THE PATH OF LIFE || U. SASUKE

CHAPTER 45

"What did you say?" Kakashi's voice was tinged with incredulity, his visible eye narrowing as he processed the information before him.

"So only those five rookies went to get Sasuke and Y/N?" Kakashi's disbelief was palpable.

Tsunade let out a weary sigh, her expression betraying the weight of the situation. "There was no other choice given the situation of the village."

Kakashi's sigh seemed to convey both frustration and resignation. "We have hit the necessary minimum," Tsunade muttered, the reality of the circumstances settling in.

Kakashi took a step back, seemingly deep in thought, before Tsunade handed him another mission scroll. The urgency in her gesture was clear. "Look at this. Your mission has already been decided."

Kakashi's response was casual, almost dismissive. "Eh, when I'm finished, I'll come back. There's no need to worry."

Tsunade regarded Kakashi with a mixture of disbelief and exasperation, her voice carrying a hint of frustration. "You..."

Summoning his ninja dogs using the "Kuchiyose no Jutsu," Kakashi's pragmatic approach was clear. "First, go off in all directions until you get Naruto, Y/N, and Sasuke's scent."

The canine companions responded with an obedient bark, understanding their task.

"When you get the scent, call out. Then keep going."

The dogs' affirmative barks echoed in response.

"Right. Scatter."

Kakashi's focus shifted as he harnessed his jutsu to its fullest extent, determined to locate the missing trio. Yet, amidst his determination, he couldn't shake the memories that haunted him—the expressions on their faces during the turmoil.

Y/N's hostile expression, laced with an undercurrent of something deeper and more unsettling.

Sasuke and Naruto's intense fight on the rooftop, the embodiment of their clashing ideals and desires.

Y/N's indifferent gaze, a reflection of the internal struggles she hid beneath her exterior.

 "You don't know me or what I've been through," her words lingered in his mind, a reminder of her turmoil.

"This isn't about you or anyone else. It's about what I need to do to find closure, to make things right,"

"You won't understand. You're not living in my shoes," Y/N's words carried an almost haunting weight.

"I just... I don't know what to do anymore," her voice was a mixture of frustration and vulnerability.

Kakashi shook his head, the urgency of the situation snapping him back to the present. He knew that if the three faced off, the consequences could be catastrophic. "I was naive," he muttered to himself, "With the situations considering, the three might kill each other if they face off."

'Those three are the most immature batch of ninja I've ever had', he thought grimly, 'well, they are the only ones I've had.'

As Kakashi ventured forth, the urgency of his mission remained clear—to find the trio before they could face off, potentially resulting in a catastrophic outcome.

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"I don't miss, Naruto," Y/N's voice was sharp, her gaze unwavering. "I aimed at your heart."