Deep within a forest in the Land of Rivers, three Sunagakure shinobi hid near a flowing stream, alert and waiting for something.
"Water Release: Surging Sea!"
The water in the stream suddenly swirled and surged toward the three Sunagakure shinobi.
"Enemy attack!" One of them shouted as they hastily jumped back to avoid being swept into the rapid currents.
A figure dashed out from the shadows, lightning crackling in his hand, accompanied by the piercing sound of chirping birds.
"Lightning Blade!"
"It's a Lightning Release user—stay away from the water! Wind Release: Wind Compression!" One of the Sunagakure shinobi shouted.
"AAAHHH—!"
But the warning came too late. Two of his comrades had already been paralyzed by the lightning and were swept away by the raging currents below.
The lone survivor barely managed to land in a safe zone, preparing to flee—only for a hand to emerge from the ground beneath him.
"Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!"
"Easy work… Another achievement under my belt. I'll be squad captain in no time..." The shinobi known as 'Fox' slowly rose from the water, his hands forming two Water Prisons that encased the struggling enemies.
"The Wolf's Lightning Release is as sharp as ever… And our captain's not bad either."
(T/N: The wolf is Kakashi)
—
"Alright, let's extract the intel." The squad captain seemed in good spirits after the quick and efficient takedown.
All members of the Root were trained in interrogation techniques, and with the aid of genjutsu, few could withstand their methods.
But when Kakashi heard a certain name, his expression behind the mask shifted to one of sheer disbelief.
"Rin?"
Wasn't she supposed to be in the Land of Water? Why was her name appearing in intelligence gathered in the Land of Rivers?
Unfortunately, the captured Sunagakure shinobi only knew fragments of information. They were here to receive a Konoha captive being transferred from the Land of Water—"Nohara Rin."
That was all they knew.
After dealing with the three prisoners and sealing their heads to prevent information leaks, the captain made a decisive call.
"There's likely some kind of secret agreement between Sunagakure and the Land of Water. We're abandoning our current mission—we need to report this intelligence immediately."
Fox responded without hesitation, "Understood."
But Kakashi remained silent, still grappling with the shock of hearing Rin's name.
"Wolf, what's wrong?"
Kakashi's thoughts were a tangled mess, but he forced himself to answer honestly. "The 'Nohara Rin' mentioned in the intel… She was my former teammate."
"A comrade?" The captain frowned.
"Yes. A comrade." Kakashi nodded firmly.
The captain fell into deep thought. "Something about this feels… off. The timing is too convenient. I don't recommend taking unnecessary risks."
He then turned to Fox.
Fox let out a conflicted sigh. 'Another choice for me, huh…? Well… if she's really his comrade, I think we should at least check it out. If things go south, we retreat and request backup.'
According to Root's rules, when a mission's course was debated, the majority decision ruled.
"Alright. Then it's settled."
Without wasting another word, the captain summoned a messenger hawk and sent their intelligence report flying toward Konoha.
The three of them then set off toward their new objective.
Once they had left, a figure emerged from a nearby tree—Zetsu.
"Heh… The fish has taken the bait. Things are about to get interesting…"
—
On the eighth day after leaving Konoha, Danzo finally crossed the borders of the Land of Fire and arrived in the Land of Rivers.
Inside a hidden Root base, he stared at Kakashi, whose body was wrapped in bandages, his gaze hollow and lifeless.
"Kakashi."
The response was almost mechanical. "…Lord Danzo." His voice was devoid of emotion.
Danzo had already received a full report on what had transpired.
Even though he had attempted to alter the original course of events, Kakashi and Rin had still been caught in fate's cruel grasp.
Obito had been a pawn in Madara's game.
But the ones who were sacrificed to shape that pawn into what Madara needed… were the ones who had suffered the most.
And Danzo, despite all his planning, was powerless to change it. He let out a heavy sigh.
"I know what happened. This was not your fault."
"But… they all died because of me… Obito… Rin… the captain… Fox…"
With every name he uttered, his hollow gaze darkened further, his voice growing quieter until it became an inaudible murmur.
Even Danzo found the sight unbearable.
At this rate, the only people Kakashi had left were Minato Namikaze—and even he…
Danzo could foresee what was coming next.
Watching Kakashi drown in self-blame, his expression void of all will to live, Danzo's face hardened.
"…Shut up."
His fist crashed into Kakashi's stomach, breaking through his dazed stupor.
"Ugh—!"
Kakashi doubled over in pain, blood seeping from his still-healing wounds.
Standing nearby, Nonō Yakushi was too shocked to react.
Danzo's voice was cold and unwavering.
"They're dead. That's exactly why you need to keep living—for them. Not waste away like some lifeless corpse."
His words were harsh, but he knew there was no comforting someone in this state. A more delicate approach wouldn't work.
"Who do you think you're betraying with this pathetic display? Your father's hopes for you? Obito's Sharingan? Rin's sacrifice? Or your comrades' trust?"
Danzo's voice grew sharper.
"Your life no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the dead. Live for them."
Without another word, he turned and walked out of the base, unable to shake his own sense of frustration.
A few moments later, Nonō stepped out after him.
"How are his injuries?" Danzo asked.
"He'll be fine… But that punch of yours just added two more days to his recovery," she replied, her tone carrying a hint of reproach.
Danzo allowed himself a small, bitter smile.
"When he's healed, send him on a mission. Keep him moving. Time is the only thing that can dull the pain."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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