"Shun, hurry up! It's been half an hour since we were discovered!"
"We could be intercepted at any moment now!"
Having left Kirigakure, Kakashi raced through the dense terrain of the Land of Water, glancing back to urge Shisui, who was following close behind.
Half an hour ago, he'd received a message from his clone—a silent transmission filled with urgency. They had been exposed. In the final memory fragments, the cold, ruthless eyes of Yagura Kuji were unmistakably visible.
Kakashi had no doubt: the Mizukage himself would lead the pursuit.
After all, if the Three-Tails were stolen from under Kirigakure's nose, the one most to blame would be the village leader himself.
No Kage could afford to be seen as weak.
Suddenly—
"Hehe… You two came all the way to Mist, and you're already leaving?"
"If the other villages heard of this, wouldn't they think us Mist shinobi are bad hosts?"
The light, playful voice echoed from the path ahead.
Kakashi abruptly halted, scanning the misty trail.
A slender, green-haired boy stood blocking the road. He had striking purple eyes, a scar resembling a stitched wound beneath his left eye, and a peculiar stick adorned with a green flower spinning lightly in his hand. Despite his youthful voice and appearance, his eyes glinted with sharp killing intent.
Had it not been for that terrifying glint, one might have mistaken him for a gentle, charming youth.
"I didn't expect the Fourth Mizukage to greet us personally. What an honor," Kakashi said calmly, his posture relaxed but his senses razor-sharp.
Yagura chuckled, apparently amused.
"No need to look around. I got impatient waiting for my men, so I came ahead alone."
The boyish Mizukage's smile appeared harmless, but Kakashi wasn't fooled.
He stared at Yagura intently. If they couldn't break past him, then escape was impossible.
"Shun," Kakashi said without looking back, "Take Lin and go. I'll hold him off."
Without hesitation, Kakashi gently untied Lin from his back and passed her to Shisui.
"No, Senior Silver Fox!" Shisui shook his head firmly. "You go ahead. I'll help hold him back!"
Kakashi sighed inwardly. He knew Shisui too well—he would never abandon a comrade in danger.
He stepped closer and whispered something into Shisui's ear, pressing a Flying Thunder God kunai into his hand.
"But—"
Kakashi silenced him with a firm look.
"We're comrades. Trust me!"
"…Alright."
Shisui nodded reluctantly. He understood—Kakashi had made up his mind.
With Lin on his back, he darted away, heading for a different route through the mist.
Swish!
Seeing this, Yagura's eyes narrowed. He leapt forward, raising his staff high and bringing it down toward Shisui in a deadly arc.
Clang!
Kakashi's blade intercepted the strike just in time.
Shisui used the opportunity to vanish into the trees.
"Why resist?" Yagura asked lightly. "I've already sealed off the borders of the Land of Water. He won't get far."
Despite his childish appearance, Yagura now spoke with the weary authority of an adult. The mismatch between his voice and expression was unsettling.
"Don't trouble yourself, Mizukage."
Kakashi suddenly shifted topics. "By the way, you're what—twenty? Thirty years old?"
Yagura blinked, momentarily thrown off.
"Huh? How did you know?"
Although he hated being treated like a child, this time Yagura seemed slightly flattered. Could it be his dignified charisma had finally been noticed?
If only Kakashi weren't an enemy, he might have invited him for a drink.
Kakashi only shrugged, feigning indifference.
Of course he wouldn't mention that he'd estimated the age from future intel—intel involving Yagura's own grandson, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the next generation.
Don't be fooled by his youthful appearance—Yagura was actually older than Minato!
"But it doesn't matter," Yagura said, voice cooling. "Time to see you off."
Without further warning, he raised his staff and formed a hand seal.
"Water Style: Water Mirror Technique!"
A circular mirror of water formed at the top of his staff, shimmering unnaturally. It reflected Kakashi's image, and then—
Step.
A mirror clone of Kakashi emerged from the reflection.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed. So it copied his form perfectly?
This technique wouldn't fall for transformation tricks.
In that case...
Bang!
A cloud of white smoke burst as Kakashi released his disguise, revealing his true self—young, silver-haired, and striking.
"Oh?" Yagura's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "You're actually just a boy!"
Reports had already described the enemy—an eleven or twelve-year-old who'd taken on seven elite Mist ninja and killed one of them outright.
Yagura knew the strength of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Seven-on-one was overkill against most Kage-level opponents.
But this child had survived. More than that—he'd won.
That made him a monster.
A Kage-level fighter before even hitting his teens?
Such potential was terrifying. Dangerous.
This wasn't a genius. It was a calamity waiting to happen.
Yagura's expression hardened.
This child must be killed—now.
Yagura and the mirror clone moved simultaneously, charging toward Kakashi.
Kakashi felt a vein twitch on his temple.
Seriously? You're a Mizukage!
And you're going to team up with your own reflection?
He couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
I'm just a rookie Jōnin! Where's your sense of honor?!
Fine then...
"You asked for it."
Kakashi's chakra surged.
"The Third Gate, Gate of Life—open!"
"Hundred Healings Mark—release!"
"Forbidden Technique—Strength of a Hundred Seal!"
"Sage Mode—activate!"
"Lightning Style Armor!"
Crackling lightning wrapped around his body. His skin was inscribed with glowing black runes. The diamond-shaped seal on his forehead pulsed, and his eyes took on the sage's keen sharpness.
He stood transformed—an overwhelming presence in the mist.
This battle was unlike the one against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Back then, they were on home ground. Konoha reinforcements were nearby. Kakashi had options—strategic retreats, hit-and-run tactics, even the Flying Thunder God technique to escape.
But this time, they were deep in enemy territory.
Just him. And Shisui.
No backup.
No escape.
They had to win.
Or die trying.
Kakashi clenched his fists. Lightning flickered in the air around him.
Oddly enough, he found himself silently thanking Guy's father—Uncle Dai—for that miraculous rescue during the previous fight. Without him, Kakashi would have used up far more chakra, and he'd be in no shape to fight this second round.
But now?
Now, he was ready.
---
To Be Continued...
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