Chapter 16: Kakashi Possessed

"Step aside, Kakashi! Don't force my hand!"

Kondo Kunihiko gritted his teeth, his expression ferocious; he knew that after showing his cowardice in front of Kakashi, it was almost impossible for him to escape this.

Don't be fooled by the fact that it seemed like only Kakashi had come to find him, as if it could be brushed off; in reality, in a Ninja Village with all sorts of Genjutsu, mental Secret Techniques, and truth serums, there was no such thing as false testimony. As long as Kakashi was willing to testify against him, there was absolutely no way he would escape unscathed!

His only path to survival now was to quickly knock down Kakashi and flee Konoha!

"It seems you intend to put up a desperate struggle... That's perfect. If you had just surrendered, I would have been disappointed instead!"

A cold sneer curled the corners of Kakashi's mouth, hidden behind his mask, as he drew the White Fang Short Blade from his hand and aimed it at Kondo Kunihiko.

"A mere eight-year-old ninja... Do you really think that just because people called you a genius a few times, you can contend with a Jonin?"

Under the pressure of his anxiety, Kondo Kunihiko didn't say anything more; he directly formed seals with both hands, intending to unleash a ninjutsu.

However, in that very instant, lightning flashed and crackled on Kakashi's body, transforming into a long rainbow as he charged forward. The White Fang Short Blade in his hand faintly emitted a pale white light, and in the blink of an eye, he slashed down at his head!

Kondo Kunihiko, who was in the middle of forming seals, was instantly terrified and cried out in alarm:

"Captain White Fang!!"

The hand seals that had long been second nature to him were, at this moment, so stiff and trembling from shock that he made a mistake. The chakra circulating within his body also shuddered, causing him not only to fail to release his ninjutsu but also to suffer a sudden blockage of breath, leaving him with a tight chest and shortness of breath.

The Kakashi before him was clearly just an eight-year-old child, yet his posture, demeanor, aura, and grasp of the White Fang Sword Technique made it impossible for Kondo Kunihiko not to recall his former captain: that man who had made a name for himself in the Ninja World, the one with the world's greatest Sword Technique, Hatake Sakumo!

Like an aurora, like lightning, the blade light flashed at extreme speed for a split second and then vanished without a trace. Kondo Kunihiko stood with a blank expression, blood instantly spraying from his chest.

Kondo Kunihiko shouldn't have been so pathetic, but after seeing the familiar blade light, the guilt and panic suppressed deep in his heart erupted, causing this Special Jonin to be cut down by Kakashi without even reacting.

It wasn't just Kondo Kunihiko; even Kakashi himself was a bit dazed after delivering the strike. He felt that at the very moment he swung his blade, he was completely out of control, executing a sword move beyond his own imagination.

"Just now... could it really be Father's Soul watching over me from heaven?"

Glancing at the White Fang Short Blade in his hand, Kakashi savored the move he had just performed, feeling as if his father's spirit had merged into his body for an instant, and he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.

"I never would have imagined it, Kakashi! You actually cut down a Special Jonin with a single strike! During training a few days ago, were you intentionally holding back?"

Uchiha Feiyu asked with feigned surprise while reaching out to retrieve Hatake Sakumo's Soul. Kakashi immediately snapped back to reality and shook his head:

"I don't know what happened either... Perhaps it really was Father's soul manifesting? I don't usually have such brilliant sword skills."

"Besides, this guy was suddenly scared out of his wits, which is why I was able to defeat him with one strike. Otherwise, even if I maintained that same state, it wouldn't be easy to beat a Special Jonin."

However, having truly experienced the essence of the White Fang Sword Technique, Kakashi was confident that his sword skills would definitely improve significantly in the coming period; the Power Level of a Special Jonin... was not too far from his own.

Just then, a commotion could be heard nearby. The battle between Kakashi and Kondo Kunihiko had been very short, but with the Third Shinobi World War about to break out, all of Konoha was on high alert, with the Anbu and the Security Force patrolling day and night; this short amount of time was enough for them to react.

The first to arrive were a group of Anbu wearing masks. The group jumped onto the roof with a rustle, and one of them, wearing a cat mask, frowned and asked:

"What happened here? Why was there a fight!"

"We caught a spy, it's this guy! After his cover was blown, he dared to put up a desperate struggle, and then he was cut down by Kakashi."

Uchiha Feiyu didn't hesitate to shift the blame, pointing at Kondo Kunihiko and speaking, which left the group of Anbu looking at each other in dismay.

The Anbu all recognized Kondo Kunihiko; after all, Hatake Sakumo had been the Anbu Commander, and the fact that he was driven to his death had caused a huge uproar within the Anbu. These Anbu ninjas naturally wouldn't have a favorable opinion of Kondo Kunihiko.

However, the Anbu ninjas didn't really believe that Kondo Kunihiko was a spy, because this guy's background had already been picked apart by the Anbu several times over. If there had been anything truly strange about him, he would have already been in the Anbu interrogation room.

Could it be that the little guy Kakashi couldn't hold back and wanted to settle a personal vendetta? That would be a bit impulsive of him. Still, he was White Fang's son, so they had to find a way to protect him...

The Anbu squad leader standing in front thought to himself while turning his head to look at Kondo Kunihiko, only to find that the fallen Kondo Kunihiko had a blank expression, revealing a helpless, bitter smile.

That expression... how is it so similar to the expressions of those captured spies who confess their guilt? Could this guy really have a problem?!

"Captain, what should we do?"

An Anbu behind him asked quietly, and the Anbu squad leader waved his hand directly:

"Take them all back to the Anbu first! Then conduct an investigation!"

As for the investigation, it naturally didn't continue, because as soon as Kondo Kunihiko was brought back to the Anbu, he was directly "made" to commit suicide by poison.

After all, there was still Root within the Anbu, and Root's original duty was as the Anbu training department; it was certainly very easy to make someone commit suicide within the Anbu.

Easy as it might be, the Anbu ninjas weren't fools! Damn it, could other Ninja Villages just silence someone directly inside the Anbu? If they really had that kind of ability, Konoha would have fallen apart long ago!

If the previous public opinion storm surrounding White Fang had only been suspected by some Jonin and more perceptive Chunin, then now it was almost certain that the Konoha High Command had been the ones behind it. Even ordinary ninjas, upon hearing about the issue of the Anbu spy "committing suicide," began to harbor doubts about the White Fang affair.

Those who could become ninjas might have flaws in their thinking or personal insight, but at the very least, their observational skills and skepticism were definitely not bad. Ninjas like Uzumaki Naruto or Maito Gai were, after all, in the extreme minority.

Even if they didn't know what "manipulating public opinion" was before, they were at least very clear about how absurd it was for a ninja captured and brought back to the Anbu to "commit suicide"!

(End of chapter)