Anya smiled knowingly and said, "Some people, no matter how well they hide, still can't get rid of that aura deep in their bones. I sensed something off about you the moment I saw you."
The man was clearly surprised. He gave Anya a careful once-over before sighing and saying, "Alright, I admit defeat. Tell me then, kid, what do you want from me?"
Anya didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "First things first—what's your name?"
"Genzo," the man replied simply.
Anya thought for a moment—no ring bells. After all, he had only skimmed through the general story of Naruto and knew its general direction, but specifics about background characters like this were completely forgotten. He didn't know how long this person had been hiding in Konoha, but the fact that he was still there meant he probably had some real skills. Deciding honesty would work best, Anya said, "I want you to help me steal the Scroll of Seals."
Genzo was taken aback. He hadn't expected Anya to say so directly, nor had he imagined that a mere child truly wanted him to steal for him. Why should he?
Testing the waters, Genzo said cautiously, "You should know I'm a ninja from another village—I'm here in Konoha on orders to gather intelligence. Are you asking me to steal and then defect with you?"
Anya gave him a weird look and said, "Defect? Why would I do that? What's that got to do with me?"
"You've got some nerve!" Genzo was taken aback by the boy's sheer audacity. Bluntly, he shot back, "Then why would I hand it over to you after I steal it?"
"No problem at all," Anya replied casually. "If you don't give it to me, I'll just take it. You just need to focus on stealing it."
[Immortal Descending from the Heavens!] — a jutsu that lets the user separate their spirit from the body — Anya really wasn't afraid the man could escape. His main concern was whether the man would even agree to go through with the theft.
Genzo hesitated. This brat was definitely no good—he was shameless and ruthless. If he refused, he might not last long in Konoha at all, or worse, end up being hunted down. Should he just kill him now and be done?
Calmly and cheerfully, Anya continued, "By the way, my teacher is the legendary White Fang. I suggest you think carefully before making any rash moves."
A name is like a shadow—once it's there, people see it. As soon as those words left Anya's mouth, the murderous intent Genzo had been building vanished instantly. A warm smile appeared on his face as he said, "Kid, are you serious? That scroll must be heavily guarded. How can I possibly steal it?"
"Hmm, alone you wouldn't stand a chance, but with my help, it'll work out fine." Anya spoke confidently. "Of course, I won't ask you to steal it right away. We'll need to wait for an opportunity when the Third Hokage leaves the village."
Because his previous attempt to steal the Scroll of Seals had been discovered, Anya remembered a scene from the original anime—a crystal ball owned by the Third Hokage, which allowed instant viewing of distant places. As long as the Hokage remained in Konoha, there was no way anyone could pull this off.
"All right," Genzo exhaled in relief after listening. At least this kid wasn't trying to send him to his death. It seemed the boy genuinely desired the scroll. But since the Hokage rarely left the village, this interval would give Genzo enough time to complete his own important mission in Konoha.
Anya was delighted upon hearing Genzo's agreement. She stepped closer and said, "During this time, I will find out your identity. If we meet ninja from your village on the battlefield in the future, I will show mercy. See you later."
Without looking back, Anya left, leaving Genzo with a complex expression. He understood that Anya's final words had clearly been a veiled threat. There weren't many ninja villages opposing Konoha. With his identity as the disciple of the White Fang, it wouldn't be difficult for her to uncover him. It was even highly possible that she would kill him the moment he obtained the Scroll of Seals.
What a scary kid.
Genzo wasn't far off in his guess. Anya had indeed considered such a thing but quickly dismissed it. Discovering Genzo and then making him steal the scroll had merely been an impulsive move—an idle chess piece placed casually. Success would naturally be great, but failure wouldn't matter much either. After all, what she needed to learn most urgently right now was swordsmanship. Ninjutsu was merely for diversifying her tactics and adapting to different scenarios—quality mattered more than quantity.
Soon after, Anya went to the White Fang's house and came to the familiar training ground, beginning her search for that one blade sensation.
[Sword Art: Draw Technique]—a most fitting name. This technique combined one's entire essence, spirit, and energy into a single strike. Once the sword was drawn, blood would surely be spilled. However, if no result was achieved, it would leave the user drained physically and mentally. Therefore, follow-up actions were equally necessary.
Anya began recalling the first stroke taught by the White Fang, simulating it repeatedly in her mind, while her hands moved accordingly.
Watching from the side, Kakashi could only feel that today, Anya seemed vastly different from usual. She seemed like pure blade-light—intense and mesmerizing. Kakashi couldn't quite understand what had changed about her.
Before anyone realized, three days had flown by when the White Fang entered the training ground.
Anya asked actively: "A mission?"
White Fang nodded. "Yes."
Fully prepared, Anya replied confidently, "Then let's go."
White Fang reminded, "This time is real combat—you must be ready for the possibility of not returning."
Anya paused momentarily before slowly replying, "Understood."
At this moment, Kakashi stepped forward and asked, "Are you two leaving again? I want to join you on the battlefield."
Gently stroking Kakashi's head, White Fang said warmly, "Be good. After we come back from this mission, I'll send you to the Ninja Academy. Once you graduate, we can go together."
The young Kakashi cheered happily, "Okay!"
Anya secretly shook her head. Youth really was blissfully unaware of war's cruelty.
They departed Konoha one after another. Unlike the previous mission involving only master and apprentice, this time many ninja were dispatched together. Anya roughly counted nearly a thousand. It seemed this would be a large-scale battle.
"The Hidden Rain Village has defeated the Land of Iron," White Fang explained. "Sanshouo Hanzo truly deserves his title as a demigod (half-god). His forces have expanded greatly. To prevent him from growing further, we've decided to launch a full offensive this time to end it decisively. The battle will be led by three disciples of the Third Hokage, and I'm responsible for protecting the rear flank."
Upon hearing this, Anya expressed confusion. "Why didn't the Hokage assign you as the leader?"
"Based on Konoha's current situation, White Fang is undoubtedly the strongest figure under the Hokage."
White Fang had clearly considered this and replied bluntly, "I think it must be Sanshouo Hanzo's technique. His poison is extremely dangerous. Probably only Tsunade can neutralize his poison. If I were to fight him, the outcome would be unpredictable. Actually, my greatest strength comes from not fighting at all."
"Oh, I see."
It's the threat you never see that kills — as long as White Fang stayed out of it, Sanshouo Hanzo would always have to watch out for him, unable to fully unleash his power. To put it simply, this was a battle between Konoha and Rain Village testing raw strength and endurance — a contest to see who would collapse first. Those who use poison fear two things most: one is having an antidote, rendering the poison ineffective; the other is extreme speed, preventing exposure to the toxin. Naturally, Tsunade and Orochimaru needed no explanation for their incredible survival abilities. Jiraiya could summon toads for protection, so his survival abilities were nothing to scoff at.
But White Fang was different. His fighting style required close-range finishing strikes. He might kill Sanshouo Hanzo, but once he attacked, his body would certainly be poisoned. If he couldn't withstand the poison, the result would be mutual destruction. Obviously, Third Hokage had thoroughly considered this battle against Sanshouo Hanzo's forces.
Of course, this strategy relied on the crucial factor that the Third's three disciples could withstand Sanshouo Hanzo's pressure.
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