"Kakashi... go ahead. Don't die here... not because of me..."Kinoe looked at his friend with a weak expression. His voice was hoarse, but his eyes shimmered with something long lost—hope.
Kakashi turned back, his Sharingan still glowing dimly. Calmly, he gripped his chakra blade tighter.
"Don't worry, Kinoe... I'll get you out of here alive. They won't stop us," he said with quiet confidence.
Those words warmed Kinoe's chest.'So this... is what it feels like to have a friend? It's nothing like the cold, emotionless commands in Root...'
But—
"Hah! Arrogant brat! How dare you look down on Root!"A Root ninja in the front line shouted, his voice thick with anger and wounded pride.
Root had always been a place of secrets. No one came or left without consequence—until Kakashi Hatake arrived and shattered it all with power and resolve.
But Kakashi only stared coldly at the ninja—saying nothing.
To him, talking to them was a waste of time.
"You insolent—!" the ninja roared again.
With a flick of Danzo's fingers, six Root ninja charged toward Kakashi. Their steps were soundless, fast as lightning, bodies blending into the shadows. No doubt taijutsu specialists—the vanguard.
Kakashi took a glance and thought,'Taijutsu, huh? You may be fast... but I train with Maito Gai every week. This feels like warm-up.'
The six surrounded him—three punches from above, three kicks from below. Fast. Precise. Coordinated. But—
Chidori Nagashi!
Blue lightning exploded from Kakashi's body, forming a small electrical storm around him. The six ninja screamed in pain, thrown back and twitching on the ground.
One strike. Six down.
If Kushina had seen this, she would've been shocked—because with just the slight changes she brought to the timeline, Kakashi had already grown this strong.
Other Root ninja watching the scene changed their expressions. Confidence became caution.
Meanwhile, Danzo narrowed his eyes, his face darkening.
'I didn't expect the Hatake brat to grow into such a threat... I regret not eliminating him sooner!' he cursed silently.
Kakashi glanced at Kinoe and gave a small smile.
"Don't worry. It's my turn to take care of them now."
Kinoe stared at Kakashi's back—standing firm before him. For the first time, he felt safe. That back… made him believe the world outside wasn't as cruel as he once thought.
Suddenly, a swarm of black insects surged forth from a Root ninja, swirling like a dark cloud down the corridor.
"Aburame attack…" Kakashi muttered. "Chakra-draining bugs. Troublesome."
The insects moved fast, aiming to paralyze him by draining his chakra. But Kakashi was ready.
"Bugs fear fire."
With rapid hand signs, he roared:
Katon: Gōryūka no Jutsu!
WHOOSH!
A massive dragon of fire burst from Kakashi's mouth, incinerating the insects in a single sweep. Flames licked the corridor walls, burning every last creature.
The stench of burning bugs filled the air—sharp and revolting. The Aburame ninja clenched his jaw, mourning his 'collection.'
The tight space of Root tunnels wasn't ideal for large-scale ninjutsu, but for Kakashi, it was the perfect battlefield for taijutsu and kenjutsu. He didn't need space—only precision.
'In a place like this… one shinobi is enough to take down an entire unit.'
Danzo watched nervously. A subordinate whispered to him, "Lord Danzo… Kakashi is Hokage's confidant. If we keep attacking, we'll have a hard time explaining this to the Third…"
Danzo gritted his teeth. "Even if he's Hiruzen's man, he attacked Root! He must answer for that!"
Suddenly—
"That's enough, Danzo."
A deep voice echoed from above, silencing the entire corridor with its pressure.
Heads turned upward. From the dim ceiling of the tunnel, a white-robed silhouette descended—
Hiruzen Sarutobi, eyes filled with unquestionable authority.
His cloak fluttered regally, as though sunlight had entered the underworld.
Not far behind him, another figure floated down with agile grace.
"Yatta~! Finally made it!" chirped Kushina, landing beside Hiruzen. Her red hair danced as her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
Instantly, the shadows around the corridor shifted. ANBU units appeared, surrounding Root ninja with weapons drawn and deadly precision.
Kakashi let out a relieved sigh and slowly lowered his weapon.'Finally…' he thought.
Danzo narrowed his eyes in frustration.
"Hiruzen... what's the meaning of this?" he growled.
Hiruzen stared back, this time not as an old friend—but as the Hokage.
"Danzo," he said coldly, "I know you often disagree with me, but that does not give you the right to harm Kakashi… or to hide a Mokuton user from the village."
"Mokuton?!"Several ANBU exchanged glances, now staring at Kinoe with disbelief.
Danzo scoffed, voice rising. "Don't tell me you came here just to steal Kinoe from me!"
Hiruzen nodded calmly. "I've decided to place him under my personal ANBU command. He's too valuable to be hidden away in the shadows. Konoha needs him."
"He's Root's asset! You can't just—"
"I am the Hokage, Danzo," Hiruzen interrupted sharply. "If you stand in my way, I won't hesitate to act."
Tension spiked. ANBU tightened their grip on their weapons. Kakashi subtly shifted forward, shielding Kinoe.
But amidst the building pressure, Kushina crossed her arms and pouted dramatically.
"Eeehh?! Lame! I was hoping for an epic fight! I didn't even get to punch anyone yet!" she groaned, kicking a small rock.
Some ANBU nearly laughed, while Danzo glanced at her with a stiff expression.
"Don't worry, Kushina," Hiruzen said without turning, his tone amused. "Not everything needs a punch."
"But sometimes punching is the fastest solution…" she muttered loud enough for Danzo to hear.
Danzo closed his eyes, weighing options. Then, after a heavy pause—
"…Fine," he said at last. "Kinoe is yours."
Hiruzen gave a small nod. "A wise choice."
Kakashi stepped forward, patting Kinoe's shoulder.
"It's over. Let's go."
Kinoe turned back one last time toward Danzo. There was no anger in his eyes—only relief and a newfound purpose.
He turned, following Kakashi… leaving behind the darkness of his upbringing, stepping toward the light.
Behind them, Kushina cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted,"Oi, Kinoe! Don't forget, now you can eat ramen outside anytime you want!"
Kinoe smiled faintly.
Maybe… living under the blue sky wouldn't be so scary after all.