After saying this, Orochimaru picked up the plan document and left the Root conference room.
Walking out from the conference room, Orochimaru looked at the road ahead consumed by darkness, then glanced down at the Wood Style plan document he brought out from the conference room, muttering to himself:
"Wood Style... I wonder how many people will be sacrificed this time..."
Life, this thing, is truly fragile and too cheap.
After sighing, he looked up at the front and stepped into the darkness without hesitation.
◎
October.
The weather gradually became colder.
In the forest, a group of four was running within.
"Hey, Kakashi, slow down!"
A Konoha Ninja wearing a Chunin uniform shouted loudly at Kakashi, who was running at the front.
Hoping he would heed his words.
Kakashi just turned back to glance, the Chunin teammate shouting at him was carrying an injured ninja, panting, obviously burdened by the injured behind him.
Kakashi then stopped and coldly said, "Just throw him away, the three of us will continue to complete the mission."
"Wha- what? What did you say?"
The Chunin looked at the young-faced Kakashi in disbelief.
Couldn't believe he heard such words from Kakashi's mouth.
Although he spoke harshly before, this time he truly crossed the line for this Chunin.
"Completing the mission is the ninja rule, ninjas are merely tools for accomplishing tasks. Since he's a burden and can't form combat power, he'll only drag us down, just leave him here. Or... kill him."
Kakashi took out a kunai and threw it at the Chunin's feet, letting him make a decision.
His father, Sakumo, chose his comrades during a mission, and thus was slandered by people's rumors, and his suicide also proved his father's guilt and fragility.
Therefore, the path he chose now was the one that prioritized the mission.
A comrade already seriously injured in a mission who cannot provide battle, or even drag down teammates, is abandoned in advance, choosing the mission, which is what Kakashi believes is the correct path now.
"You, do you know what you are saying? You are also a Konoha Ninja, how can you say such things?"
The Chunin came to his senses, angrily yelling.
"Are you really a ninja? With such naive thoughts, go back and retake classes at the Ninja School. Don't forget, completing the mission is the true path a ninja should choose."
Kakashi stared coldly at the Chunin.
"You brat!"
The Chunin was gritting his teeth.
Kakashi just gave him a cold look, didn't answer, turned around, with the White Fang Short Knife on his back, and walked on alone.
"Captain, look at that guy, he dared to say such things! It's infuriating! What genius!"
The Chunin said dissatisfied.
"Alright, Kakashi meant no harm, the mission is the priority."
The Jonin Captain shook his head helplessly, theoretically, Kakashi's suggestion was indeed the optimal choice.
But abandoning a comrade's life so easily, he couldn't get over it in his heart.
"Captain, once we get back, replace Kakashi. Keeping such a guy in our squad is just a black sheep."
The Chunin was still sulking.
"I will mention it to Lord Hokage."
"Captain, you've mentioned it to Lord Hokage many times, but Kakashi just doesn't change; he's truly not suitable to develop in our squad. Abandon him, such a person isn't fit to be a comrade."
The Chunin said helplessly.
The Jonin Captain remained silent, and under the requesting look from the Chunin, he finally hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"Okay, once we get back, I will apply for a transfer order from Lord Hokage, moving Kakashi to another squad."
"Please hurry, having such a person as a comrade gives me no sense of security at all."
The Chunin carrying the injured, Kakashi's cold and ruthless attitude towards teammates really pushed his tolerance to the limit.
Even an average Genin would be better than such a heartless genius Chunin.
◎
Transfer Order.
Hiruzen, sitting in the office, looked at the transfer order application submitted by a certain Jonin, feeling a headache coming on.
He hoped to transfer Hatake Kakashi to another squad, the reason being Kakashi was unable to coordinate with teammates and didn't understand teamwork, repeatedly causing discord among colleagues.
After reading the transfer order application, Hiruzen took out similar transfer order applications from the drawer, without exception, all applying from squads Kakashi had been in before.
But each time didn't last long, one squad even had Kakashi for only a few days before the leading Jonin removed him, believing his squad would hinder such a genius Chunin and hoped Kakashi would develop in another Jonin Squad.
Was this the fourth time... or the fifth time?
At this moment, the office door was knocked.
Hiruzen called out, "Come in."
The Konoha Jonin who knocked on the door came in, respectfully saluting towards Hiruzen: "Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen put Kakashi's file in front, this Jonin consciously stepped forward and took it to read.
"How do you think Kakashi is?"
"A genius."
This Jonin had only these two words for evaluation.
"I remember someone in your squad sacrificed, I want Kakashi to join your squad. What do you think?"
After Hiruzen said this, the Jonin's face changed slightly, then calmed down and said, "Lord Hokage, my ability is insufficient to guide such a genius. Assigning him into my team will only bury such a genius, it's better to let him develop in another squad."