Chapter 137: 133: Reflection
Looking through the barbed wire fence surrounding Training Ground No. 44, one could witness a swarm of hired carpenters diligently restoring the land and trees within the devastated Forest of death.
The recent battle months ago had inflicted significant damage on the forest of death. The destructive force of immense summoned creatures and the relentless barrage of numerous ninjutsu had left the forest in a state of disarray.
A mere glance from the outside painted a vivid picture of the intensity of that fateful night.
The earth had been gouged as if a meteor had struck, and countless trees within a several-mile radius lay uprooted and reduced to a desolate wasteland.
In terms of the present situation, Konoha had invested a staggering amount of resources into the Forest of death's restoration. The manpower and materials expended were not to be underestimated.
Meanwhile, in a secluded corner of Training Ground No. 44, Kakashi was training alone. His goal was clear: to become stronger.
Joining Minato's team had not significantly increased his strength.
His path had already been determined by a certain man. Aa plan laid out during the preparatory phase.
Whether during the Chunin level, upon reaching Jonin level, or at more distant level, a comprehensive and orderly plan had been made.
Kakashi merely followed the guidance of that man, walking steadfastly along the designated path. Thus, his entry into Team Minato couldn't increase his strength.
As his strength continued to grow, ordinary methods could no longer facilitate the breakthroughs he needed. Even Namikaze Minato struggled with this limitation.
Kakashi sat before a wooden post with his back against it, his presence calm and focused. The White Fang lay unsheathed across his lap, embodying the "Sword and Man" state. Here, he felt the breath of nature conceived in this state.
After a long period in this state, he rose from the ground, holding White Fang in his hand. A light blue aura now clung to the blade, subtly changing its appearance.
This transformation resulted from Kakashi's mastery of Lightning Release chakra nature transformation.
White Fang had a powerful nature-changing chakra absorption capability. Kakashi's Lightning Release focused on strength and speed, particularly thrusting.
When unsheathed, it was meant to deliver lethal strikes at lightning speed.
Without hesitation, Kakashi swung White Fang, aiming to slash the wooden post behind him. The blade sliced through the post, leaving no visible incision, as if his previous swing had been a mere illusion.
Yet, upon closer inspection, hair-thin cuts and scattered sawdust revealed the sword's passage.
"Another failure?" Perfecting the art of leaving no trace upon cutting was an extremely challenging task.
However, this was Kakashi's current training objective, an essential step toward mastering the manipulation of Lightning Release chakra nature.
"Kakashi, are you here? Let's go..."
A voice from behind interrupted him, prompting Kakashi to instinctively attack the intruder with his sword.
His strike met nothing but empty air. The person behind him had skillfully evaded the attack with Body Flicker.
"Now is not the time for actual combat exercises, Kakashi."
The intruder, none other than Minato, reminded him.
Minato stood behind Kakashi, gently patting his shoulder and offering a smile.
"I was merely curious about how fast Minato-sensei could be." Kakashi responded.
"So, are you satisfied?"
"There's still a significant gap."
Kakashi hadn't even noticed Minato's movements, and he wondered if Minato had used space-time ninjutsu. However, it appeared to be a result of the Body Flicker Jutsu, sufficient for someone of Minato's caliber.
"It's quite rare to possess such strength at your age." Minato reassured him. He understood that geniuses could be a bit headstrong.
Occasionally revealing his own abilities was beneficial for teamwork, allowing Kakashi to identify with his team and eventually be influenced by it.
Kakashi shook his head in silence, sheathed his sword, and followed Minato out of Training ground No. 44. They regrouped at Konoha's gate.
"Minato-sensei, what's our mission this time?"
"It's an A-rank mission." Minato replied with a sigh.
"?"
Kakashi was slightly confused, not due to fear of the mission's difficulty. He had encountered A-rank missions numerous times throughout his career since graduating.
Completing an A-rank mission was certainly within his capabilities.
What confused him was the presence of two relatively inexperienced genins on their team—Obito and Rin.
Despite some initial missions together, mostly D and C-rank missions, they had yet to tackle a B-level mission. The sudden jump to an A-level mission seemed unusual.
"Our frontline is under pressure. The village recently dispatched another unit to support them. With ninjas needing to remain in the village, there are fewer teams available to accept missions. Hence, our team was assigned this mission." Minato explained.
Kakashi understood the situation. In short, there was a shortage of manpower, and even rookie teams like theirs couldn't afford to idle anymore. Following the recent internal turmoil, Konoha's Jonin ranks had been significantly depleted, leading to necessary adjustments in missions.
"And..." Kakashi prodded for more information.
"And?"
"Nothing"
Minato had a worried expression, clearly concerned about something.
Hidden movements by Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning raised suspicions and potentially posed a threat to Konoha.
During the previous Jonin meeting, the Hokage had shared an important message with them. If Kumogakure joined the battle on Konoha's side, the Third Hokage would personally confront Kumogakure's Third Raikage. Such an action would further deplete the village's strength.
Konoha had already deployed almost half of its troops to the battlefield of forces from Iwagakure and Sunagakure,
Although the Third Kazekage was missing, this development indicated favorable signs.
Yet, the Third Tsuchikage from Iwagakure, Onoki, possessed the powerful Kekkei Tōta: Dust Release and had yet to enter the fray. His influence was equivalent to that of a tailed beast.
Rin awaited them at Konoha's gate, but there was no presence of Ibito, likely lost while trying to help Grandmas while on his way yet again.
It wasn't until it was almost time for departure that Obito arrived late and stood in front of the three of them panting.
"You're always the last one. Do you always have to show some love to those old ladies who are lost on the road of life?"
Kakashi said with a deadpan expression.
"Alright, Kakashi, don't tease Obito like that, as long as he's not late." Minato interjected, easing the situation.
Nonetheless, Obito responded with a disdainful snort, positioning himself away from Kakashi, showing his reluctance to stand beside Kakashi.
The four-member team embarked on their mission, moving into the vast forest outside Konoha.
"Minato-sensei, what's the objective of this A-rank mission we're taking this time?" Obito asked with excitement.
This was his first experience with such a challenging A-Rank mission, making it quite memorable.
Moreover, it signified his advancement to A-rank missions, implying that S-rank missions were not too far off. The prospect of becoming a Chunin, Jonin, then Hokage stirred his imagination.
'Hehe...'
Suddenly, a realization struck him, and he coughed to regain composure, attempting to appear serious.
"We're tasked with intercepting the enemy in coastal areas." Minato explained briefly.
"Coastal?"
"The specifics are rather complicated. You will understand once we arrive."
After Minato finished speaking, Obito stopped asking.
"However, is our team of four truly sufficient for this mission?" Kakashi expressed concern.
He didn't share Obito's daydreams. A-rank missions typically involved Jonin level ninjas same level as Minato, possibly even more than one.
"Don't worry; the rest of the team will support us. If we meet Jonin from the enemy's side, I'll deal with them first." Minato assured with a serious gaze.
Kakashi recognized Minato's immense confidence and acknowledged that the Hokage had likely conveyed these words with the same assurance.
Space-time ninjutsu, when used against opponents who couldn't react in time, spelled certain death, regardless of one's ninja level.
.....
In the coastal canyon, accompanied by the melodious birdsong, the electric light cast its radiance over the terrain ahead.
Shortly after, a thunderous explosion rent the rock wall atop the canyon, causing it to scatter into countless enormous stones that plummeted towards the road below.
The enemies beneath swiftly rose to their feet, desperately dodging the massive stones hurtling from the sky.
Getting struck by one of those would be no laughing matter.
Observing the havoc wreaked by his earth release, Kakashi promptly drew his sword from its sheath on his back. He channeled lightning chakra into the sword, enveloping it in a faint, light-blue aura interwoven with hair-thin strands of crackling lightning.
Kakashi's eyes flashed with a blue lightning hue, radiating an intimidating strength that didn't match his youthful appearance, instilling a heavy sense of pressure upon the enemy.
"That sword is—."
One of the enemies seemed to recognize the legendary sword but was cut off mid-sentence as Kakashi's sword cleaved through his chest. A brilliant crimson marked the end of the battle.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Obito shouted, expelling a one-meter-diameter fireball, his most powerful ninjutsu unleashed with full force.
He hoped this would wipe out their enemies, but instead, the enemies dogged the fireball with swift Body Flicker jutsu, closing the gap to Obito at astonishing speed. A sly grin appeared on one of enemy's face as he prepared to end Obito with a kunai.
A sword crackling with lightning currents sliced through the air, piercing the enemy's neck and emerging on the other side.
The enemy slumped to the ground as Kakashi stared at Obito with his upside-down dead fish eyes. In his silence, he seemed to be mocking Obito for his perceived weakness.
After finishing this enemy, Kakashi didn't stop, but went to find the remaining enemies to attack, and wipe out enemies here as soon as possible
Obito couldn't stand idly by while Kakashi hogged the spotlight in battle. Kakashi's power, something Obito could never hope to achieve no matter how hard he tried, highlighted by the gap in their abilities.
Why was there such a huge gap in strength among people of the same age?
Obito clenched his teeth and continued fighting, inwardly he resolved to triple his training efforts after returning.
His expectations for A-level missions reduced as the harsh reality dawned upon him. The enemies they faced on A-level missions were more than capable of taking his life.
The battle concluded in just three minutes and twenty-one seconds, with seventeen enemies annihilated, including one Jonin and eleven Chunin.
This could be a factor in why Minato was investing extra time in training Kakashi and the others.
Minato recognized that Kakashi had stolen the show. He singlehandedly eliminated the Genin enemies while taking on six Chunin. He retained ample physical and chakra strength, ready for any unforeseen encounters.
Kakashi's combat experience was notably rich; he minimized the use of his strength and chakra, planning his actions meticulously. Some Jonin might not even match his tactical ability.
This display made Minato understand why the Third Hokage held Kakashi in such high regard.
Describing Kakashi as a genius in the world of ninjas felt like an understatement. Especially as he uses his spare time to practice continuously to increase his strength without wasting a single bit of time.
Surpassing his father, Konoha White Fang, seemed a matter of time.
"Kakashi, what ninjutsu did you use earlier?"
Minato asked the most concerning question.
At the beginning of the battle, he observed lightning gathering on Kakashi's palm, producing a peculiar chirping sound, a sight that had taken him by surprise.
With Minato's exceptional eyesight, he recognized that it was an advanced lightning ninjutsu.
"It's my own Lightning release jutsu, the name is Chidori. However, the jutsu isn't perfected yet; the power can be significantly improved." Kakashi disclosed, concealing nothing, including the jutsu's name and origin.
Rin looked at Kakashi with admiration, but this only increased Obito's frustration.
"Well, if I'm right, once the jutsu is perfected, it could potentially be an A-Rank jutsu."
Minato showed admiration.
In terms of ninjutsu, he realized that Kakashi had grown beyond the need for his guidance.
Kakashi's path was unique, and excessive interference could limit his growth and creativity.
Minato understood that he should only provide answers to Kakashi's questions at the right moments, without overstepping.
However, Minato couldn't help but feel slightly dejected. Teaching a genius was no simple task.
Concerning Kakashi's self-created jutsu, Minato took it in stride. Kakashi's talent was undeniable, and his remarkable feats were a natural progression.
"Isn't it just an A-Rank jutsu? I'll create one myself someday! Just wait and see, Kakashi!"
Obito declared unconvinced.
Minato smiled and affectionately ruffled Obito's hair, offering words of encouragement.
"You'll have plenty of time to practice after you get rid of the temptations of rescuing those grannies you meet. In any case, keep working hard."
Kakashi playfully seized Obito's aching foot, while Rin giggled.
Minato joined in the laughter.
"Rin, Minato-sensei, why are you laughing too? Is helping the elderly strange?"
Only Obito seemed angry, jumping with frustration.
"No, Obito, just be yourself. In comparison to ninjutsu, having a compassionate spirit is a genuinely rare and valuable quality. Obito, your kindness is more precious than any ninjutsu." Minato praised warmly.
Minato stipped his laughter, as he saw these precious qualities within Obito.
No matter the circumstances, as long as Obito maintained this compassion, Minato believed he would become an exceptional and great individual in the future.
Rin nodded in agreement, offering her encouragement to Obito.
Kakashi, on the other hand, looked at Obito with dead fish eyes, leaving his thoughts inscrutable.
After all, Obito's temptation to help old people seemed boundless.
Kakashi's gaze then inadvertently changed to a particular direction. Although the distance was considerable, he knew he was being silently watched.
Several more watchful individuals were hidden in the shadows. By revealing some of his strength while concealing the rest, he could deceive the enemy into believing they held the upper hand, only to strike decisively when the opportunity arose. That was his covert plan.
However, he had some doubts about Obito's capability to serve as bait.
Yet, safeguarding the land was also among their duties.
This naive and imaginative fellow was a rare breed within the Uchiha clan.
....,..
"Are the five major nations all under surveillance?" Shiraishi asked with a frowned after receiving the report.
The creature known as white zetsu wasn't just monitoring Konoha; it also kept tabs on the four villages of Kumogakure, Kirigakure, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure.
This extensive surveillance had gone unnoticed earlier because Shiraishi hadn't anticipated the sheer scale of this mysterious force's espionage.
He couldn't be certain whether this was their primary objective.
Perhaps this strategy was a diversion, meant to divert his attention from their true intentions, especially since their previous surveillance activities had been exposed.
On the other hand, Shiraishi also considered the possibility that the five major nations had been under constant surveillance by this mysterious force.
White Zetsu originated from the Divine Tree, which was the Ten Tails, a collection of the Nine Tailed Beasts.
At present, all eight of the Tailed Beasts, except the Seven Tails assigned to Takigakure in the Land of Waterfalls, were in the hands of the Ninja Villages of the Five Great Nations.
Konoha had the Nine Tails.
Kumogakure controlled the Two Tails and the Eight Tails.
Iwagakure had the Four Tails and the Five Tails.
Kirigakure had the Three Tails and the Six Tails.
Sunagakure had the One Tail.
If their motive for monitoring the Ninja Villages was to recollect the Tailed Beasts and revive the Divine Tree's Ten Tails, it would provide a valid reason for their surveillance.
However, it seemed the mysterious force lacked the necessary combat power; otherwise, they would have directly plundered the Tailed Beasts from the major Ninja Villages.
This suggested that, in a head-to-head confrontation, this mysterious force couldn't contend with the Five Great Nations' Ninja Villages.
That was good news.
Shiraishi believed he could win as long as he avoided direct conflicts with the Ninja Villages of the Five Great Nations.
Although his own combat power was insufficient, it was primarily the lack of Genin and Chunins that hampered him. In terms of elite combat power, he was confident that his side had a certain advantage.
Conquering a minor country's Ninja Village was by no means impossible.
The question remained of how to draw this mysterious force out into the open and eliminate them swiftly to avert future troubles.
If the enemy continued to conceal themselves, Shiraishi couldn't afford to waste his energy on this issue. It was better to find the right moment to eradicate the hidden threat.
"Uchiha Obito..." Shiraishi whispered the name.
Recalling Obito's stupid and innocent face, the corners of his mouth couldn't help showing a smile.
The brat who had a habit with elderly people in Konoha. Shiraishi found the young ninja to be quite amusing.
"The transformation of intense emotions into negative emotions is the core factor that stimulates the rapid growth of the Sharingan. Afterwards, the Uchiha ninja might exhibit varying degrees of character distortion, descending into darkness and adopting an extremely pessimistic and radical perspective on the world..."
Shiraishi showed a thoughtful look.
"Whoever is making plans for Obito must be someone intimately acquainted with the Uchiha clan, possibly even an Uchiha ninja themselves."
However, Ruri had previously mentioned that the only person with a clear record of leaving Konoha was Uchiha Madara.
Furthermore, Uchiha Madara's death had been confirmed. He had been defeated and died between the Valley of the End in his fught against the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.
This fact was widely iniwn within the ninja world and carried high credibility.
If that was the case, who else could it be?
After all, whoever had such profound knowledge of Sharingan's transformations was highly likely to be a Uchiha ninja.
"Once again, if we focus on Obito's Sharingan, what do they intend for him to do next?"
Perhaps it would be more effective to go to the Uchiha clan to sneak attack a Jonin and extract the three tomoe Sharingan from the more experienced Uchiha Jonin.
After all, Obito's Sharingan, once matured, would be a waste if it remained at the three tomoe stage. So, was the objective to prompt Obito to unlock the Mangekyou Sharingan?
About how to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan, Shiraishi lacked extensive knowledge. Various methods existed, one of which included witnessing the death of a loved one.
Among those close to Obito, the most important figure was undoubtedly Nohara Rin.
"In any case, our current information is insufficient. Let's draw the snake out of its lair first and gather as much intelligence as possible about these people."
Before, he had tasked General Tu and Soryu to investigate. Given the passage of time, the enemy likely knew he was operating behind the scenes.
Konoha likely held its own records and information, including details about General Tu and his other clones.
Additionally, the mysterious force behind the surveillance probably has comprehensive information by now, thanks to their extensive monitoring of Konoha.
"On that note, Ruri has been complaining about her pent-up energy recently. She wants to find someone to test her strength. It might be a good idea to assign her a mission."
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