Hokage's Office
The morning sun shines through the lattice windows, casting regular spots of light on the desk filled with Scroll.
The elegant aroma of Sandalwood is intertwined with the tobacco flavor of Third pipe.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sits on Main Seat with a solemn expression.
The atmosphere inside Office was solemn. Four people from Team Kakashi, Inoichi and Ibiki were lined up on both sides, waiting for instructions.
Kakashi seems to be standing relaxedly, but his one eye is keenly observing Third's expression.
Inoichi and Ibiki are like two silent rocks, their eyes lowered.
Naruto The three of them were waiting for Third to speak.
Third slowly blew out a smoke ring, and white mist hovered in the beam.
"Lockfront Village sent a secret message."
His voice was calm, but it made everyone tense up instantly.
"They are willing to exchange the captured Konoha Jonin Li Yi for Hanare."
"Lord Third!"
Kakashi suddenly became excited.
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused while smoking his pipe, and stared at Kakashi with his vicissitudes of life. "What's wrong, Kakashi?"
Kakashi hesitated for a moment, forced down the surging emotions, and his Adam's apple rolled.
He lowered his eyes again and his voice returned to calmness. "... It's nothing."
He quickly changed the topic, turned his attention to Team 7 beside him, and then glanced at Inoichi and Ibiki.
"It seems that Lord Third summoned Naruto and the three of them at the same time, intending to let me lead the team to carry out this hostage exchange mission?"
"Hmm."
Third nodded slowly, confirming Kakashi's guess.
"Inoichi and Ibiki both have things to deal with, and among the three of you, you are the only one leading the team, so naturally it is most appropriate for you to go."
The road in the forest winds forward, and Team 7 and Hanare are heading towards the border.
Kakashi walked in the front, seemingly lazy, but Forehead Protector's eyes were always paying attention to the surrounding environment.
Hanare followed him diagonally one step behind, with light steps and calm posture, as if he was just out for a trip.
Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke followed behind.
The serious atmosphere at the beginning of the mission was quickly diluted by the nature of Young Naruto people.
Sakura couldn't restrain his strong curiosity, and moved closer to Naruto, lowering his voice, but his green eyes were wide open, shining with the light of gossip. "Naruto, do you think there is something wrong with the way that big Older Sister named Hanare looks at Kakashi-sensei?"
"Hmm."
Naruto nodded.
"She stayed at Kakashi's house last night."
Last night Kakashi asked Inoichi if he wanted to escort Hanare back to Prison. Inoichi directly told Kakashi that since Kakashi received the task of monitoring Hanare, he must be responsible to the end.
Directly let Kakashi take Hanare home.
Sakura exclaimed, and the look in his eyes as he looked at the back of Kakashi in front of him instantly became extremely complex, mixed with shock, understanding, and a hint of narrowing.
"No wonder Kakashi-sensei was suddenly excited just now!"
Sasuke, who had been listening silently, couldn't help but snort at this moment, and interjected. "Kakashi shouldn't be the kind of person who is easily confused!"
"I heard from Ino that the two of them accidentally kissed each other yesterday."
Naruto The next sentence made Sasuke feel that he said it too early.
Almost as a conditioned reflex, Sasuke and Sakura suddenly moved towards Naruto from the left and right, sandwiching him in the middle.
Sakura asked eagerly, "We kissed? Really or not? In front of the barbecue restaurant?"
Even Sasuke, who has always been aloof, couldn't help but turn his head slightly, with two words clearly written in his black eyes:
"Elaborate."
The three little heads came together to form a small gossip center, completely unaware of the almost imperceptible movement of Kakashi's ears in front of them.
"I told you, we are on a mission."
Kakashi looked back at his three students.
Hanare, whose hands were tied, chuckled.
"That's okay. Children are always curious."
She said this in a smooth and generous manner, as if she was not the main character being gossiped about.
Kakashi looked away from the student, turned to Hanare, and replied angrily:
"You are very generous."
After saying that, he ignored the group of guys who gave him a headache, turned around and continued to move forward, but the pace seemed to be faster than before, and his back showed a sense of "out of sight, out of mind" depression.
Hanare looked at his deflated look, and the smile on his lips deepened.
The agreed exchange point was on a wooden bridge at the junction of two dense forests.
Under the bridge is the deep and fast river, which makes a dull roar.
Arriving at the bridge, the faint smile on Hanare's face disappeared instantly.
Lockfront Village The old man who came brought a tied Konoha Ninja, and said loudly in a hoarse and commanding voice, "Only one of you can go up to the bridge for exchange! The others should retreat to the edge of the bridge and are not allowed to get even half a step closer!"
Kakashi's eyes were as calm as water. He turned his head slightly and whispered to Team 7 behind him, "Stand where you are, be alert."
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura immediately tensed up their bodies, dispersed their positions, and looked warily at the other side of the bridge and the surrounding dense forest.
Kakashi took a deep breath, held the rope that bound Hanare's hands, and stepped onto the wooden bridge.
The two of them reached about two-thirds of the way to the stone bridge at almost the same time. There was still a short distance from the center of the bridge, but it was enough to see each other's face and eyes clearly.
Kakashi's eyes met Hanare's for a brief moment. There was no emotion in Hanare's eyes, only a deep pool of silence.
Kakashi nodded slightly to the old man.
A subtle and eerie light flashed in the old man's cloudy eyes, and he nodded.
Almost at the same time, the two let go of their hands.
The personnel exchange was completed quickly.
"Wait, you can't leave."
Kakashi looked at Hanare's back and pulled away his Forehead Protector, revealing Sharingan.
Suddenly there was a buzzing sound from under the wooden bridge. It turned out that there had been an ambush here Explosive Tag!
Boom!
With a deafening explosion.
The wooden bridge fell apart in an instant.
Hanare, who broke free from the rope, changed his clothes in one second and stepped on the river to escape quickly.
Kakashi threw Li Yi to Naruto and the three others quickly chased after him.
Naruto pulled out Yasohinokami and attached Lightning Release Chakra and rushed to the other side in an instant to kill Lockfront Village's three Ninja.
"Naruto, Sakura, let's go help Kakashi."
Sasuke checked that Li Yi's injuries did not affect his actions and then decisively chose to go find Kakashi.
"Hmm."
Naruto nodded.
"I'll go over first, you two take care of Li Yi Senior."
As soon as he finished speaking, Naruto rushed out.
Eight Gates Formation, open!
Kakashi chased Hanare and came to the edge of a cliff.
"You were deliberately caught before entering Konoha."
Kakashi put his hands in his pockets and looked at Hanare.
"When Choji hit us before, my Sharingan saw through the seal on your right eye. That technique can see the information in other people's minds.
You relied on this technique to conduct a counter-search when Ibiki interrogated you and Inoichi Senior searched your memory and obtained Konoha information, right!"