Kakashi's eyes lingered on the guarded building for only a moment longer before he turned slightly toward Rin, his voice low enough to remain unnoticed by those passing nearby but firm enough to carry urgency.
"Rin, find Minato-sensei," Kakashi said without hesitation, his gaze already returning to the structure ahead. "Tell him what we found and where we're going."
Rin blinked once, clearly understanding the weight behind his words, and though she hesitated for a fraction of a second, perhaps sensing that things were moving faster than planned, she nodded.
"...Be careful," she said quietly before turning and slipping back into the flow of the village, her movements controlled as she disappeared.
The remaining were Kakashi and Obito.
For a brief moment, the street remained calm, the building unchanged, the guards still in their positions as if nothing had shifted.
Then—
The guards stiffened almost at once, their posture snapping from relaxed vigilance into sharp alertness as one of them spoke in a low but urgent tone, just loud enough for Kakashi to catch.
"...Someone's inside."
Another guard responded immediately.
"Move. Now."
They rushed in.
Fast.
Kakashi's expression hardened slightly, his mind racing ahead, recalculating, adapting as the situation shifted from controlled observation to something far more unpredictable.
"... We're not the only ones after it," he muttered under his breath.
Obito stepped closer, his usual confidence replaced with a more cautious awareness.
"So what do we do?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual.
Kakashi didn't hesitate.
"We can't wait."
He turned his head just enough to meet Obito's eyes.
"If someone else gets the scroll first, the mission fails."
Obito opened his mouth, ready to argue, ready to question the plan, ready to point out that Minato wasn't here, that Rin had just left, that this wasn't how things were supposed to go
But when he looked at Kakashi
Obito swallowed.
"...Fine," he said, forcing the word out as he nodded once. "Let's go."
They moved.
Slipping through the side of the building rather than the main entrance, using shadows and angles to avoid immediate detection, their movements quieter now, more controlled, the tension rising with every step deeper inside.
Voices echoed faintly from deeper within the structure, footsteps overlapping, the guards already searching, already reacting to something that had disrupted their control.
Kakashi slowed slightly, raising a hand just enough to signal Obito without turning.
"...Check the lower rooms."
"...No, it has to be upstairs—"
"...Spread out!"
The voices overlapped, disorganised despite their urgency, and Kakashi's gaze shifted upward, tracking the direction of movement, his instincts aligning with the pattern before him.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed.
He stepped forward slowly, his senses sharpening as he reached the end of the corridor where a single door stood slightly ajar, just enough to suggest movement had passed through it moments before.
He stopped.
Obito stopped behind him.
Kakashi pushed the door open.
The moment the door opened, Kakashi stepped inside without hesitation, his movements controlled and silent as his eyes swept across the room, taking in every detail with sharp precision, while Obito followed just behind him, far more tense, his attention split between the doorway and whatever might be waiting inside.
The room itself was simple, almost disappointingly so, with a single wooden table at its centre and a storage chest placed beside it, its lid slightly ajar as if someone had already searched through it in a hurry.
Kakashi moved forward first.
He reached the chest and knelt slightly, his hand hovering over the edge for a brief moment before lifting the lid fully, revealing what lay inside.
A scroll.
"...We found it."
Obito stepped closer immediately, his eyes lighting up.
"That's it? That's the mission scroll?"
Kakashi nodded once, already reaching in and taking it, his grip firm but careful as he secured it.
"We don't know if it's trapped," he said quietly. "Stay alert."
Obito straightened, tightening his hold as Kakashi passed the scroll to him.
"...Got it."
For a moment, everything was still. It was too still.
And then a voice
"Ah... so you kids found it before me."
The words came from behind them, calm, almost amused, carrying a weight that made both of them freeze for just a second before turning sharply toward the source.
Standing near the doorway was a man.
His face hidden behind a mask that revealed nothing, his presence alone was enough to shift the entire atmosphere of the room.
Kakashi didn't hesitate.
A kunai was in his hand instantly.
"...Who are you?" he asked, his voice steady, his stance already shifting into readiness.
The man tilted his head slightly, as if considering the question before dismissing it entirely.
"That's not necessary," he replied calmly. "What matters... is that you have something I want."
His gaze shifted toward the scroll in Obito's hands.
"Hand it over."
The attack came without warning, his speed cutting through the space between them in an instant, far faster than either of them had expected, his strike aimed directly at Obito, who barely had time to react as he pulled back instinctively.
Kakashi intercepted.
His kunai met the attack mid-motion, the clash sharp and immediate, the force behind it sending a shock through his arm that told him everything he needed to know.
He's strong.
Stronger than expected.
Stronger than them.
Kakashi adjusted instantly, redirecting the momentum and stepping into a counterattack, his movements precise, calculated, each strike aimed with intent, but the man moved just as easily, deflecting, evading, responding with a level of control that made the gap between them painfully clear.
Behind him, Obito tightened his grip on the scroll, his instincts torn between joining the fight and protecting their objective, his frustration building as he watched Kakashi engage alone.
"I can help!" Obito shouted.
"No!" Kakashi snapped immediately, his focus never breaking. "Protect the scroll!"
The man's attention flickered briefly toward Obito.
And that was enough.
He shifted direction mid-motion, abandoning Kakashi's line of attack entirely as he redirected toward Obito, forcing Kakashi to react again, to close the distance, to intercept before the man could reach him.
Each exchange pushed him back slightly, each movement costing more than the last, the difference in experience becoming more obvious with every passing second, his precision meeting overwhelming strength and refined technique.
The man spoke again, his voice calm even in the middle of combat.
"You're skilled," he said, almost casually. "But not enough."
Kakashi didn't respond.
For a moment, everything was still.
Obito shifted again, trying to find an opening, trying to step in without risking the scroll, his frustration turning into urgency as he watched Kakashi struggle to maintain control of the fight.
"Just give me an opening!" Obito said.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed.
There isn't one.
His hand moved quickly, reaching into his pouch before pulling out a small object and slamming it to the ground between them.
A burst of smoke exploded outward instantly, thick and blinding, filling the room in seconds and cutting off all visibility.
"Obito—run!" Kakashi shouted sharply.
There was no hesitation this time.
Obito moved.
Gripping the scroll tightly as he turned and bolted toward the exit, trusting the command without question, his steps were fast and unsteady as he pushed through the smoke and out into the corridor beyond.
Kakashi broke away.
Using the cover of the smoke to disengage, his movements sharp and controlled as he followed after Obito, disappearing into the haze just as quickly as the fight had begun.
The room fell silent.
Slowly
The smoke began to clear.
And the masked man remained standing where they had left him, unmoving, his gaze fixed on the space where they had been moments before.
"...Smart," he muttered quietly.
The masked man moved the moment the smoke began to thin, his instincts sharp enough to cut through the deception almost immediately, and when he struck forward again, his attack tore cleanly through Kakashi's form only for it to disperse into nothing.
A shadow clone.
For a brief second, the man paused, then let out a low, amused laugh.
"...Good," he muttered. "That makes this more interesting."
He stepped back, scanning the room once more before turning toward the open doorway, his presence shifting from immediate aggression to something more deliberate, more patient.
"It will be fun... to hunt."
Deep within the forest beyond the village, Kakashi and Obito finally stopped, the dense trees around them offering cover but little comfort as the weight of what had just happened settled in.
Kakashi exhaled once, steadying his breathing before speaking.
"Remove the disguises," he said, his tone calm but urgent. "They'll only slow us down now."
Obito nodded quickly, already pulling away the altered clothing and wiping the dye from his hair as best as he could.
"...Now what?" Obito asked, his voice lower than usual, the earlier confidence replaced with something far more serious. "Running isn't going to work, and we don't even know when Minato-sensei will reach us."
Kakashi didn't answer immediately.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, forcing his thoughts into order, replaying the fight, the man's movements, his speed, his habits, every detail he could recall.
When he opened them again—
"We don't fight him with strength," Kakashi said. "We can't win like that."
Obito frowned.
"...Then how?"
"We trap him."
Kakashi turned toward him.
"I need everything you have—wire, tags, kunai, anything we can use."
Obito didn't hesitate this time.
"...Got it."
_____________________________
The forest remained quiet, but that silence carried tension now, every rustle of leaves, every shift in the wind threatening to become something more.
"...There's no use hiding, brats."
The voice came from ahead of them, calm and confident, carrying easily through the trees as the masked man stepped into view, his posture relaxed, as if he had already won.
"Hand over the scroll," he continued, "and I might let you live."
There was a brief silence.
Kakashi stepped forward.
His posture steady, his grip firm around the tanto in his hand, the blade catching what little light filtered through the trees as he settled into a ready stance.
"No."
The man tilted his head slightly.
"...I see."
A faint chuckle escaped him.
"Then I'll change the order," he said. "I'll kill you first... and take it after."
He moved.
Kakashi reacted instantly, meeting the attack head-on, his blade intercepting the strike with precise timing, the clash sharp and violent as the force behind it pushed him back a step despite his footing.
His movements were tighter now, more deliberate, each strike placed with purpose, not to overwhelm but to measure, to test, to gather information.
One.
The man struck again, his attacks relentless, forcing Kakashi to shift, to block, to redirect, the pressure constant, unyielding.
Two.
Kakashi stepped inside the next attack, his tanto flashing upward in a precise arc aimed at the man's opening, but it was deflected effortlessly, the counter coming immediately, forcing Kakashi to twist away just in time.
Three.
The gap remained.
The man was not just stronger, he was more experienced.
Each exchange pushed Kakashi further back, his body absorbing the impact of every clash, his arms tightening under the strain, his breathing controlled but heavier now as he continued to count, to observe, to adapt.
Four.
Five.
Six.
The numbers built quietly in his mind, each one marking a pattern, a rhythm in the man's attacks, a slight delay here, a shift in stance there, small details that might not matter in a fair fight.
But this wasn't a fair fight.
The man pressed forward again, his strike heavier this time, forcing Kakashi to block directly, the impact sending a sharp jolt through his arms as his footing slid back across the ground.
"...You're thinking too much," the man said calmly, his voice almost bored. "You won't outlast me."
Kakashi didn't respond.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
Redirecting the strike just slightly, just enough to alter its path, creating the smallest opening as his blade came up again, faster this time, sharp.
Closer.
Kakashi's eyes narrowed.
Not yet.
He stepped back just enough to break contact, his breathing steadying again despite the strain, his mind already moving ahead, already aligning with something beyond the fight itself.
Because this was never about winning.
It was about time.
And the trap was almost ready.
The fight narrowed into a single direction, the forest around them fading into nothing but shadows and pressure as the masked man pressed forward, driving Kakashi back step by step until there was nowhere left to retreat, his movements sharp and controlled, every strike designed to corner rather than simply overpower.
Kakashi's footing shifted against the ground as he was forced into a tight space between two trees, his breathing steady but heavier now, his guard raised as the man advanced with quiet certainty, already convinced the outcome had been decided.
"...You were good, kid," the man said, his voice calm, almost satisfied as he closed the distance. "Consider it an honour to be killed by me.
Kakashi didn't move.
A smirk.
"Obito," he said quietly, his voice cutting cleanly through the moment.
"...Now."
In an instant, thin wires snapped tight around the man's body, binding his arms and torso before he could react, the sudden restriction forcing his weapon from his grasp as his balance broke, his body pulled backwards with violent force.
From the trees Kunai launched.
They struck in rapid succession, cutting across his form as blood followed, sharp and immediate, the impact driving him further into the trap as the wires tightened.
Obito appeared beside Kakashi, his breathing uneven, but his expression lit with a mix of relief and disbelief.
"...How's that?" he said, unable to hide the edge of excitement in his voice.
Kakashi didn't look at him.
"Good," he replied simply. "Let's go. If he moves, the wires will trigger the explosion tags."
The trap was set, and the outcome was decided.
They turned to leave.
"...Isn't you... White Fang's brat?"
Kakashi stopped.
He turned.
The man, bloodied but conscious, lifted his head slightly, his masked face angled toward Kakashi as his gaze dropped to the tanto in his hand, then rose again with something close to recognition.
"...Yeah," he said, a low laugh escaping him. "You are, I should've known. Smart... strong... just like your father."
Kakashi's eyes widened.
"Shut up."
The words came sharper now.
But cracking.
The man continued, his voice mocking.
"Oh? Didn't he teach you to respect your elders?" he said, the laughter deepening. "Ah... I forgot. He's not around anymore."
A pause.
"Such a disgrace. Leaving a son behind to carry that name."
Something shifted.
Inside Kakashi.
"I SAID SHUT UP."
His voice dropped.
"...I'M NOT LIKE HIM."
Obito stepped forward slightly.
"Kakashi, don't he's just trying to—"
"What a shame," the man cut in again, ignoring him entirely. "Your father chose to kill himself, such as a coward's death.
"I wonder if you'll end the same way."
The air changed.
Immediately.
Obito felt it before he fully understood it, his body tensing as he turned toward Kakashi, his instincts screaming that something was wrong.
Because Kakashi was no longer standing still.
"Shut Up."
The words came again.
Quieter.
But filled with something that didn't belong in a child.
"SHUT UP."
And then
Lightning crackled into existence around Kakashi's arm, wild and violent, the sound piercing the forest like a thousand birds screaming at once, chakra surging in a way that was unstable, unrefined, but overwhelming.
Before Obito could react
Kakashi moved.
Faster than he had ever seen.
A blur.
Kakashi's hand drove straight through the man's chest, the lightning tearing through flesh and bone alike, the force of it stopping the man completely as his body locked in place, his eyes widening in shock as he tried to understand what had just happened.
"...H-how...?" he struggled, his gaze lifting weakly, catching sight of Kakashi's right eye, the red glow unmistakable. "...You have a sh—"
He never finished.
A flash of yellow.
And then—
Silence.
Minato appeared beside them, his movement instantaneous as his blade cut cleanly through the man's neck, ending the moment before it could spiral further.
"Kakashi," Minato said sharply, his voice cutting through the charged air. "Focus."
Kakashi blinked.
The world seemed to snap back into place.
He looked at Minato.
Then at his own hand.
He understood.
The red in his eye faded as he deactivated the Sharingan, his breathing uneven now, the weight of what had just happened settling in all at once.
Moments later, Rin arrived, her eyes widening at the scene before her, her gaze immediately finding Kakashi, concern overtaking everything else.
But there was no time.
The man's body moved.
The wires tightened.
A spark.
"Back!" Minato reacted instantly, his hand already moving as he threw a tri-pronged kunai forward, the motion precise, practised, and without hesitation.
The explosion tags ignited.
Minato moved.
And all four of them vanished.
They reappeared a safe distance away, the force of the explosion echoing through the forest behind them as flames rose, marking the spot where the fight had ended.
Minato steadied himself, his gaze moving quickly over each of them, confirming they were all intact before speaking.
"We're leaving," he said firmly. "Now."
Whatever the mission had originally been, it was no longer simple.
And it was far from over.