Persona

Xia Yan counted as a spy, but he was a spy for his clan, not the kind planted by another village.

In some respects, he was a little like the future Uchiha Itachi. The only difference was that he had not become a double agent.

Perhaps the Third Hokage could not quite bring himself to be ruthless, or perhaps he felt that the Senju had already fallen so far that they could no longer stir up any trouble.

Xia Yan had encountered no problems joining the Anbu, but he certainly did not believe Konoha's higher-ups were unaware of his true identity.

Although the connections used by the elder who had raised him were trustworthy, these people who controlled the village really should not be taken for fools.

When it came to Xia Yan, they could see everything, or they could pretend to see nothing.

The difference lay in which option better served their interests.

After a good night's rest, Xia Yan and Kakashi rose early. According to the Ninja Dog's report, nothing unexpected had happened during the night.

That fellow Kakuzu had either failed to catch up or failed to find them.

Whichever it was, they seemed safe, at least.

After erasing the traces they had left the night before, the two set off at once and returned to Konoha.

The Anbu took a different route back into the village from ordinary ninja. Konoha also had more than one entrance; the difference was that the guards stationed at the other entrances were not ordinary ninja.

The ninja guarding these entrances were essentially all Anbu or Root members. Other ninja were not allowed to use them at all.

After a round of inspections, Xia Yan and Kakashi entered Konoha without incident. But as they approached Anbu headquarters, Xia Yan suddenly stopped.

"What is it, Captain?" Kakashi gave Xia Yan a puzzled look. He had yet to understand what was going on.

"Once we've finished the mission and dismissed, you'll go see Lord Fourth Hokage, won't you?" Xia Yan thought for a moment before asking quietly.

Kakashi frowned. He did not know what Xia Yan meant by that.

Still, he could hear that Xia Yan's tone remained very gentle, giving a warm, friendly impression.

It had to be said that this tone, coupled with the gentle smile Xia Yan always wore when he was not wearing his mask, really did make people like him much more.

Although Kakashi did not know what Xia Yan had in mind, he considered it for a moment and gave a serious nod.

"In that case, when you report, try not to repeat what I told you last night, especially those first few remarks."

Xia Yan gently patted Kakashi's shoulder before speaking unhurriedly.

"If you must report everything accurately, put it in writing and submit it. Whatever you do, don't deliver it verbally.

"You'd best tell Lord Hokage one thing: his actions have been misunderstood."

With that, Xia Yan immediately shut his mouth and said nothing more, then walked toward Anbu headquarters as though nothing had happened.

Kakashi stood rooted to the spot. He had absolutely no idea what Xia Yan meant.

But he could hardly ask. Naturally, he could tell that this captain and former classmate of his would never answer him.

He might even go a step further, look at him in utter bewilderment, and ask, "What are you talking about?"

Full of questions, Kakashi accompanied Xia Yan to turn in the mission. Certain unusual circumstances surrounding this mission had meant that they had brought back only a head.

This seemed to leave the unit commander somewhat dissatisfied. However, rather than blaming Kakashi, he reprimanded Xia Yan.

As he put it, Xia Yan was an elite Anbu operative, and he had a prodigious ninja like Kakashi with him, so how could a problem like this still have occurred?

Xia Yan did not argue. Instead, he amiably acknowledged that the problem was his and that he had caused the complications with the mission. It had nothing to do with Kakashi.

But he then gave a detailed report of the mission, which made the unit commander frown as well.

Kakuzu, that legendary bounty hunter-they had actually run into him?

If they had encountered that fellow, then Xia Yan and Kakashi bringing back the target's head could also be considered a perfectly completed mission.

At that thought, the unit commander had no intention of giving them any more trouble. Or rather, he had never intended to give Xia Yan trouble in the first place.

Yet in Kakashi's eyes, this scene seemed to take on a strange cast.

Xia Yan's words were still circling in his mind. Though he could not understand them, he was no fool. He sensed that this commander was probably targeting him.

After turning in the mission, Xia Yan and Kakashi left Anbu headquarters. They exchanged few words and soon parted ways.

Watching Kakashi walk away, Xia Yan finally let the gentle expression he had maintained even beneath his mask fade.

He had long since grown accustomed to facing everyone with that gentle smile. Over time, even he had come to feel that he was a kind person.

But after years of operating in the Anbu, how could he possibly be a kind person?

After a day on a mission with Kakashi, the coldness, despair, and even utter lifelessness of the fellow's state had affected Xia Yan so much that he could barely smile.

He shook his head. Kakashi's current state was terrible, but it was precisely such a terrible state that made it suitable for him to do something.

"He is the Savior's teacher, after all, and Minato Namikaze's disciple too. If he hadn't been slotted into my squad, that would have been that.

"Now that he's here, it wouldn't be very good if I did nothing."

After taking a moment to steady his breathing, Xia Yan's face beneath his mask grew gentle once more.

Although no one could see it, maintaining it year after year still had its benefits, especially since he himself had grown accustomed to it.

To become the biggest boss in the Shinobi World, plainly speaking, meant stepping onto this unpredictable world's grand stage, and even standing at its center.

Then he had to have a persona of his own.

He had no intention of copying Madara Uchiha. That was a major villain's persona-cold and ruthless, trusting no one, and controlling his subordinates through overwhelming force.

Although Xia Yan did not consider himself a good person either, the same question still applied: was Anbu work fit for a human being?

After five years of exposure to all kinds of darkness and slaughter, he certainly did not consider himself a good person.

But he could establish a good-person persona for himself!

His best choices were the First Hokage and the Fourth Hokage: "powerful," "sunny," "humble," along with "tough" when necessary and "low-key" when it was not.

That was exactly what Xia Yan did, and he had maintained that style all along!

It had to be said that these "labels" genuinely benefited him. He was well liked among both his former classmates and the Anbu.

His squad, in particular, had complete faith in him. They were exactly the sort who would help him count the money even after he sold them out.

"A shame. With Kakashi slotted in, someone will have to leave."

Xia Yan shook his head slightly, then could not be bothered to think about it any further.

There were no famous figures in his squad, and its members' abilities were quite ordinary. Almost all of them had come from orphanages.

They were, however, very loyal to Xia Yan and reliable. The only drawback was that they all bore the Third Hokage's label.

"This works too. With Kakashi joining, quite a few things can change a little."

Raising his head, Xia Yan looked toward Hokage Rock, and the smile beneath his mask grew even brighter.

"Giving the Fourth and Kakashi a warning will do something for the clan on one hand, and something for me on the other. Two birds with one stone..."