Uchiha Souji touched his chin thoughtfully.
He had been turning a certain problem over in his mind for most of the morning, and the more he thought about it, the more clearly he realized something: he really needed to visit Kakashi.
Just as that conclusion was forming, a familiar voice floated toward him.
"Yo, good morning!"
Souji looked up, surprised. A white-haired ninja was walking toward him, hands behind his head in that lazy, casual way only one man did.
Souji blinked.
Kakashi?! What is he doing here? Isn't he part of Anbu? Shouldn't he be working?
In Souji's mind, Anbu members were basically overworked social animals, constantly running missions, rarely touching sunlight. Yet here Kakashi was, greeting him like he had all the time in the world.
Before Souji could even open his mouth, Kakashi sighed lightly.
"Well, don't look at me like that. I haven't taken a real vacation in years. After that injury I got, I just… kept resting."
Souji simply stared.
Kakashi scratched his nose in embarrassment.
"What a rare leisure, right?"
Souji nodded slowly. Now he understood why this man wasn't buried under Anbu assignments today. His gaze drifted downward, landing on the bright orange paper bag in Kakashi's hand.
Drawn on its front, in bright red handwriting, was a circle.
Inside the circle— a slash.
Above it— the number "18."
Souji's eyebrow twitched.
This is definitely a questionable book.
Kakashi cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable being caught with it.
"Ahem. This is a novel my friend Might Guy asked me to bring him. I keep telling him not to read so many things like this. People will misunderstand."
He sighed dramatically.
"But he never listens. He's truly stubborn."
Souji's mouth twitched even harder.
Did Might Guy actually ask for this?!
Does he know what Kakashi is blaming him for?!
If Kakashi had said the book was for the Third Hokage, Souji might've believed it more easily. But for Might Guy? That was too bizarre.
Souji couldn't stop the thought:
Dirty books only slow down Might Guy's punches! They must be illegal for taijutsu users!
Kakashi suddenly pointed at the sun.
"Well… it's getting late. Shouldn't you be heading to school? You'll be late."
The way he stared at Souji made the boy feel like Kakashi wanted to escape this awkward situation as fast as possible.
Souji slapped his forehead.
Right— school!
He had been gone almost a whole month.
Would the teachers even recognize him anymore?
Still, before leaving, he remembered something important.
"Senior Kakashi, you said before that I can ask you questions anytime, right?"
Kakashi paused.
This kid really had no sense of politeness. Asking an Anbu captain like he was asking a neighbor for sugar.
But he nodded anyway.
Souji continued, "I heard from the clan head that Senior Kakashi is a powerful Lightning Style user. I wanted to ask about Lightning Style training…"
Kakashi was stunned.
Lightning Style?
Not Sharingan?
Not Raikiri?
Just Lightning Style basics?
That was easy.
Souji didn't want to learn actual jutsu directly, especially dangerous ones.
He knew something important:
Even simple ninjutsu can kill you if practiced incorrectly.
Take the Great Fireball Technique— a basic Uchiha C-rank ninjutsu.
If used wrong, you could burn your throat or even cause an explosion inside your mouth.
If that happened with a C-rank jutsu, what about A-rank techniques?
Or Forbidden Jutsu?
That was why proper guidance mattered.
Most civilian ninjas failed to rise not because of lack of talent, but because no one guided them.
Kakashi touched his chin, thinking.
Lightning Style experience?
That he could share.
He nodded.
"I still have two weeks of vacation left. If you have questions, just come to my house."
He then told Souji his address.
Souji thanked him, then rushed toward the academy.
---
Two days later…
Time passed quietly.
Souji waited.
And waited.
And waited.
But Mizuki never showed up.
He even used the Konoha Guard members to investigate.
But they didn't have high-level access.
They couldn't find Root's location or where Mizuki had been taken.
Souji had no choice but to wait and hope.
As the sun dipped toward evening, Souji sighed.
Another day wasted.
He would return home, rest, and visit Kakashi tomorrow to ask about Lightning Style training.
He scratched his head, reached to close the gate—
And froze.
A man stood in front of him.
A wreck of a man.
Hair messy.
Eyes bloodshot.
Face unshaven.
Clothes wrinkled.
Body swaying like he hadn't slept in days.
If he wasn't wearing a ninja vest, Souji would have sworn he was a beggar who wandered into the Uchiha district by mistake.
The man looked familiar…
but also completely different.
Souji squinted, studying his eyes.
"…Mizuki?"
The man nodded weakly.
Important Event — Mizuki returns, but in terrible condition.
It was really him.
The same Mizuki who had been taken away by Root a few days earlier.
Souji felt a chill.
Mizuki had originally thought Root training meant learning spy codes or simple undercover skills.
He had been wrong. Very wrong.
Root had stuffed every bit of ninja knowledge they could into his head— forcefully, painfully, relentlessly.
Mizuki's hollow expression said everything.
Souji inhaled sharply.
Whatever happened to him…
Root had broken him almost completely.
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