Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Kakashi decided to buy Sasuke some sweets since he would be promoted to a chunin after meeting with Hokage. Yet he considered abandoning the plan as the line was too long in the famous dango shop. Still, it was a perfect time to catch up on his reading, so he persevered. As he started reading the new chapter in the Icha-Icha series, he stopped, ripped the book in half, and threw it in the trashcan.

He didn't know when or how, but Kaen's special edition replaced his original book. How such a heartless monster could become the new Hokage was beyond Kakashi. Kaen probably has some shit stored against The Third. Or did Kaen threaten to replace all the Icha-Icha series with his edition? If that was the case, he could understand the Third's decision.

Kakashi was about to leave and find another dango shop in thirty seconds if the line didn't move. After all, there were four people before him. But he stopped as he noticed two suspicious men drinking tea in the shop. Probably because the book distracted him, he didn't see them initially. But now, the straw hats that covered their faces and cloaks covering their bodies made them highly suspicious.

Kakashi could feel danger coming from them. But he didn't move. He didn't know who they were or how they had come here. Were their quests? Or intruders? They were dangerous if they managed to go this far into the village without anyone noticing. And Jiraiya had warned him about people with the Akatsuki uniform.

"Hey! You two look great together," Kakashi turned to Asuma and Kurenai, who were closing in on him, trying to divert attention from himself. "Are you two dating?"

"What are you doing here?" Asuma asked, his eyes glancing at Kurenai to see her reaction. "I didn't think you liked sweets."

"Maybe they are for someone special?" Kurenai smiled at Kakashi.

"Nah, just picking up a reward for my student," Kakashi replied, as his eye darted to the two suspicious people sitting behind him. "But the line is too long. I will return later."

Just as Kakashi said so, he felt a soft gaze passing him, and the two suspicious people disappeared. There was no need for words as Kakashi glanced at Asuma and Kurenai—the three of them also disappeared with the gust of the wind. It was better this way. They were in a too-populated area. If they were as dangerous as Kakashi thought, fighting in a secluded area was better, as no innocent would get hurt.

The casual way they walked beside the river, even when they stood before them, gave Kakashi a bad feeling. A gentle wind blew the smoke from Asuma's cigarette. Kurenai narrowed her eyes, and Kakashi had his hand in his kunai pouch. The way they stopped before them, without a word, made Kakashi tense. These guys didn't consider them a danger to them.

"You don't look like locals," Asuma said, taking a prolonged smoke. "Why are you here?"

"Long time no see, Asuma-san, Kurenai-san," The shorter one of the two replied to Asuma before turning to Kakashi. "Kakashi-san."

"You!" Kakashi was rattled as he looked at two sharingan eyes. "Itachi Uchiha."

"Oh? You already know Itachi, so I should introduce myself," The taller man took off his hat. "I am Kisame Hoshigaki."

"Kisame Hoshigaki, the former shinobi of Hidden Mist," Kurenai said, recognizing the name as did Kakashi. "A murderer whose hands even reach the Daimyos of certain countries. It wouldn't be wrong to say that you are one of the most wanted men alive."

"S-rank criminals in Bingo book," Kakashi added his eye narrowed as he knew the village was in danger with them here. "Is that what gives you the guts to come to the village after all you have done, Itachi?"

"I don't want to kill you, Kakashi-san, Asuma-san, Kurenai-san," They tensed as Itachi named them. "So, please don't interfere with my actions."

"I never would have thought that a person who killed his comrades would say such a thing," Asuma put down his cigarette. "But I know you must have an important purpose to dress like this and come here."

"What is your purpose here, Itachi?" Kakashi asked as his hand gripped a kunai.

"So annoying. Should I just kill them all?" Kisame replied by drawing his weapon from his back.

"It seems they aren't willing to let us leave the village otherwise," Itachi said. "But don't cause too much trouble for us."

"No!"

Kakashi didn't have a chance to warn Kurenai as she clasped her hand into a sign. He and Asuma had to block the heavy blow of Kisame's sword. They felt the pressure even though both of them stopped Kisame's weapon. Kakashi could not have imagined what a monstrous strength Kisame possessed. Yet it wasn't over, as Kisame pulled his weapon back, almost shredding them as they barely managed to get out of the way.

"Heh, my sword, Sameheda, isn't used to cut people but shred them into pieces," Kisame said, revealing a scaled sword.

"Damn," Asuma wasn't fast as Kakashi, and his arm was scrapped. "Kurenai, you are a bit slow."

"Asuma!" Kakashi got Asuma's attention. "Genjutsu doesn't work on Itachi. Protect Kurenai!"

"You don't have time to worry about others," Kisame said as his sword fell on them again.

And just like he said, they didn't have a chance to stop Itachi as Kurenai was kicked into the river. Kakashi was ready to dodge the attack, disengage from Kisame, and help Kurenai, as Itachi was already before the fallen body of Kurenai. But he didn't need to as a chain wrapped around Kisame's sword and a kunai was put at Itachi's neck.

"You should have informed me if you were going to visit," The Fifth Hokage said, standing behind Itachi. "You even brought a fresh fish for sushi. Kakashi, Asuma, you wouldn't mind cutting the fish for me. Letting such a fine specimen rot would be such a waste."

The Fifth Hokage's white cloak with flames at the bottom swayed as his eyes under his hat blazed into sharingan. Kakashi lifted his headband, revealing his sharingan. With one hand, the Fifth held his chain wrapped around Kisame's sword, and with another, he had a kunai at Itachi's neck. He took control of the fight the moment he arrived.

"Impressive," Kisame commented as he tried to move his sword but couldn't. "So, this is the Fifth Hokage, Kaen Uchiha, the Hunter."

"The fish speaks?" Kaen asked, sounding genuinely surprised. "You found odd friends, Itachi. Or is he your emergency food?"

"Are you stalling for time, Kaen?" Itachi asked, not impressed by Kaen's acting.

"I do have plenty of time to play with you if that's what you are asking," Kaen replied.

And just like that, Kisame let go of his sword and put his hands into sign. And Itachi's body turned into smoke as Kaen stabbed him. Taking the order from the Hokage, Kakashi turned his full attention to Kisame and copied his hand sign before performing the same water-style jutsu as he did to cancel it. Asuma rushed forward with his chakra blades. Kurenai left the river and backed off the fight.

"Heh," Kisame laughed in surprise as he dodged Asuma's blade but still had eyes locked on Kakashi. "So, you are the copy ninja. This is getting more interesting than I thought."

Meanwhile, Kakashi's lone Sharingan eye remained locked onto Kisame, trying to predict his movements. He knew this battle could escalate quickly, and they had to be prepared for anything. Yet, he knew it was better to finish his quickly, as he didn't think that even the Hokage could face Itachi alone. Kakashi launched a series of hand signs in quick succession.

The chirping of a thousand birds could be heard from his right hand. With electricity running through his hand, Kakashi rushed at Kisame. He needed only one blow. Then, he could turn his attention to Itachi. With Asuma holding Kisame at bay, Kakashi managed to get to him without difficulty, yet at the last second, Kisame moved, but it was too late. Chidori pierced through Kisame's shoulder.

"That hurt," Was the only reply from Kisame as Kakashi was kicked in the stomach and smashed at Asuma.

In smooth motion, Kisame picked up his sword and broke the chains wrapped around it. The massive sword moved at incredible speed. Kakashi barely had time to jump away from the strike while Asuma blocked the attack. Yet it wasn't the strike he should have been careful of but the pullout. The scales of Kisame's sword were about to rip Asuma's arm.

"A fish should stay in the water," Kaen appeared on top of Kisame's sword, stopping his movements. "But I must say to endure Chidori so well is quite impressive. Yet it still injured you quite a bit if you can't move your sword under my weight. I am not that heavy."

"Kisame, stop playing around," Itachi replied, appearing behind Kaen and stabbing him in the back with a kunai.

"It is you who should stop playing around, Itachi," Kaen's head turned ninety degrees, and smirked before his body exploded. "You think you can come to my village as you want and do as you wish without any consequences. So, why not tell me why you are here, Itachi?"

Kaen asked, standing on top of the branch above them. While Itachi and Kisame jumped away from the smoke caused by the explosion, unscathed. Even though Kaen looked calm and in control, Kakashi wasn't sure he could face off against them alone and survive. There was a reason why they were S-rank shinobi. They were even stronger than Orochimaru.

"We came for the legacy of the Fourth Hokage," Itachi answered, finally providing information.

"And you thought you could take it just like that?" Kaen asked while Kakashi's mind went into the memory of Naruto's smiling face. "We've faced each other before, and you couldn't defeat me then. What makes you think you can do it now?"

"Heh, you wouldn't be the first Kage we have killed," Kisame replied confidently. "The Fourth Mizukage was arrogant as you are now, but it didn't save his life."

What? Kakashi wasn't the only one shocked by Kisame's words. The Fourth Mizukage was dead. These two killed someone that even Zabuza didn't have a chance against. This didn't bode well for them. Locking eyes with Asuma and Kurenai, they decided to protect the Fifth Hokage at any cost.

"Kisame, change of plans, kill the Fifth Hokage. The others don't matter."

Kakashi didn't need any more reason to move. He threw his shuriken at Itachi while Asuma rushed to face Kisame again. Yet, just as the weapons reached them, they turned into the murder of crows. Kakashi haven't even realized that he was in genjutsu even with his sharingan active. He quickly released himself from genjutsu and turned to see Kaen held down by Kisame's sword and Itachi's kunai.

"This is the end of your arrogance," Kisame said as he ripped the Fifth Hokage's head off with his sword.

"You not only look like a fish but act like one, too," Kaen replied from all around them, revealing his shadow clones. "You took the bait like good little fish you are, Kisame Hoshigaki. Now you should know why I am called the Hunter."

Itachi disappeared at incredible speed, but Kisame could only use his sword to try and block hundreds of arrows flying at him. He blocked those before him with his sword, but countless arrows covered his back. It wasn't over as from the ground chains emerged, wrapping around Kisame before dragging him into the ground, too.

"Don't worry, Itachi," Kaen said, emerging from the ground. "I will make fine sushi from your friend and share it with the whole village. But too bad for you, you won't get a taste of him."

"No need," Itachi replied, locking his eyes with the Fifth Hokage.

Not even two seconds had passed since they locked eyes before the Fifth Hokage collapsed, and his shadow clones disappeared into the smoke. Kakashi quickly took the Fifth Hokage and backed away from the duo. Kurenai and Asuma stood before them, protecting the Fifth Hokage. Kisame emerged from the ground with a furious look and flexed his muscles for the arrowhead to fall off his body.

Kakashi didn't know what to do right now. He saw that Kaen Uchiha was in pain from whatever jutsu Itachi had used on him. He prioritized protecting the Fifth Hokage, so he considered letting Asuma and Kurenai take the Fifth Hokage away while he held these two away until reinforcements came. Anbu should be close by now, and even if they lose some people, Kakashi knew they can kill these two.

A.N. As always, If you want more, up to seven advanced chapters, you can support me on pa treon. com \ ironwolf852. And if you have any requests for stories, I will only take them on my pa treon.