Everyone in the tavern immediately got to work when the clan leaders gave the order. Kakashi also understood that they didn't want Moji and the others to come up with a plan so it was better to attack them first and push them on the back foot. Yoshiro then look at Asuma and Kurenai and asked "Are you planning to bring your squads with the main force as well?"
Asuma and Kurenai looked at their students and then at each other. They knew that this could be too much for the kids but it was a necessary thing as it would harden them for the future. Seeing their sensei hesitate Kiba stepped forward and said "Kurenai sensei if Yami can do it then so can we. Let us go and fight them."
"Kiba a war is no joke. And stop comparing yourself with Yami. The difference in strength is too much to even compare. Isn't that right Shikamaru?" Ino asked as she first berated Kiba and then looked at Shikamaru who was reading a map of the surrounding area.
He looked up and said "He is definitely stronger but Yami likes to work solo and I haven't seen him get defeated ever so it is hard to say where his limits lie."
Seeing that the kids were just discussing among themselves, Asuma said "Hinata, Shino, and Kiba are sensor ninjas so they will only help in locating or tracking an enemy. I don't want them to go right into combat just yet. As for my squad, Ino and Choji will protect the tents of the injured and the others. Shikamaru will come with me. Even though he won't take direct part in any assault, he could predict everyone's movements and come up with a good plan." Shikamaru nodded as he heard that and even the others agreed after some convincing.
Asuma was about to say more when Kakashi turned toward the window. Everyone thought that some reply must have come from Yami but is was unlikely as Zabuza had sent the letter only a few minutes ago.
"Seems like Yami replied fast." Santo said but Kakashi didn't reply and the next second, numerous bats rushed inside from the window. Everyone was shocked to hear this as at first they thought it was some kind of attack but the bats didn't even make a sound. And these bats didn't look like normal bats but had red eyes.
"What is this?" Mei asked as she looked at the bats circling near the ceiling.
"It's good that you came. I wanted to tell you something…let's go outside." Kakashi said and started walking toward the door of the tavern. The mist shinobis and leaders were confused as to why Kakashi said this but then they saw the bats dive toward Kakashi. They formed somewhat of a funnel beside Kakashi and the figure of Yami wearing a black hoodie, a purple sword on his waist, and a leaf headband appeared.
"Y-You really are a k-kid." Riko muttered to which Yami looked back and asked "What?"
Riko realized that he just said that out loud. He looked at Yami and said "I thought that you had transformed yourself into a 13-year-old and the real you was a fully grown man…or else how could anyone describe the things that you have done.
"I am 10 years old." Yami said and walked away with Kakashi.
Riko was left speechless as he heard that. He looked at Asami and asked "Did he say 10 years old?" to which Asami nodded and said "Even I am trying to believe it."
Outside the tavern, the entire village was filled with bloodline clan shinobis and because the war was going to start, they were all in a hurry.
"What was so urgent that you wanted me to come personally?" Yami asked.
"Why? Were you doing something important?" Kakashi chuckled to which Yami said "You are deflecting which means the news is serious and you are laughing at such a stupid joke which means its bad news. What happened?"
Kakashi gave Yami the side eye and said "You didn't have to be so brutal. Fine, I got a letter from lady Tsunade where she talked about the demon heart that you gave her. She also told me to inform you something."
"What is it?" Yami asked to which Kakashi said "Your brother Itachi Uchiha is dead."
Yami frowned as he heard that. He never expected to hear this line and definitely not so early.
"What are you saying Kakashi?" Yami asked. Kakashi could sense the subtle anger in Yami's voice. He shrugged and said "I don't know much of it but Lady Tsunade wrote that Itachi and that Kisame attacked the 8 tails Jinchuriki and while fighting him, the Raikage interfered, and Itachi was killed by his hands."
Yami was confused about what to say. He didn't know why Itachi died so early and why would they try to nab the eight tails so early in the timeline. Yami calmed himself down and said "He is a traitor anyways so I don't feel bad. I am sure Sasuke would be angry as he wanted to be the one to kill Itachi."
Kakashi himself knew Itachi for a short time when he was in the Anbu. 'Yami was too small when all that happened and Itachi spent less time with him as compared to Sasuke. Yami seems calm but I am not sure how Sasuke must have reacted or did Lady Tsunade even tell him the news.' Kakashi thought.
Kakashi knew how deep Sasuke's hatred for Itachi was so he felt a bit stressed as to how Sasuke would react and on the other side, he was a bit relieved that now Sasuke won't have the motivation to kill his brother.
Kakashi looked at Yami and asked "Are you alright? You have already done a lot in this mission so I understand if you decide to leave this mission and go back to the village."
"No…there's no need to do anything like that. You were saying that Lady Tsunade has some information about those demon hearts. Did she find any way to counter them?" Yami asked to which Kakashi nodded and said "Yes, she said that the hearts have been nourished with some kind of ominous energy which is what gives them extra strength but it is at the cost of the person's life force. She said that except by killing them as you did, the only way to effectively defeat them is by using Sage chakra." Kakashi said as he looked at Yami. He didn't know how much knowledge Yami had about Sage chakra and Sage mode.
"None of us are able to do that. I heard that the Sanin Jiraya is called a sage and can use sage chakra. Is Lady Hokage sending him?" Yami asked. It appeared to be the best and most efficient way to defeat the cultists.
"No…his current location is unknown and it will take a lot of time to come here and help us. The war is starting." Kakashi was saying this when he heard a voice behind him.
"The war has started." Kakashi and Yami both turned toward the voice and saw Chojuro standing with Zabuza.
"What are you two doing here? If the war has already started, shouldn't you guys be on the front line?" Kakashi asked to which Zabuza said "We were supposed to but then the clan leaders told us to take care of the cultists with Yami. No matter how strong he is, we can't leave the fate of the hidden mist in the hands of a 10 year old kid." Chojuro said.
Kakashi looked at Yami to which Yami said "Don't worry about me. I will be fine. You go with the others." Kakashi trusted Yami so he left the area leaving Yami to deal with the two swordsmen.
Yami then looked at Chojuro and said "I know how strong Zabuza is but don't know anything about you. So don't expect me to trust you. By the way, what was the first move that started the war?"
Chojuro smirked as he adjusted his glasses and said "We have sent 4 squadrons to break down their outermost defenses, and to give them cover we are bombarding all distance cannons as well as some jutsus. Lord Yoshiro has also ordered to destroy of every ship on our shore that belongs to the Mizukage faction."
"So Lord Yoshiro intends to trap them inside the hidden mist which will protect the information as well and won't let someone escape. But what about the stone shinobis?"
To which Zabuza interrupted and said "Come on Yami..Stop with the questions and let's go and fight those cultists." Yami nodded and all three of them started running toward the base when Ji and the others were hiding.
As they reached there, they were surprised to see that the outer wall was already destroyed in several places. "Haha…now we don't have to waste time on some small fry." Zabuza laughed and ran inside the base with a sword on his back.
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