Although this was without a doubt a time of peace, Kakashi was still the captain of an Anbu squad.
Before accompanying Senju Haruto on his journey to Kusagakure, he first had to apply for permission from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Of course, at this point such procedures were little more than formalities.
Throughout the Land of Fire, Haruto's words carried weight no less than Hiruzen's.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that while peace endured, Haruto answered to Hiruzen, the Hokage.
But if war were to break out again… it would be Hiruzen who had to listen to Haruto.
Once that matter was settled, Haruto and Kakashi left Konohagakure together, heading for Kusagakure.
The village itself was naturally located within the Land of Grass, which bordered both the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth.
It was worth noting that during the Third Shinobi World War, Kusagakure had been a key battlefield—its land serving as a vital chokepoint.
The famous Battle of Kannabi Bridge had taken place there.
From that perspective, Kakashi's journey this time could be considered a return to old ground.
However, while Kusagakure had skillfully navigated past wars to preserve its existence, the Land of Grass itself was not so fortunate.
Its politics had grown increasingly corrupt, and in the end, it slid into ruin.
Still, there was one particular point of interest:
At this time, Karin was living in Kusagakure as one of its kunoichi.
In the future, she would even represent Kusagakure in the Chūnin Exams held in Konoha.
If Haruto encountered her, he figured it would be best to bring her back to the village.
Although he had never met Karin since his arrival in this world, he already knew her background in detail.
She possessed a unique ability—by allowing others to bite her, she could rapidly heal their wounds and restore their chakra.
On top of that, she was a descendant of the Uzumaki clan, inheriting their innate sealing techniques and vitality.
In fact, one could even say she and Naruto were distant relatives.
But precisely because of her special gifts, both Karin and her mother had lived tragic lives.
To many shinobi, they were nothing more than tools to restore chakra.
Their bodies were covered in countless bite marks, each one a scar of exploitation—painful even to imagine.
That was why, when Orochimaru appeared, Karin chose to follow him without hesitation.
Even if she still had to let others bite her to heal them, at least within Orochimaru's research facilities she was treated with a measure of dignity.
"Haruto."
Kakashi's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. The silver-haired shinobi tilted his head slightly, watching Haruto's expression.
"What's on your mind?"
"It's nothing too serious," Haruto replied casually. "According to some intel I've gathered, there's a kunoichi in Kusagakure with a special ability. They say no matter how severe the wound, if someone bites her, they can recover almost instantly."
He spoke openly, without hiding the truth.
Karin's abilities were hardly a secret, after all.
And besides, Haruto's own sensory perception was lacking.
With Kakashi's help, finding her might be much easier.
After all, aside from his personal mission in Kusagakure, Karin was the thing Haruto was most interested in.
Kakashi, however, found the claim difficult to believe—it sounded like something out of a fairy tale.
"…Right," he murmured, letting the subject drop for now. Then he shifted the topic, his gaze firming.
Since his purpose in accompanying Haruto was clear, it was time to address it directly.
He wanted strength.
Strength to protect his comrades.
After a brief hesitation, Kakashi finally asked the question that had been pressing at him since the beginning:
"How do you plan on helping me train?"
Given his current level, Kakashi himself couldn't think of any clear way forward.
That was precisely why he had come to Haruto.
"There are actually quite a few methods," Haruto replied with a small nod, showing that he understood Kakashi's concern.
"If I'm not mistaken, your specialty is Lightning Release, isn't it? I've heard you even developed your own technique—Raikiri, the 'Lightning Cutter,' said to be able to slice through a bolt of lightning itself."
Such information wasn't a secret. Kakashi didn't mind Haruto knowing.
"Yes," Kakashi said after a pause. "But if we're talking about Raikiri, then there's another technique I should mention."
He raised his hand, rotating his chakra within his palm.
A sharp, swirling sound filled the air as chakra spun violently, condensing into a perfect sphere.
Haruto recognized it instantly.
It was one of the most iconic jutsu in the shinobi world—the technique that would later become Naruto's trademark.
"Rasengan," Kakashi explained.
"This was originally created by the Fourth Hokage. It's an S-rank technique, but he considered it incomplete. His goal was to add elemental chakra into the Rasengan… but he never succeeded.
"That's what led me to develop Raikiri instead."
Haruto feigned surprise, widening his eyes as if impressed.
"And you're telling me this because…?"
Kakashi's answer came without hesitation.
"Because I believe you're the one who can finish it."
He didn't say this to flatter him.
In Kakashi's eyes, Senju Haruto's talent exceeded that of any shinobi he had ever known.
If anyone could complete the Fourth Hokage's legacy, it was him.
And besides, Haruto was already seen by many in the village as the inevitable Fifth Hokage.
Even if he hadn't had the chance now, Kakashi had intended to share this knowledge eventually.
"I see," Haruto said, feigning sudden realization. "So it turns out I've gained an unexpected reward. Still, let's put the Rasengan aside for now."
His gaze sharpened.
"What I want to teach you… is the Lightning Release Chakra Mode."
As he spoke, sparks of lightning crackled across his body, chakra surging outward in a bright, electrifying aura.
This was no half-transformation, no borrowed power.
It was the genuine Lightning Release Chakra Mode—Raikage's signature technique.
Haruto had copied the technique during his clash with A, the Fourth Raikage.
While he himself rarely used it—his own Thunder God Body was vastly superior—Kakashi had no such divine weapon to rely on.
For him, mastering Lightning Release Chakra Mode would be a tremendous step forward.
If he could fully grasp its second form, his power would skyrocket.
"T-That's the Raikage's ultimate technique…"
Kakashi's eyes widened, his throat tightening as he swallowed hard.
He had asked Haruto to help him grow stronger—but he had never expected Haruto to start by offering him a technique of this level.
"Now then, Kakashi," Haruto said calmly, his eyes locking onto him.
"Lift your forehead protector."