Kakashi Masters All Elements, Rewrites the Ninja World for Rin!

The sky was overcast. A cold drizzle fell like silk threads over the streets of Kirigakure, dampening stone roads and spirits alike.

Kakashi stepped into the village, taking in this famously secretive shinobi stronghold for the first time.

The streets ahead were choked with fog, casting an eerie pall over the village. Most buildings were mere shadows in the mist. Thick moss blanketed stone walls, clinging like mold to a corpse.

Unlike the warmth of Konoha or the harsh brilliance of Sunagakure, Kirigakure's architecture gave off one consistent vibe: "Please leave your hopes at the door."

Kakashi scanned the empty street. Few people walked around, and those who did kept their heads low and steps brisk. Civilians chatting casually? Not a chance.

"Shun, follow me," Kakashi said, his voice low.

Without waiting for a reply, he moved through the fog, guided by the faint chakra signature left on Rin through the Flying Thunder God mark.

His brows furrowed. In a place like this, staying sharp wasn't paranoia—it was survival.

Two hours later, on the far side of the village, they reached a solitary building half-submerged in the center of a misty lake.

The place gave off the aesthetic of a haunted sanitarium. If a ghost popped out asking for spare change, Kakashi wouldn't be surprised.

He sniffed the air—there it was. Blood. Faint, but familiar.

Rin's here.

A white, sterile facility hidden in the mist… straight out of a horror movie. And of course, they had Rin tied up inside like she was some lab rat in a chakra-fueled science fair.

If they've harmed her, Kakashi thought, I'll give them a free tour of hell. Personal escort and all.

"Shun, that's the place. Stay alert. We're close," he said, jaw tight.

"I understand, Master Fuguki," Shisui responded.

His eyes, usually calm, were now hard. He didn't need to ask questions—he could feel the bloodlust radiating off Kakashi like heat from a furnace.

As they stepped onto the water and headed for the building, a bald man in a lab coat approached. His eyes were so squinted they looked like slits drawn with a pencil.

"Lord Fuguki, what a surprise! What brings you here today?"

Kakashi let the words roll off him like mist.

"By Mizukage's orders. I'm here to check on the Konoha girl. Make sure your little science project hasn't gone sideways."

The man bowed instantly, smiling like he was trying to win "bootlicker of the year."

"Of course, of course. You'll be pleased to hear the process has gone smoothly. The girl's water affinity is strong, and her body was enhanced by some secret technique—perfect for housing the Three-Tails!"

"Charming," Kakashi muttered dryly. "So you've turned a teenage girl into a glorified fish tank. Can't wait for the parade."

The bald man, misreading his sarcasm, beamed.

"She's adapting quickly. But the tailed beast's chakra hasn't fully stabilized—she needs another week under observation."

"Then let's see her," Kakashi said. "If things check out, I might have a surprise for you."

The man lit up like a paper lantern.

"I'll take you immediately! This way, please!"

Kakashi followed in silence. One more word, and he was pretty sure he'd turn this corridor into a bloodstained slip-and-slide.

Shisui trailed behind, face composed, but his mind was racing.

So Rin... became a Jinchūriki?

He'd seen firsthand the devastation caused by tailed beasts during the war. To think someone would do this to Rin… and to know Kakashi-senpai came here knowing this—it was almost unreal.

As expected of Kakashi-senpai… he's always five moves ahead.

They passed through damp, dimly lit corridors that smelled of antiseptic and metal. Finally, they reached a ward.

Kakashi pushed past the scientists without hesitation.

There she was.

Rin.

Pale. Motionless. Strapped down to the bed with thick cords. Her arms were hooked to several infusion lines, and her face… her face looked like it had forgotten how to smile.

Kakashi walked over quietly, his mask suddenly feeling suffocating.

He placed a hand—trembling despite his effort—on her cheek.

Still warm.

Barely.

The heart monitor gave a weak, rhythmic beep, as if Rin's soul was clinging to life by sheer spite.

If it weren't for that machine and the occasional flicker of pain on her expression, he would have thought she was already gone.

One of the lab-coated men stepped forward, annoyed at first.

"Hey, what are y—Oh! Lord Fuguki, I didn't realize! My apologies!"

He bowed hurriedly.

Kirigakure worshipped strength. No one in their right mind wanted to offend a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—especially not him.

Kakashi didn't answer. His gaze didn't move from Rin's face.

Then, softly, dangerously:

"Why does she look like this?"

"Ah, well, my lord," the head scientist replied, "this vessel is actually far more stable than the earlier ones. She's survived the most dangerous phase. Assuming no major setbacks, she'll fulfill the higher-ups' expectations."

Kakashi's fingers twitched.

"Oh?" he said, keeping his tone even. "What happened to the previous vessels?"

The man chuckled.

"You already know, my lord. We collect candidates from the battlefield—Konoha or otherwise. The rejects? Tossed in the lake. The fish don't complain."

Another researcher, the bald one, added with a lewd grin, "Well… some of us get a little extra use out of the prettier ones before that. Heh. Not this one, of course! Only the failures. We know where the line is."

He looked at Kakashi, expecting a wink or a smirk. Instead, he got silence.

"Of course," the man went on, trying to impress, "successful containers like this one are handled exclusively by female medical-nin. Can't risk emotional instability from… rough handling."

A few others laughed along with him, like pigs rolling in their own filth.

Kakashi stood still.

Expression unreadable.

Tone flat.

"So… if she hadn't survived the sealing, you would've… what? Dumped her in the lake after your little party? No evidence, no problem?"

The bald man shrugged proudly.

"Exactly. But this one's special. And it's all thanks to your work on the frontlines, sir. Without you catching these girls—I mean, candidates—we wouldn't have gotten half as far."

He laughed again, nudging his colleague.

And in that moment, Kakashi didn't see a man.

He saw a corpse that hadn't realized it yet.

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To be continued...