Hanare began recounting how she met Kakashi.
"At that time, I really wanted to see my parents, so I went searching for the village, but I got lost and didn't know where to go. Luckily, I met you back then. You carried me all the way to the village on your back.
You told me, when I feel lonely, just look up at the clouds. The clouds will change shapes according to the wishes in my heart. As long as I hold onto hope, the clouds will respond to me.
Afterwards... I've always searched for your figure among those clouds. So even though you've changed a lot, the moment I saw you, I still recognized you instantly—because you've always been in my heart. You were always my hope."
After Hanare finished speaking, her cheeks flushed slightly red while looking at Kakashi.
Naruto, unnoticed by anyone, had somehow climbed up the tree and grinned with a sly look, "Looks like things are getting deep over there! But I still can't hear clearly... Let me get a bit closer..."
Just as Naruto was about to inch forward for better listening, the branch suddenly snapped.
Sasuke and Sakura's expressions changed immediately, "Y-You idiot!"
The branch snapped. Naruto and his two friends tumbled down from the tree and landed squarely on Kakashi. The impact sent Kakashi stumbling forward—and crashing onto Hanare.
Kakashi's masked lips ended up pressed firmly against Hanare's in an unintentional yet intimate moment.
Shindai and Obito stared in shock.
So absorbed were they in listening that neither noticed when Naruto and his gang climbed the tree. One could only say—what perfect timing to catch such a scene!
Kakashi's "romantic mission" just got a big push forward—thanks to Naruto's troublemaking trio!
Kakashi and Hanare locked eyes, gazing into each other's faces for a while.
Coming to his senses, Kakashi immediately stood up from Hanare, casting an annoyed glare toward Naruto and his group, "You guys!"
The three scrambled frantically, instinctively searching for Shindai, but Shindai and Obito had already vanished without a trace.
Noticing the flowers in Sakura's hand, Naruto hurriedly said, "Lend me... lend me that! Congratulations to you both!"
Mastermind Naruto presented the flower he held to Kakashi and Hanare.
Kakashi gave Naruto his usual lazy, half-lidded stare, "Eh?"
Hanare smiled gently, "Thank you."
Hanare tilted her head, looking at Kakashi with deep affection in her eyes.
...
Inside the Hokage Building.
Ibiki Morino, Yamanaka Inoichi, Kakashi, Naruto's trio, and several other ninjas were gathered.
Minato Namikaze spoke, "Seiken Village has captured our jonin named Shiichi."
Ibiki frowned in confusion, "Seiken Village?"
Yamanaka Inoichi explained, "It's the village where kunoichi Hanare is from."
Minato Namikaze nodded. "Then the other side proposed exchanging Sai for Hanare. Fortunately, Hanare didn't obtain any intelligence about the Land of Fire or Konoha, so even if we release her back..."
Kakashi suddenly interrupted, "No! We cannot let her return!"
Minato frowned. "Why not? What's going on, Kakashi?"
After calming himself down, Kakashi said with a frown, "No...never mind."
When Kakashi and others left the Hokage Building, Shindai and Obito sneaked up to Minato to talk to him.
A look of interest appeared on Minato's face.
"I see..."
On a bridge near the border of the Land of Fire, just outside Konoha Village,
One end of the bridge was occupied by Kakashi-led Konoha ninja, while the other end was held by Seiken Village ninja.
A Hyuga ninja activated his Byakugan to confirm Sai's identity. "The possibility of Transformation Jutsu is zero. This is definitely Sai! There must be no mistake!"
A ninja from Seiken Village shouted, "How about this—we each send one representative, bring our prisoners, and exchange them in the middle of the bridge?"
Naruto looked at Kakashi worriedly. "Kakashi-sensei..."
Sakura also looked upset. "Never thought things would turn out like this."
Kakashi, carrying Hanare, and the Seiken Village headman, holding Sai, began walking toward each other across the bridge.
Just as Hanare and Sai were about to exchange places, Kakashi suddenly pulled out a kunai and glared fiercely at Hanare. "I can't let you go!"
At that moment, explosive tags planted earlier on the bridge suddenly detonated, collapsing the entire structure.
The Seiken Village headman shouted toward Hanare, "Hanare! You must bring back the intelligence on Konoha!"
Hanare hurled down a smoke bomb. She quickly swapped clothes into a ninja uniform and fled across the water.
Hidden nearby, Ibiki and Yamanaka Inoichi appeared, chasing after the Seiken Village ninja.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura pursued the Seiken Village headman.
Naruto and the other two surrounded the Seiken Village headman.
"Grandpa, surrender already!"
The Seiken Village headman adjusted his hat. "Don't underestimate Seiken's ninja! We don't give up once we've made a move!"
A thick cloud of smoke appeared, and the Seiken Village headman vanished within it.
As the Seiken Village headman tried to escape,
"Shindai!"
"Ahh!"
Shindai and Obito suddenly appeared right in front of the Seiken Village headman, each delivering a kick that sent him flying.
The Seiken Village headman crashed into a cliffside. Shindai grabbed his collar and yanked him up. "Brave indeed, you old fool! So your Seiken Village wants to start a war with us Konoha? Fine then, let the war begin!"
"I took down Sunagakure with two blasts from my Chakra Cluster Cannon. I wonder how many your Seiken Village can withstand. Let me pay a visit to the Land of Locks and wipe your Seiken Village off the map! Remember this—your killer is Shindai of Konoha!"
The Village Headman of Seiken Village gasped in horror, "Shindai—the Magnetic Field Ninja from Konoha?"
Everyone in the ninja world knew about the massive casualties Sunagakure suffered from Shindai's Chakra Cluster Cannon.
This time, Seiken Village had sent Hanare to Konoha to obtain intelligence reports on Shindai's Chakra Cluster Cannon, hoping that acquiring such knowledge would strengthen Seiken Village's military capabilities.
Who could have imagined they'd run into the actual inventor of the Chakra Cluster Cannon himself?
The Seiken Village leader was completely shaken. He came for espionage, not war.
Shindai smacked the old man's cheek with a mocking grin. "Scared, old geezer? How about a deal? Our Hokage-sama is generous—he wouldn't deign to deal with minor nuisances like you. Sign this contract and scram."
Shindai pulled out a scroll and tossed it at him.
Upon unrolling the document, the Seiken Village leader immediately protested, "No way! Hanare is our finest ninja..."
Shindai cut him off ruthlessly, "We wouldn't want Hanare if she weren't one of your best ninjas. Obito, looks like this old man isn't cooperating. Guess we'll just have to pay a visit ourselves—[My Chakra Cluster Cannon versus your Susanoo]. Let's flatten the entire Land of Locks together!"
Obito nodded sharply. "Agreed."
"The Kamui user, Obito Uchiha? I'll sign! I'll sign!"
The Seiken Village head completely lost his composure. Their village had plenty of intelligence files, and someone as famous as Obito naturally appeared in them.
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