Megumi stepped outside the Hokage building and headed toward the nearest forest. He pulled out the apple he'd carried since morning.
He bit into it, but the sensation was strange like eating air that wasn't air. He couldn't comprehend the taste. He knew he was chewing, yet he couldn't describe what it felt like.
After walking several meters into the forest, Megumi stopped and took another bite.
"You've been following me since I left the Hokage building, Kakashi Hatake."
A shadow detached itself from one of the trees. Kakashi stood there in his ANBU uniform, mask covering his face, distinctive white hair unmistakable. His arms were crossed over his chest.
"How are you alive?" he asked. He'd been there when the Inuzuka clan came to collect Megumi's corpse.
Megumi remembered that Kakashi had once tried to kill him.
"How is that your problem?" he replied, not taking Kakashi seriously. He continued munching the last of his apple before adding, "You never answered my question why are you following me?"
Kakashi noticed nothing different about Megumi except for the summons and the fact that he should be dead. Yet here he stood, very much alive.
"You attacked an ANBU officer. May I ask why?" Kakashi didn't change his stance, projecting an air of confidence that suggested he could handle Megumi.
Megumi turned to face Kakashi directly. He wanted a rematch after suffering that humiliating defeat. This time, he wouldn't hesitate to kill him. If Kakashi hadn't ambushed him from underground that day, fifty percent of his problems would never have happened.
"You want to know why? Simple I did it because he was as annoying as a housefly."
Kakashi had expected an apology or at least a convincing lie.
"Do you understand the consequences of your actions?" Kakashi's hand moved toward the ninjato on his back, gripping the handle as he prepared to draw it from its scabbard.
Megumi sensed that Kakashi truly wanted to fight.
He took the last bite of his apple and removed his other hand from his pocket.
"You see, One-Eye Ghoul, I still haven't learned to control my power. So you should brace yourself for a trip to the hospital."
Megumi summoned the Playful Cloud from his shadow, gripping both ends of the three-section staff.
Kakashi drew his blade, ready to face him head-on.
He blinked, and Megumi vanished. His eye widened he couldn't sense him. The surrounding forest fell eerily silent, as if witnessing a battle for the ages.
"If I were you, I would have run." The voice came from directly behind Kakashi's real body. He leaped away, looking up only to see Megumi standing on the tree where his clone had been. The clone itself was nowhere to be seen.
Kakashi launched himself forward, attacking first. His swordsmanship was ruthless every strike aimed at a vital point with lethal precision.
Megumi blocked each attack with minimal effort.
Then Megumi grabbed Kakashi by the waist, lifted him, and slammed him into the ground on both sides.
Megumi could have killed Kakashi from the start, especially since Kakashi had clearly intended to do the same to him. Instead, he'd been healing Kakashi throughout their fight subtle enough that even Kakashi hadn't noticed.
Kakashi stood up from where he'd been slammed. He felt pain initially, but then it vanished. He couldn't explain how, but he knew it was related to Megumi.
Kakashi removed his mask revealing another mask still covering his mouth, and his left eye now showing a three-tomoe Sharingan. He began forming hand signs. Lightning gathered in his palm with the sound of a thousand birds chirping. He charged straight at Megumi without hesitation.
"Can't you turn down the volume on that jutsu? But it's okay I'll do the same."
Red cursed energy gathered in Megumi's palm. He clenched his fist, waiting for Kakashi to reach him.
"Chidori!"
"Black Flash!"
They collided, creating a massive explosion in the area.
When the smoke cleared, it revealed Megumi standing tall without injuries or even a scratch on his clothes. Kakashi, however, had lost a hand. His back rested against a tree. He'd used all his chakra in that attack yet done no damage to Megumi.
"You should learn to pick on someone your own size, One-Eye Ghoul."
With each step, Megumi sank deeper into the shadows.
"Obito... Rin... I'm sorry. Wait for me I'll join you soon," Kakashi murmured, his consciousness fading as flashbacks flooded his mind.
Nearby ANBU heard the explosion and arrived to find Kakashi in a pool of his own blood.
"Get him to the hospital. I'll report to the Hokage," the leader instructed his subordinates.
---
The Third Hokage visited Kakashi at the village hospital. He couldn't believe anyone could do this much damage to Kakashi except perhaps Orochimaru, his former student.
Hiruzen had also been receiving complaints about missing children in the village. Even full-grown adults hadn't been spared.
---
A few days later, Kakashi woke from his short coma to find Might Guy sleeping in the chair beside him.
He realized he could only feel one hand. Checking the other side, he found only bandages.
He remembered that Megumi could have killed him but had walked away.
*How is that kid so much stronger than me?*
---
The next morning, the room filled with visitors.
"Kakashi, who dared attack you in Konoha?" Asuma asked.
Everyone wanted to know who could defeat Kakashi when the war had just ended.
The Third Hokage entered, dressed in his ceremonial robes with his hat. Shikaku Nara accompanied him the village's most brilliant tactical mind.
"Greetings, Third Hokage," everyone in the room said in unison.
"Kakashi, relax. You can explain everything now that I'm here." Hiruzen paused, then addressed the others. "Would you children please excuse us? This information is for my ears only."
Everyone understood Kakashi was ANBU, and such intelligence went directly to the Hokage first.
They filed out, leaving only Kakashi, the Third Hokage, and Shikaku.
"It was Megumi Nara who attacked me," Kakashi said, still struggling to comprehend his defeat.
The Third Hokage and Shikaku fell silent.
Hiruzen believed him Kakashi had served under him faithfully and had no reason to lie.
"Can you explain how and why he attacked you?"
Shikaku knew Kakashi's record well. He didn't need evidence that a five-year-old had defeated a jonin the proof was right in front of him.
Kakashi explained how he'd questioned Megumi about attacking an ANBU officer, and Megumi's dismissive response. He also told the Hokage that Megumi hadn't suffered any damage during their fight.
---