"Konoha shinobi? Hatake Kakashi… the one whose reputation's been spreading lately?"
The Kirigakure shinobi imdiately fell silent.
Then a figure who seed to be their captain stepped forward before Kakashi.
She was an extrely beautiful woman with reddish-brown hair flowing past her waist.
Tall.
Curvaceous.
And with a figure alluring enough to draw the attention of almost any man.
Especially the heroic sharpness between her brows—
It gave her a unique charm impossible to ignore.
However—
Compared to her feminine beauty, the thing that stood out more before Kakashi was the confidence she displayed as a shinobi.
The astonishing Body Flicker Technique she just demonstrated.
And the fact that she alone dared stand directly before the increasingly infamous "White-Haired Death God of Konoha."
A very dangerous opponent.
The instant Kakashi saw her, he already reached that conclusion internally.
If this were the Kakashi from a year ago…
He might not even have been her match.
"Allow to introduce myself first."
The woman's erald-green eyes lingered upon Kakashi's face briefly before she smiled lightly.
"My na is i Terumī."
"Not bad."
"You look like a good man."
"Since you're here on a mission, soone as important as you naturally deserves personal escort."
"I'll accompany you back to Kirigakure myself."
What elegant wording for "surveillance."
Kakashi complained inwardly.
Still, he hadn't co here looking for conflict.
Thus, he casually spread his hands to indicate he held no hostility.
However, the Kirigakure shinobi clearly weren't so easygoing.
Just as Kakashi prepared to follow i Terumī deeper into the forest, one of the shinobi standing in the trees suddenly spoke coldly:
"Please surrender your weapons first."
As he spoke, the man extended his hand as though preparing to block Kakashi's path.
Yet before Kakashi could even react, i casually waved her hand.
"Forget it."
"With here, it's fine."
Kakashi imdiately noticed i Terumī's status among these Kirigakure shinobi was clearly extraordinary.
One command from her was enough to make elite Kirigakure Jōnin allow passage without even questioning it.
Kirigakure, due to the previous "Bloody Mist Village" policies, remained one of the least connected hidden villages within the Five Great Nations.
Thus, information regarding Kirigakure shinobi rarely circulated outside.
At the very least—
Kakashi knew almost nothing about the i Terumī standing before him.
Watching her figure disappear into the dense forest ahead, Kakashi withdrew his gaze and followed after her.
Within the Five Great Nations, border security remained one of every hidden village's highest priorities.
Anyone attempting to secretly infiltrate another nation's territory would be killed imdiately.
After the Third Shinobi War, although Konoha and Kirigakure maintained no direct open hostility—
Secret conflicts between them had never ceased.
Both the Hyūga and Uchiha clans once had dealings with Kirigakure.
And Kakashi himself…
Had even deeper grudges.
The people responsible for sealing the Three-Tails inside Rin and forcing her toward death by Kakashi's own hand—
Were most likely from Kirigakure.
That was also why the advisors in the Hokage's office had opposed his mission to Kirigakure so strongly.
"Does Kakashi-san simply dislike conversation?"
After they traveled so distance, i suddenly stopped and turned toward Kakashi with a teasing smile.
"In front of a charming lady like you, I think most n would beco so shy they'd 'hide their faces.'"
Kakashi's tone remained lazily relaxed.
"I'd say I'm already behaving rather gentlemanly."
"Is that so?"
i slightly turned her body.
Her beautiful green eyes locked directly onto Kakashi's.
A playful smile curled upon her lips.
"I personally think Kakashi-san is intentionally avoiding because you're afraid I might 'captivate' you instead."
Hearing that, Kakashi helplessly tapped the forehead protector covering his Sharingan.
"Unfortunately…"
"I separate work and personal matters very clearly."
Then Kakashi casually glanced behind himself.
Although no visible movent appeared, he had sensed a considerable number of shinobi following them since the beginning.
And judging from their concealnt skills—
They were almost certainly elite assassins or higher.
Most likely Kirigakure's hunter-nin forces.
Still…
Kakashi eventually returned his attention toward i Terumī ahead of him.
Because she remained the most troubleso opponent here.
"Work, hm…"
i's previously relaxed and alluring tone gradually turned dangerous.
"You are here to et Elder Genji, correct?"
"However…"
"We cannot allow a Konoha shinobi to et Elder Genji so casually."
"So for safety reasons…"
i smiled slightly.
"I still hope to personally escort Kakashi-san there."
"Relax."
"We won't take your life."
"If possible, I'd prefer going there personally as well."
Kakashi sighed softly.
"Because if things beco too serious, neither side looks particularly good once blood starts flying."
From the very beginning—
Kirigakure never intended to allow him peaceful entry.
Their guard had remained fully raised the entire ti.
Is this treatnt rely because I'm from Konoha?
Or did Shisui's actions inside Kirigakure create even more hatred than expected?
Or is there another reason?
"Hehe."
i laughed softly.
"Unfortunately, sweet talk won't help you anymore."
"Troubleso woman."
Kakashi muttered quietly.
Then suddenly—
He raised his head sharply.
Blades unsheathed.
Lightning exploded outward!
Directly before i's eyes, the Hidden Mist Technique cast simultaneously by five Kirigakure shinobi was instantly split apart from top to bottom by a streak of thunderous light.
The crimson gaze beneath Kakashi's forehead protector flashed across the dense mist.
And in the next instant—
Kakashi vanished completely.
Not good.
That thought exploded through i's mind instantly.
But by the ti true danger reached her—
She was already too late.
Kakashi's face had already appeared directly before her.
One breath.
That was all it would take for the short blade in his hand to pierce straight through her throat.
Forced into desperation, i imdiately stopped the hand seals she had nearly completed.
She didn't dare move another inch.
Double-blade Kakashi's debut!!
Unbelievable.
i's heart shook violently.
At this mont, Kakashi was easily the most decisive shinobi she had ever witnessed.
From splitting apart the mist to appearing before her—
The movent happened so fast that even the sound of Kakashi's own lightning chakra still hadn't fully caught up.
Despite believing herself completely prepared—
She had been subdued instantly before even activating her technique.
Yet—
Kakashi did not continue attacking.
Instead, he calmly sheathed the long blade behind him and moved the short knife away from i's throat.
i froze.
"You see?"
Kakashi lowered his forehead protector to cover his Sharingan again.
"I don't have any hostile intentions."
Then he simply continued walking deeper forward as though nothing happened.
His uniquely magnetic voice echoed behind him:
"Continue leading the way, miss."
"And this ti…"
"Try not bringing so many escorts."
"Are all Konoha shinobi this absurdly strong?"
i stared blankly at Kakashi's retreating figure.
Then unconsciously touched the thin cut left across her throat by his blade.
No hostile intentions?
If she hadn't stopped her hand seals earlier…
If she hadn't abandoned resistance…
Without question—
That blade would have taken her head clean off.
The killing intent radiating from Kakashi at that mont had been completely real.
That man genuinely did not care whatsoever about the consequences of killing Kirigakure border shinobi.
"Hatake…"
"...Kakashi."
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