Konoha possessed two great dōjutsu: the Byakugan and the Sharingan.
Because its methods of attack were more complex and its abilities more unpredictable, the Sharingan was generally considered the more mysterious of the two. At the level of the three-tomoe Sharingan, it could trade strengths and weaknesses evenly with the Byakugan. However, beyond that stage, the Sharingan was almost universally regarded as superior.
The Sharingan also possessed a broadly applicable evolutionary path—something the Byakugan did not.
That said, the Byakugan's value was not limited to individual combat. In fact, its true strength lay in reconnaissance. In large-scale operations, it could even be described as a strategic-level weapon.
Seeing through an enemy's deployment, instantly discerning their latest movements—only the Byakugan could accomplish such feats.
And now, the problem was this:
A Byakugan had fallen into the hands of Kirigakure.
Thus, in group combat, a single Byakugan could often be more valuable than a single Sharingan. This was the general rule—excluding certain bug-level Sharingan users, of course.
That was why the Hokage placed such grave importance on the loss of the Byakugan. It was not merely because of the Hyūga clan. A weapon meant only for Konoha had been seized by the enemy—equivalent to handing one's own blade to an opponent.
"Based on the mission the ambushed Hyūga squad was carrying out beforehand,"
the Third Hokage continued,
"we can be almost certain that the incident occurred… at the former site of the Land of Whirlpools."
"Considering that an elite Hyūga squad was wiped out with virtually no resistance, we can tentatively conclude that the enemy deployed at least a medium-sized force—or possibly an elite unit directly under a Kage."
"Because the Byakugan holds critical strategic value to Konoha, we have already redeployed part of Orochimaru's front-line forces to blockade the seas near the Land of Whirlpools. At present, the enemy should have no way to evacuate without alerting us."
"However," the Hokage continued calmly,
"given the enemy's strength and the pressure across the entire front, the task of retrieving the Byakugan cannot be borne by Orochimaru's forces. Sending non-elite ninja into the Land of Whirlpools would be meaningless."
The ruins of Uzushiogakure were, after all, located on a small island. Surrounded by open sea, maintaining a complete blockade was far from easy. Surely Orochimaru hadn't reassigned all of his reconnaissance ninja?
"So," the Third Hokage concluded,
"I have decided to form new squads from those present here and dispatch you to the Land of Whirlpools to carry out the mission of reclaiming the Byakugan."
As for why they had to go to such lengths to recover a single eye—there was no need for the Hokage to explain that.
"At present, we can confirm that the enemy is still trapped on the island. However, due to environmental factors, terrain, and possible interference from large-scale barrier ninjutsu, the long-range reconnaissance capabilities of the Hyūga clan's Byakugan have been partially restricted."
"Therefore, the search within the Land of Whirlpools will, to a large extent, depend on your own efforts."
"The mission objective is simple: retrieve the Byakugan. Execute immediately. No fixed time limit."
Which was to say—
Until the eye was reclaimed, the mission would not end.
And anyone outside the Hyūga clan possessing a Byakugan would be treated as an enemy of Konoha.
The Hokage finished issuing orders swiftly, and the task force was divided and assembled.
Given the size of the search area and the number of ninja involved—and since all participants were considered elite—the squads were formed in pairs to maximize efficiency.
"Yo."
Before long, Hagoromo spotted his partner for this mission.
White hair. Masked face. Young.
And eyes that had already completed about seventy percent of the dead-fish transformation.
Hatake Kakashi.
"Kakashi," Hagoromo said, even in such a serious setting finding the mood to joke, his own face deliberately mimicking that lifeless stare.
"I remember you're a chūnin, right?"
"Yes," Kakashi replied flatly.
"Didn't they say the enemy is strong and this mission requires elite ninja?" Hagoromo continued.
"Here's the problem: you're a chūnin, and I'm a chūnin. So where exactly is the so-called elite ninja in our squad?"
Without hesitation, Kakashi raised a hand and pointed at Hagoromo.
"Word is you've completed an S-rank mission—and twice declined to participate in the jōnin promotion exams. In theory, only elite jōnin can complete S-rank missions. So for this operation, the Third Hokage is clearly counting you as jōnin-level combat power."
"Between the two of us, you're the squad leader."
Hagoromo: "..."
Why did this conversation contain none of the gravity, tension, or solemn resolve one would expect before a major mission?
Of course, both of them understood the mission's importance. But how one felt internally and how one appeared on the surface were not required to match.
With Kakashi's temperament, despite his dead-fish eyes now, once the mission began, he would be absolutely serious and focused. Even if Hagoromo went down mid-mission, Kakashi would carry on alone without hesitation.
"What about Minato-senpai?" Hagoromo asked.
"This kind of mission has his name written all over it. Why aren't you two paired up?"
"Minato-sensei is more efficient operating alone…"
Fair enough. Namikaze Minato was nowhere to be seen. Considering his speed, he might already be en route to the ruins of Uzushiogakure.
Or perhaps he had already arrived.
While they exchanged banter, Hagoromo and Kakashi didn't slow down their preparations. They collected mission supplies, checked their equipment, and replenished ninja tools and medicine.
They had one hour.
When the time was up, they would depart.
Ninja without special mobility techniques would move out in groups. Those with high-speed movement methods were permitted to act independently.
Did Hagoromo have such a method?
He did.
He had birds.
Using the Summoning Technique, they could fly directly to the Land of Whirlpools. With the Yatagarasu's seating capacity, it could easily carry four full squads.
Thus, while the other ninja sprinted across land and sea, Hagoromo's group took to the skies.
Crossing mountains and oceans, passing over endless lands—without stopping wingbeat for a moment—the Yatagarasu flew at maximum speed. By early morning, it had carried ten ninja across more than half of the Land of Fire and delivered them to the outer seas of the Land of Whirlpools.
After dispelling the summoning and briefly recovering their chakra, the ten ninja split into the five preassigned squads and began independent operations within their designated search zones.
Hagoromo and Kakashi had little choice but to rely on naked-eye observation. Kakashi was not a reconnaissance specialist to begin with, and Hagoromo's own detection range was limited to what he could visually perceive.
In the open expanse of the sea, eyesight was arguably the most straightforward and effective method anyway.
The wind and snow, however, posed a genuine obstacle.
Yet whether favored by fortune or cursed by it, they encountered an enemy far sooner than expected.
Approaching through the snowstorm, Kakashi pulled out a small booklet, compared the photograph within to the approaching figure, and said:
"Confirmed. A Kirigakure ninja."
That meant it was time for the squad leader to issue orders.
And Hagoromo did.
He turned to Kakashi and said:
"Hit him."
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