Chapter 18 - One year later and Conversation with Sakumo

A year after Mikumo joined the ninja academy, the Third Shinobi World War has begun. The grievances caused by the Second Shinobi World War could not be reconciled in peace talks and the five villages prepare for war once more. Although it has not become full blow conflict yet, each nation has strengthened its borders and small skirmishes have become a regular sight.

Currently, it was vacation time for academy students before the next school year started, and Mikumo was enjoying her weekend by the river bed.

Mikumo had grown a little bit in the past year in height, but her feminine features are still modest. Today, she was dressed in a simple sweatshirt and shorts as she sat by the river bed waiting for someone.

"Where the hell is that guy, don't tell me his bad habit started this early?"

Mikumo complained as she laid down on the ground, soon another kid with a head full of silver hair appeared next to her.

"...What are you doing?"

"??? What does it look like, I'm dying of boredom that's what I'm doing. You're thirty minutes late!"

Kakashi scratched his head and apologized.

"Ah, sorry. Father took me to register at the academy today."

Mikumo sat up with a surprised look before nodding.

"Oh yeah, that's right. Then is Sakumo-sensei able to join us today?"

Kakashi shook his head sadly.

"No, father has a new mission in the Land of Rivers. He's preparing to leave soon."

"What? Didn't sensei just come back from a mission? This is slave labor!"

Kakashi sighed and shrugged.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it, so you're stuck with me for today."

Mikumo smiled mischievously and stood up. She then walked over next to Kakashi and whispered in his ear.

"Oya, Kakashi-kun, I didn't know you wanted to monopolize me for today, that's why you didn't let sensei come, right?"

Kakashi instantly escaped and stepped backward.

"Haa? What? Who would want to spend time with a tomboy like you? I'm just here because father asked me to, that's all!"

Mikumo smiled smugly and disappeared in front of Kakashi's eyes, reappearing behind him and catching him in a hug from behind. One arm captured him, and the other one ruffled Kakashi's hair.

"Aw don't be so tsundere, Kakashi. Haven't we spent the past year together? How could you be so cruel~?"

"Stop! Let me go!"

"Ahahaha!"

Mikumo let Kakashi go and he escaped even further away this time.

'Heh, this little brother of mine is kinda cute. Hmm, so sensei is going on another mission again? I guess is one demerit with having someone famous as a sensei, they're always busy.'

"Alright Kakashi, let's start for the day. We're gonna be training in water walking, right?"

Kakashi nodded and then made his way to the river bed, maintaining a distance away from Mikumo.

Mikumo chuckled at Kakashi's action and started training, approaching the river bed.

Suddenly, Mikumo seemed to remember something and called out to Kakashi.

"Kakashi, how long did sensei say his mission was going to take?"

"Ah? I don't know, he said it could be a month, or as long as a year."

Mikumo paused and started thinking deeply.

'Is this it? Is this the mission?'

"S-Rank?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and then nodded affirmatively.

Mikumo started sweating and gulped.

"Kakashi, you said sensei was still preparing right? Is he still at your house?"

"Yeah, why?"

Mikumo breathed a sigh of relief.

"I just want to say goodbye to him, I'll be right back."

Mikumo performed a hand sign and then shunshin'd away as quick as she could.

Kakashi, left on the river bed, was a little bewildered but started his training.

Mikumo swiftly made her way toward Sakumo's home.

'Over the past year, I've always thought about what I would say to warn sensei. I can't say anything suspicious as Sakumo is very sharp, so I must warn him indirectly and give him my support. Even better, I want to find out what kind of mission he's going on but I know it's very secretive.'

Mikumo arrived in front of Sakumo's home and knocked. As soon as she did the door opened to reveal and fully kitted Sakumo in Anbu gear.

"Mikumo? What are you doing here? Aren't you suppose to be training with Kakashi? Don't tell me you're skipping again."

Mikumo breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that she caught her sensei just in time.

"Sensei, I heard from Kakashi you're going on an S-Rank mission, I just wanted to talk to you before you go."

Even though Mikumo tried her best to sound natural, Sakumo could hear traces of concern in her voice and nodded his head.

"Sure, okay, come on in. I still have a few minutes left."

Mikumo stepped into Sakumo's home and he closed the door behind her. Her heart started beating nervously.

'I've thought about this moment so many times already in the past year, but now that it's here, I can hardly remember what I want to say.'

Sakumo could feel Mikumo's nervous energy and patted her on the head.

"Relax, Mikumo-chan. I've completed dozens of S-Rank missions, I'll be fine."

"Sensei...I-"

Mikumo's words got stuck in her throat as her breathing got more and more unstable. Mikumo thought back on her time spent with Sakumo, how he tutored her, trained her, and treated her like she was his own daughter whenever they spent time together. The training was tough, and many times Mikumo wanted to cry and complain, but she was very grateful for the progress she's already made thanks to her sensei's help.

Sakumo knelt down and looked into Mikumo's concerned eyes with a serious expression.

"What's wrong?"

Mikumo's mind went blank, at this moment, she could no longer remember what she wanted to say.

'Damn it, why, I must say something! I can't let him die!

Mikumo started hyperventilating as Sakumo tried to calm her down.

"Mikumo-chan! Breathe, breathe...it's going to be okay."

Soon, something in Mikumo's mind snapped as she started losing control of her chakra.

Sakumo's eyes widened as he felt himself being affected by something, his surroundings started spinning and the environment started melting away.

"This is...genjutsu?"

The environment settled and Sakumo looked in front of him to see something devastating. It was himself, or rather, his body, on the ground and bleeding from a self-inflicted wound.

Sakumo knelt down and touched the body to feel that it felt real, the blood was warm and the body had mass.

"This is the Kekkei Genkai of the Kurama clan! Kai!"

Sakumo focused all of his Chakra and dispelled the illusion. Afterward, he found Mikumo lying on the ground, still hyperventilating. He knelt down and picked her up, carrying her to the sofa.

"Is this what you were so worried about, Mikumo-chan?"

Mikumo nodded nervously, breathing heavily.

'Shit, why is this happening? How am I going to explain this?'

Sakumo put on a kind and gentle smile as he brushed Mikumo's hair.

"Calm down, breathe...yes, that's it. I don't know why you have this vision, but thank you, Mikumo-chan, for caring so much about me. Please calm down, I promise you, I will never leave you and Kakashi like that."

Mikumo nodded and started calming down, then she started getting sleepy, feeling the effects of heavy chakra exhaustion.

"Take a rest, Mikumo-chan. I'll tell Kakashi to take care of you. Don't worry about this me, no matter what happens on this mission, I'll come back to you alive. I still have to teach you and Kakashi kenjutsu, remember?"

Mikumo finally put on a relieved smile and closed her eyes.

"It's a promise...sensei. If you break your promise...you have to swallow a thousand needles."

Mikumo then passed out.

Sakumo chuckled and then kissed Mikumo on the forehead.

As he stood up, Sakumo had a serious expression on his face.

"I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling as well. There must be something more to this mission, my gut is telling me so. I must complete it as soon as possible and return."

Sakumo looked back once again at Mikumo's sleeping expression and smiled before exiting his home.