"Why are you here, kid?"
Satoru quickly gave him a look, telling him to leave.
However, Seishimon seemed not to notice, instead raising an eyebrow: "Today is the Fourth Hokage's succession day, everyone is quite happy, the night market is lively, so I came out for a walk.
But I didn't expect to see you, kid, actually have a girlfriend."
His words made Ayame's face flush, and she wanted to let go of his hand.
"I… I'm not…"
"Hmph, what does having a girlfriend have to do with you? If you bother me again, next time we spar, I'll let you know what Pain is."
Satoru tightened her hand and threatened Seishimon.
This time, he didn't have his head wrapped in bandages, and his gaze alone frightened Seishimon, making him recall the genjutsu he used during their previous sparring session.
"Tch! I'm going to find one too, I'm ignoring you." Seishimon's steps faltered, and he vanished from their sight.
"That's my colleague, Seishimon. He's usually just a bit of a chatterbox."
Satoru introduced him to Ayame.
"Mmm… satoru is right…" Ayame's face was still shy.
Her mind was still thinking about Satoru's words: "What does having a girlfriend have to do with you?…"
With Seishimon's interruption, the atmosphere between the two intensified, and Ayame was timid and hesitant the entire way.
She was nothing like her usual generous self.
And behind them, the sneaky Seishimon used all of a Ninja's lifelong skill, pushing the Concealment and Tracking Technique to its peak.
"Damn it, he's showing off his affection in front of me! Don't think you're so great just because you became a Chunin!
Next time, I'm going to find a girlfriend and show off to you."
Seishimon swore with his eyes that he would make Satoru eat his words.
… …
The date was just an interlude.
Life had to go on.
After that night, although due to age, nothing happened.
But the relationship between the two was further promoted.
Satoru started working again.
Every day after work, he would come home to his dad's cooking, and with a girl in his heart, he was immersed in happiness.
This day.
Another mission arrived.
A Chunin from Hidden Mist Village.
His spirit passed through the memory tunnel.
The fragmented memories of this person appeared in his mind.
Assassination, espionage, intelligence, Ninjutsu…
Bits of information poured in.
Suddenly.
After integrating and analysing, a piece of information entered Satoru's mind.
"Hidden Mist Village smuggled something in through the Land of Bears border."
His heart was greatly shaken.
Moreover, this intelligence was already a bit outdated; it had been some time since then.
He took off the Ninja tool on his head.
And went to Inoichi Yamanaka's office.
Knock knock!
"Come in."
Satoru opened the door, and Inoichi Yamanaka was processing documents inside.
"Inoichi-sama, there's a situation. From the memories of the Hidden Mist Village Ninja, I discovered that two days ago, they seemed to have secretly transported some concealed item from the Land of Bears border into the Land of Fire."
"Hmm? Elaborate." Inoichi Yamanaka focused.
His subordinate Ninja wouldn't report so urgently without important intelligence.
"It's like this: according to the memory, there should have been a group of elite escorts.
And considering the current situation of Hidden Mist Village, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen have suffered heavy losses.
I suspect they are preparing to retaliate against Konoha.
However, with the Fourth Hokage's succession, Konoha is currently at its strongest.
Therefore, I speculate that the item they smuggled in might involve…
A Tailed Beast."
Satoru first recounted the read memories narratively, then explained his analysis.
This was to prevent his superiors from being influenced by his analysis.
"A Tailed Beast?"
Inoichi Yamanaka's heart was greatly shaken.
He first reviewed it himself, then analysed it following Satoru's line of thought.
He found that this was highly probable.
And in terms of time…
"First, write down the intelligence and your analysis, and await summons."
Inoichi Yamanaka realised the gravity of the situation, gave a quick instruction, and then hurried out the door.
Satoru sighed.
This time, it was very likely Kakashi stabbing Rin, and he could only help so much.
He hoped there would be some changes.
This was out of pity for his classmate, and also to make himself feel better.
However, according to his calculations, the event should have already happened.
… …
Hokage Office.
"Hokage-sama, urgent intelligence."
Inoichi Yamanaka reported the intelligence to Minato Namikaze one by one.
He added his analysis to Satoru's analysis.
Minato listened and then analysed it himself.
Rin, Tailed Beast, Kakashi, Land of Bears, Hidden Mist…
"Damn it, immediately gather Anbu, Sealing Squad, and follow me."
His analysis gave Minato a bad premonition.
He immediately issued orders to the Anbu.
… …
Half a day's journey from Konoha.
In a forest.
Sizzle!
The sizzling sound of lightning startled the birds.
Kakashi's eyes widened, his pupils constricted.
His hand passed through Rin Nohara's chest.
Sizzle!
Behind Rin, the Hidden Mist Jonin broke out in a cold sweat, nearly dying.
… …
Whoosh whoosh!
Minato Namikaze had the Anbu follow behind, while he used the Instantaneous Body Technique to move quickly.
To prevent missing the Flying Thunder God, he used the Instantaneous Body Technique with all his might.
In the forest, a Yellow Flash flew by.
Demonstrating his strength as Hokage.
Seeing this, the Anbu behind him dared not be negligent. If anything happened to the Fourth, they would be held accountable.
So each of them put in great effort with their Instantaneous Body Technique.
Whoosh whoosh!
… …
When Minato arrived, what greeted his eyes was a devastated landscape.
Craters, fallen trees, Kunai and Shuriken scattered everywhere.
The corpses of Ninja with Hidden Mist headbands.
And Kakashi, kneeling on the ground.
In front of him was his other disciple, Rin Nohara.
"Kakashi."
Minato's words brought Kakashi's eyes back to reality.
Looking at the corpse lying on the ground, Minato closed his eyes slightly.
"Sensei, I… I killed Rin…"
Kakashi's eyes were vacant, and he mumbled to himself.
… …
Satoru reported the intelligence and completed the written report.
As for Kakashi, he could only leave it to fate.
His current abilities were not enough to resist Madara or Black Zetsu's conspiracy.
"Constantly avoiding won't do. The future Pain destroyed Konoha once.
I can't put my hope in Naruto's Talk No Jutsu, or Pain's change of heart.
I must, before that, master the ability to avoid the Super Shinra Tensei,
Or before he starts,
Deal with the person who activates the ability."
Kakashi's encounter once again pierced his heart.
This kind of unexpected event that wasn't under his control.
He could find a way to avoid the war, but his dad, Ayame, and Ichiraku-san couldn't, therefore,
He must quickly develop while staying low-key, without slacking off.
At the same time, another thought arose in his mind: facing Tailed Beasts, bloodline limit, and such monstrous abilities.
Ordinary Ninjutsu had too many limitations.
He had to create more advantages.
He had considered synthesising kekei genkai, but the difficulty was too great.
And his development didn't allow for it.
Kekei genkai was just an attribute; he would then need to develop many Ninjutsu based on it.
So he set his sights on secret techniques.
Secret techniques that amplify Genjutsu.
Just like the Ino–Shika–Chō clan's inherited Ninjutsu.