"To be honest, they caused me a lot of trouble this time. But… none of that matters anymore."
Kakashi narrowed his exposed right eye, looking at Kurenai Yuhi with a serious expression. In a low voice, he asked, "Do you remember Kirito?"
Kurenai's hands instinctively rose to her chest, where she clutched a ring Kirito had left behind years ago. Her head hung low, her face filled with a mixture of sorrow and confusion. "Now that things have come to this, what's the point of mentioning him? He's already dead."
"No," Kakashi interrupted, "he's still alive."
"What? How is that possible?" Kurenai's voice trembled in shock. Her grip on the ring tightened as old memories resurfaced—a long-forgotten night when Kirito gave her the ring and disappeared without a word.
It turns out he's truly alive, she thought. But why did he leave without saying goodbye?
Kakashi didn't notice the emotional storm his revelation caused. He continued, "I don't know how, but I saw him with my own eyes this time."
He paused, his expression darkening. "He used the same trick to deceive me again—making me believe the Ice Release ninja accompanying Zabuza was dead. It was just a shadow clone, disguised under a genjutsu."
"Then why hasn't Kirito returned to the village?" Kurenai asked, her voice tinged with both hope and skepticism. Deep down, she still couldn't accept the idea that Kirito was responsible for the slaughter of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans.
Kakashi sighed heavily. "I asked him the same question. His answer… is beyond imagination and too complex to explain. Let's just say that the people and events involved are bigger than we can comprehend."
He looked directly into Kurenai's eyes. "But I can tell you this much: Kirito admitted to killing both clans. He has a deep-seated grudge against Konoha's higher-ups—he despises them and has even sworn to kill them."
"No." Kurenai shook her head, disbelief evident on her face.
Kakashi's voice softened, but his words were firm. "He's no longer the Kirito you once knew. Or perhaps… this is who he was all along, and we just failed to see through him."
He hesitated before adding, "And that's not even the worst part. There are plenty of people who dream of overthrowing Konoha but lack the strength to do it. Kirito, however, has that strength—and now, he's joined a mysterious organization."
"Organization?" Kurenai echoed, her mind racing with worry.
Kakashi nodded grimly. "He's too dangerous for Konoha as it stands today. If you ever see him again, you need to be prepared."
Kurenai fell silent, torn between loyalty to her village and lingering feelings for her former student. On one side stood Konoha, the home she had sworn to protect. On the other was Kirito, someone who had been more than a student to her—a man she couldn't forget.
As Kurenai struggled with her emotions, three young figures and a dog approached the dango shop.
Team 8 Arrives
The group consisted of two boys, a girl, and a small white dog perched on one boy's head. In the lead was Kiba Inuzuka, sporting his signature gray and white fur coat despite the summer heat. Akamaru, his ninja dog, barked energetically atop his head.
To his left walked Hinata Hyuga, shyly avoiding eye contact. Her lavender hair framed her face, and her pure white eyes seemed to reflect her nervousness. She kept her hands clasped in front of her, exuding a quiet elegance.
Trailing behind them was Shino Aburame, clad in a long coat that concealed most of his body. Even his eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, giving him an air of mystery.
"Sensei! Oh, and Kakashi is here too!" Kiba exclaimed as the team entered the shop. "We heard you talking about someone named Kirito. Who's that?"
Akamaru barked in agreement, his tail wagging.
Before Kurenai or Kakashi could respond, Shino spoke up in his usual calm, monotone voice. "Kirito—full name, Fujiwara Kirito—was an exceptional student who graduated from the Ninja Academy a year early in the 54th year of Konoha. He joined Sensei Kurenai's first Team 8 as a genin."
Kiba blinked in surprise. "Wait, the 54th year of Konoha? That's when we started at the Academy!"
Shino nodded. "Yes. He later became the first ninja in Konoha's history to skip both the Chunin and Special Jonin ranks, earning promotion to Jonin before the age of twelve."
"What? A Jonin at twelve?" Kiba's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's impossible!"
Hinata lowered her gaze, her expression melancholic. It was unclear what thoughts were running through her mind.
"It's true," Shino continued. "However, a year after his promotion, he was implicated in the massacre of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans. He became an S-rank missing-nin, wanted by Konoha."
"S-rank?" Kiba's voice faltered, a rare trace of fear creeping in. "At thirteen, he wiped out two clans? That's insane!"
He stared at Shino in disbelief. "How could someone that young pull it off?"
Kakashi, observing the exchange, narrowed his eyes slightly. "That's a lot of information for a genin to know, Shino. Where did you learn all this?"
Shino reached into his coat and pulled out a worn ninja handbook. "From here," he said, handing it to Kakashi. "It contains details about Konoha's and other villages' rogue ninjas, from D-rank to S-rank."
Kiba grabbed the book from Kakashi and began flipping through it. "Whoa, look at all these badasses!" He paused at a page, his jaw dropping. "Hey, Uchiha Itachi's in here too. Another S-rank missing-nin… just like Kirito!"
Kakashi frowned, taking the handbook from Kiba. His mind raced as he thought about Kirito and the implications of his growing strength. Kurenai, meanwhile, sat silently, her hands trembling slightly under the table.
She whispered to herself, "Kirito… what have you become?"
(End of Chapter)
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I'm really sorry guys I didn't realize I'm repeating chapters. My mistake, it wont happen again.