Chapter 40: The Tragedy of Curry Rice
Looking at the steaming, fragrant curry rice with an extra lump of 'filth' on top, the masked man completely broke down in rage.
After the anger passed, he drew one crucial piece of information from the incident, Kakashi was now capable of using the Mangekyō Sharingan.
The masked man had also noticed some of Akatsuki's recent movements. However, after questioning Black Zetsu, he stopped paying them any mind.
As his source of intelligence, Black Zetsu was someone he currently trusted without reservation.
After all, as the embodiment of Uchiha Madara's will, Black Zetsu's objective could only be the collection of the tailed beasts and Madara's revival.
So even when he discovered some time ago that the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki was actually in Amegakure, he didn't find it strange.
The tailed beasts had to be collected in order, starting from the One-Tail.
In that case, luring the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki over early and keeping her in the village made perfect sense.
"Kakashi… I will make sure you reunite with everyone in the other world."
After murmuring this darkly to himself, the masked man activated his ability and prepared to leave the Kamui space.
His lunch was ruined. He needed to buy another one.
However, just as space began to distort, the lump that had been lying quietly on the curry rice suddenly moved.
At incredible speed, it shot straight toward the masked man's right eye.
"Ah!"
In a forest, the masked man's figure appeared. He let out a scream, clutching his eye as he dropped to one knee.
In truth, he wasn't injured at all. What had just happened was simply more horrifying than any wound.
When the Kamui space was completely cut off from the outside world, the lump had no path to complete Shiromo's Crazy Diamond "repair," and could only remain motionless.
But the moment the masked man prepared to leave, the passage to the outside world opened.
The lump immediately rushed toward the only exit, Which was his eye.
The masked man watched helplessly as that lump drew closer and closer to his eye, and then burrowed straight inside.
Even without any physical injury, it left behind a psychological scar that would never fade.
At this moment, the masked man hated the Sharingan's extraordinary perception more than ever.
As the lump flew toward him, every detail, every texture, every trace of heat, was visible with horrifying clarity.
"Damn you, Kakashi."
His rage flared again. Seeing the lump flying rapidly into the distance, the masked man sprang to his feet and chased after it.
He wanted to see exactly what kind of tracking technique that idiot Kakashi had developed, to actually use something this filthy.
The masked man sprinted at full speed, his Sharingan's powerful perception locking onto the fast-moving lump.
However…
Don't forget: Crazy Diamond's repair ability, when not applied through direct contact but instead through this "aura contamination" method, would stop once the aura dissipated.
As the masked man continued the chase, the lump flying through the air suddenly stopped, leaving only inertia to carry it forward.
In an instant, the masked man caught up.
Still lunging forward, he was just about to slam headfirst into it, but fortunately phased at the last moment.
The lump passed through his head and dropped to the ground.
The masked man stopped in place, staring blankly at the lump on the ground, and finally let out a breath of relief.
Just a single lump, and yet it had given him pressure comparable to facing a Flying Thunder God kunai.
He reached down and touched his pants, which felt slightly damp.
Was it sweat?
It couldn't possibly be urine… right?
---
Land of Fire, Konohagakure Village.
Kakashi, looking utterly exhausted, reported Kazahana Koyuki's situation to the Third Hokage.
He also remembered that back when he was still in ANBU, he had once carried out a mission escorting the Land of Snow princess during her escape.
"This mission is up to you, Kakashi, whether to continue or abandon it.₹
"If you choose to continue, I can upgrade it to an S-rank mission. You may mobilize up to two squads as reinforcements at any time."
There was no hidden scheme. Sarutobi Hiruzen simply placed the decision directly in Kakashi's hands.
The Land of Snow lay in the northwest. Even if it truly developed, the first country it would have to face would be the Land of Earth.
Moreover, Konoha already possessed intelligence regarding the Land of Snow.
With that level of strength, they were frankly not worth worrying about, especially since their so-called "Ice Release" could only function effectively in the frozen environment of their homeland.
Kakashi naturally chose to continue the mission.
As for reinforcements, he didn't refuse.
But he chose only one squad.
The team led by his old friend, Might Guy.
According to the latest intelligence provided by the Third Hokage, the chakra armor produced by the Land of Snow at the cost of their entire national strength had many effects.
Enhancing the user's chakra, increasing the power of ninjutsu, defending against ninjutsu and genjutsu…
In short, it couldn't defend against taijutsu.
Kakashi arranged for Guy's team to follow in secret. When things reached a point he couldn't handle, Guy's team would step in.
Back at the film crew's campsite.
Santayū had already persuaded the director and the rest of the crew to continue toward the Land of Snow.
The director was quite a character. He believed that if audiences discovered that the protagonist of 'The Princess Gale' was a real princess, the popularity would skyrocket.
And the story of an exiled princess reclaiming her country fit the film's narrative perfectly.
As for whether a normal person like him might accidentally die in battle, that concern had long since been tossed aside.
This director truly loved movies.
The only problem was that Kazahana Koyuki still refused to go back.
After returning, Kakashi didn't go to persuade Kazahana Koyuki right away. Instead, he went straight to Shiromo, his face full of weary helplessness.
"Messing around with Naruto once was enough. Please don't ever use that technique again. It's way too terrifying."
Along the way, Kakashi had seen countless Konoha villagers clutching their backsides.
Without Sharingan, they had no idea what had happened and thought someone had rapidly used the Thousand Years of Death on them.
The only ones who knew that technique were the late White Fang of Konoha and Kakashi himself, so suspicion immediately fell on Kakashi.
Fortunately, witnesses from a third-party perspective testified that the attacker wasn't Kakashi.
Only then did he manage to clear his name.
"This has nothing to do with me. It was Gaara from the Sunagakure Village."
"Huh?"
Kakashi tilted his head in confusion.
"When Gaara shows up during the Chūnin Exams, you'll understand. It really has nothing to do with me, he's the one who can control cat litter."
"..."
Kakashi was left speechless.
Stopping the banter with Shiromo, Kakashi walked over to Kazahana Koyuki and attempted to persuade her.
He failed.
Originally, Kakashi planned to use Sharingan genjutsu to knock her out and bring her onto the ship first, then talk afterward.
But his first-ever use of Kamui had drained him far too much. He was overly fatigued, and his Sharingan was temporarily unusable.
Kakashi turned to look at Shiromo and walked over.
"She seemed to agree with what you said earlier. Why don't you try?"
"Kakashi-sensei, you're so lame," Naruto whispered mockingly from the side.
"...That's only because I didn't use my ultimate secret technique," Kakashi retorted stubbornly, pulling out a copy of 'Icha Icha Paradise' from his pocket.
"A novel written by a single guy for other single guys, can that really count as a guide?"
"..."
Shiromo's single sentence rendered Kakashi speechless once again.
"Why won't you go back?"
Shiromo walked over and sat down beside Kazahana Koyuki, asking directly.
No lofty principles.
No long speeches of encouragement.
He simply threw the question back at her.
(End of this chapter)