"You wouldn't happen to be the legendary Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi, would you?"
"It's just an exaggerated title. Please, sit."
Kakashi gestured toward the seat across from him.
The man sat.
Tenten, Kasa, and Souma stood behind Kakashi, quietly studying the samurai-looking middle-aged man.
Judging from his build, his taijutsu was probably no joke.
As for swordsmanship—Souma couldn't yet decide.
But the man's behavior carried an unmistakable, subtle wrongness.
Souma's brow creased ever so slightly.
"My name is Kiyota Shin. Your reputation reaches even the Land of Iron. Now that someone of your caliber has taken this commission, that rebel Yuichi will surely be caught soon."
Kiyota Shin bowed politely.
Kakashi waved a hand.
"I'm dragging three kids with me. Even with my help, I can't guarantee perfection.
Let me ask first—what level of strength are we dealing with?"
"Of course. I'll tell you everything we know."
Kiyota Shin pulled out a small stack of documents.
Souma took one glance.
The papers were filled with notes about the target.
The fugitive samurai—Yuichi—was originally a commoner of the Iron Country.
Estimated combat ability: around the level of a special jōnin.
Specialty: concealment, ambush, and an exceptional iaijutsu draw-slash.
Additionally—
He had stolen the Kiyota clan's treasured blade.
Souma's eyes darkened for a heartbeat.
Kakashi, face unreadable, nodded lightly.
"I see. Forgive the bluntness, but why come to us instead of requesting help from your own country?"
"Well…" Kiyota Shin hesitated only a little. "It's not that we can't, but that sword was forged as tribute for a certain… individuals above us. I cannot say more.
In short, retrieving it quietly is preferable.
Besides, since Yuichi fled into the Land of Fire, we planned to contact Konoha anyway. This simply saves time."
Kakashi returned the papers, nodding.
"Understood. Then we should depart immediately. The longer we wait, the more outdated your intel becomes."
"A relief to hear! With you leading, Yuichi won't escape!"
Kiyota Shin visibly relaxed.
Kakashi stood. Kiyota followed behind him. Souma, Tenten, and Kasa formed a loose formation, guarding the client.
Leaving the village went smoothly—just the usual logbook signing at the gate.
Kiyota Shin, being a samurai, had decent mobility.
After running halfway through the route, Souma was already "panting loudly," keeping pace but looking winded.
Kakashi frowned slightly.
"Souma, you alright?"
"N-No problem… Kakashi-sensei… I'll take a soldier pill and keep going."
Souma pulled one out.
It was one of the "failures" he'd taken earlier—neither very nourishing nor strong in chakra recovery.
Perfect for acting weak.
Kakashi sighed.
"Fine. This is a mission—don't expect us to slow down for your sake."
"I won't hold the team back."
Souma popped the pill into his mouth.
Tenten and Kasa stayed silent.
They didn't fully understand Souma's intentions, but they had a good guess.
If the intel were true, a fugitive samurai with special-jōnin ability was nothing Kakashi couldn't deal with alone.
But if the Kiyota clan had other intentions—
keeping Souma "weak" ensured Kiyota Shin would let his guard down.
And if the target was truly stronger than advertised, then Souma hiding his strength was an additional ace.
Best case: nothing happens.
Worst case: Souma springs the trap.
Tenten and Kasa backed him up without a word.
And Souma?
He very simply preferred to err on the side of caution.
He patted the thick stack of sealing tags and explosive tags hidden in his clothes. The weight was reassuring.
Tenten and Kasa weren't deadweight—they followed his lead perfectly, acting as though Souma was always poor in stamina.
When they paused to rest, Kiyota Shin finally couldn't hold back.
He walked to Kakashi, lowering his voice.
"Kakashi-dono, that child is…?"
"My disciple, Yagyu Souma. A genius—he's created several jutsu already. But unfortunately…"
Kakashi sighed.
Kiyota Shin's expression was complicated.
Kakashi gave a small, reassuring laugh.
"Don't worry. His taijutsu is lacking, yes—but in ninjutsu he's extremely reliable."
"A specialist type, I see. Well, ninjas shouldn't neglect their bodies, but with a teacher like you guiding him, I'm sure he'll improve."
Kiyota Shin smiled politely.
"Of course. He's under my command—I'll train him well. You needn't concern yourself."
Tenten exchanged looks with Souma.
She seemed convinced Souma had misread the situation.
Souma, however, believed even if he had, acting cautious cost nothing.
Watching swordsmanship only required two eyes.
Souma was determined to stick to the plan.
Based on Kiyota Shin's information, Yuichi had last been seen in a small settlement near the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Iron.
Not too far from Konoha.
But throughout the journey, Souma could feel it—
Kiyota Shin was observing them.
Not unusual for a client evaluating the squad's strength.
But combining that with everything else…
Souma's suspicion only deepened.
While collecting intel in the town, Souma managed to quietly consult Kakashi.
Kakashi agreed with Souma's assessment—
and gave him a subtle "Don't worry, I've made preparations" look.
Kakashi had a plan.
And if Kakashi had a plan, Souma could relax a little.
Otherwise, he would have already taken action to restrain their "client."
"Mr. Kiyota," Kakashi called after finishing his private discussion, "based on what we found, Yuichi likely left this area already. Do you have further leads?"
"Well… The man used to be a hunter. If I had to guess, he probably escaped into the mountains.
You see, I had to come to Konoha to request assistance, so…"
Kiyota Shin scratched his head awkwardly.
"You mean," Souma said mildly, "your clan didn't send anyone else with you?
If the target really is at special-jōnin level, you shouldn't have been able to chase him alone. A fleeing opponent can't be stopped by a single pursuer."
Kiyota Shin nodded, face darkening.
"Yes. There were originally three of us. But Yuichi knows the forest too well. He used traps and poisons alongside his blade technique… the other two were badly injured.
I couldn't pursue it alone, so… I sought help."
"I see. So the man also knows traps and poisons."
Kakashi's expression hardened.
"Yes! He has no honor. Not worthy of being called a samurai!"
Kiyota Shin spat with righteous fury.
Kakashi fell silent.
A samurai who excelled at concealment, traps, poisons, and iaijutsu…
"Special-jōnin level" was starting to sound like an understatement.
Which raised the question—
Why was the Kiyota clan seeking outside help?
A clan request, not a state request.
Meaning: internal politics might be involved.
After thinking for a moment, Kakashi said,
"Mr. Kiyota, do you have something belonging to the target? Preferably something he carried close."
"I do."
Kiyota Shin took out a torn, blood-stained scrap of clothing.
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