Kakashi returned to his residence, gathered his belongings, and departed from Konoha.
Not far from Konoha, Kakashi unfolded the scroll and examined its contents; a frown creased his face. "Snow Country? It appears to be there. It's troublesome—this region is perilous."
Kakashi secured the scroll, set up a small pyre, and burned it.
Since a ninja must never leave behind the details of a mission, the scroll was destroyed in accordance with Konoha's secret protocol and one of the fundamental rules.
Lost in thought, Kakashi soon resumed his journey.
The mission in Snow Country was not trivial. The local daimyo had discovered that a rebellion was brewing and had requested Konoha's assistance—not to engage the insurgents directly, but to dispatch his daughter, Hiyori.
Yet this assignment was classified as an A-rank task, naturally far from simple.
After all, if a confrontation were merely a ninja duel, it would be deemed a B-rank mission; how could an A-rank assignment be so straightforward?
Although there was no Hidden Rain in Snow Country, a cadre of elite Snow Shinobi loyal to the daimyo guarded the territory.
The original dossier mentioned three exceptional ninjas from Snow Country.
Though their successes partly depended on chakra-infused armor, their inherent skill was formidable.
Especially their leader, Avalanche Hyōga, who stood out above the rest.
According to the dossier, Kakashi had once been overwhelmed by them, forcing him to retreat from Snow Country alongside Hiyori in embarrassment.
It was evident that, at this moment, Kakashi was not their equal.
Furthermore, their loyalties toward Hiyori and her uncle Yukiteru were far from certain.
"What shall I do? If I fail this mission, my reputation among the Third Generation will suffer," Kakashi mused in despair. Was he meant to face such fierce battles immediately after his rebirth? Shouldn't he have had time to train with some of his junior comrades first?
Yet even summoning reinforcements now was impractical. The mission had a strict deadline. Snow Country lay far away—a four‐day journey at full pace.
"Enough—I must press on and devise a solution. I cannot allow myself to perish."
Four days later, Kakashi reached the border of Snow Country.
This small realm was shrouded in perpetual snow, hence its name.
Its inhabitants scarcely glimpsed the sun throughout the year, their features rendered as pale as the endless snow.
Kakashi wrapped his thin garments tightly. After all, although it was only October, he customarily wore light clothing.
Having once served in the ANBU, Kakashi was adept at remaining inconspicuous.
Disguised in ordinary clothes, he entered Snow Country without drawing attention.
According to intelligence, the renowned Hiyori of Snow Country had uncovered that her brother harbored treacherous ambitions to launch a coup in the near future.
That day, Snow Country appeared calm; the coup had yet to commence.
Thus, there remained a chance.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes and first sought shelter at an inn.
In the dead of night, cloaked in a dark suit, Kakashi stealthily infiltrated the daimyo's mansion.
The sprawling estate made it a laborious task for him to locate daimyo Yukimaru.
Kakashi retrieved a portrait to confirm that the man before him was indeed Yukimaru.
In a swift movement, Kakashi materialized before the daimyo.
Startled, Yukimaru exclaimed, "Who are you?"
"Lord Yukimaru, I am a ninja of Konoha." Kakashi, his face concealed behind a white wolf mask, spoke in a cool, emotionless tone.
Relieved, Yukimaru recognized that Kakashi was allied with his nephew, Yukiteru.
"You have finally arrived. My daughter will soon join you. I trust you will escort her to Mr. Mifune in the Land of Craftsmanship."
Kakashi nodded. "Pray, where is your daughter?"
"Come with me," Yukimaru instructed.
After traversing several corridors, Kakashi was led into a private chamber.
"Is Hiyori asleep?"
"Ah, Father, Hiyori is still awake. What is the matter?" Hiyori greeted her father with a bright smile, hopeful at his arrival.
"Indeed, Father has been occupied and cannot tend to you as he once did. I will arrange for your safe passage to Mr. Mifune in the Land of Craftsmanship, agreed?"
Hiyori's smile faltered. "Father, I do not wish to leave Snow Country. I want to remain by your side. I promise to be obedient and not cause any trouble."
"This…" Yukimaru sighed in resignation; if not for his own insecurity, he too would wish to keep his daughter close.
But circumstances left him no choice. His younger brother, Yukiteru—who had long abandoned Snow Country and recently returned after mastering a rare ninjutsu—now appeared to covet power.
Yukimaru could do little but send Hiyori away.
After all, why risk enlisting a ninja to confront the raging storm?
The reason was simple. Ninjas were forbidden from entangling themselves in the political strife of another land.
Yukiteru, a native son of Snow Country and Yukimaru's kin, possessed both the skill and stature to command attention.
Konoha could