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37
"I overused the Sharingan... My body's not responding."
Kakashi lay sprawled on the cold bridge, his face showing clear signs of exhaustion.
For someone not of the Uchiha clan, forcing the Sharingan into overdrive placed a heavy burden on the body. Add to that the years he'd slacked off on training... it was already a miracle he'd managed to defeat Zabuza without collapsing.
"Sorry, but I'll probably need a week to recover. That means the mission to the Land of Water will have to wait—"
Too many years away from the Anbu. He hadn't expected his first mission back to end with him constantly dropping the ball in front of his juniors. It was honestly a little embarrassing.
"Kakashi-senpai, the mission has already been canceled. You didn't get the Hokage's message?"
Yuugao Uzuki blinked, confused.
"Canceled?"
He really hadn't received any transmission from Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Still, he figured the message must've gotten lost during the battle with Zabuza, and didn't think too much of it.
"Well, given the state I'm in, I suppose canceling the mission was the right call."
"Actually... the mission's already completed."
Uchiha Ying, who had been examining (a.k.a. looting) the bodies of Momochi Zabuza and Haku, suddenly came up with an idea.
"I heard the Yamanaka clan has a secret technique that can extract intel from a shinobi's corpse. If we bring these two back to the village, we should be able to get valuable intel on Kirigakure."
That clan's mind-based techniques could draw fragmented information even from dead brain tissue—though the results were far less effective than from the living.
"As for making contact with Kirigakure, that's best left to the Hokage's discretion."
"I see! Good thinking. I wouldn't have even considered something like that."
Yuugao's eyes lit up at the suggestion.
Right—bringing the corpses back was enough. And considering Zabuza's status as the infamous "Demon of the Hidden Mist," the data from his body alone would be priceless.
"But... doing that to the dead..."
Although Zabuza had been an enemy, Kakashi had developed a mutual respect for the man during their battle. The idea of desecrating his corpse made him uncomfortable.
"It's fine. We can always request a proper burial from the Hokage afterward."
Uchiha Ying hadn't expected Kakashi to be so sentimental.
Was he trying to live up to the version of himself that Obito once admired?
"Alright then. We'll do as you say."
Kakashi didn't press the matter further. Instead, he found himself quietly impressed by Ying's quick thinking and foresight.
Still, Naruto and Sasuke had shown solid performance in this mission too—no need to get envious of Kurenai...
Remembering how well Naruto and Sasuke had fought, a faint smile crept across Kakashi's face.
"Hey, what are you guys doing with their bodies? And what were you even talking about just now? I didn't get any of that."
Naruto's voice cut through the moment, wiping the smile off Kakashi's face.
"Naruto, this isn't something you—"
Seeing Naruto stand firmly between them and the bodies of Zabuza and Haku, Kakashi sighed.
"We're taking them back to Konoha for a proper burial. They may have been our enemies, but they were worthy opponents. Don't you agree?"
Uchiha Ying glanced at the blond troublemaker in front of him—another Obito in the making… Wait, that comparison was a little rude. Maybe he should drop that nickname.
"In that case... okay."
Naruto finally lowered his arms, no longer shielding the two bodies.
But something about the masked ninja's voice and way of speaking was starting to feel eerily familiar to him.
"You're... Ying, aren't you?"
Sakura, who was helping Kakashi up, beat him to the punch.
"Mhm."
Ying removed his mask.
Sakura the Observant strikes again.
"Ying!? You bastard! Why the hell were you wearing a mask?!"
Seeing his familiar face, Naruto let down all his defenses.
"Sorry. It's a souvenir from the Uzumaki country."
Ying pulled out a few plain masks he'd picked up in Uzushio and handed one to Naruto. Then, after thinking it over, gave one to Sakura too.
"By the way, Naruto... where's Sasuke?"
Sakura's eyes lit up as she thanked him, only to suddenly remember—she hadn't seen Sasuke at all this whole time.
"S-Sasuke... he... he's dead..."
Naruto's voice trembled as he delivered the news.
"What!?"
Sakura bolted toward the back of the bridge.
There he was—Sasuke, lying in a pool of blood, his body riddled with senbon like a human pincushion.
"S-Sasuke..."
Seeing him like that, Sakura's vision went black.
"Don't worry. He's not dead. The ninja who fought him was extremely precise. Every single senbon avoided his vital spots. It looks bad, but it's mostly superficial."
Ying caught her by the shoulders just in time to stop her from collapsing.
"R-Really?"
Reinvigorated by his words, Sakura reached down to check Sasuke's pulse.
Still alive!
"...Is that... you, Ying?"
As if stirred by her touch, Sasuke slowly opened his eyes.
"Naruto... did you beat him?"
Seeing Naruto nearby, he forced out the question that was burning inside him.
"O-Of course! I mean, I'm..."
Naruto wanted to brag about his victory—but looking at Sasuke's weakened face, remembering how he'd taken that hit to protect him... his chest tightened.
"...You just focus on recovering, okay?"
For once, Naruto didn't boast.
"...Good. You won."
Sasuke, ever the prideful one, let out a breath and passed out again.
He had a stubborn will to live—he wasn't dying that easily.
"Let me handle this."
Sakura clearly had no clue where to even begin with all those embedded senbon. So Ying stepped forward.
In a blur, his hand flashed out—one instant was all it took. All the needles deeply buried in Sasuke's body were removed.
"Good thing I've still got some of the ointment Hinata gave me."
After applying it and wrapping the wounds, Ying finally stood back up.
"A-Amazing..."
Sakura watched, eyes wide.
She never knew Ying was even good at medical treatment.
"Alright then—our new mission is to escort Captain Kakashi and young Sasuke safely back to the village."
Ying turned to see that Yuugao had already sealed Zabuza and Haku's bodies, along with Zabuza's Executioner's Blade, into scrolls using a space-time storage seal.
That was it. Mission complete.
Probably.
"Alright!"
Naruto gave a fist pump.
"But why call Kakashi-sensei 'Captain'?"
"Don't sweat the small stuff. Just remember to treat me to ramen when we get back."
"Sure! With this mission's pay and the last one, I've got plenty of money now!"
Naruto grinned and patted his chest proudly.
"...Just like me, back in the day..."
Watching Ying and Naruto banter like old friends, Kakashi couldn't help but reminisce again.
——
——
"Lady Mei... are we really going to let them take Zabuza's body?"
In the trees above the bridge, two Hidden Mist shinobi watched the group from afar.
"Our village is too unstable right now. Getting into a direct conflict with Konoha would only complicate things."
The female ninja in the lead—Terumi Mei—warned her subordinate not to act rashly as she reviewed the intercepted messenger pigeon in her hand.
"But what's this 'Kirigakure mission' those Leaf shinobi mentioned?"
"Whatever it is, I'm sure it spells trouble for us."
Though the message had been encrypted, Ao—an experienced shinobi—had managed to decipher the content.
"That Sharingan user, Kakashi,
is already down. If we act now, we can—"
"Ao. Let's wait. Better to strike when they've let their guard down."
Given the state of Kirigakure right now, caution was the only way forward.
"Understood."
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