"Lord Hokage specifically requested me?"
When the Anbu delivered the message, Ryūjin Uchiha raised a brow.
It was not surprising that Hiruzen Sarutobi had taken notice of him. After all, too many things had happened recently.
But at a time like this, with the Hidden Mist having just invaded Konoha, the Hokage should have been buried under reports and damage control. Why single him out now?
Ryūjin's thoughts turned sharp.
Could it be because of the incident with the Mist?
He replayed the events calmly.
He had burned off Danzo's arm with Amaterasu. He had incinerated Jūzō Biwa in front of Kurenai and Guy. Those two would certainly have reported what they saw.
Did Hiruzen already suspect that he was the one who wiped out the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?
Ryūjin clicked his tongue internally.
If that old man was planning something, he would not make it obvious.
What Ryūjin did not know was that Hiruzen had kept the matter strictly confidential. The appearance of an unknown individual with at least Kage level strength inside the village was not something that could be announced lightly. It would cause panic and attract the wrong kind of attention.
Especially from someone like Danzo.
Danzo himself had also chosen silence. Ryūjin's Sharingan was not something Danzo wanted exposed for his own reasons.
For now, Ryūjin's secrets remained intact.
With that in mind, he headed toward the Hokage's office.
When he arrived, two others were already there.
Kakashi Hatake stood quietly to one side, his visible eye unreadable. Beside him was another shinobi Ryūjin had not worked with before, Hisao Kimura.
Hiruzen wasted no time.
"You three will form a temporary team and carry out a tracking mission."
His tone was direct.
"Following the retreat of the Hidden Mist ninja, Minato Namikaze's student, Rin Nohara, has disappeared. We have reason to suspect she was taken by the Hidden Mist."
"What? Rin?"
Kakashi's composure cracked instantly. His head snapped up, shock evident in his eye.
Obito's death had already scarred him deeply. If something happened to Rin as well, the weight might crush him entirely.
Ryūjin remained calm on the surface.
Inside, however, his thoughts turned heavy.
If the Hidden Mist had taken Rin at this time, then the gears set in motion by Uchiha Madara were beginning to turn. Obito's tragic path was about to unfold.
"Your mission is to confirm the situation and determine Rin's whereabouts," Hiruzen continued. "Understood?"
"Understood," the three responded in unison.
Ryūjin kept his expression neutral, but he could not help thinking.
Tracking made sense for Kakashi. Rin was his teammate, and Kakashi had ninja hounds to assist. But why specifically include him?
Yeah right. What is the old man planning?
Was this some roundabout way to test him? Or worse, was it because he had beaten Asuma and bruised someone's pride?
The mission was labeled as tracking, but if the Hidden Mist was involved, danger was guaranteed.
Still, he said nothing.
In truth, Hiruzen's reasoning was practical.
First, it was not yet confirmed that Rin had been captured. This was an investigation, not a rescue mission. A small team would suffice.
Second, the team still required strength. Ryūjin had defeated Asuma in a single exchange, and even Danzo had acknowledged his ability. With the village short on manpower after the Hidden Mist incursion, ignoring such strength would have been foolish.
Finally, Hiruzen wanted to observe him.
A shinobi who could overwhelm Asuma so cleanly was worth examining more closely.
"Depart immediately," Hiruzen ordered.
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
The three left without delay.
Since Kakashi was closest to Rin, he took out the gift she had once given him during the Kannabi Bridge mission. Using it as a scent reference, he summoned his ninken.
A small pug appeared in a puff of smoke.
Pakkun sniffed the item, then lifted his head.
"I've got it."
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
The trio moved swiftly, leaving Konoha behind.
Guided by Pakkun's sharp sense of smell, they traveled tirelessly, following the trail across forests and plains until they reached the coastline leading toward the Land of Water.
The Land of Water was an island nation, isolated by vast stretches of sea. Reaching the Hidden Mist required crossing open water.
That was only the first barrier.
Even after landing, the area surrounding Kirigakure was perpetually shrouded in dense white mist, a natural defense that made infiltration extremely dangerous.
Pakkun paused near the shore.
"The scent goes straight across the water," he said. "No doubt about it. Rin Nohara was taken toward the Hidden Mist. We should return and report."
Kimura nodded immediately.
"Kakashi, we cannot act recklessly. I know you want to save her, and so do we, but the three of us cannot storm the Hidden Mist alone."
Kakashi stood still for a moment, staring across the waves.
When he finally spoke, his voice was steady.
"We go back."
The fastest way to save Rin was not blind action. It was preparation.
The three turned and began their return, using the Body Flicker Technique to cover ground quickly.
Then Ryūjin's eyes narrowed.
Chakra signatures.
Multiple.
"They're following us," he said flatly.
Behind them, a group of Hidden Mist ninja had begun pursuit.
Everyone frowned.
They had deliberately stopped short of the Hidden Mist's inner territory to avoid provoking conflict. Yet the Hidden Mist clearly had no intention of letting them leave freely.
Trying to silence information gatherers?
That meant one thing.
This operation was never simple.
Kakashi's grip tightened slightly.