When Kakashi heard that Uchiha Yuan had come to the Hyūga compound merely to bid farewell to a friend, he quietly let out a breath.
He had genuinely feared Yuan had come to provoke trouble—leaving behind a disastrous conflict between two great clans just before departing the village.
Yuan glanced at the Hyūga clansmen glaring at him and said to Kakashi,
"Senpai, let's talk somewhere else."
Kakashi nodded.
The next instant, both of them used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished simultaneously.
The surrounding Hyūga members immediately activated their Byakugan, scanning the area.
"Found them! Over there!"
On a large tree near the Hyūga compound, Yuan and Kakashi stood side by side.
Kakashi had removed his ANBU mask. His gaze was complicated.
"Uchiha Yuan. If you're here to say goodbye to a friend, why stir up conflict with the Hyūga? You've caused enough trouble already."
Yuan smiled lightly.
"I just dislike being watched. From the moment I approached the Hyūga grounds, they've been secretly monitoring me."
Kakashi looked toward the compound.
"You're not an ordinary person. In many people's eyes, you're a notorious and dangerous figure."
"Hmph."
Yuan gave a cold snort.
"Senpai… you've been following me all along, haven't you?"
Kakashi did not deny it.
"Village protocol. Until you officially leave, you remain under ANBU surveillance."
Yuan chuckled.
"As expected of you. I never sensed your presence even once."
The two fell silent, watching the Hyūga estate below.
After a moment, Kakashi spoke again.
"I've decided to leave ANBU."
Yuan turned, slightly surprised. Then something clicked in his memory—this was around the time Kakashi withdrew from ANBU.
"That's good news," Yuan said. "As a former member of the Police Force, I've never had much affection for an organization whose duties overlap ours."
ANBU were the Hokage's blade—sharp, lethal, but ultimately just tools.
Once Kakashi left ANBU, he would return as a regular jōnin—no longer a hidden blade, but an official pillar of the village.
Kakashi glanced at Yuan. A trace of confusion lingered in his right eye.
"Senpai," Yuan suddenly said, his tone turning serious. "Remember what I'm about to say."
"Never trust Danzō."
The words were steady.
Kakashi's confusion vanished instantly. His gaze sharpened, pressure radiating from him.
Yuan met that gaze without flinching.
"This has nothing to do with my personal grudge against him."
"You've served in ANBU. You understand Danzō better than I do."
"He is a venomous serpent coiled in Konoha's darkest shadows."
"In his eyes, everyone is merely a piece on the board—discardable at any moment."
Kakashi said nothing.
But the air between them grew heavy.
Yuan stepped back.
"Whether you choose to believe me is your decision. But when that day comes… remember tonight."
With that—
He vanished in a flicker.
Kakashi's eyes shifted.
Below, Yuan reappeared at the gates of the Hyūga compound.
After a moment, Kakashi slowly replaced his ANBU mask.
His gaze darkened behind it.
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