"Huff… huff… huff…"
Kakashi lay sprawled on the training ground, his chest heaving as though every breath were being dragged out of him with chains. Sweat clung to his forehead, sliding down past the scar that cut across his Sharingan eye. His body trembled slightly, like a dog that had been run ragged. At last, with visible effort, he pushed himself upright, his gloved hand digging into the dirt for support.
Across from him, Uchiha Yun stood with maddening composure. His hair swayed lightly in the night breeze, his Sharingan still faintly glowing. There was no exhaustion in his expression, only that infuriating calm.
Kakashi managed a bitter chuckle between breaths. "This Sharingan… it enhances my dynamic vision beyond measure. I can read movements I'd never catch with my normal eye. But the chakra consumption… it drains me nearly dry." He forced himself upright, shoulders slumped but eyes steady. "Still… whether it's the Body Flicker Technique or the mastery of the Sharingan, you're superior to me. You're more than just a special-jōnin, Yun. Experience aside, your ability far outstrips the title."
Yun's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "Come on, Kakashi. Stop pretending. The real reason the Mangekyō's abilities feel limited… isn't because of you. It's because of them, right?"
His gaze shifted, sharp as a blade, toward the edge of the training field. For the briefest instant, shadows flitted there — the outlines of figures watching from concealment. And then, like ghosts, they vanished into the woods.
Kakashi followed his line of sight, his expression tightening. He let out a slow sigh. "Uchiha Yun, the prodigy of the clan. Graduated from the Academy at nine, completed a special assessment to become a chūnin, and was then personally promoted to special-jōnin by the Fourth Hokage." His voice carried a weary admiration. "Your rise has been unprecedented. Tell me then—why would the two high-ranking officials who inherited what remained of Root be unconcerned when you appeared that day?"
Yun's eyes lingered on the empty corner of the field. Mitokado Homura. Utatane Koharu. The relics of the Third Hokage's administration. For years, they had restrained Danzo's ambitions during Hiruzen's reign, yet now they had grown into something else—another faction altogether, still clinging to the Third's shadow.
The threads of politics wound tightly around Konoha, and Yun knew he was already caught within them.
Before the silence could stretch further, a voice piped up. Pakkun, one of Kakashi's Eight Ninken, wagged his tail nervously. "Kakashi, we—"
But Yun's head turned sharply, his crimson gaze falling on the little hound. "Still here?" His voice carried dangerous amusement. "Kakashi, I think we've got ourselves some fresh meat for dinner tonight."
Pakkun's fur bristled. He leapt back a step, yelping, "Brothers, run!"
*Bang!*
A puff of smoke erupted as the eight dogs vanished back to their realm, leaving only the faint smell of ozone in the air.
Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck, sighing in resignation. "They're troublesome, sure… but Pakkun and the others can be useful sometimes."
*Swish!*
In a shimmer of space, two new presences arrived. The Fourth Hokage himself, Namikaze Minato, appeared in a flicker of golden afterimage, Shisui at his side. The air seemed to settle with their arrival. Minato's smile was calm, reassuring, but his eyes carried the depth of a man who measured everything.
"Report to my direct Anbu tomorrow after you receive your equipment." Minato said, his voice steady but kind. His gaze lingered on Yun. "I'll leave the rest to you."
Yun scratched the back of his head sheepishly, though a small frown tugged at his lips. "Looks like the days of quiet are over. Honestly… I wouldn't mind staying at the Academy a few more years."
Minato's expression softened into something warmer. "With your help, Yun, I think I'll be able to relax a little more from now on."
Yun froze, a bead of sweat sliding down the side of his face. "…This knife was plunged pretty deep, Hokage-sama."
The group broke apart soon after.
…
That evening, the streets of Konoha glowed with lantern light. In a private room at a bustling barbecue restaurant, the air was thick with smoke and the sound of sizzling meat. Yun sat across from Shisui and Kakashi, the scent of roasted pork and chicken filling the space.
Shisui raised his sake cup, his smile bright. "Yun's still too young to drink. So, juice for him. More sake for us."
Kakashi lifted his glass with quiet amusement. Yun, cornered, raised his cup of orange juice, his face blank with resignation.
"To Yun, the youngest special-jōnin!" Shisui declared.
"Cheers!"
Their cups clinked. Yun downed his juice in one go. Sweet, tangy — far better than that bitter swill adults called sake.
As the warmth of the meal settled in, Shisui reached into his side pouch and drew out a scroll. He slid it across the table to Yun with a smile. "Hokage-sama was too busy to come himself. He asked me to deliver this gift on his behalf."
Yun blinked, unrolling the scroll. His face stiffened, caught between awe and disbelief.
Shisui chuckled at his reaction. "The Body Flicker Technique has taken you far, Yun. Your speed may even surpass mine one day. But speed alone isn't enough. At that level, you'll need a ninjutsu suited for close-range impact. So, the Fourth entrusted this A-rank original ninjutsu to you."
Yun's gaze sharpened at the name written on the scroll. "Rasengan… The Fourth's own unmarked creation. For a shinobi who relies on speed, it's perfect. After all, no one's faster than the Yellow Flash."
Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly. "Rasengan… He gave you that? Sensei must have high hopes for you, Yun."
Yun tucked the scroll away carefully, then turned toward Shisui with a playful glint in his eye. His wink carried a silent question: 'And what about you?'
Shisui sighed theatrically, but relented, pulling out another scroll. "I suppose it's my turn. You've been growing well in your mastery of fire-style. This contains its advanced training method — fire chakra form manipulation. It should serve you well."
Yun grinned, accepting it with genuine gratitude. "Perfect timing. I've been working on chakra nature transformations. This is exactly what I need."
And then, inevitably, Yun's gaze slid to Kakashi.
The silver-haired jōnin froze, chopsticks halfway to his mouth. "…What?"
Both pairs of eyes locked onto him. Yun smiled innocently. "You retired from Anbu, sure. But as a former senior… shouldn't you show a little appreciation?"
Kakashi's shoulders slumped in defeat. He muttered something under his breath, then reached reluctantly into his pouch. His hand trembled as though each motion cost him blood. Finally, he placed a rolled-up booklet on the table.
Yun's eyes gleamed. Could it be… Raikiri's notes?
He unrolled the booklet—
Seven large characters stared back at him: Icha Icha Paradise, Collector's Edition.
"Pfft!!"
Shisui exploded, sake spraying out of his mouth all over Kakashi. "What the hell, Kakashi?! You gave him that?!"
Kakashi dabbed his face calmly with napkins, unfazed. "I waited in line for hours. Jiraiya-sama is coming back soon. An autograph will triple its value."
"But Yun is nine years old!" Shisui shouted, jabbing a finger at the boy.
Kakashi tilted his head, thoughtful. "Nine's fine. I lived alone when I was younger than him."
The room erupted in laughter, outrage, and the clatter of cups.
…
Hours later, as the barbecue party wound down, Shisui and Kakashi parted ways with Yun. The boy walked home alone, his two scrolls carefully tucked away.
Meanwhile, in the shadows of the Hokage's office, Kakashi's voice grew thoughtful. "The Rasengan… Did you really have to trade so many S-rank missions for it?"
Shisui nodded. "With Yun's speed— pairing it with the Rasengan will make him unstoppable."
Kakashi's eye narrowed. "The Mangekyō can sweep aside almost anything… but that power demands a terrible price. He needs tools for ordinary combat. But… why do you trust him so much?"
Shisui turned his gaze on Kakashi, his eyes deep and unwavering. "Because when the Uchiha stood at the edge of the abyss… he was the one who pulled us back."
Silence stretched between them.
Shisui added quietly, "The Fourth also included his notes on how the Rasengan might evolve. That's how much faith he's placing in Yun."
Kakashi said nothing, only lowered his gaze. His teacher's generosity weighed heavily in the balance.
But in his heart, one question lingered, chilling and heavy.
Had the Uchiha clan already reached the point of no return?
The changes within Konoha had already begun.
*****
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