Coincidentally, this was the period just after the attempted assassination of the Mizukage by Zabuza. In other words, was it now that he had taken in Haku?
The thought stirred something in Kakashi's mind—an image of a pale boy, delicate and quiet, like freshly fallen snow.
If the timeline hadn't changed too drastically, eight years from now, he would stand opposite that boy.
Kakashi let out a sigh. Thoughts like that could wait until later.
Having gathered what intel he could, Kakashi left the tavern quietly and made his way toward the rendezvous point—An Yueshan.
He kept his pace calm and relaxed, blending in with the crowds like an ordinary traveler.
Despite the turmoil in Kirigakure, the streets of Ningshui City bustled with life. The chaos hadn't reached the common folk yet. The scent of the sea, the sounds of merchants calling out, and the sight of ships unloading goods—all signs of normalcy. The people remained blissfully unaware of the blood-soaked policies spilling out from the hidden village.
An Yueshan, bathed in the thick darkness of the moonless night, was the perfect place for clandestine gatherings—and assassinations.
Kakashi had arrived early, cloaked in the shadows, dressed in a simple black outfit. If not for the flash of silver hair catching the moonlight, he would have been invisible.
Sitting on a large boulder, he began sorting through everything he knew about the current situation in Kirigakure.
The Yuki clan—Shiro's clan—had been wiped out not long ago. Zabuza's rebellion had failed, and he was now a missing-nin. Most recently, the Kaguya clan seemed poised to rise in open revolt.
That clan of berserkers, obsessed with battle and violence, had finally pushed too far. Their downfall was practically scripted.
Kimmimaro was likely still imprisoned by his own people, seen as a rare treasure, yet cursed with frailty. Orochimaru had probably already arrived in the Land of Water by now, though Kakashi couldn't be sure of his intentions.
He rubbed his forehead, the headache building.
Kirigakure had turned into a boiling pot—dangerous and unstable.
Worse still, the other figures active in the region weren't exactly passive observers: Orochimaru, at the height of his cunning; Obito, still working from the shadows as Tobi; the fanatical Kaguya clan; and Zabuza, now on the run.
If they ran into any of them, a confrontation was likely.
Zabuza would be the least of Kakashi's concerns. He was likely too focused on escape to provoke a fight. As long as he didn't pose a direct threat, Kakashi had no interest in engaging him.
There would be time enough for that later.
He had briefly considered rescuing Haku—but without knowing his exact location, it was impossible. And even if Zabuza had already taken the boy in, it wouldn't matter. Someone like Haku, once he gave his loyalty, wouldn't turn away.
It was a common thread among orphans in the shinobi world: once they found someone to believe in, they clung to them with everything they had.
"In any case," Kakashi murmured to himself, "we won't get the truth unless we infiltrate Kirigakure itself. That's the only way to get intel detailed enough to report back to the Hokage."
He lowered his hand, having reached a conclusion.
Just then, a presence flickered at the edge of his sensory range.
"Hm? That chakra signature... Shisui? He's fast."
Sure enough, Shisui soon landed beside him with barely a sound.
"Yin, I'm back," Shisui reported.
"Good. What did you find?"
"It's as we expected—Kirigakure is in chaos. Kekkei Genkai users are being hunted openly. I also heard rumors that the Kaguya clan plans to rebel in the next few days."
Kakashi's expression tightened. He sighed at the Kaguya clan's inevitable demise.
If Shisui had heard the rebellion plans during a single afternoon of recon, it meant the news was already spreading among civilians. The Kaguya weren't being discreet—they were charging headfirst into their end.
Muscle without strategy—classic Kaguya.
"Yin, we won't get anything concrete outside the village," Shisui continued. "All we've found so far are rumors. Kirigakure has locked down its internal information tight."
"Yeah. Makes sense," Kakashi muttered. "Once Yan and Zang return, we'll decide our next move."
"Understood."
It wasn't long before Xiyan and Tenzo arrived together.
"Yin, Shun—we're back," Xiyan announced.
"Any news?"
The two glanced at each other before Tenzo stepped forward.
"We saw Orochimaru's people in Ningshui City."
"What?" Kakashi asked sharply. "You're sure?"
He had suspected Orochimaru might be here, but confirmation so soon was unexpected.
"We overheard a conversation in a hot spring," Tenzo explained. "Two men talking in low voices. They mentioned 'Lord Orochimaru' multiple times. They didn't seem like random travelers."
"Did you catch anything else?"
"Not much. They were just scouts—surveillance agents. From what we could tell, they don't know the specifics of Orochimaru's movements. Just that he's already in the Land of Water."
"I see..."
Kakashi scratched his chin, eyes narrowing.
Everything was murky now—Kirigakure's internal war, Orochimaru's shadow games, the threat of rebellion. A dangerous blend of instability.
His team waited silently, trusting Kakashi to decide their next move.
Finally, he said, "We won't get reliable intel from outside. We'll have to go into Kirigakure."
The others tensed.
"But we won't all go," he added quickly. "Shun and I are the fastest. We'll handle it. Yan and Zang, stay here and cover our exit. Have a boat ready in case we need to run."
Kakashi's tone left no room for debate. Even so, Tenzo hesitated.
"Yin... shouldn't we go too?"
"No," Kakashi said firmly. "You two aren't suited for infiltration. Speed and evasion are crucial. If something goes wrong, Shun and I can escape quickly."
Tenzo and Xiyan exchanged a reluctant glance, but said nothing. They had been in Anbu long enough to know when to set emotion aside.
Even if it stung, dragging the team down would be unforgivable.
"Alright," Kakashi said, turning to Shisui. "Any objections?"
Shisui smiled faintly. "Of course not."
"Good. When we're done, we'll rendezvous here. The two of you secure transport. Get us a boat for a fast getaway."
"You can count on us," said Xiyan.
"Alright."
Kakashi turned. The shadows swallowed him and Shisui as they disappeared into the woods.
Xiyan watched them go, then whispered, "I hope they come back safe."
"They will," Tenzo replied. "Kakashi-senpai doesn't fall easily."
"Yeah."
Moving swiftly through the trees, the two figures raced toward the heart of Kirigakure.
After a long silence, Kakashi suddenly asked, "Shun… if this gets ugly, you ready?"
Shisui blinked, then grinned. "What's there to be afraid of?"
Kakashi's lips curled into a smile. "That's the spirit. A village like this won't hold us."
A subtle pressure radiated from Kakashi's body then—calm but overwhelming. Shisui glanced at him, momentarily stunned.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCE 30+ CHAPTERS
patreon.com/Prince209