team leader, I have the authority to adjust the team according to circumstances."

"You ignored your superior's orders and acted on your own. When we return, I will have a proper talk with the Third Hokage about this."

"You!"

Kenpei Aburame panicked slightly. As a ninja, the consequences of refusing orders were severe.

"And!" Kakashi continued. "You think you're helping Sakura Hashimoto, but her strength is insufficient. If she encounters that kind of situation again..."

"Heh, you're only harming her."

"I..." Kenpei Aburame had lost his earlier Ki.

"I originally planned to form a team with you for the clearing missions, but I've changed my mind. With a teammate like you behind me, I can't rest easy."

Kakashi looked at Kenpei Aburame and spoke the last four words one by one.

"Since you want to take Sakura Hashimoto with you, fine. The two of you will be responsible for gathering intelligence. You are not to engage anyone in combat. That is an order."

After saying that, Kakashi walked past the two of them and prepared to leave.

"Kakashi, that wasn't what I meant." Sakura Hashimoto tried to step forward and explain.

Kenpei Aburame stopped Sakura Hashimoto. "Sakura, why say so much to a guy like him?"

"All he sees is the mission. To him, we're nothing but cold tools."

Sakura Hashimoto retorted, "You're talking nonsense. Lord Kakashi isn't that kind of person! He even saved me before!"

Ignoring Sakura Hashimoto, Kenpei Aburame shouted at Kakashi's retreating back, "Hey, give Sakura's lucky kunai back."

With a casual toss, Kakashi threw a kunai that fell to the ground with a clang.

Kenpei Aburame stepped forward and picked it up, only to discover that it was not the one Sakura Hashimoto usually kept close to her.

"This isn't Sakura's lucky kunai!" Kenpei Aburame shouted.

Kakashi turned back. "Of course not. Sakura personally gave me that lucky kunai last night, so naturally I'm going to treasure it."

If we were somewhere without anyone around, I'd definitely let you experience the power of the Thousand Years of Death.

Still, it's not bad making you so full of Ki that you nearly choke like this.

Kakashi patted his chest and gave Kenpei Aburame an ambiguous smile.