Kakashi-Five elements

"Hokage-sama, all the information on the Rock Shinobi is here."

Inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen accepted the scroll from the Anbu and opened it, his eyes narrowing as he read the contents carefully.

This was a critical piece of intelligence, painstakingly obtained by Konoha's spies embedded in Iwagakure. The fact that it had reached them at all was a miracle—several elite teams had paid with their lives to uncover this truth.

Ever since Iwagakure had been placed under sudden martial law, the spies had sensed something was off. To discover the truth, three elite squads sacrificed themselves. The scroll was stained with blood, its message brief, yet the weight it carried was immense.

Hiruzen read the words over and over again:

> "The new Fourth Raikage, Ai, has met in secret with the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki and the Fourth Mizukage Yagura. A tripartite alliance has been formed to attack Konoha!"

The atmosphere in the office turned heavy. Smoke lingered in the air, curling around the dim lamp as the gravity of the news settled over the Hokage's shoulders.

The Third Hokage slowly exhaled a breath of smoke, the lines on his face deepening. Behind his desk, the once-calm demeanor shifted to deep contemplation and unease. The Anbu standing by the side could feel sweat trickling down his back. Tension had filled the room like a growing storm cloud.

Finally, Hiruzen crushed the cigarette in the ashtray, stood up slowly, and said in a grave tone, "Summon the two Hokage Advisors and Danzo. We must hold an emergency council meeting."

"Yes, sir!"

---

Later that evening – at Konoha's famous BBQ Restaurant...

"Cheers!"

Laughter filled the air in a private room as Lin, Obito, Guy, Shisui, Hong, Asuma, and others clinked glasses, celebrating Kakashi's promotion to Jōnin.

"Today is Kakashi's special day! I'll cover the meal, no arguments!" Asuma declared with a smile.

Asuma, the Hokage's son, came from a well-off background. He was a frequent guest here and even had a diamond membership, granting him a generous 30% discount.

"Huh? I thought we all agreed to split the cost?" Obito blinked, confused. He'd even cracked open his piggy bank to contribute.

"That's right. This doesn't feel right!" Lin frowned, disapproving of the idea of leaving it all to Asuma. As the party's organizer, she didn't want anyone to feel excluded—or taken advantage of.

"Let him have this moment," Hong teased with a playful roll of her ruby-red eyes. "He's always here anyway."

"Heh," Asuma chuckled, rubbing the back of his head while sneaking a shy glance at Hong, clearly pleased by her words.

The discussion ended there, and everyone began offering their gifts to Kakashi.

"This is for you, Kakashi!" Guy shouted with enthusiasm.

He handed over a green one-piece training suit identical to his own.

Kakashi took it politely, forcing a polite smile, though his eye twitched involuntarily.

(There's no way I'm wearing that… ever.)

"Senior, this is a backup scroll of my clan's Great Fireball Technique," Shisui said, presenting the scroll with a solemn expression. "I hope it helps you in the future."

B-rank Fire Style Ninjutsu?

Kakashi was slightly surprised. Wow, Shisui really went all out… this guy's serious about friendship. Too bad I already copied this one before, but I can pass it to Obito.

Next came Asuma.

"This is a kunai I had custom-made in the Land of Artisans," he said proudly. "It contains chakra-conductive metal—should be useful if you plan to develop your own version of the Flying Thunder God technique."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow in interest.

Chakra-conductive metals were rare and incredibly valuable. These metals not only amplified chakra but sometimes possessed other unique traits, such as absorbing enemy chakra or self-repairing by drawing blood.

Throughout history, some of the greatest weapons—like Tobirama Senju's Blade of the Thunder God and the legendary swords of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—had been crafted from such materials.

Asuma's gift was not just expensive—it was thoughtful and strategic.

As expected of the Hokage's son, Kakashi thought.

Soon, more friends handed over carefully selected gifts.

Kakashi bowed deeply, sincerely grateful to each of them.

Obito, however, hadn't prepared a gift in time.

"I'll give it to you in a few days," he muttered, a little embarrassed.

Lin's gift had already been given privately earlier that day: a compact, portable medical kit—currently strapped to Kakashi's waist.

As the night went on, the group indulged in BBQ and drink, their laughter echoing in the room. The joyful atmosphere even drew the attention of the restaurant's owner, Akamichi Choza.

"Hey, celebrating something?" Choza asked with a booming laugh as he walked in.

"We're celebrating Kakashi's promotion to Jōnin!" Guy shouted proudly.

Choza had once been on a mission with Kakashi and liked him a lot.

"Then tonight, the meal is on me!" he announced with a hearty laugh.

Everyone erupted in cheers. Even Asuma, who'd been ready to foot the bill, looked relieved.

The party kicked into high gear, and everyone relaxed, momentarily forgetting the worries of the shinobi world.

But just as Choza was about to join them—

"Akamichi Choza, the Hokage has summoned you," an Anbu said, appearing silently at the door.

Choza's smile faded slightly.

"Alright, I'll head over right away," he replied. Then he turned to the group. "You all enjoy yourselves. I'll catch up later!"

He gave Kakashi a firm pat on the shoulder and exited the room.

Kakashi's smile faded a little as well.

He had just been promoted to Jōnin, and now the head of a major clan had been summoned by the Hokage at night?

That couldn't be a coincidence.

He didn't mention his suspicions aloud but made a mental note to investigate later.

Once the party ended, and everyone was full and happy, Kakashi quietly escorted Lin home.

Then, with his hands in his pockets, he strolled through the village streets alone, his mind deep in thought.

He noticed something strange.

Shops run by ninja clans on the commercial street were closing earlier than usual.

In the directions of the Uchiha and Hyuga compounds, as well as the territories of the Ino–Shika–Chō clans, he heard movement—many people gathering.

So it's true.

Kakashi didn't enter their territories, but his keen senses and experience were enough to confirm it.

The village was preparing for something.

Something serious.

Something dangerous.

War... is coming again.