The Celestial Copy - Chapter 20

After concluding this morning’s training with Team Ro, I was on my way back to my house when one of the ANBU on the Hokage’s guard rotation intercepted me, informing me that Lord Third wanted to speak with me.

As I walked through the Hokage Administration Building, I took a moment to check the notifications from the Celestial Grimoire one more time.

[FEAT ACHIEVED: HELP YUGAO UZUKI CREATE AN A-RANK JUTSU.]

[25 CP GRANTED - 125 TOTAL]

[FEAT ACHIEVED: HELP AKITO TADASHI EARN A PROMOTION TO JŌNIN.]

[50 CP GRANTED - 175 TOTAL]

[FEAT ACHIEVED: HELP TSURA INUZUKA EARN A PROMOTION TO JŌNIN.]

[50 CP GRANTED - 225 TOTAL]

The points weren’t much, but the satisfaction they gave me was. Defeating Yugito Nii or killing Kakuzu had earned me a lot more, yet those had been about me, about how far I’d come, how strong I’d gotten. These were different. They were about my influence on my team, directly affirming that they’ve been growing under my command.

I had received those points over the past two months. In that time, I had settled into a routine. I’d go on a mission with Team Ro every two weeks, and we’d train together on the days we weren’t. During my free time, I would take the time to visit Naruto, generally being there to listen to anything he had to say while making sure he didn’t feel alone. I also started going on shorter B-rank missions with old friends and classmates like Guy, Genma, Raido, Aoba, and Kurenai.

All in all, things were going well. The next major problem I knew of wouldn’t surface for another year or two, so I had time to steer things in the right direction.

The ANBU guards at the door to the Hokage’s office nodded at me and opened it, letting me enter without needing to knock. 

Hiruzen looked up as I entered. “Ah, Kakashi. A welcome sight amidst all this,” he said, gesturing vaguely to the stacks of scrolls and reports.

“Lord Hokage. You summoned me?”

“I did. Though I must admit, I was tempted to summon you to help me with this problem instead.” He chuckled warmly like a grandfather would when with their family. “You showed quite the aptitude for it last time. A skill every future Kage must master, you know.”

He had tasked me with observing the process a few weeks ago, only giving me a small handful of work to ease me into it. However, thanks to my Divided Attention perk, I was able to process and sort the information quite efficiently. Seeing my speed, he had reviewed the paperwork I completed to make sure I wasn’t making any mistakes, and once he confirmed my work was fine, he encouraged me to do even more. Out of curiosity to find out just how bad it could be, I’d given it my best effort and ended up clearing a week’s worth of bureaucratic backlog in a single afternoon. Ever since, he’d been trying to lure me back into what he called ‘important training for my future.’

“Your next mission is a sensitive one,” he continued, becoming serious now. “The Fire Daimyo is making his annual visit to the village. Team Ro is to act as his shadow escort.”

“And the primary detail?” I asked.

“That job has been assigned to a Genin team.”

A Genin team for a mission of this importance?

As if reading my thoughts, he elaborated. “Tensions between the countries are easing because of our peace treaty with the Cloud, so the roads have become considerably safer. The team escorting him is a standout group that hasn’t yet taken the Chūnin Exams.”

“Ah, I understand now,” I said. “This is an expression of the village’s confidence. A political statement that even our children can handle what was once a mission for the elite.”

“Exactly. Additionally, the Daimyō still has his Guardian Shinobi Twelve with him, and your team will be an invisible safety net in the worst-case scenario.”

I nodded, accepting the mission. As I turned to leave, I paused. “Lord Hokage, there is one other matter.”

He gestured for me to continue.

“It’s regarding the probationary ANBU Mumei, Anko Mitarashi. She has served on my team for three months and has exceeded every expectation. She has shown unwavering loyalty to the Leaf and has integrated perfectly with the team. I am formally requesting her probationary status be ended and for her to be instated as a full-fledged member of the ANBU Black Ops.”

Taking a whiff of his pipe, Hiruzen studied my face. “You are confident in her?”

“Absolutely.”

“Very well. Your recommendation carries significant weight, Captain Kitsune. Her probation is officially terminated. Have her select a new mask.”

I bowed and left, heading for the residential district where Anko’s apartment was located. Since we’d already completed training today and were on standby, she should be home.

Maybe I’ll also recommend her and Yugao for the next Jōnin Trials. Or it might not be necessary. They’re already strong enough for the promotion, so they could even get one through a field promotion instead. Whatever, there’s no rush since it won’t happen for a while.

Arriving at the apartment, I knocked once on the door.

Anko opened it a few seconds later. “Kakashi? What’s going on?”

“Congratulations, Anko,” I said. “Your probation’s been lifted. The Hokage’s approved you as a full member of ANBU.”

Her eyes went wide. “You’re... you’re not joking, right?—No. Of course you wouldn’t. Not about something like this.”

“I’m serious. You’ve earned it.”

For a moment, she just stood there, frozen. Then she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug.

[FEAT ACHIEVED: HELP ANKO MITARASHI FEEL THAT SHE HAS A PLACE WHERE SHE BELONGS.]

[100 CP GRANTED - 325 TOTAL]

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO ROLL?]

I could feel tears on my chest. This reaction was far different than I was expecting from her. Judging by what the notification said, it was quite meaningful for her. I hadn’t realized she still felt a lingering sense of isolation even in Team Ro. No one ever actually gave her any problems for her probationary status, but just being different from everyone else was something that could mess a person up.

She stepped back, hastily wiping her eyes. “Sorry, Captain.”

“It’s fine. You’ll need to choose a new mask. Your codename, Mumei, is retired.”

She thought about it for only a second before opening her mouth. “A Mongoose.”

I wasn’t sure what codename she’d get with that, but the mask felt fitting. 

I smiled with my eye. “Good choice. The natural enemy of the snake.” 

“It’s not just that,” she clarified. “It’s my declaration that I am a protector of this village, someone who hunts threats in the shadows.”

“Then it suits you perfectly.” I turned to leave. “Report to Team Ro’s meeting room at headquarters. We’ve got another mission.”

Once I was outside, I found a secluded spot just off the main path. Despite earning points for multiple feats over the past two months, I hadn’t rolled as I wanted to wait until I had at least three hundred points. Now that I did, it was time to do so.

[ROLLING...]

Three new golden pages tore themselves free from the book in my mind.

Legacy(The Protogenoi) - 300 CP

Source: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Chapter: Source

Long has the blood of the gods flowed through your veins, I see. Choose any of the above parentage options, save Godhood and Mortal. You now are a descendant of one of the beings of said category, bearing a reduced affinity towards their fields or perhaps minor manipulation of their field, depending on what has remained in the passing of genes. A legacy of Poseidon might be able to talk to horses but nothing else, for example, while a legacy of Hephaestus would find themselves working with machines easier than the average joe but still below the level of an actual Demigod of that parentage. The cost of this option can be determined via the original parentage and dividing in half (An Olympus Twelve Legacy would cost 100CP, for example).

Traditional Japanese Art - 100 CP

Source: Fate/Legends - The land of The Rising Sun, Chapter: Making

You may never make your name on the battlefield but those fools running around with metal sticks waving fail to understand the influence more delicate approaches can have. You have the talent and the training to become a nationally famous artist in a style found here in Japan. Writing and poetry, calligraphy, some of the varieties of traditional painting or even more modern arts not yet created in older Japan. While you have the ordinary skill to create emotionally moving and lasting pieces of art, you also possess a magical side to your style. You can naturally enchant your works with magic, enabling it to have a more direct influence on the minds and hearts of those who experience it. Simplest to just direct the emotions of readers but with time, you can plant ideas and even commands to be later activated in the minds of others. Art that is similar to your chosen style is easy for you to expand your skill into, a painter will quickly master other styles of painting, and your art is never boring or bothersome for you to focus on. More, it is calming and enables you to re-centre yourself no matter the situation.

Roll With It - 200 CP

Source: Elden Ring - Liurnia of the Lakes, Chapter: Benevolence

Combat can be tricky, especially when facing those more powerful than yourself. In such circumstances, your only hope will be to run and dodge, and this aims to make that just a bit easier. Whenever you roll, there will be an instant where you are impervious to harm, allowing attacks to go right through you. It lasts for only a moment, so you must time your rolls correctly in order to make the most out of it.

Reading them, I immediately dismissed Traditional Japanese Art. The ability to create emotionally moving or even magically influential art had its uses, but it was too subtle and didn’t align with my current goals. Especially when there were better options.

The second best option, Roll With It, offered a moment of invulnerability that sounded almost like Kamui. However, my style had evolved beyond needing such a specific escape. Between my Lightning Chakra Mode for speed and Sage Mode plus Take It Head On for durability, my ability to avoid and endure damage was solid. 

And then there was Legacy. The most expensive option but also the one with the most potential. It offered a new field of power, an inherent affinity for a fundamental concept of existence.

[-300 CP, PURCHASED LEGACY(THE PROTOGENOI). 25 CP REMAINING]

[SELECT YOUR ANCESTOR.]

Ouranos: Protogenos of the Sky and Heavens

Gaea: Protogenos of the Earth and Nature

Tartarus: Protogenos of the Pit

Pontos: Protogenos of the Sea

Erebos: Protogenos of Darkness and Mist

Nyx: Protogenos of Night

Akhlys: Protogenos of Misery and Poison

Elpis: Protogenos of Hope

Hemera: Protogenos of Day

Aither: Protogenos of Upper Air and Light

Eros: Protogenos of Creation, Procreation and Generation of New Life

Ourae: Protogenoi of Mountains

Thalassa: Protogenos of the Sea

Chronos: Protogenos of Time and Eternity

Ananke: Protogenos of Inevitability and Fate

Undoubtedly a stacked list.

I considered Elpis briefly. The concept of hope had a certain appeal, but I needed something more tangible, more immediately applicable to the challenges ahead.

I grouped some of the others together based on how they could help me. Choosing Pontos or Thalassa could enhance my Water Style, Gaea might boost my Earth Style and possibly my Senjutsu, Ouranos could improve Wind Style and maybe even Lightning. Then there was Nyx and Erebos, which could elevate my abilities as a shinobi operating in shadows, making me even more effective in stealth operations. 

All of them were solid improvements, but my eyes were drawn to two names that stood apart from the rest.

Chronos and Ananke.

A legacy from Ananke might appear in the form of a passive power. A subtle alignment of fate that would work in my favor, nudging events toward my desired outcomes. It would be powerful, but difficult to control directly.

Chronos, on the other hand… Even a minor manipulation of time was the kind of power that would flip every fight. Easily the most versatile and powerful option on the entire list.

I made my decision.

[LEGACY OF CHRONOS SELECTED]

The knowledge flooded into me immediately, allowing me to understand what I could do with my new power.

I could accelerate my own personal timeline, letting me process the world differently. Everything would appear to move in slow motion while I operated at normal speed. It would stack with my Sharingan’s perception ability, further boosting my reactions. And it wasn’t exclusively a mental enhancement. To an outside observer, I would simply move faster.

There was also the option of projecting this ability to create a localized field around myself where the flow of time was thicker, slowing down anyone caught inside. But that application seemed situational.

Overall, I’d say this power was more than worth the price.

------------------------------

[Itachi Uchiha]

Having already covered half the distance of the highway connecting the capital to the Hidden Leaf, the entourage decided to take a break in the center of a clearing.

“I think this every year, the Hidden Leaf Village is so far~”

An old man sitting on a stump muttered as he drank tea. His face was wrinkled with age, and he wore a traditional cap shaped like a fan. Overall, he was an ordinary-looking old man that only glossed his body with expensive clothes.

That was the daimyo of the Land of Fire.

Around a palanquin behind him were four of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve, a dozen other attendants, and a Jōnin from the Hidden Leaf Village.

Meanwhile, the three Genin of Team Two were resting nearby. 

Leaning against a tree, Itachi watched Tenma and Shinko sharing a pack of high-quality mochi from the capital a few feet away.

“Did you hear the rumors?” Shinko asked, her voice tinged with excitement. “They say one of the Guardian Twelve is actually the Hokage’s son.”

Tenma snorted. “That sounds stupid. Why the hell would the Hokage let his son leave the village just to play bodyguard?”

Itachi knew the rumor was true. The one with the sharp jawline and shaggy black hair was Asuma Sarutobi.

“Look at Minazuki-sensei,” Shinko whispered. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so nervous.”

He followed her line of sight. Yuki Minazuki was indeed bowing far too deeply as he spoke to one of the guards.

Tenma clicked his tongue. “That’s so embarrassing. He’s been doing that every time he talks to them. It’s not even the Daimyo he’s talking to.” 

While Itachi understood it was a necessary political courtesy, he had to agree with his teammate’s opinion. Yuki was doing more than what felt appropriate.

“Whatever. It’s still incredible that we get to be on such an important mission. Escorting the Daimyo himself!”

“Don’t be naive, Shinko,” Tenma scoffed, his voice carrying a bitter edge as he glanced toward Itachi for a split second. “We’re not here because of us. We’re here because the village wants to show off its prized pet on the big stage.”

“Tenma, don’t say things like that! We’re all a team.”

Pet.

That word was meant to be an insult, but Itachi couldn’t feel it. This mission, the successful escort of the Fire Daimyo, was simply another entry on his record. He would take the Chūnin Exams and pass. He would work tirelessly on missions, building a flawless record until he earned his promotion to Jōnin. It would be the foundation upon which he would build a career that allowed him to stand above all others, a position from which he could finally eradicate the very concept of conflict from the world.

For this purpose, Itachi could not stop. Rather than worrying about things like comrades and the underwhelming Jōnin in charge, he dedicated himself to constantly improving.

“Off we go now, if we don’t hurry, we won’t make it to the village before nightfall,” the Daimyo sighed, despite being the one who ordered them to take this break. Two of the Guardian Shinobi immediately moved to support his arms, helping him into the waiting palanquin.

As the procession prepared to move, Itachi glanced at the end of the road. There was a man there, moving with a rhythmic cadence, almost as if he was skipping.

Nothing about his appearance suggested reason for concern.

The stranger wore an orange mask decorated with asymmetric black stripes. A single eyehole near the right side allowed him vision. A long black coat with an open collar was tied loosely at his waist with a white sash. The entire ensemble gave the impression of a fool.

He was not a shinobi.

But…

Itachi’s instincts screamed at him. This man was not normal.

“Minazuki-sensei,” he said quietly.

“What is it?” Yuki asked, but the moment he followed Itachi’s gaze, the relaxed attitude he usually had disappeared.

Seeing their change, Tenma and Shinko also stiffened. All four members of Team Two leaped in front of the Daimyo and his retinue, Yuki taking the lead as they spread into a defensive diamond formation.

“Oi, is everything alright?” the Guardian Shinobi with the red headband called from behind them.

“We’re checking,” Yuki replied, stepping forward. “Please give us a moment.”

Suddenly, the masked man raised his hand in a friendly greeting. “Umm, sorry to bother you, could I ask a question? Pretty please? I promise it won’t take long. It’s super important!” His voice was high-pitched and jovial.

Yuki unconsciously let his guard down as he smiled at the man. “This road is restricted for official business. How did you pass the checkpoints?”

“Really? I had no idea!” The man threw both arms wide in an exaggerated display of shock.

Something shifted in the air.

“Minazuki-sensei!” Itachi shouted, but the warning came too late.

A genjutsu.

He shook it off immediately, settling back into a defensive stance. Yuki stood frozen directly ahead of him, body locked in place. Itachi felt the presence of everyone behind him go still. The Daimyo, his retainers, the Guardian Shinobi, all of them had been caught.

“Oh, someone dodged my genjutsu?” The man’s voice changed instantly. What had been an almost silly, clown-like tone deepened into a menacing rumble. “And not just one, but two.”

Itachi’s eyes widened as he realized Tenma had also avoided the technique. Tenma’s head snapped toward him, eyes asking the question he couldn’t voice: What do we do?

He didn’t know. His body felt anchored to the spot, his every instinct telling him to understand the nature of the threat in front of him before making any move.

Seeing he had no answer, Tenma made the decision for both of them.

“We have to do something!” Tenma roared, breaking formation and charging toward the man. “Genjutsu is my specialty! A cheap trick like that won’t work on me!”

“‘Like that,’ you say,” the man muttered. To Itachi, it sounded like he was holding back laughter.

“A guy like this will last just a second against the two of us!”

“Tenma!” Itachi shouted, trying to stop him. “We have to watch closely and—”

Tenma’s kunai was already at the man’s neck. 

“A shinobi who can’t assess the situation objectively…”

“W-what’s going on?” Tenma stammered.

The kunai had connected, Itachi saw it clearly, yet the masked man showed no pain. No blood. It was as if Tenma’s entire arm had passed through the man’s throat. But instead of freezing in confusion, Tenma twisted his kunai, trying to find another angle of attack and shouted over his shoulder, “He’s open! Now, Itachi!”

Itachi willed his hand to go down and grab his shuriken. Shurikenjutsu was one of the areas he devoted much of his time to, allowing him to attack in an unpredictable way with them. Surely that would be enough of an edge to do something in this situation. And yet, his muscles were locked. He couldn’t move.

“…will die.”

“GCHHCK!”

The sound that came out of Tenma’s mouth did not belong to a human. His body was lifted into the air, impaled by the man’s arm. Blood poured from the wound, pooling onto the road beneath them. Tenma’s body convulsed, then gradually slowed down until he went completely still.

This time it wasn’t an illusion.

“Those who rush forward without thinking will only die a premature death. That is the reality of the shinobi world.” the man said, shaking his arm to let the corpse fall. He looked down at Tenma’s body one last time. “But it seems it’s too late for you to know that.”

Itachi stared at Tenma’s soulless eyes, feeling something inside him fall away.

He’s wrong. Yes, Tenma rushed in, but there was a reason. Because I couldn’t do anything. The Guardian Shinobi and Minazuki-sensei were all down. There was no choice but for us to do something.

“As I expected, you show promise,” the man said, turning toward Itachi. “You tried to analyze the situation rather than throwing yourself at me. Letting your teammate die for a scrap of information is what a perfect shinobi would do. Well done, Itachi Uchiha.”

“How do you know my name?”

“I know everything there is to know about the Uchiha clan.” The masked man approached, each step displaying the footwork of a trained shinobi rather than the wobbling fool from before. “My target is that old man over there. If you stand quietly and watch, I’ll spare your life.”

“I’m... I’m a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf.”

The words came out strained. Itachi’s throat felt constricted, his body refusing to respond properly. Was it the invisible pressure radiating from this man? Did the overwhelming gap in their abilities make his own body instinctively decide not to participate in a fight it couldn’t win? Or was it simply the nauseating sight of Tenma’s blood spreading across the road?

Whatever the cause, his body wouldn’t move.

I can’t think.

This was the first time he’d experienced such a thing. It was a frightening experience. For Itachi, even when faced against an opponent superior to him, he’d always been able to find some method of counterattack. Whether or not it would succeed didn’t matter. But this time, there was absolutely nothing. He couldn’t imagine any method of attack that would lead to anything other than immediate death.

The masked man stopped right in front of him and tilted his head. “Could you repeat what you just said?”

From that angle, Itachi could see through the eyehole. He had three comma-shaped signs on a crimson eye. As a member of the Uchiha clan, Itachi knew exactly what that eye was.

“I am a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf,” Itachi forced the words out.

“Are you declaring your intention to die here?”

Die…

“You can become an excellent shinobi. There’s no need for you to hasten your death here. But, if you want, I will help you fulfill your wish.”

Move!

“Oh?”

Using all his willpower, Itachi freed his right arm, lashing out at the man’s mask with a hand that wasn’t even holding a kunai. Just like Tenma, his fist passed through the man’s face and popped out from behind. He felt nothing, as if striking empty air, yet the man stood right there in front of him.

Genjutsu? Have I been trapped this entire time?

“I see. So you really do want to die.” The man swung his hand downward toward Itachi.

It stopped just inches away from his face. The man’s head snapped toward the dense tree line to their side.

“That chakra,” he muttered. “Kakashi Hatake…”

Is he shaking?

The man turned back to Itachi. “You’ve narrowly escaped death, Itachi Uchiha.”

What happened next defied comprehension. 

The man’s body distorted, sucking into the swirling hold of his mask until nothing remained. 

Just a few seconds later, seven figures landed from above. They were wearing animal masks and all had the same uniform. ANBU Black Ops. The elite unit under the Hokage’s direct command.

------------------------------

[FEAT ACHIEVED: MAKE OBITO UCHIHA FLEE]

[100 CP GRANTED - 125 TOTAL]

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO ROLL?]

Later.

The scene in front of me demanded my complete attention. A dead Genin lay on the ground. The Daimyo and his entire retinue were frozen like statues, my Sharingan letting me know they were all caught in a genjutsu. And standing amidst it all was one lone boy.

There was no mistaking his identity. That boy was Itachi Uchiha, the same idiot who would end up massacring his own clan because of Danzo manipulating him. I vaguely recalled something about him supposedly awakening his Sharingan after witnessing a teammate’s death, but I wasn’t seeing them right now. It wasn’t something I thought much about since it wasn’t relevant to my long-term plans. 

And here I am now, walking in on the aftermath of that event. No. Focus. I can’t think about that right now, there’s work to do.

“Tori, Kuma, Neko, dispel the genjutsu on the entourage and assess their condition.” I ordered, making the three of them approach all of the people caught in illusions. “Okami, Tanuki, Mumei,” I continued. There hadn’t been a mongoose mask in the ANBU armory when I checked for Anko, so a new one had to be commissioned. Until it was ready, she was still Mumei. “Sweep the area for hostiles.”

I wasn’t actually expecting them to find anything in their search. With Obito’s Kamui, there would be no traces of him left to find, but standard procedure still had to be followed. At least the notification confirmed he already fled, so my team wasn’t in any danger.

I turned back to Itachi. “Give me a report.”

“Kakashi Hatake…” he said absent-mindedly.

“How do you know my name?”

That snapped him back to the present, making him look up at me. “The man who attacked us mentioned your name before retreating.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Still, I’ll need you to tell me what happened here. Just the basics will be fine.”

“A man in an orange mask approached us,” Itachi began, his voice steady despite what he’d just witnessed. “He used a wide-scale genjutsu that caught everyone except myself and my teammate, Tenma Izumo. We attempted to engage, but the attacker used a technique that made his body intangible. Physical attacks passed through him. He retreated less than a minute ago.”

I nodded. It was exactly what I had been expecting.

“A-AIIIEEE!”

Before I could respond, a high-pitched shriek caught my attention. Turning around, I saw that the Daimyo was now awake.

“H-he's d-dead… That boy on the ground is dead!”

As his retinue comforted him, I couldn’t help but feel regret. Sure, it was likely that if it was any other team, Obito would have killed them as well as everyone else here, but if I just arrived a few minutes earlier, that kid would still be alive. I quickly pushed that line of thought aside. Dwelling on such things would only lead me to feel the same for every other tragedy I witnessed.

I walked over to where the team’s Jōnin-sensei stood. He was staring down at his student’s corpse with a blank expression.

Kneeling beside Tenma, I placed my hand on his shoulder and channeled chakra into a storage seal. The body vanished in a puff of smoke. I handed the scroll to Yuki.

“I’ll be assuming command of this mission,” I stated, leaving no room for argument. “This incident has made it clear that there’s a greater threat to the Daimyo than what we initially thought.”

One of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve stepped forward. He was a tall, tanned man with brown hair and a red sweatband. “Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf have no authority here. The Daimyo’s protection is our responsibility.” 

“I do not mean to undermine your responsibilities,” I replied calmly. “However, your entire detail, with the exception of two Genin, was put under a genjutsu. To ensure there is no lingering influence, it is necessary for a shinobi who was not affected by that incident to take command.”

He opened his mouth.

I let a fraction of the pressure from Absolute Power slip through. “This mission has been elevated to an S-rank. Do not argue with me.”

The man’s bravado deflated instantly. He flinched, shooting me a resentful glare before backing away.

A few minutes later, Anko, Tenzo, and Tsura returned from their search.

Tenzo shook his head. “No traces, Captain. It’s as if there was never anyone here recently.”

“Alright. Shadow the entourage from the trees. Don’t let anyone approach without my signal.”

“““Yes, sir.”””

From another storage seal, I retrieved my Jōnin flak jacket. I took off my ANBU armor and fox mask, placed them into the seal, then donned the dark green jacket. It felt a little weird since I wasn’t wearing my black long-sleeve under it.

Approaching the palanquin where the Daimyo was trembling, I bowed slightly before speaking.

“Lord Daimyo, I am Kakashi Hatake. The Ho—”

“I’ve heard of that name. Isn’t he the Copy Ninja?” One of the attendants to the side interrupted.

“Yes, that’s me. The Hokage placed my team here as a contingency. In light of this incident, I will be acting as your personal escort for the remainder of the journey to the Hidden Leaf Village. I give you my word, you will arrive safely.”

The Daimyo’s trembling eased almost instantly. The frantic look in his face was replaced by relief.

Mephistopheles is quite effective in situations like this.

“Shall we continue the journey, Lord Daimyo?” I asked.

“V-Very well, Copy Ninja Kakashi Hatake,” he managed, regaining his composure. “Let us continue this journey. Everyone! We are moving on!”