Chapter 12 – The ANBU Entrance Test
The next day.
At an open field far from the residential areas of Konohagakure, Kakashi arrived early, precisely on time. Strapped to his waist was his father's chakra short blade, and both his thigh and torso were equipped with ninja pouches packed with kunai, shuriken, and explosive tags.
Not long after Kakashi's arrival—
Swish!
His sharp eyes narrowed slightly as a figure clad in the standard ANBU uniform, wearing a cat-faced mask and a burly frame, appeared before him.
The newcomer didn't make any deliberate moves, but the faint aura of menace exuding from his body alone was enough to make it clear—this was someone who had seen countless battles in the ANBU.
"Hatake Kakashi," the cat-masked ninja said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Even though the Hokage himself ordered your entry into the ANBU, we don't accept dead weight. If you want in, prove you're worthy. Otherwise, go back to where you came from."
His cold gaze held no warmth—typical of an ANBU operative.
Emotions were a liability for those in the black ops. During missions, they were to be discarded entirely. ANBU operatives existed solely for the village and the Hokage—efficient, emotionless machines of war.
Root, under Danzō, was even more extreme—utterly eradicating personal identity and feeling. Concepts like emotion or desire were nothing more than extravagant illusions to them.
Despite the cutting words, Kakashi didn't flinch. He simply nodded, showing his understanding.
This subtle reaction caused a brief flicker of surprise to pass through the ANBU's eyes.
As the son of that man, Kakashi's name was known even beyond Konoha's borders. The ANBU agent had some awareness of his background. Yet in his mind, no matter how talented, no matter who his father was, Kakashi was still an eight-year-old child.
But now… this kid seemed more interesting than he'd assumed.
"Follow me," the ANBU said coolly.
Kakashi followed without protest, maintaining a composed pace.
Before long, the two reached the westernmost edge of Training Ground Two—a dense forest. Venturing deep into the woods, they arrived at the base of an enormous ancient tree, so wide that it would take more than ten people linking arms to encircle it.
The ANBU walked to a particular section and tapped twice.
Thump-thump.
With a click, a concealed door swung open, revealing a pitch-dark passage. Only a few flickering lamps dimly lit the interior. This was clearly one of Konoha's ANBU secret bases.
'Seriously… no matter the world, no matter the era, these black ops always go for the creepy dungeon aesthetic,' Kakashi thought dryly as he followed the masked man inside.
"Everyone in the ANBU is elite—each capable of leading their own squad. This facility is one of our training grounds. Inside, you'll find traps, illusions, sabotage challenges, and mission simulations. This is only the most basic level," the ANBU explained as they entered a well-lit hall. He pulled out a scroll from his cloak and tossed it to Kakashi.
"You're to complete a simulation mission. The details are inside the scroll. Once you're ready, proceed through that door to begin. Fail to finish in time, and the test is considered failed. One hour—no more. And let me make it clear: the traps and mechanisms inside aren't harmless. Dying is entirely possible. If you're scared, this is your last chance to walk away."
There was a faint trace of mockery in the masked man's tone as he stared down at Kakashi.
Kakashi didn't respond. He simply clenched the scroll slightly and met the man's gaze.
Then—
"Heh."
With a light snort, Kakashi turned and strode toward the dark doorway without hesitation.
"Oh?" The cat-masked ANBU raised a brow again, slightly impressed.
Say what you will, but this kid isn't lacking in guts.
For some reason, the ANBU agent was starting to look forward to Kakashi's future in the ANBU.
—
At the same time, in the tallest tower in Konoha—the seat of power for the village.
"Rōran? That tiny country wedged between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind?" asked a young man clad in a jonin's vest, his golden hair gleaming, his handsome face tinged with mild surprise as he looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
This youth was none other than Namikaze Minato, eighteen years old, and the most outstanding of his generation—also the only personal student of Jiraiya.
Naturally, he had earned Hiruzen's deep trust.
"Yes," the Third Hokage said with a grave expression. "That country. Rōran was originally insignificant, but in the past few years, it's developed rapidly—supposedly thanks to some ancient power called the Dragon Vein. There are rumors that Sunagakure is involved behind the scenes. I want you to investigate, Minato."
Even the so-called Dragon Vein, spoken of in mythic terms, didn't concern Hiruzen much. He figured it was likely just exaggerated local lore.
But if Sunagakure was involved?
Then it had to be taken seriously.
The Sand Village, one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, had a formidable military force—capable of mobilizing tens of thousands of shinobi.
Sending Namikaze Minato was a precaution.
But the target wasn't Rōran.
It was Suna.