NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Concealment
Konoha, ANBU Base.
The ANBU interrogation had concluded.
Kakashi had directly admitted to killing the five black-clad assassins.
As for why he did it, even he couldn't explain clearly.
If he had to say, he was simply following his instincts.
Since getting to know Gekkou Tenya, Kakashi knew that man was very strong.
Yet, despite his strength, Tenya still held the title of Genin and showed no interest in taking the Chunin exam.
Tenya's actions reminded Kakashi of Konoha's eternal Genin, Kosuke Maruboshi.
Despite being a Genin, Kosuke Maruboshi had the strength of an elite Jonin.
It was said that his impatience had caused the deaths of two comrades. Later, he vowed to the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, to remain a Genin forever, earning the nickname "Eternal Genin."
Could Tenya have a similar reason for not wanting to take the Chunin exam?
From his investigations, Kakashi knew that Tenya's former teammate, Hyuga Chiaki, had died during a mission.
Kakashi felt he might have found the reason for Tenya's reluctance to advance to Chunin.
Since Tenya didn't want to, Kakashi decided to respect his wishes.
Hence, his actions last night.
"Kakashi, you're free to go!"
Leaving the ANBU base, Kakashi felt a bit dazed.
It was the first time in his life he had actively taken the fall for someone else.
Since his father's death, he felt more and more like a machine, devoid of any human warmth.
Though he hated this feeling, he had no intention of changing.
Since meeting Gekkou Tenya, he found himself slowly regaining human emotions and becoming more human.
He found himself gradually enjoying this feeling.
He didn't regret his actions today.
He felt he did what he was supposed to do.
Understanding this, Kakashi let out a long sigh of relief, feeling inexplicably lighter.
The next day.
Tenya got up as usual, completed his daily tasks, and waited for the ANBU to arrive.
Suddenly, he remembered he hadn't opened the four birthday presents yet!
So, he opened the four gifts he received yesterday.
Kurenai, Hayate, and Yugao's gifts were cute little toys, while Nanase's gift was much more valuable: a B-rank sword technique scroll.
This sword technique scroll was a trophy from the Kurama clan after defeating an enemy, kept in the family and rarely touched.
Nanase had gone through a lot to get this scroll.
How thoughtful!
Holding the B-rank sword technique scroll, Tenya couldn't help but feel grateful towards the girl in the wheelchair, mixed with a hint of indescribable emotion.
The morning passed quickly.
Tenya didn't see any sign of the ANBU but was unexpectedly visited by Kakashi.
"Had lunch yet?" Kakashi asked casually.
"Not yet."
Tenya gave Kakashi a curious look.
Was he here to mooch a meal?
"Great, I'm hungry. How about we have lunch at your place? I have something to discuss with you," Kakashi said after a pause.
Was he used to mooching meals now?
Tenya sighed helplessly.
Alright, I'll let it slide this time!
Luckily, there were still plenty of ingredients at home, so no need to go out shopping.
After lunch, Kakashi let out a satisfied burp.
"Tenya, if you ever quit being a ninja, opening a restaurant would definitely be a hit!"
"Stop joking around. Can we talk about the important stuff now?"
"Sure."
Kakashi's expression turned serious as he recounted everything that happened last night.
As Tenya listened, he looked at Kakashi with a hint of surprise.
He had been prepared for an ANBU interrogation.
Unexpectedly, the ANBU didn't come because Kakashi had taken the blame.
After all, Kakashi was a recognized genius in Konoha, capable of killing five Chunin-level enemies.
Since Kakashi had claimed responsibility, there was no need to investigate further.
It seemed Konoha had accepted Kakashi's story, and they wouldn't come looking for Tenya.
In other words, Kakashi had shielded him from all possible trouble.
Right now, Tenya didn't want to be exposed to the public eye.
Kakashi had inadvertently done him a huge favor.
"Thank you!"
Then, Tenya's tone shifted, "To thank you for taking the blame, I will teach you one of my sword techniques. Which one do you want to learn, [Phantom Step Slash] or [Secret Sword: Bubble Shadow]?"
Kakashi's eyes lit up, and after a moment of thought, he said, "I'll go with [Phantom Step Slash]!"
"Alright!"
So, Tenya taught Kakashi the [Phantom Step Slash].
After memorizing the essentials, Kakashi's eyes sparkled.
He didn't expect Tenya to develop such a sword technique.
In terms of movement speed, this technique surpassed many high-level Body Flicker Techniques. Only advanced Body Flicker Techniques, the Flying Thunder God Technique, and the Lightning Release Chakra Mode could match it.
Moreover, the sword's speed when using this technique was unmatched by most ninja. Even the samurai from the Land of Iron, proficient in Iai, might not reach this speed.
Jackpot!
That was Kakashi's most genuine thought.
After a moment's hesitation, Kakashi took out a scroll and tossed it to Tenya.
"For you!"
"For me?" Tenya caught the scroll, curious. "What's in it?"
"Open it and see for yourself."
Leaving those words, Kakashi walked away without looking back.
Opening the scroll, Tenya saw it contained White Fang's sword techniques.
"This is White Fang's sword technique!"
The techniques he had longed for had come to him in such a manner.
For a moment, Tenya didn't know what to say.
Perhaps this was karma at work!
The sword technique scroll in his hand was B-rank.
With this, he now had three B-rank sword technique scrolls to learn.
One was a prize from defeating Kakashi, one was Nanase's birthday gift, and the last was Kakashi's gift.
He wondered how much progress these three techniques would add to his role-playing.
He was quite looking forward to it.
Since the matter had settled and the ANBU would not be coming, there was no need to wait any longer.
Since Hiruko had targeted him, it was almost certain he was after Tenya's Kekkei Genkai [Transparent Escape].
This so-called Genin had become a prime target for Hiruko.
Who knew when he would strike again?
To protect himself, Tenya needed more power.
Currently, he was still too weak.
Turning his gaze to the three B-rank sword technique scrolls, Tenya chose one called [Flash].
"Ding! Discovered B-rank sword technique [Flash]. Do you want to learn it?"
"Yes!"
Immediately, the training essentials of [Flash] appeared in his mind.
[Sword Technique]: Flash (B-rank)
[Progress]: 0%
Once he fully understood the training essentials of [Flash], Tenya realized it was quite similar to [Phantom Step Slash].
If he had to compare, [Flash] was like a lower-tier version of [Phantom Step Slash].
Since he had already mastered [Phantom Step Slash], learning [Flash] was a breeze.
Watching the progress of the technique increase rapidly, Tenya felt it wouldn't be long before he mastered it.
[Sword Technique]: Flash (B-rank)
[Progress]: 100%
One hour later, the progress bar for [Flash] reached 100%.
This meant Tenya had fully mastered the technique.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for mastering the sword technique [Flash], rewarding 3% role-playing progress!"
After a short rest, Tenya turned his attention to the remaining two scrolls.
The training continued!
In the courtyard, the sword lights began to shine again...