Chapter 38: Kakashi's Silence

Moreover...

Kakashi extended his right index finger to gently trace the mark on his neck. Yet, apart from the chilling sensation, he felt nothing, as if this mark were merely an illusion. He couldn't even detect the chakra that would typically be left behind by a sealing technique.

How could this be possible?

Kakashi frowned deeply. As far as he knew, the Nine-Tails had always been viewed as a natural disaster within the shinobi world. Since being controlled by Konoha, its abilities had been thoroughly analyzed and recorded.

However, none of those records indicated that the Nine-Tails possessed the ability to perform sealing techniques.

Although he had been caught off guard, he remained vigilant; yet even the Sharingan, which could control the wills of tailed beasts, had failed to provide any insight.

In fact, even with the Sharingan's enhancement, he hadn't been able to detect how the Nine-Tails had placed this seal upon him.

Kakashi attempted to regain control over his thoughts several times, gradually summarizing some effects of this unknown seal.

Firstly, it seemed that the seal was linked to his own will. Whenever he intended to mention the Nine-Tails to someone, the seal would respond. Reflecting on what had occurred earlier, it appeared that if he proactively brought up this topic, he would fall into a state of forgetfulness.

It wasn't a matter of rewriting memories; it was more akin to a puppet technique or manipulation.

From what he understood, it was somewhat similar to the chakra threads unique to the puppet masters of the Wind Village, essentially using chakra to control human behavior.

However, the mark left by the Nine-Tails wasn't well hidden; it quietly revealed itself to him without any concealment.

"Is the Nine-Tails' sealing technique simply not sophisticated enough, or is it merely warning me?"

Kakashi dared not make rash statements, but this was certainly not good news.

Sealing techniques were among the rarest arts in the shinobi world, and Kakashi's understanding came from past experiences.

He was a disciple of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, who had mastered sealing techniques. Thus, much of what Kakashi knew had been passed down from Minato.

Given his current proficiency in sealing techniques, he couldn't grasp the principle behind the mark on his neck.

It was even more challenging to speculate on the purpose of the Nine-Tails placing this seal on him.

Did it not realize that this action could expose itself?

In any case, he needed to devise a way to bypass this sealing technique and inform the Third Hokage. After all, any information regarding the Nine-Tails was serious business for the village.

However, just as Kakashi was preparing to document the information in a way that wouldn't rely on his subjective memory, he suddenly stopped.

He thought of Naruto.

His pen began to tap slowly against the paper, the ink spreading outward.

Everything the Third Hokage was doing was aimed at granting Naruto his freedom. A six-year-old capable of evading elite Jonin assassination attempts, the Nine-Tails jinchūriki posed no threat to anyone in the village. Everyone would acknowledge him as an extraordinary genius, but—

The premise was that he had to be safe.

Not just Naruto's safety; it was crucial that he never endangered the village's security!

The Third Hokage's goal was clear: he wanted Naruto to acknowledge and inherit the Will of Fire, allowing the Nine-Tails jinchūriki to become a protective force for the village.

But if he reported information about the Nine-Tails and the village then faced the threat of its resurgence, then...

Everything would be lost, and even Naruto's life could become a sacrifice!

The only child left behind by Minato-sensei and the safety of the village...

Kakashi fell silent.