"Even I'm getting dragged into this…"
Kakashi couldn't help but complain inwardly, but the atmosphere on the scene left no room for refusal.
When Senju Haruto suggested that Uchiha Itachi join in as well, Kakashi's gaze naturally shifted toward the young prodigy.
Although Itachi still called him "Captain Kakashi," Kakashi knew there was nothing he could teach him—whether it was combat strength, intelligence gathering, or the mindset of a shinobi.
In Kakashi's eyes, at this age, there was no ninja more perfect than Uchiha Itachi.
Still, Kakashi didn't think Itachi would actually take part. It was just a gut feeling.
But to his surprise, Itachi stepped right up behind him.
In truth, Itachi had little interest in this mock battle.
To him, it was simply the result of Yako's irritation over Kakashi being replaced as captain—she wanted to defeat Haruto to prove he was unfit to lead their team.
Such emotions were unnecessary for a shinobi. Even though Yako had only recently joined the ANBU, she should have understood that much.
Yet things had escalated to the point where even Kakashi and Tenzo were getting involved. That, at least, piqued Itachi's curiosity.
Why not take this half-joking invitation from Haruto as an opportunity to see what he's truly capable of?
"You too…?" Kakashi's eyes showed a flicker of surprise—he'd been sure Itachi wouldn't join.
"Captain Kakashi," Itachi said, glancing toward Haruto, "since this is a live combat drill, we'd better come up with a strategy first."
Itachi's sudden entry into the lineup made Yako's excitement spike.
While she didn't think Itachi was stronger than Captain Kakashi, he was still a peerless genius of the Uchiha clan.
In fact, Yako believed Itachi's power surpassed that of many elite jōnin—likely second only to Kakashi and Tenzo.
With him joining the fray, Haruto's defeat seemed inevitable.
And as the odds tilted further against Haruto, more ANBU began to take notice.
After all, Konoha was currently in a time of peace. The ANBU weren't receiving as many high-priority missions as during wartime, and right now happened to be their downtime.
A challenge instigated by Yako was bound to attract attention.
Still, the watching ANBU were puzzled.
"Who's that guy?" one whispered.
"Let me see…" Another quickly flipped open the intel roster—only to find no entry for Haruto. No photo, no name, no mission records.
"Completely blank…"
"I heard he's an ANBU captain personally appointed by the Third Hokage," another ANBU said as he walked up, his voice instantly drawing the attention of those nearby.
Everyone looked at him expectantly.
"That's all I know," he admitted with an awkward cough. He'd only run into them by chance on the way here. The rumor was Haruto had parachuted in as captain, replacing Kakashi, which had sparked Yako's resentment—leading to this scene.
"In the shinobi world, orders are absolute. You can't just challenge your new captain because you don't like him," an ANBU squad leader remarked after hearing the situation.
"But… why's Kakashi…" He trailed off when he learned Kakashi hadn't stopped Yako—he'd joined in.
"Not just Kakashi," someone else in the crowd said. "Tenzo and Uchiha Itachi too…"
"What?!" The squad leader's eyes widened in shock.
Kakashi, Tenzo, and Uchiha Itachi—each one a name that could dominate any battlefield in the ANBU.
Kakashi, the Copy Ninja, able to replicate any technique he sees in an instant.
Tenzo, the only man able to wield the First Hokage's Wood Release—mysterious, with a background in the Root division.
And Itachi, the Uchiha prodigy who had fought in the Third Great Ninja War at age four, become a chūnin at eight, and joined the ANBU at eleven.
Together, they were the most elite lineup the ANBU could possibly field.
With a team like that, the squad leader couldn't even imagine them losing. And he wasn't alone—every ANBU watching felt the same.
This no-name upstart, Senju Haruto, was about to suffer the worst defeat of his life.
"What a tragedy…" The squad leader shook his head, giving Haruto a pitying glance. "He really doesn't know what he's gotten himself into."
Even facing just one of Kakashi, Tenzo, or Itachi would be an overwhelming challenge.
This guy had no idea what kind of opponents he was provoking.
"Wait—he's going to take on Kakashi, Tenzo, Itachi, and four more ANBU all at once?!" someone suddenly shouted, making the entire crowd gasp.
Some had assumed this would be a series of one-on-one fights. But to their shock, Kakashi had just signaled a full surround.
Tenzo and Itachi flanked Kakashi, while the other ANBU moved to Haruto's sides and rear—forming a classic kill formation.
"A full-on surround?!"
Even battle-hardened veterans sucked in a breath. Such a tactic was almost absurd—overkill in every sense.
But before they could recover from the surprise, Kakashi made their jaws drop again.
Facing Haruto in a seven-to-one formation, the famed Copy Ninja adjusted his forehead protector—revealing the Sharingan hidden beneath.
In other words, even with the overwhelming numbers, Kakashi wasn't taking any chances.