Naruto: Kakashi, the Ultimate Shinobi

When Kakashi appeared, no one present looked surprised.

Only five minutes had passed. Could it be that this silver-haired young man had managed to escape from the combined assault of both Shanchuan and Shuili?

Impossible. If it were merely an escape, how could he show up here, calm and composed, as if nothing had happened?

Could it be… what he said was true?

That Shanchuan and Shuili had actually been killed by this boy?

"You brat, what nonsense are you spewing?! Where are Master Shanchuan and Master Shuili?!" one of the Jōnin barked, trying to maintain control over the situation.

Kakashi gave a cold sneer and said, "You didn't believe me the first time, so why ask again? Their corpses are lying where I left them. Don't believe me? Go see for yourselves."

After speaking, Kakashi casually walked over to Ryugasaki and said, "Mr. Ryugasaki, I've taken care of those two. I'll leave the rest to you."

"Is that true, Mr. Kakashi?" Ryugasaki's voice trembled with disbelief. Those two had slaughtered his wife and child. If Kakashi had truly avenged him, then this was retribution—justice, even.

He hadn't killed them with his own hands, but the vengeance felt no less satisfying.

"It's true. They're dead. The rest of this battle has lost its meaning. Go confirm it for yourself."

"…Alright. I'll go."

Ryugasaki nodded and gestured for the others to follow. Naturally, Kakashi came along as well. The three of them made their way to where Shanchuan and Shuili had fallen.

The two remaining Jōnin exchanged glances, then followed silently. If Shanchuan and Shuili were truly dead, there was no point in continuing the conflict. Moreover, if that were the case, their last pillar of authority in Jinrencun would be Ryugasaki. They weren't fools; they knew where their loyalty ought to lie.

The village was more important than any individual leader. Jinrencun was their home. Their families and comrades lived there.

The site wasn't far. For a trained shinobi, it took less than a minute to reach.

The mercenaries hired for the caravan had already fled the battlefield. As Ryugasaki had instructed them beforehand—if fighting broke out, they were to retreat immediately. They had obeyed without hesitation, vanishing swiftly into the wilderness. At this point, no one else remained.

When Ryugasaki laid eyes on the corpses of Shanchuan and Shuili, he first laughed—loud and wild—then broke down in quiet sobs.

They had been his childhood companions, shinobi he'd grown up with. And yet, they had used him, deceived him, and taken his family from him. Now they were dead. He was relieved—but also deeply saddened. Some things couldn't be severed, even with betrayal.

The sight of their bodies shocked him. Burn marks scorched both chests, precise and fatal. The unmistakable effect of a high-level Raiton jutsu.

He turned to Kakashi, awe in his eyes.

What an incredible boy.

Ryugasaki reflected that at Kakashi's age, he was still struggling as a Chūnin. The gap was painful to acknowledge. Some people were simply born extraordinary.

The other two Jōnin stood frozen. Speechless.

They understood now. This tragedy wasn't just about personal vengeance—it was the downfall of a faction within their village. Shanchuan and Shuili had tried to bend the system for their own gain. And this boy—this masked, silver-haired shinobi—had ended it all.

They had underestimated him. Everyone had. But now, it was clear—he wasn't just some boy.

He was the axis of this battle.

But hindsight meant little in this world.

Kakashi watched Ryugasaki in silence—watched him laugh, weep, mourn. Yet Kakashi's heart remained still.

Strangely, he understood.

He had known grief like this. When Rin died. When he thought Obito had perished. When his sensei, the Fourth Hokage, fell in battle.

Ryugasaki's anguish was familiar. But understanding pain didn't mean you could ease it.

Even a skilled medic-nin couldn't treat their own wounds.

The scene fell into stillness. Only Ryugasaki's sobs pierced the quiet.

No one moved. They just stood, silently observing.

But Ryugasaki was a shinobi. He was used to loss, conditioned by war. Soon, he collected himself, walked over to Kakashi, and without hesitation, knelt on one knee and clasped his fist in salute.

"Subordinate Ryugasaki Yamaichi offers allegiance to the commander!"

Gasps broke the silence. Even Kakashi raised a brow beneath his mask.

None of the others had known about any prior agreement between them.

"Lord Ryugasaki! Why would you swear loyalty to him?! You are the leader of Jinrencun!" cried Yiyue, a fellow Jōnin.

Even if this boy was powerful, what would happen to their village if Ryugasaki pledged himself elsewhere? Without its strongest shinobi, Jinrencun would collapse.

The other two Jōnin shared his concern. Ryugasaki was their last hope.

But Ryugasaki didn't flinch. He looked Yiyue in the eye and spoke calmly, "He avenged my family. My life is now his. The Ryugasaki of Jinrencun died the day my family was slaughtered. What stands before you is just a wandering soul."

"Lord Ryugasaki, Jinrencun still needs you!"

"I'm sorry, Yiyue. I made a vow. I intend to keep it."

Ryugasaki was a man of principle. He did not abandon promises—even if the path was painful.

And to him, this was not the wrong path.

Even if he wanted to return to the village, he had to honor his word first.

Yiyue sighed deeply and looked at Kakashi. Everything now depended on this boy.

But Kakashi didn't react to the pleading gaze. Instead, he helped Ryugasaki to his feet.

"I accept your loyalty. But for now, I don't need your service. Return to Jinrencun. When the time comes, I'll summon you."

Kakashi's words made Yiyue and the other Jōnin sigh in relief. Ryugasaki wasn't leaving them—at least, not yet.

Ryugasaki was momentarily stunned. Then his eyes shimmered with gratitude.

Kakashi had understood. He knew Ryugasaki still cared for his village. He had no intention of tearing him away.

Besides, even if Kakashi had accepted him now, there was no place to house him. Better to let him remain in Jinrencun—for now. Who knows, perhaps in time, Ryugasaki would become something more.

"Thank you, Commander!"