142 Chapter 142

Naruto ran to Sasuke's house early in the morning today, and honestly, he was no stranger to Sasuke's home.

In the past year, he has lost count of how many times he has visited Sasuke's home.

Uncle Fugaku is Sasuke's father, which gave Naruto quite a shock. He never imagined that the uncle who took him out a year ago would have such a status.

As for the one called Uchiha Kaito, his status is even more extraordinary; he is not only Sasuke's teacher but also the head of the Uchiha clan!

Of course, Naruto, this little guy, doesn't have a clear concept of what being a clan head truly signifies.

But he knows that this position and title are probably extraordinary, especially since Kaito is Sasuke's teacher.

However, Sasuke seems to have some complaints about Big Brother Kaito, implying that the elder brother has not really taught him anything.

But such complaints are merely that. Naruto can see that Sasuke's admiration for Big Brother Kaito runs deep.

"After all, who can resist such a gentle and kind big brother?"

Naruto thought quietly to himself, unaware of the extent of Sasuke's admiration for Kaito.

All he knows is that within the Uchiha clan, he can always feel something rarely experienced in the outside world.

No one here discriminates against him or despises him. Everyone has their tasks to handle—Sasuke told him they were busy studying and revising for the assessment Kaito had assigned them.

But when they see him, their natural expressions honestly convey that they don't dislike him.

They simply treat him as an ordinary person, and that's something Naruto has long yearned for but could never find elsewhere!

Besides, in Sasuke's home, Naruto has felt a different kind of warmth, a warmth that inexplicably evokes a sense of home in him.

Uncle Fugaku always keeps a straight face, but the tenderness that subtly exudes from him makes Naruto feel particularly warm.

And Aunt Mikoto's constant attention to his living conditions has brought tears to Naruto's eyes more times than he can count.

This feeling, like what a family should feel like, is something that Naruto relishes.

Every time he comes here, Uncle Fugaku's family invites him to dinner. Although Naruto wants to refuse each time, not wanting to burden others because of himself, he can never voice his refusal. Because he really loves this atmosphere.

Yesterday, after school, Sasuke reluctantly invited him to his house the next day, which made Naruto incredibly happy.

So, Naruto got up early today. He first ran to Ichiraku Ramen for a hearty meal to express his excitement, and then went to Sasuke's house.

"Ah, Big Brother Kaito!"

But what he didn't expect was that not only were Sasuke and a red-haired girl he didn't recognize there, he also saw Kaito, the big brother who had been particularly kind to him and whom he hadn't seen in a long time!

"Naruto? What brings you here?"

Kaito feigned surprise upon seeing Naruto, while Sasuke wore a resigned expression on his face.

His father had mentioned yesterday at lunch that it's been a while since they last saw Naruto, and asked Sasuke to invite him over the next day, which Sasuke didn't refuse.

Even though he always thought Naruto was a bit of an idiot and wondered why he found himself constantly irritated by him, their relationship was strangely not bad.

So, without hesitation, Sasuke agreed and invited Naruto over to his house after school.

However, what he never expected was that last night, Uchiha Kaito informed him that he would be tutoring him today, and that made Sasuke ecstatic.

Ever since he became Kaito's student, other than diligently studying the various materials newly issued by his family and occasionally attending Kaito's lectures, Kaito hadn't really taught him anything else, not even conducting individual assessments.

This made Sasuke question his own abilities. Could it be that Kaito didn't bother with him because he thought Sasuke was incapable?

Receiving this news now naturally overjoyed Sasuke, but as a result, he completely forgot about Naruto.

It was only when he saw Naruto arrive that he remembered that he had invited Naruto over today, and he forgot to inform Naruto.

"Sensei, I was the one who invited him over, but I forgot to inform him after you notified me last night."

Sasuke was quite honest; he came forward and admitted his mistake without mentioning that it was his father who asked him to invite Naruto.

Kaito couldn't help but laugh and nod when he saw this. All of this was, after all, a plan he and Fugaku had set up.

But they wouldn't dare tell the children about such a devious plan, although Sasuke's responsible attitude pleased Kaito greatly.

"Since he's here, let him stay. After all, I've heard that this kid Naruto comes over here quite often."

Kaito said casually with a smile before continuing.

"Let me introduce you all. This girl is named Karin, and she'll be living here with us from now on, so you guys can get to know each other.

Also, I invited you here today to assess your abilities.

A ninja needs knowledge to fill his cognition, but the most crucial thing is to have the strength to protect oneself, to protect the things one needs to guard.

If a ninja doesn't have enough strength, he can't protect his homeland, his family.

You three are here, so consider yourselves as a small squad, and let's see what you're capable of."

A squad?

Sasuke, Karin, and Naruto looked at each other, somewhat stunned for a moment.

Sasuke felt helpless in his heart. It was supposed to be a personal training, but how did it turn into training three people all of a sudden?

He didn't even know who this girl Karin was, although he had heard his father mention that she was brought back from a mission by Deputy Clan Chief Shisui.

Her living arrangements were also made by his own father, but this was their first meeting.

Naruto was someone he was familiar enough with, but this kid was a total imbecile!

Turning to look at Naruto, the boy was already brimming with uncontainable excitement. This made Sasuke sigh inwardly, but he dared not go against Kaito's words.

As for Karin, she was utterly bemused. Being brought back to Konoha was already baffling enough.

Even though she had moved into a family almost entirely composed of handsome men, she hadn't forgotten that she was captured and brought back because of her unique body.

She had originally assumed that she was destined for a tragic fate of enduring endless experiments, but now it seemed that wasn't the case?

This left her quite puzzled, but she didn't voice any objections. After all, for her, it didn't make a difference where she was.

As for Kaito, although he was talking to the three youngsters, his senses were locked onto the figure hidden in the shadows.

What made him sigh was that it didn't seem to be Kakashi who had come today...

....

After wrapping up an all-night mission, Kakashi once again paid no heed to his teammates and stealthily left the Hokage Building.

The hot sun beamed down from the sky, the brilliant rays making Kakashi's eyes squint slightly.

Yet, bathing in the sunlight, Kakashi felt no warmth, instead, his heart remained as cold as solid ice.

Last night, he had discovered the action records and reports belonging to the root division that had been hidden by the Third Hokage, and he had spent the whole night reading them.

Everything was so shocking that it made him feel incredibly naive.

He thought that by joining the ANBU and spending so many years there, he had already seen the darkest sides of the world.

However, compared to those action reports, he realized he was still as pure as a child.

In those action reports, the most frequently mentioned phrase was 'for the sake of Konoha'.

For the sake of Konoha, countless people were wiped out as detailed in those reports. For the sake of Konoha, numerous dark deeds had taken place within its borders.

For the sake of Konoha, his own father met a cruel end. For the sake of Konoha, his teacher's child had to bear such an unbearable fate!

Was all of this truly for the sake of Konoha, or was it for their own control over Konoha?

The icy chill in Kakashi's heart continuously assaulted his defenses, while the anger in his heart was steadily consuming his will.

It was this peculiar 'ice and fire' blend that kept him sane, allowing him to discern how he should choose.

Taking a deep breath, Kakashi slowly returned to his residence, but the moment he arrived, he immediately used the Shadow Clone Technique.

He left the clone at his residence, while he himself quietly left the room, using the Transformation Technique to blend into the crowd and head towards the Uchiha clan's territory.

He had read all the materials last night, but he didn't take all of them, since he wasn't sure if Hiruzen Sarutobi would meticulously inspect everything.

He didn't have that many sealing scrolls on him, so he only picked a few documents he deemed important, replaced them with his own scrolls to ensure the quantity remained the same.

These materials might prove useful, but everything would require confirmation from Uchiha Kaito.

In truth, Kakashi really didn't want to seek out Kaito, but at present in the Hidden Leaf, the only person who openly expressed dissatisfaction with the current Hokage was Kaito.

Kakashi's options were truly too scarce, so even in his reluctance, he could only attempt to find Kaito.

But just as Kakashi arrived at the Uchiha clan's premises, he froze in place because he didn't know how to get in.

He had come stealthily, of course, not wanting to draw any attention. Other than Kaito, he really didn't want to meet anyone else.

But now, if he wanted to enter the Uchiha clan, he would likely stir up huge trouble if he didn't report his visit first.

Moreover, the Uchiha clan had significantly strengthened its defenses and measures. Monitoring devices were everywhere, and the clan also had its own patrol squad.

If he forced his way in, he might draw the attention of Uchiha Fugaku or Uchiha Shisui before even meeting Kaito, and these two were no joke in terms of power.

"What should I do?"

Kakashi murmured to himself. Suddenly, he remembered that there was a forest at the back of the Uchiha clan, and in that forest, a decently sized training ground.

Kakashi had heard from Shisui, still part of the Anbu, that Kaito seemed to like training in the back, day in and day out, year after year, rarely missing a day.

Perhaps it was this kind of perseverance that allowed him to possess such terrifying power at such a young age.

But no sooner had he thought this, Kakashi shook his head. In fact, many people in the Hidden Leaf followed Kaito's method.

And among those who matched Kaito in age was Shisui, whose power was also formidable.

After much thought, Kakashi could only sigh at the fact that these Uchihas were really like monsters, especially characters like Kaito and Shisui, they were the monsters among monsters!

Kakashi turned around and directly left the entrance of the Uchiha clan's grounds, then swiftly ran towards the rear hill of the Uchiha clan.

His speed was quick, but the Uchiha clan's area was also large. Even for him, it took almost five minutes to detour to the back.

However, as soon as he arrived, his expression slightly changed because he keenly detected someone lurking in the dark, which took him by surprise.

"What's going on? An Anbu member watching Uchiha Kaito?"

Kakashi murmured inwardly. Although the relationship between Kaito and the Third Hokage was abysmal, the Third wouldn't be so foolish as to provoke like this, would he?

But now Kakashi didn't have the leisure to consider all of this. His gaze was locked on the Anbu member, and then he pounced onto the back of the Anbu agent!

"Who's there?"

The spying Anbu agent sensed movement behind him and quickly turned around.

But the next moment, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his neck, then lost consciousness, falling heavily to the ground.

Indeed, everyone who enters the Anbu are elites, but there's a vast difference even among the elites. For instance, Kakashi's individual strength was far greater than a regular Anbu agent's.

Looking at the unconscious Anbu, Kakashi sighed faintly. But in the next moment, he instantly felt a chilling aura locking onto him.

This chilling sensation almost suffocated him, accompanied by an intense killing intent that surrounded him.

However, this feeling vanished without a trace in an instant, as if it had never existed.

At that moment, Kakashi finally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he must have been recognized...

.....

"Naruto, your arm strength is too weak to smash the enemy."

"Sasuke, your leg speed is too slow, it will give the enemy a chance to exploit your weaknesses."

"Karin, you're also too bad, are your fists just for tickling the enemy?"

As Kaito continued to dodge the attacks of the three little guys, he couldn't help but mock and ridicule them.

These three little ones weren't as bad as Kaito made them out to be in his remarks, in fact, they are quite decent among their peers.

But they are only good among their peers. If they were compared to the era of Kaito and Shisui, they might not be up to par.

This could be due to a shift in policy. After all, during Kaito's time, the war had not ended yet, and all the village's policies were geared towards serving the war.

Even Nara Yaneko, who was a bit lazy, had very impressive grades back then.

Growing up in such an environment, Kaito naturally used his own standards, which may seem a bit unfair to Sasuke and Naruto.

But Kaito didn't care, and neither did Sasuke and Naruto.

Although they were constantly mentally attacked by Kaito, they held on and continuously improved.

Even Karin, who had always been clueless, was now incredibly focused. Although she didn't understand why Kaito was teaching her these things, her adaptability was always fast, and her sensing ability was extremely exaggerated. She could clearly feel what Kaito's chakra was like.

Although Kaito's chakra was a bit cold and made people feel uncomfortable, it didn't have any malice.

Since arriving at the Uchiha clan, she had investigated the chakra of others through her own sensing ability.

As a result, she found that the chakra of everyone in the clan seemed to be the same.

Somewhat cold and somewhat uncomfortable, but surprisingly without any malice. Underneath some people's cold chakra, she could even feel warmth.

Like Shisui, his chakra was such a contradiction.

"Strange family, strange people..."

After figuring these things out, Karin could only lament this kind of family, but now it seemed that she no longer resisted these people in her heart.

Back in the Hidden Grass Village, she could clearly feel the malice others held towards her.

The attitude of treating her entirely as a tool, as if never considering her as a human, filled her with both disgust and fear.

Here, though Karin didn't know what the future held, at least for now, everything seemed pretty good.

Thus, Karin began to exert effort. The trio was tormented quite miserably by Kaito, but under his continuous guidance, they began to show some noticeable progress.

They also seemed to realize that they would never trouble Kaito if they each fought individually, so they must unite.

Slowly, the trio's attacks began to show some semblance of coordination.

"Quite interesting indeed."

Kaito noticed this and couldn't help but feel amused, even though such coordination was virtually useless against him.

He could even, like Kakashi, casually read a book while dealing with them. After all, he also had a copy of "Icha Icha Paradise."

But he thought it best not to do so, at least not to leave any negative impressions on these little ones. This could be considered as showing them some respect.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Kaito noticed someone heading towards him, which struck him as odd.

But in the next moment, his expression changed slightly, and his aura exploded instantly, zeroing in on the figure approaching from a distance.

He realized that this figure had attacked the Anbu shadowing Naruto!

His sudden outburst, even some strong ninja could hardly withstand, let alone the three little ones before his eyes.

The three children instantly felt a terrifying chill rushing at them. For a moment, they even found it difficult to breathe!

But quickly, Kaito withdrew his aura. His face turned into a mix of bafflement and astonishment as he confirmed the identity of the incoming figure.

"Kakashi, why has he come, using transformation jutsu and even attacking the Anbu?"

Kaito never anticipated the situation turning out this way. He had been thinking of luring Kakashi over, only to find the man show up on his own.

This left Kaito somewhat bewildered, but after some thought, he decided he still needed to meet with Kakashi.

At least to clarify what had brought the man here in such a fluster.

"Take a break."

Kaito turned to the three little ones, their faces pale, and with a gentle smile said in a soft voice.

"There's been a little unpleasant incident, and I need to handle it.

Sasuke, take them back to the house and have your mother prepare some snacks to serve.

Karin, don't let me find out you're using your sensing ability to eavesdrop."

"And you three did well today. Later, I'll have someone teach you some interesting stuff.

That's all. Dismissed."

"Yes!"

Sasuke and the others had somewhat regained their composure, and they responded promptly. They then obediently ran towards the Uchiha clan's territory.

After their departure, Kaito slowly walked towards Kakashi's location.

Soon, Kaito saw the Anbu knocked unconscious by Kakashi, and Kakashi himself, who had returned to his original appearance.

"What's the matter?" Kaito looked at Kakashi in puzzlement. "What happened to make you rush over so recklessly?"

"I…" Kakashi looked at Kaito, still frightened. After a long while, he let out a deep sigh. "I want to ask you a question, a very important question."

"Go ahead." Kaito felt increasingly puzzled. But along with this puzzlement, he seemed to have a strong premonition.

He hadn't forgotten how he had urged Kakashi to do some 'interesting things'.

He hadn't met Kakashi much since then, and thus wasn't clear about Kakashi's situation.

But after that, he had received a highly confidential piece of information, which, based on subsequent events, seemed to be genuine.

He had been wondering who sent him this intelligence. He had suspected Kakashi, but he couldn't be sure why Kakashi would send it anonymously.

But now, Kakashi's current state and behavior seemed to suggest that it was Kakashi who had sent the information!

Indeed, as soon as Kakashi started speaking, Kaito was completely certain. Especially since Kakashi's words made his heart skip a beat.

Because he knew that all his arrangements might be about to come together!

"If I beg you to deal with the Third Hokage, who is still targeting you, would you agree?"

...

Kakashi's words immediately confirmed for Kaito that the previous information had indeed been sent by him.

Because Kaito had only discussed this with his family and the six clan heads. He had never mentioned it to anyone else, and on the surface, he even appeared to be cooperating with Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Yet Kakashi was able to speak so precisely about this matter, which meant that the only one who could have leaked the information was Kakashi!

"Why ask this question?" Kaito looked at Kakashi with an amused expression, then asked curiously, "And why hide your identity?"

"I don't trust you."

Kakashi knew what Kaito was referring to. He spoke in a low voice, bluntly saying,

"This matter won't affect you at all, but it will me.

I don't want to be a pawn in your game, but I must admit that I've been influenced by your illusion."

Kakashi's words were sincere and suppressed, but his suppression did not affect Kaito in the slightest. In fact, Kaito's smile became even brighter.

"Although I did use an illusion on you, it didn't influence you, because it was just a simple illusion."

Kaito extended his hand and patted Kakashi's shoulder, whispering to him.

"You chose to investigate because you desired to, not because of anything I did to you. You need to understand this.

Of course, I appreciate your information, even if you don't trust me.

But now I'm curious. If you don't trust me, then why did you come to me again? What's your purpose?"

"Because... I've found what you hoped I would find."

Upon hearing Kaito's words, Kakashi's body trembled slightly again, just as it did when he saw those operation reports last night!

The intense emotional turbulence made even Kaito frown slightly, as it was quite different from the Kakashi he remembered.

"I found the Root operation reports. Although many things within them don't have the Third Hokage's signature.

But I believe they couldn't have happened without the Third Hokage's tacit approval. And I also found the real cause of my father's death.

As you said, all this is nothing more than a conspiracy.

All this is just a farce to gain power and profit under the guise of 'for the sake of Konoha'!

Everything looks so righteous, yet everything is so dark, it's terrifying.

The Third Hokage is no longer fit to be the Hokage!

I crave revenge, but I know I can't act rashly because he is the Hokage.

If I act rashly, let alone whether I can succeed or not, if I fail, I won't have another chance.

And if I succeed, it would be a devastating blow to Konoha, and to the Konoha my teacher, Obito, Rin, and my father strived to protect!"

At this point, Kakashi paused slightly. He looked up at Kaito earnestly, his eyes filled with a pleading expression.

"So, I can only turn to you. In the entire Konoha, only you would stand against the Third Hokage, and only you have the power to do so.

This power is not your eyes, but your control and mastery over the situation, as well as your ability to handle its aftermath.

I've read the Root operation reports. I've seen how they dealt with you. But all of that fell apart after your secret ascension.

Even in the assault by the Uchiha... that nameless person and Root's joint strike, you counter-killed Danzo.

And now, you're the only one in the village still being targeted by the Third Hokage. So, I've come to you, because now, I can only turn to you."

After finishing his speech, Kakashi just quietly looked at Kaito, while Kaito was at a loss for words.

Kakashi's evaluation of him seemed somewhat excessively high. But upon reflection, Kaito realized that he was indeed quite adept at handling aftermaths.

Regardless, the information from Kakashi made Kaito's heart bloom with joy.

He knew that Kakashi was now steady, and more importantly, the fellow had actually found the Root's operation plan!

Before this, Kaito had been worried that Hiruzen Sarutobi might have disposed of these documents.

But now it seemed that Hiruzen did not choose to completely get rid of them; instead, he sealed and preserved them.

What his purpose was, Kaito was not sure. Maybe he wanted to leave traces of Danzo, or perhaps it was Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado who asked him to keep them?

Kaito didn't know about these things, but he did know that keeping these records could prevent slander against Hiruzen's crimes.

Moreover, not all of these documents were signed, but these materials had provided Kaito with more substantial evidence!

Looking at Kakashi, Kaito then curiously asked, "So, did you find any documents related to your teacher and Naruto?"

"Teacher and Naruto?"

Kakashi was taken aback. He didn't know why Kaito had suddenly brought up this topic, but he still nodded.

"I didn't find anything about my teacher, but I did find something on Naruto. There are no signatures, but the general operation plan is as you expected.

I guess there might have been some conflict between the Third Hokage and Danzo Shimura at that time, because I once stopped Danzo from assassinating the Hokage.

But I think the Hokage tacitly allowed it. Otherwise, someone like Danzo could not have acted without facing backlash."

"It seems that our Hokage has indeed done quite a lot."

Kaito smiled, not surprised by this. After all, he also knew about Danzo's attempt to assassinate the Hokage.

Moreover, this assassination attempt had led to a very famous scene, 'Danzo, you've gone too far, I am the Hokage'.

However, Kaito wasn't particularly interested in this dog-eat-dog scenario. Both of them were the type of people who preached principles, but had their own agendas at heart.

Of course, replacing the term 'principle' with 'Konoha' might be more appropriate.

Looking at Kakashi, Kaito pondered for a moment, then finally spoke quietly.

"It's a pity you didn't find any information about your teacher, but there's something I need to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

Kakashi furrowed his brows. He didn't know what Kaito's attitude was at this point, but he felt like he didn't have much of a choice now.

"Regarding your teacher's death, I heard some interesting comments. Would you be interested in hearing them?"

"Feel free to speak, Chief Kaito."

...

If Kakashi wanted to listen, then naturally Kaito would not hide anything.

Even though he was well aware that his words were all fabrications, and there was no necessity to speak them now, Kaito needed time to process.

He had to seriously contemplate how much of the resources in his hands were needed, and to what extent he should execute this matter!

Originally, Kaito was dealing with these matters with a somewhat uncertain attitude, thus he kept an ambiguous stance on whether Kakashi could find those pieces of intelligence.

If they couldn't be found, Kaito would persuade Kakashi in another way, getting him to expose Hiruzen Sarutobi's experiments on the First Hokage's cells.

This was what he and the six clan heads planned, basically the most prudent method.

However, now he suddenly found that he held more cards in his hand, and if he didn't use them properly, it would be a loss no matter how one looked at it.

"With the cards in hand now, I'm afraid Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't even have a chance to counterattack!"

While Kaito recounted everything Uchiha Fugaku once told him, he was also rapidly pondering in his mind.

"But those pieces of evidence are still in Hiruzen's hands, hence Kakashi is the key.

Whether it's finding those pieces of evidence, or his own significance as a witness, both are of immeasurable importance.

So, completely winning him over, getting him to bring out all those pieces of evidence, this is the most important thing for all of us.

Seems like some things need to be disclosed to him, and I also must get him to hand over those pieces of evidence to me!"

As Kaito was contemplating all this, he had finished speaking.

The expression of Kakashi, who had been attentively listening to all this, was no different from the faces of the six leaders who heard everything last night.

Moreover, Kakashi seemed more sorrowful and shocked now!

His gaze was fixed on Kaito, his body couldn't help trembling. After a while, he asked with a slightly weak voice.

"Is everything you said... true?"

"I don't know."

Kaito decisively shook his head. He looked at Kakashi calmly and spoke softly.

"Because I also only heard about it. Right now, I'm just telling you what I heard. After all, you are his disciple, and I'm not."

Kakashi was silent upon hearing this, facing this question he didn't know how to answer.

But Kaito could see, that Kakashi seemed to be truly moved by his words, because people can truly become unrecognizable when corrupted by power.

"As for your request for my help..."

Just as Kakashi was silent, Kaito spoke again, and his words made Kakashi tense up.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you alone. As I've said, I've already gotten what I wanted, and so I don't wish to get involved further."

Kaito's words made Kakashi feel as if his blood had frozen, because he never expected such an answer.

"Why, isn't he also targeting you, targeting the Uchiha?"

Unable to bear this situation, Kakashi seemed to lose control and shouted out loud. His voice was so loud it even startled the birds nesting here.

"You're losing your composure, Kakashi."

Seeing Kakashi in such a state, Kaito couldn't help but shake his head with a laugh.

"As the disciple of the Fourth Hokage, you should be calmer. As a shinobi, you need to be calm too.

I said I can't help you alone, but I never said that I wouldn't help you when others are aligned with me.

Kakashi, your understanding of Konoha is still too shallow. You really don't know how much anger this current Hokage has provoked."

Having said this, Kaito paused slightly, then his gaze shifted towards the Hokage's Rock.

"As it stands, quite a few clans wish to do something about the Third Hokage with me.

I have agreed to this. After all, dealing with the Hokage will not be a simple task, especially considering there are so many things we need to think about.

For example, how can we make our Hokage step down from his current position without shaking the foundation of Konoha.

At the same time, we also need to consider what kind of response we should make to minimize losses in case the Hokage fights back desperately.

And after we succeed, who should be elected as the new Hokage to stabilize the situation as quickly as possible."

Kaito paused here momentarily, then patted Kakashi before slowly continuing.

"So, you're not calm enough. You came to me alone hoping that I could help you, but have you considered what just the two of us can do?

Obviously, we can't do anything, and might even cause great chaos within Konoha.

However, I must admit, without your evidence, it would be hard for us to do anything.

From the beginning, we needed you. We needed you to help us verify, to help us catch someone."

Kakashi listened to Kaito's words in stunned silence, feeling somewhat ashamed because he hadn't thought things through.

His heart was already filled with anger and hatred. If it weren't for his considerations for Konoha, he might have assassinated Hiruzen himself!

At the same time, he felt somewhat relieved. Luckily he had come to find Kaito, otherwise, he would have caused a huge mess.

After some thought, Kakashi seemed to realize something. He asked, "The person you want me to catch, is it 'A'?"

"I don't know who you're talking about. My information comes from Orochimaru."

Kaito looked at Kakashi calmly and spoke softly.

"He told me that you know of a survivor of his experiments in Konoha, one who can use Wood Release.

I don't care who this guy is, but I know that you are aware of all this."

"It must be him, he's the only one who can use Wood Release now."

Kakashi slowly nodded. He didn't ask how Kaito had made contact with Orochimaru, because none of that mattered to him.

What mattered was that he now knew what to do. What mattered was that he could see the dawn of a resolution for this matter!

Taking a deep breath, Kakashi seriously looked at Kaito. He hesitated for a moment, then finally asked in a low voice.

"May I ask, just how many people are involved in this?"

"You should ask, how many clans are involved in this."

A gentle smile curled at the corners of Kaito's mouth. He lightly patted Kakashi's shoulder, then spoke softly.

"You can imagine that all seven of the highly influential clans in Konoha have joined in.

And you can also imagine that if you deceive us, we won't hesitate to eradicate you and anyone connected to you!

Don't think I'm threatening you, and don't feel resentful, because from the moment you came to me and started discussing this matter...

You've already joined a war..."

//

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