"Kakashi-sensei is really so irresponsible!"
Sakura sighed, complaining with a face full of resentment.
"We're almost at the Chunin Exams, and instead of coming to cheer us on, he's always nowhere to be found. Seriously!"
Sasuke had long since stopped expecting anything from that careless Jonin instructor.
"Once the Chunin Exams are over, I'll report to the Hokage and ask for a new Jonin instructor."
"Huh?"
Sakura was a bit shocked but quickly worried.
"Would that be bad?"
Usually, changing a Jonin instructor was very rare — only happening in extreme situations like the Jonin dying, defecting, or losing their ninja status.
"Rather than be guided by someone irresponsible, I'd rather offend him."
Sasuke complained about Kakashi firmly.
"I can't just stand by and watch him waste our time like this."
"Hmm?"
Sakura suddenly seemed to understand something and slyly said,
"Is it really for 'us,' or is it for 'Naruto'?"
"It's us."
Sasuke emphasized once again.
But unfortunately, the bright red earlobes betrayed her true feelings.
"Hahaha."
Sakura covered her mouth and chuckled, seeing through but not saying a word.
"By the way, you'll be training all this time, right?" she suddenly asked.
"Yeah."
Sasuke nodded, then said a little apologetically, "Sorry, I can't be with you, Sakura."
"That's okay~ You've got to do your best!"
Sakura clenched her fists tightly, her eyes fierce.
"When the time comes, you must defeat that gourd kid from the Sand Village and avenge Naruto!"
"Don't worry, I will!"
Sasuke's eyes were filled with confidence.
Half a month of training was enough for her to completely master 'Shunko!'
Nightfall.
In the remote part of Konoha, in front of a memorial stone, a mysterious person suddenly appeared.
Silver hair, wearing a half-mask — it was none other than Kakashi Hatake, who Sasuke and Sakura had spoken of but had been missing for a long time.
He placed a bouquet of pure white flowers down and silently stood before the memorial stone, looking at the carved names.
Finally, his gaze settled on one name, his eyes full of complicated emotions.
He muttered to himself, "Lord Sogetsu, what would you do if you were here?"
He had come seeking an answer.
But clearly, a 'dead person' couldn't answer his question.
Kakashi stared at the moonlight and sighed, "Is it really that hard to be alone for a while?"
In the pitch-black night, several shadows appeared suddenly around him like ghosts, making no sound at all.
In the moonlight, their faces were all hidden behind animal masks.
"Hatake Kakashi, we finally found you."
The cat-faced Anbu, surrounded by a chilling aura, spoke coldly,
"The Hokage has ordered that once your whereabouts are discovered, you must be immediately brought before him."
Looking at the dozen or so Anbu agents, Kakashi scratched his head with a helpless expression.
"Um, I just suddenly remembered, I haven't fed my cat at home yet. How about I go feed it first and then come with you?"
As he spoke, he tried to step forward half a step — but a kunai suddenly shot out and pinned itself into the grass right beside him.
"Kakashi, don't try to resist."
The cat-faced Anbu kept the throwing motion frozen, his voice cold and sharp.
"Otherwise, we have the authority to treat you as a rogue ninja and execute you immediately."
"Is it really necessary to be this serious?"
Kakashi dropped his playful expression, looking seriously at the surrounding Anbu agents.
"Can we discuss this? Is there really no way for me to leave?"
The cat-faced Anbu remained silent, but his actions spoke louder.
The dozen Anbu spread out, surrounding Kakashi tightly in the middle.
A cold, murderous intent brewed under the moonlight.
"We were once comrades…"
Kakashi's eyes lowered as he looked around, revealing a hint of sorrow.
"If it were up to me, I really wouldn't want to fight any of you."
"Attack!"
The cat-faced Anbu's voice was steady, emotionless, as he gave the order.
"If Kakashi resists arrest, he can be treated as a rogue ninja regardless of life or death!"
In the next moment, several figures flashed forward, aiming straight at Kakashi's face!
But Kakashi was faster — before they could touch him, he used the substitution jutsu to create distance.
"Stop him!"
The cat-faced Anbu immediately guessed Kakashi's plan — to escape directly.
As the command was given, several figures pursued him, unleashing a powerful Wind Release technique aimed at the ground.
The strong Wind Release tore through the earth, instantly exposing Kakashi's position.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Two Anbu members joined forces to unleash their ninjutsu.
Boom!
A massive fireball, fanned by wind release, grew even more fierce and blazing.
Watching the approaching fireball, Kakashi felt as if his eyebrows were about to catch fire. Without hesitation, he formed hand seals and pressed both hands to the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth Wall Formation!"
A half-meter-thick earthen wall rose up, blocking the fireball.
Crash!
Sparks flew as the scorching flames shattered the earth wall.
Taking advantage of the opening, Kakashi concentrated chakra at his feet, instantly accelerating his speed by a huge margin and forcefully breaking through the Anbu's encirclement.
Seeing Kakashi's fleeing direction, the remaining Anbu were about to give chase, but the cat-faced Anbu stopped them with a wave of his hand.
"No need to pursue."
The cat-faced Anbu sneered coldly, his eyes filled with an indescribable sinister expression.
Meanwhile, Kakashi, having escaped the Anbu's circle, replayed the cat-faced Anbu's words in his mind with a heavy expression.
"As expected, the Third Hokage has been replaced. Those people came to eliminate me. There's no way I can return to Konoha—I must find Jiraiya-sama!"
But just then, his mind suddenly screamed a warning.
A dense, deadly aura seeped into every inch of his skin, chilling and bone-piercing. The killing intent spread through the dense forest like creeping poison.
Kakashi abruptly stopped, eyes sharp and wary as he stared ahead.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
Swish, swish—
A figure slowly emerged from the trees.
Moonlight filtered through the branches, casting broken patches of light on the figure's face—revealing a visage Kakashi knew all too well.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi!
"It's you! Who exactly are you?!"
Kakashi immediately heightened his guard and assumed a battle stance.
He knew very well that this person before him was no longer the true Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, but a counterfeit who had replaced him.
"Heh, you're the only one who's noticed me,"
The 'Third Hokage' ripped off his mask, revealing a pale, inhuman face twisted into a strange grin.
"Hatake Kakashi, truly a genius worthy of inheriting the White Fang's name. But unfortunately, after today, you will vanish. No one will ever know what happened."
*******
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