Kakashi stood before his team, his expression calm but firm. "Alright, listen up," he began, his single visible eye scanning over the group. "Here's the plan: Hitomi and Naruko, you two will escort the kids and the injured woman to a safe distance away from here. Once they're secured, set up a few of Naruko's shadow clones to guard them."
Naruko gave a confident nod. "Got it, Kakashi-sensei! Those clones will make sure no one gets close." Hitomi just nodded at Kakashi.
Kakashi continued, unfazed. "Yuto and I will infiltrate the village to assess the situation. We need to know exactly how many enemies we're dealing with and locate their leader."
Yuto tilted his head thoughtfully. 'So, we're splitting up. Makes sense. But leaving those two with the kids… hopefully, they don't start bickering mid-mission.'
"Yuto," Kakashi said, pulling him from his thoughts, "give one of your chakra anchor-marked kunai to Naruko. Once the civilians are at a safe distance, you'll use it to teleport the girls back to us when needed."
Yuto smirked and pulled a kunai from his pouch, marking it with his ability before handing it to Naruko. "Don't lose it, Naruko. It's not just any kunai—it's the one that'll save your life if you mess up."
Naruko stuck her tongue out at him. "Please, Yuto. I'm the future Hokage, remember? I never mess up!" she declared confidently, though she carefully tucked the kunai into her pouch.
Kakashi then turned to Shibuki, who was standing off to the side, trembling. "Shibuki, you'll lead Yuto and me to the village entrance. You're the only one who knows the exact route."
Shibuki's face turned pale. "M-me? But… but the enemy could be anywhere! What if we get ambushed?" He clutched his arms, his fear palpable.
"Relax," Kakashi said with an eye smile. "We'll protect you. Besides, you're the leader of Takigakure, aren't you? This is your responsibility."
Shibuki gulped but nodded reluctantly. "R-right. I'll do it," he said, though his shaking legs betrayed his words.
With their plan set, the group split into two. Naruko and Hitomi gathered the children and the injured woman, offering reassuring words as they began leading them away. Hitomi glanced back at Yuto one last time, her eyes briefly meeting his. 'Stay safe, idiot,' she thought before turning away.
Meanwhile, Yuto and Kakashi followed Shibuki, who was trembling with every step. As they moved deeper into the woods, Yuto whispered to Kakashi, "Sensei, are we really relying on this guy? He looks like he'll pass out if a squirrel jumps out."
Kakashi chuckled softly. "Sometimes courage is about doing something despite the fear. Besides, he's our only guide."
Yuto sighed. 'Great. Babysitting round two.'
Yuto crouched behind the dense foliage, his Kamigan glowing faintly as he carefully assessed the situation. The entrance to the village was concealed behind a massive waterfall, but his heightened vision easily pierced through the cascading water. Five figures were patrolling just beyond it. He focused on their chakra signatures, noting the differences in strength.
"Two have elite Chunin-level reserves," Yuto whispered. "The other three are Special Jounin. They're stronger, but not by much."
Kakashi nodded. "Good work, Yuto. Here's the plan: you'll take out the Chunin. I'll handle the Special Jounin. We'll strike hard and fast—no time for them to react."
Yuto smirked, excitement bubbling within him. 'Finally, after those bullshit d rank mission, some real action,' he thought, "Got it, Kakashi-sensei."
Kakashi made a quick series of hand seals, and Yuto prepared himself, focusing chakra into his hands. A crackle of energy filled the air as Kakashi thrust his arm forward, summoning a lightning hound. The electrified beast surged through the waterfall with a fierce bark, slamming into one of the Special Jounin before he could even register the attack. The man collapsed with a pained cry, dead before he hit the ground.
The waterfall resumed its flow, but the guards emerged from behind it, their weapons drawn and eyes scanning for the source of the attack. Kakashi wasted no time, hurling two kunai directly at the Chunin. Yuto recognized the signal immediately since those were his kunai. 'Time to move.'
In an instant, Yuto activated his chakra switch ability, switching places with one of the kunai. He materialized behind the first Chunin, both hands glowing with concentrated solar chakra. Without hesitation, he slammed the glowing sphere into the man's back. The Chunin crumpled with a muffled scream as Yuto vanished again, reappearing near the second marked kunai. His second target barely had time to turn before another solar ball collided with his chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. Both were dead in Seconds.
"Two down," Yuto muttered, spinning around as he sensed movement behind him.
One of the Special Jounin had noticed him and was closing in, a kunai raised for a strike. Yuto readied himself, but before he could act, a sharp crackle of lightning filled the air. A streak of blue tore through the man's chest as Kakashi's Chidori pierced cleanly through him. The man fell lifelessly to the ground, revealing Kakashi standing behind him.
The final Special Jounin made a desperate attempt to retreat, but Kakashi was faster. In a blur, he appeared behind the man, his hand gripping the back of his neck. The Jounin struggled, but Kakashi pressed a chakra suppression seal onto his forehead, rendering him powerless. The man slumped to the ground, defeated.
Kakashi glanced at Yuto. "Good work. You're learning fast, but don't let your guard down."
Yuto nodded again, though his mind was still racing. 'That was intense… but kind of exhilarating too.'
Kakashi crouched next to the restrained Jounin, the man's body slack and immobile thanks to the chakra suppression seal on his forehead. He glanced at Yuto, who stood nearby with his Kamigan still active.
"This is as good a time as any to teach you something new, Yuto," Kakashi said. "We need information, and sometimes, extracting it isn't about brute force—it's about precision."
Yuto nodded, stepping closer. 'So this is about Genjutsu,' he thought, recalling how illusions worked. He had seen it used before but hadn't had much practice with it himself.
Kakashi slowly lifted his headband, revealing his Sharingan. The swirling red eye locked onto the Jounin's gaze. "The Sharingan is an excellent tool for casting Genjutsu, but even without it, any shinobi with sufficient skill can manipulate an opponent's mind. Your Kamigan is also good for getting information Via Genjutsu. Pay attention to how I do this."
The restrained Jounin's eyes widened briefly before his expression went blank, his body stiffening under the effects of Kakashi's illusion. Yuto observed closely, noting how Kakashi's Sharingan spun as it manipulated the man's mind.
"You don't just show them something random," Kakashi explained. "Genjutsu is most effective when you use their own fears, memories, or desires against them."
The Jounin's breathing grew erratic, his body trembling slightly as Kakashi began to work deeper into his subconscious. "Tell me," Kakashi said softly but firmly. "What's the situation inside the village?"
The Jounin's lips twitched, but he remained silent. Kakashi's voice hardened, his Sharingan spinning faster. "Resisting, huh? Let's see how long you can last."
Kakashi turned his gaze to Yuto, who was watching with fascination. "If they resist, you can amplify the illusion—turn their worst nightmares against them. Watch."
The Jounin's body jerked, his face contorting in terror as Kakashi manipulated the illusion further. "No! Stay back!" he suddenly shouted, his voice filled with fear. "Not that—please! Stop!"
Yuto raised an eyebrow. 'He's seeing something that terrifies him. Probably something from his past. Kakashi-sensei's control is incredible.'
Kakashi glanced at Yuto again. "Now, your turn. Use your Kamigan. Start with something simple—trap him in a looping illusion. That'll disorient him enough to loosen his tongue."
Yuto hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, focusing his Kamigan on the man's dilated pupils. His chakra flared subtly as he cast his Genjutsu, creating a scene where the Jounin was endlessly falling into a dark abyss.
The Jounin's breathing hitched, and his hands twitched against the restraints. "What… what is this?" he murmured, his voice panicked.
"You're doing well," Kakashi said encouragingly. "Now layer it. Add details that confuse him—make him doubt what's real."
Yuto nodded, concentrating harder. The abyss in the illusion grew darker, and the sound of whispers echoed around the Jounin. He flinched, his fear mounting.
"Enough! I'll talk!" the man finally screamed, his voice cracking. Kakashi had done all the heavy work on him, so when he came close to cracking, he had given yuto the chance to let him get some experience.
Kakashi placed a hand on Yuto's shoulder, signaling him to stop. "Good job," he said. "You've got potential for this. Genjutsu takes finesse, and you're picking it up quickly."
Yuto deactivated his Kamigan, exhaling softly. "Thanks, Kakashi-sensei. That was… interesting."
Kakashi turned his attention back to the trembling Jounin. "Now, tell us everything you know about the situation in the village. And don't even think about lying—I'll know."
The Jounin nodded rapidly, his will thoroughly broken. "It's Kakuzu… he's the one in charge. He's gathered a group of missing-nin, and they've taken control. The civilians are locked up, and the ninjas are being tortured for information. He's looking for… the Hero's Water."
Kakashi's eye narrowed. "The Hero's Water? Why?"
"I don't know!" the Jounin stammered. "All I know is that he's obsessed with finding it. Suien's helping him… but Kakuzu doesn't trust anyone. He's only here for his own gain."
Though Yuto remained silent as the captured Jounin revealed everything about the plan, his mind was a storm of conflicting thoughts. 'Something's off about this,' he realized, his brows furrowing as he stared at the defeated ninja. The explanation made sense on the surface, but his knowledge of the Anime told him otherwise.
'Kakuzu shouldn't care about the Hero's Water. That's just not his style. All he cares about is money and fulfilling his contracts. This Suien guy must have been the one behind the village takeover. Kakuzu probably tagged along because the chaos made it easier to capture Fuu, the Jinchuriki. He should also have not worn the Akatsuki cloak because the organization will stay hidden till they had prepared enough to capture all the tail beast.'
Yuto's heart sank as he thought of Fuu. The image of the cheerful, green-haired girl who was desperate for a friend flashed in his mind. 'She had it worse than any other Jinchuriki,' he thought bitterly. 'Even Naruko… at least she had people like the Hokage and ichiraku family watching over her. But Fuu? Her own village hated her more than naruko since fuu didn't have the protagonist halo, and they didn't even bother to hide it. And worst of all people like shibuki also didn't care about her and just put her outside the village border inside a rundown treehouse as a deterrence against Iwa.'
His fists clenched at his sides as he remembered how the story unfolded in the anime. Fuu, tricked by Kakuzu and Hidan, had agreed to go with them under the illusion of friendship. Knowing she would likely die, she still chose to believe in their lies just for wanting to die while having a friend.
Yuto's Kamigan pulsed faintly as his emotions surged. He looked away from the Jounin, hiding the intensity in his gaze. 'Not this time. I won't let her suffer like that. She deserves more than this cruel fate.'
Kakashi's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Yuto," the man said, his tone soft but probing. "You seem deep in thought. Something on your mind?"
Yuto shook his head quickly, masking his inner turmoil. "Just… processing the information, sensei. Trying to figure out what their endgame is."
Kakashi studied him for a moment. "Good. Keep analyzing, but don't overthink. We've got a mission to complete."
Yuto nodded, grateful for the reprieve. As Kakashi began preparing their next steps, Yuto made a silent vow to himself. 'I'll save you, Fuu. No matter what it takes.'
(Pls give me some power stones!)
(Find out next time on Naruto:Eye system)