Sakura watched the silver moon burst apart a short distance away, a flash of wonder in her eyes as she murmured to herself.
If she learned this move.
Perhaps she, too, could become a Kunoichi as dashing and heroic as Teacher Yugao.
"This move isn't suitable for you. You should learn the Ninjutsu this man created himself."
"Listen to your teacher in a moment and ask him to teach you."
Xuandou patted the head of Sakura, who had been giving him trouble, deliberately setting a trap for her.
Then he dispelled the Genjutsu he had left on Ino.
Ignoring Ino's expression of "Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do?", he led the two toward the figures at the Training Ground.
As they approached the Training Ground, the figure wielding a blade turned around.
He wore a black tactical ninja vest outfit, with a ponytail behind his spiky white hair and a distinctive White Armband on his left shoulder.
In his right hand, he held an utterly ordinary Ninja Blade.
His expression gave an impression of steadiness, reliability, and trustworthiness.
This was none other than Kakashi's father, Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo-the man whom the Kage of the various villages had once issued orders permitting their ninja to abandon their missions and flee upon encountering.
"Lord Xuandou."
Sakumo bowed and beckoned. The five figures standing beneath a tree also came over to greet Xuandou.
From front to back, these five were Kakashi, the students he was teaching-Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji-and, at the very rear in a white Haori, Xuandou's youngest son, Mirai.
"Lord Sakumo, that slash just now was incredible. For a moment, I even thought that dying beneath such beautiful blade light would be a kind of happiness."
Sakura's eyes sparkled too, and she eagerly