Chapter 35: It's Me, Hanare!
In a dark chamber of the Mizukage's building...
"Obito, Kakashi has been captured and locked in the prison!" Zetsu reported, curious about what Obito planned to do next.
"You'll see soon enough," Obito replied. "Now go inform Hanare—tell her she can begin."
Ignoring Zetsu's inquisitive gaze, Obito proceeded to call a meeting of all registered Jonin in Kirigakure under the name of the Fourth Mizukage. However, to avoid suspicion, he excluded Ao, sending him on an assignment as a cover.
The summoned Jonin promptly gathered at the Mizukage's building, while, on the other side, the absence of guards left the prison significantly under-staffed, exactly as Obito had planned.
During this time, Hanare, disguised as a Chunin delivering food, approached Kakashi's cell.
With a click, the cell door opened, and a slender figure entered, carrying a large bowl of noodles.
The immobilized Kakashi awoke and looked up, recognizing the person who had been bringing his meals. Although they hadn't spoken, he had become somewhat familiar with her, though he was getting tired of her bringing only wide noodles.
As he gathered the strength to ask for something different, she unexpectedly spoke first.
"Kakashi, I'm letting you out. You need to leave the Land of Water as soon as possible!"
The woman delivering food was none other than Hanare in disguise. Her expression was tense, and her voice urgent.
"Huh?" Kakashi was momentarily stunned. Why would a Mist ninja risk everything to free him? The woman's voice also sounded strangely familiar.
"Don't ask too many questions now. Let's get out first," Hanare said, quickly removing the restraints from Kakashi and pulling him along.
Kakashi, still in a daze, followed her lead as they slipped past the prison's defenses and safely exited the facility.
"You are...?" Even with his initial confusion, Kakashi soon recognized the familiar feeling of her presence.
"It's me, Hanare! It's been a long time, Kakashi!" She removed her disguise, smiling playfully.
"It hasn't been that long since we last met! And what are you doing in a place like this?" Kakashi asked, surprised by her sudden appearance.
"I'm on a mission, of course!" Hanare replied, feigning annoyance. "What, only Konoha's ninjas can go on missions? No one else?"
"Uh... that's not what I meant," Kakashi replied awkwardly. "I just mean the Land of Water is too dangerous—you shouldn't have come here."
"Oh, I'm well aware of the danger! Otherwise, how would Konoha's genius, Kakashi, get caught by the Mist and end up eating wide noodles in a cell every day?" Hanare teased, making Kakashi too embarrassed to respond. This little humiliation was sure to haunt him forever.
"Enough about that! What's going on with Kirigakure? Why are they so wary of outsiders? Do you have any intel on this?" Kakashi asked, quickly changing the subject.
"I have some," Hanare answered, then shared what she knew, avoiding anything too sensitive.
"Looks like I underestimated you!" Kakashi praised, surprised to learn that Hanare had successfully infiltrated the Land of Water before he had even arrived. Posing as a Chunin of the Taketori clan, she had begun gathering information and, by chance, discovered that Kakashi had been captured. Choosing loyalty to her friend over her mission, she had gradually scouted the prison's layout while delivering food to him. With today's meeting leaving the prison understaffed, she had seized the opportunity to rescue him.
Kakashi was deeply impressed by her daring and skill.
"Hanare... what about your mission?" Kakashi asked, feeling both grateful and guilty. Because of him, Hanare was forced to abandon her assignment. If her mission was crucial to her village, the consequences of failure might be unbearable for her. Memories of his father's fate weighed on him—his father had chosen to save his comrades over completing a mission, leading to dire consequences upon his return to the village. In the end, his father had chosen suicide.
Until recently, Kakashi had believed this was the only truth, but a mysterious Uchiha had hinted that his father's death was the result of a conspiracy by Konoha's higher-ups. This revelation stirred conflicted emotions in Kakashi, leading him to seek out the truth, though the path was filled with obstacles.
"Forget it!" Hanare replied without hesitation. "Do you think I'm the type to watch a friend suffer and do nothing?"
"Thank you," Kakashi said, though he struggled to find the right words to express his gratitude. In the end, he managed only those two simple words.
"Haha! Never thought I'd see the famous Kakashi saying 'thank you'!" Hanare laughed, clearly amused, as if she had just discovered something amusing.
Embarrassed, Kakashi quickly pulled his mask up to hide his slightly flushed face.
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