"You thought you could run after a few swings? Dream on. Did you really think you could just rub against me and leave?"
Looking at Matsuhito Tōichirō sprawled on the ground, Chihane asked in puzzlement.
"Ding!"
Congratulations, host, on earning the achievement: Kill a Chunin. Rewards: famous sword Yubashiri, Three-Sword Style: Secret Technique: Three Thousand Worlds.
The system's voice arrived right on time. Hearing that he had killed a Chunin, Chihane couldn't help marveling, "So I'm already this strong."
But then he thought, Someone that weak was a Chunin? The Mist Ninja's standards must be getting lower and lower! No wonder they couldn't beat Konoha.
Then, hearing that Yubashiri was his reward, he brightened. What a pleasant surprise! That fight had made Chihane keenly aware of how important a good sword was.
"Chihane, you killed him. What do we do now?"
Although she couldn't understand what Chihane was talking about, seeing that he was unharmed and had even killed a real ninja left Kurenai Yuhi both happy and frightened. After all, the ninja lying on the ground wore a Konoha forehead protector.
"This man probably wasn't a Konoha ninja."
Chihane explained what he had discovered to Kurenai Yuhi, then led her away.
"This is our little secret. Don't tell anyone, okay?" Chihane once again used his foolproof secret tactic on Kurenai.
Although Kurenai Yuhi had countless questions she wanted to ask Chihane, she could tell he didn't want to answer. She had no choice but to act as though she understood everything and leave with him.
Not long after Chihane and Kurenai left.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several figures appeared at the site of the battle, all wearing animal masks. They were Konoha's Anbu Ninja.
"What's this?"
Looking at the two halves of the corpse on the ground, one ninja stepped forward to examine them closely. As an Anbu who frequently encountered ninja from other nations, how could he fail to recognize the traits of a Mist Ninja? After searching the body, he turned toward the figure in the middle wearing a dog mask and said, "Captain, he looks like a Mist Ninja. Probably a scout."
The Anbu exchanged glances, a flicker of surprise in their eyes. They had assumed a Konoha ninja had been attacked and killed, but the victim turned out to be a ninja from an enemy village. Given his location in the Back Mountain, he had probably come to gather intelligence. They just didn't know who had taken him out.
"It hasn't even been ten minutes since we noticed the fighting, has it?"
The dog-masked captain looked at the other Anbu as he asked.
"Right..."
Another Anbu standing nearby in a squirrel mask frowned. "They dealt with a Mist Ninja scout in such a short time. Scouts are at least Chunin, and some are even elite Chunin. It was probably one of the village's elite Chunin or Jonin. But they left immediately after killing the Mist Ninja. It looks like they didn't want to meet us!"
The Anbu crouching beside the corpse also looked doubtful, but as he studied it, he said in puzzlement, "Plenty of ninja in our village could have killed him. But look at this smooth cut. He was sliced in two with a single stroke. As far as I know, no one has swordsmanship like this. Such clean, decisive swordwork reminds me of Lord White Fang!"
"Impossible!"
"Lord Sakumo already... two years ago..."
The dog-masked and squirrel-masked Anbu standing nearby reacted almost identically.
The Anbu examining the corpse seemed somewhat convinced as well, but after looking it over several more times, he said, "There are plenty of Mist Ninja who practice swordsmanship, but hardly any ninja in our village do, especially at this level. Aside from Lord Sakumo, I really can't think of anyone."
Hearing this, the Anbu exchanged glances.
Indeed, Konoha had very few ninja who practiced swordsmanship to begin with. Aside from Lord Sakumo, not a single one had made a name for themselves.
"Gather everything up and report to Lord Hokage!"
"Understood!"
Once the Anbu had reached their conclusion,
they quickly returned to the village. "A Mist Ninja scout died by Swordsmanship, killed with a single stroke?"
Hearing the Anbu's report, Hiruzen Sarutobi was momentarily taken aback.
A scout from Kirigakure capable of sneaking close to Konoha had to be at least a Chunin. Yet Konoha currently shouldn't have had a swordsman capable of killing one with a single stroke.
Could it have been him?
Kakashi's image flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind. After all, when it came to someone in Konoha who had inherited swordsmanship, he couldn't think of anyone besides the heir to the Hatake Clan.
For a moment, he was shaken.
When had Kakashi become strong enough to kill a Chunin with a single stroke?
He wasn't even eight yet, was he?
If Chihane had known their thoughts had gone in that direction, he would surely have felt helpless too. I didn't expect someone who could only throw a few shuriken and fire a few little water bullets to be a Chunin either.
Matsuhito Tōichirō would certainly have objected. Who said sensory ninja had to be powerful? We're support ninja who locate enemies and let our teammates attack. Isn't it perfectly normal not to be strong?
Though he found it hard to believe, after careful consideration, Hiruzen Sarutobi really couldn't find another candidate who fit. He took a deep breath and said, "Go fetch Kakashi. I need to speak with him!"
"Yes!"
The Anbu beside him answered and vanished in an instant.
A short while later.
Kakashi appeared in the Hokage's office and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Lord Hokage, you wanted to see me?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi rose, walked over to Kakashi, and patted his shoulder. Smiling at him, he said, "How has your training been lately? Have you improved again? I truly never expected you to master Sakumo's swordsmanship to this extent at your age."
*???*
Kakashi looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, slightly stunned.
Looking at Kakashi, Hiruzen Sarutobi said wistfully, "When I look at you, it's as though I'm seeing Sakumo in his youth..."
"Isn't there anything you'd like to report to me?"
*???*
Kakashi looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi in bewilderment. "Lord Hokage, what are you referring to?"
Seeing Kakashi pretending to be confused, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt deeply gratified. He hadn't expected Kakashi to understand the importance of concealing his strength at such a young age. If not for this unexpected incident, he would never have suspected Kakashi's hidden strength.
But Kakashi was a young man he held in high regard, someone who could inherit the Will of Fire in the future. He didn't want Kakashi hiding anything from him.
So he frowned and said to Kakashi, "Report on the battle by the stream in the Back Mountain this afternoon!"
"By the stream in the Back Mountain this afternoon?" "Lord Hokage, I've been training with Minato-sensei all day. He knows that. I haven't been to the Back Mountain."
After a moment's thought, Kakashi answered Hiruzen Sarutobi.
At that moment, Kakashi suddenly wondered whether someone had disguised themselves as him and done something in the Back Mountain. Why else would Lord Hokage question him like this?
Still, he wasn't particularly worried. After all, he had been training with Namikaze all day, and Minato Namikaze could vouch for him.
He simply didn't know what had happened. But whatever it was, his story would hold up under investigation.
Before you continue