Buzz!
Time itself seemed to freeze. Every ninja on the scene stood completely still, their minds struggling to process what they were seeing. The two black-robed figures walking slowly toward them were shrouded in mystery, yet they radiated an aura of unfathomable terror.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
In an instant, they could all feel their own hearts hammering against their ribs. An emotion they hadn't felt in a long time—pure, primal fear—seized them.
…"How… how is this possible!?" one of the Anbu whispered.
"They're just two men in robes… why is the aura they're giving off so terrifying?"
"Could they be… some kind of legendary shinobi?"
It wasn't just the rank-and-file ninja who were stunned. Even the young man known as the Copy Ninja, Kakashi Hatake, felt a cold knot of dread form in his stomach. For an opponent to project such an overwhelming presence without even making a move was a sign of immense power. They were deep in enemy territory, on a mission to track the powerful Uchiha clan. If something went wrong here, the consequences would be more than they could possibly bear. What were they supposed to do?
Kakashi wasn't the only one feeling the pressure. Sarutobi Shinnosuke, the Hokage's own son, felt as if the venomous gaze of a snake was fixed upon him. He could clearly sense that one of the black-robed figures had been staring directly at him from the moment they appeared. They were obviously powerful enough to have ambushed them from the shadows, yet they chose to reveal themselves openly. This could only mean one thing: they saw the Anbu squad as completely insignificant.
Normally, being underestimated might be good news, but Shinnosuke had a sickening feeling that their opponent's strength was truly on another level. More importantly, he knew that the only ones on his team who stood a chance in a real fight were himself and Kakashi. His wife, though an elite Jonin, was pregnant and couldn't use her full strength. And while only two enemies were visible, who knew how many more were lurking in the shadows?
"Kakashi, attack!" Shinnosuke thought, transmitting the order secretly using Anbu hand signals. As the second-in-command, Kakashi was the perfect tool. He could use the boy to test the enemy's strength. There was another, darker reason for his decision. He had been the one to slander and destroy Kakashi's father, the once-famous Konoha White Fang, Sakumo Hatake. If that truth ever came out, the boy would become a major problem. If he could use this opportunity to get Kakashi killed, or at least seriously wounded, he could eliminate that future threat for good.
…Whoosh!
The instant the order was given, Kakashi moved, his hands blurring through a series of seals. His body shot forward, and as he leaped into the air, three identical copies of himself appeared beside him. It was the Shadow Clone Jutsu. At the same time, the other Anbu members threw a wave of shuriken to cover his approach.
…"Quick, fall back!" Shinnosuke ordered his loyalists the moment Kakashi engaged. A cold smile touched his lips.
The ninja closest to him immediately began to retreat. His wife watched with a solemn expression, her heart sinking. Shinnosuke was using Kakashi as a shield. She wasn't surprised. She knew better than anyone that her husband was a man of mediocre strength, indecisive and terrified of death. She hadn't fallen for him because of his ability, but because of his family name. His strength was average, yet he was the Anbu Director. A true genius like Kakashi, famous throughout the Shinobi World, was just an ordinary Anbu. Being born into the right family was clearly more important than talent or hard work.
…"Damn it!" Kakashi cursed under his breath. He saw Shinnosuke and the others retreating, and his face twisted with anger. If his commander could sense the enemy's power, then of course he, a far more skilled ninja, could sense it too. At a critical moment like this, instead of working together, his own leader was using him as cannon fodder. This was the result of the Third Hokage's policy: hire your relatives, no matter how useless they are.
"Hmph, if we die here, do you really think you'll be able to escape, Shinnosuke?" Kakashi thought bitterly, a cold glint in his eye as he prepared his next attack.
…Buzz!
At that same moment, the eyes of the two black-robed figures met. One of them remained perfectly still. The other vanished.
"What!? How is that possible!?"
Amid the shocked cries from Kakashi and his clones, the black-robed figure reappeared, moving with blinding speed. He completely ignored Kakashi's attack and shot directly toward the retreating Shinnosuke.
"Oh no!" Shinnosuke screamed as he and his men watched in undisguised horror.
Swish!
A brilliant sword light flashed under the moonlight, as beautiful and deadly as a thousand feathers dancing in the wind.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
In a single instant, fountains of blood erupted from the necks of every ninja standing beside Sarutobi Shinnosuke.
"This… this is…" Shinnosuke stared, his mind reeling. That impossibly fast sword style stirred a memory from the darkest corner of his heart.
Impossible! It's impossible! Absolutely impossible! That man—the hero of Konoha, the former Anbu Director, the legend with the great reputation—was dead! He had made sure of it! He had persecuted him, smeared his name, and drove him to take his own life!
"You… how can you still be alive!?" Shinnosuke's voice rose to a hysterical roar. "Konoha White Fang, Sakumo Hatake… you, you're already dead!"
Puff!
The moment the name left his lips, both of his arms flew from his body, severed at the shoulder as dark red blood sprayed into the air.
From the shadows, the man's calm voice echoed. "Sarutobi clan's heir… I haven't been the Konoha White Fang for many years."
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