Chapter 100: The Gathering Storm
Kakashi lay on his back, the world slowly righting itself as the violent nausea subsided. He had vomited until there was nothing left, his body trembling with the aftershocks of exertion and oxygen deprivation.
Kagenori's question echoed in the quiet forest. Did you enjoy the feeling?
"I felt it," Kakashi rasped, his voice raw. "It was like… drinking hot water on a freezing day. A warmth spreading through my body. For a moment, I felt strong. Invincible. But it vanished instantly, like it was never there. Was it… just an illusion?"
Leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, Kagenori gave a slow, approving nod. "It was no illusion. That was the sensation of your blood super-saturating with oxygen, enhancing your physical form. Remember that feeling. Through conscious, sustained breathing, you can make that oxygen permeate every cell. It accelerates healing, steadies the mind, and sharpens the spirit. This is only the beginning. After mastering Full Concentration Breathing comes the next stage: Full Concentration Breathing, Constant. Maintaining that enhanced state at all times."
Kakashi let out a long, weary sigh, the memory of that fleeting power a potent lure. "I'll master it, Kagenori-sensei. I will."
After a few more minutes of rest, Kakashi picked up the mask and, with a new sense of purpose, secured it back over his face. He wanted that feeling again. He wanted to keep it.
...
Seven months later.
The seasons had turned. During a break in their relentless training, Kakashi watched as his sensei meticulously marked another 'X' on a worn map of the Land of Grass.
"Sensei," Kakashi finally asked, his curiosity overcoming his discipline. "What are you looking for?"
He had long since deduced that Kagenori's constant, methodical search wasn't part of their official reconnaissance. At first, he assumed it was a covert mission, and prying would be a severe breach of protocol. But after all this time, it seemed more personal.
Kagenori didn't look up. "I'm looking for someone."
"Is it a mission?" Kakashi pressed, emboldened by their months together. He had learned that while Kagenori was a merciless drill instructor in combat, he was surprisingly tolerant during downtime.
"No," Kagenori replied, rolling the map shut. "It is a personal matter."
Kakashi's visible eye widened with interest. "Is this person important to you, sensei?"
"Extremely."
Seeing the flicker of youthful gossip in Kakashi's gaze, Kagenori's lips quirked in a rare, faint smile. "That's enough questions. Finding her is uncertain enough as it is. Let's return to the base."
Kagenori kept his frustration internal. For seven months, they had scoured the Land of Grass, avoiding only the most fortified Iwagakure positions. He had seen no red hair, no sign of a woman matching the description. Not a single trace.
Their efforts had not been entirely fruitless, however. Using his Observation Haki, Kagenori had pinpointed numerous hidden Iwa outposts. After relaying the locations to Hatake Sakumo via summons, Konoha strike teams had systematically dismantled them. The Iwa command was reportedly baffled, unable to comprehend how their deeply concealed underground bunkers were being discovered with such unnerving accuracy.
Kakashi, for his part, had proven his genius. He had fully mastered the base Full Concentration Breathing, no longer needing the stifling mask. By synchronizing his breathing with the sword forms, he had genuinely learned the first six Forms of Thunder Breathing, his power and speed increasing dramatically.
Yet, one technique eluded him. After a failed attempt that ended with him sprawled on the ground, he approached Kagenori, frustration etched on his features.
"Sensei, I've mastered the first six forms. Why can't I perform the Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi? I could do a version of it before I learned the breathing method."
"The seventh form is a unique culmination, born from perfect mastery of the first six," Kagenori explained. "What you performed before was an empty shell, a crude imitation. You now understand the true power of Thunder Breathing when combined with proper breathing. They are two different arts. Your inability now proves you have not yet fully internalized the previous six. When you do, the seventh will come naturally."
He fixed Kakashi with a stern look. "Do not fixate on it. Your priority is Full Concentration Breathing, Constant. Your eyes can track your speed when you use the breathing method, but not without it. Only by making the enhanced state your new normal will your dynamic vision permanently improve. Master that, and I will teach you the faster variant: Thunderclap and Flash, God Speed."
"Understood," Kakashi said, his resolve hardening. "I'll begin practicing Constant right now."
He produced a small rubber ball, poking a tiny hole in it—a training tool Kagenori had devised to help him regulate and sustain his breath under pressure.
...
Two days later, they arrived back at the Konoha base. They found Hatake Sakumo in a strategy session with several senior Jonin. As a fellow Jonin and Orochimaru's disciple with a distinguished record, Kagenori was waved into the meeting. Kakashi, not yet of rank, remained outside.
After brief greetings, Kagenori took a seat, listening as the meeting resumed. The intelligence was grave, and a cold, focused light ignited in Kagenori's eyes. The timing was impeccable. The catalyst was arriving.
The report, fresh from Konoha, stated that high-level operatives from Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure had held a secret summit. Each delegation had departed with a scroll, heading for their respective villages.
Konoha's intelligence division believed the scrolls contained the finalized, coordinated war strategy for the three great villages.
An interception team on the Hot Springs front had failed to acquire the Cloud-nin's scroll. Another team had failed to seize the Mist-nin's scroll.
The responsibility to intercept the Iwagakure scroll, here in the Land of Grass, now fell squarely on Hatake Sakumo's shoulders. He was in the process of selecting a team for the mission—a mission he would lead personally.
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