In a mountain ravine, dozens of Root ninja dressed in Kirigakure attire surrounded Kakashi Hatake. To him, the scene felt powerfully familiar!
And since the ninja he faced also hailed from Konoha, Kakashi could not help feeling a little melancholy. He worked to steady his mindset.
The Root ninja did not attack immediately either. There were still questions they needed answered.
"That woman just disappeared. Her chakra signature vanished too!"
"Then there's only one possibility. Just like Xin Chou, she was blown to pieces!"
"The problem is Kakashi Hatake. According to our intel, he'd clearly lost his Sharingan. Why does he still have it-and a pair, at that!"
"The earlier intel must have been wrong. There's nothing to fear. Just don't look him straight in the eyes."
"Exactly. It's not like we've never fought the Sharingan before. I killed several of them during the Uchiha Clan Massacre myself!"
"Our mission is to take him alive. Don't accidentally kill him!"
"With that attitude, we might be the ones who end up falling!"
At that moment, the ninja leading the operation, Tanuki Shinraku, spoke.
"Captain?" The Root members turned to him in surprise.
Tanuki Shinraku said gravely, "Despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered, his first thought wasn't to flee, but to stay and fight. He's no fool. That means he has some confidence!"
"And was that woman really killed in the explosion? If so, why did he barely react? When we first appeared, he immediately shielded her behind him!"
"That..." The Root members realized something was wrong.
Tanuki Shinraku continued methodically, "It must be some technique of his. So don't underestimate him. Kakashi Hatake has been designated a candidate for Hokage twice. Take him alive, but fight with the intent to kill!"
"Keep him occupied with ranged attacks. He isn't a member of the