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Naruto had always been watched over by ANBU operatives in secret.
Today, the one on duty was the ANBU squad captain—Kakashi.
Because of the Nine-Tails' sensitive nature, Hiruzen Sarutobi had long instructed the ANBU: unless absolutely necessary, never let the villagers know Naruto was being protected.
After all, Naruto was the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. That incident had brought massive destruction to the village. If people knew he was being protected, it could easily stir resentment.
As long as Naruto didn't die and didn't lose control, that was enough.
Hiruzen cared deeply about maintaining his image.
So even when Naruto had just been surrounded and bullied by villagers, Kakashi didn't step in. He only watched coldly from the sidelines.
Now, Kakashi's gaze fell on Ken.
ANBU symbolized authority, enforcement, and ruthlessness. Most people—whether ninja or civilian—felt instinctively uneasy when facing them.
But Kakashi saw none of that on Ken's face.
Instead, those pitch-black eyes held a faint, mocking amusement.
Suppressing his irritation, Kakashi spoke, his tone laced with warning and disdain.
"Uchiha brat. Stay away from that kid."
"You're concerned about Uzumaki Naruto?" Ken shot back calmly, hands clasped behind his back. "Then why didn't you show up earlier, when he was being humiliated and beaten? Not even a single word in his defense?"
"That makes me wonder… is this what you call protecting him?"
After the Fourth Hokage and his wife died, Naruto had grown up alone.
Technically speaking, Kakashi was Naruto's senior—his mentor's student.
And yet, during Naruto's childhood, that "senior" had never once been there for him.
Even when Naruto was cursed as a demon fox, Kakashi never stepped forward to say a word on his behalf.
Everyone in Konoha knew Naruto was the "demon fox."
But how many knew he was the orphaned son of the Fourth Hokage, who died sealing that very beast?
The higher-ups knew.
Kakashi knew.
But had any of them ever spoken up for him?
Not once.
So when Kakashi said those words, Ken only sneered, his voice cutting straight to the core.
A cold expression appeared on Kakashi's face. "The Nine-Tails incident still hasn't cleared the Uchiha of suspicion."
"No matter how nicely you dress it up, it won't change how much I dislike your clan."
"And yet," Ken replied, "your ANBU still haven't found any evidence tying the Uchiha to it, have you?"
"So tell me—what proof do you have that the Uchiha committed any unforgivable crime worthy of such hatred, Captain Kakashi?"
That signature shock of silver hair—even with a mask, it wasn't hard to recognize him. Ken figuring it out wasn't surprising.
Kakashi fell silent.
Through both the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars, the Uchiha had fought and sacrificed themselves for the village time and again.
Yes, they were extreme.
But they loved their clan deeply—and they knew how to give for the village.
Even so…
As someone aligned with the Hokage faction, Kakashi simply couldn't bring himself to like them.
His gaze turned colder. "I don't care what you say. This is your warning—stay away from Uzumaki Naruto. Or I won't go easy on you."
"How exactly won't you go easy on me, Captain Kakashi?" Ken asked, still smiling, completely unafraid.
Then he pressed further, "Planning to bully an eight-year-old Uchiha with your strength? So who's the real villain here?"
Whether it was Jiraiya or Kakashi, both were faithful followers of the Will of Fire.
Ken respected that.
But if they ever stood in his way…
He wouldn't hesitate to kill them.
Anyone who blocks me dies.
"Shut up!"
Pushed too far, Kakashi snapped.
His figure vanished in an instant.
The next moment, he was already behind Ken, one hand shooting forward to teach the boy a lesson.
But Ken reacted just as fast.
A kunai appeared in his right hand out of nowhere, thrusting straight toward Kakashi's eye.
These weren't dull training tools from the academy. They were high-quality weapons bought from the ninja cat granny (Nekobaa)—sharpened, lethal, and gleaming with a cold edge.
If Kakashi kept attacking, he'd lose both eyes.
Kakashi's pupils shrank.
Sensing real danger, he pushed off the ground and retreated instantly, widening the distance.
He might dislike Ken, but he had to admit—that counterattack had been flawless.
"Hmph. Not bad," Kakashi muttered, eyes turning sharp as he realized he'd underestimated the boy.
He launched forward again, like a cannonball, unleashing a storm of attacks.
Since Ken was just a kid, Kakashi didn't use weapons or ninjutsu—only taijutsu, aiming to subdue him.
His strikes came fast and relentless.
Ken's eyes gleamed as he focused completely. Though his two-tomoe Sharingan was active, he chose not to rely on it.
Over the past two years, Fugaku had personally trained him every day, sharpening his combat instincts.
Now, he wanted to see what Kakashi was really capable of.
As they exchanged blows, something surprising happened—
Kakashi didn't dominate.
If anything, Ken handled it with ease.
The longer the fight dragged on, the more agitated Kakashi became.
Failing to subdue an eight-year-old wasn't just embarrassing—it could draw unwanted attention from passing villagers.
After creating some distance again, Kakashi's hands flew through a series of hand seals.
"Raikiri!"
Lightning chakra surged wildly around him, gathering in his right hand. The piercing crackle sounded like a thousand birds screaming at once.
His self-created, S-rank technique—Raikiri.
Watching Kakashi prepare his strongest move, Ken narrowed his eyes and sighed.
"Captain Kakashi… are you really planning to use Raikiri on me?"
"I'm just an eight-year-old kid."
He looked utterly innocent.
That single sentence snapped Kakashi back to his senses.
Cold sweat broke out across his forehead.
That's right.
Even if the boy in front of him was an Uchiha… even if his words had struck a nerve…
He was still just an eight-year-old student.
"If I can bring myself to do this… what does that make me?"
The lightning in his hand slowly faded.
"Captain Kakashi, if we're done here, I'll head back and get some rest."
Ken turned and left with a faint smile.
Kakashi didn't move.
His mood had sunk to rock bottom.
But Ken had reminded him of something important.
Naruto—the child rejected by the village.
As his senior, Kakashi had never fulfilled his responsibility.
He had failed the Fourth Hokage and his wife.
Kakashi's eyes grew distant, clouded with uncertainty.
…
On the way home, Ken got angrier the more he thought about it.
All he'd done was stand up for Naruto—and even took him out for ramen, the thing the kid loved most.
Sure, Naruto had paid, and he'd been reluctant about it, dragging his feet the whole time—but still, Ken had given him companionship.
And for that, he got warned by Kakashi?
What kind of logic was that?
The more he endured it, the more pissed he got. The more he stepped back, the more it felt like a loss.
No way.
This grudge had to be settled.
Kakashi… just you wait.
"....."