Reincarated with Nanites

~ Omniscient Pov ~

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"When I said start, I didn't exactly have today particularly in mind; but hey? It works." Hayatou said, leaning back into his chair.

Hiruzen smiled, "Think of it as a surprise... Also, the sooner we get this kind mission over with, the better it is for the both of us, and the people involved." 

Creak~

The door swung open, revealing two men.

Their attire alone spoke volumes. They weren't just experienced shinobi—they were elites.

The first man had near-platinum silver hair, partially defying gravity. His face was mostly hidden behind a black mask, with his left eye covered by a forehead protector. Even without his other eye exposed, his presence carried an aura of what could best be described as, calculated lethality...

The second man, standing beside him, was just as recognizable. Spiky black hair, a goatee, and sharp, intelligent eyes that seemed to assess the entire room in an instant. His face bore two distinct scars, only adding to his hardened demeanor.

Kakashi Hatake and Shikaku Nara.

Hayatou immediately recognized them both.

'The Copy Ninja himself, huh? This is my first time meeting him in person…' Hayatou noted.

His eyes flicked between the two men, cataloging every detail he could. Kakashi was known for his insane reaction speed and sheer battle instincts. Shikaku, on the other hand, was arguably even more dangerous—not because of brute strength, but because of the genius-level intellect lurking behind that ever lazy exterior.

Kakashi's single visible eye landed on Hayatou immediately, studying him with unreadable curiosity. Shikaku, on the other hand, gave him a single glance before shifting his focus to Hiruzen, looking as if he'd rather be anywhere else.

"Hello." Kakashi greeted lazily, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Huh... Didn't expect the kid to be this young."

Shikaku sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Hokage-sama… you're seriously assigning a seven-year-old to an S-rank mission?" His tone wasn't doubtful, just tired. "Troublesome…"

Hayatou smirked. "It's a bit late to be questioning that, don't you think?"

Shikaku gave him a lazy side-eye. "Confident, huh?"

"I prefer the word, 'realistic.'" Hayatou said, shrugging.

Kakashi chuckled under his breath, eye crinkling slightly. "Well, if the Hokage trusts him, then I guess we have no choice..." He turned his attention back to Hiruzen. "So, what's the full briefing?"

Hiruzen exhaled a slow stream of smoke before setting his pipe aside. "As I mentioned earlier, the original mission details were incomplete. What was supposed to be a bandit suppression mission has now been elevated to S-rank status due to possible ties to an underground network." His gaze sharpened. "This group has allegedly been dealing in stolen shinobi weaponry and classified jutsu. We need confirmation and, if possible, an immediate elimination."

Kakashi hummed. "Stolen jutsu? That definitely complicates things a bit."

Shikaku crossed his arms, his gaze quickly focusing on Hayatou. "And the boy? What's his role in this?"

Hiruzen smiled slightly. "He'll be the one leading it."

Silence...

Kakashi blinked. Shikaku stared.

Hayatou looked, "A problem?"

Shikaku let out a long, suffering sigh, "Yeah, I should've stayed in bed…" Shikaku did not sign up for this. He knew of Hayatou since the test he went to for the boy's early graduation. He also deemed him rather intelligent and capable...

But for a child this young and inexperienced to lead an S-rank mission himself? 'Is the third giving the boy too much credit? What does he think will come out of doing something like this? It's already incredibly risky as is with just the three of us... Unless...'

Kakashi, however, smirked beneath his mask, 'Well… this just got interesting...'

His eye flicking between Hiruzen and Hayatou as if gauging whether this was some elaborate joke. Shikaku, meanwhile, simply stared at the Hokage, waiting for the inevitable punchline that never came.

"…Hokage-sama," Shikaku finally said, voice flat, "I just want to make sure of this; You're seriously making a mere seven-year-old child to take the lead on an S-rank mission?"

Hiruzen nodded. "That's correct." He answered without a shadow of a doubt in his mind.

Shikaku exhaled sharply through his nose, rubbing his temples in the process, "Troublesome… I should've retired early."

Hayatou shook his head, "I'm right here, you know."

Shikaku shot him a glance, "Yeah, yeah~ I just wasn't expecting to take orders from someone who's still a few years away from hitting puberty."

Hayatou leaned back, crossing his arms, "Sounds like a you problem. Plus, we both know my age should be a non factor when it comes to my skill."

Kakashi let out a short laugh, clearly amused, "True... He's got you there, Shikaku."

Shikaku muttered something under his breath about cocky brats, but didn't press the issue further. Instead, he turned back to Hiruzen, all traces of his usual laziness fading, "Alright, I'll bite. What's the kid bringing to the table that justifies this kind of setup?"

Hiruzen smiled, folding his hands over his desk, "Why don't you ask Fugaku?"

Shikaku blinked, while Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"…What does Fugaku have to do with this?" Kakashi asked.

Hayatou smirked, watching as realization slowly dawned on their faces.

Hiruzen exhaled another puff of smoke, smiling "A few weeks ago, Hayatou fought Fugaku Uchiha. One-on-one." He let his words hang in the air before continuing, "Fugaku activated his Sharingan… and was still knocked unconscious in under a minute."

The room went absolutely silent.

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Kakashi's relaxed posture stiffened ever so slightly. Shikaku, for the first time since walking in, actually looked surprised, "You're... You're, serious?" Shikaku finally asked.

Hiruzen nodded. "Very."

Kakashi turned his gaze toward Hayatou, the casual amusement in his eye replaced with something far more analytical in nature... "Huh?"

Hayatou stretched lazily, acting like it wasn't a big deal. "It was an interesting fight," he said casually. "Not the hardest, but it was definitely interesting."

Shikaku just stared at him, before sighing, again, "…You're even more troublesome than my son is..."

Hayatou smiled, "I'll take that as a compliment."

Kakashi let out a short chuckle, shaking his head. "Well, that explains why you're leading the mission. I'll admit, I'm a bit curious now."

Hiruzen took another drag of his pipe before speaking again. "Good. Then let's get to the details."

The mood in the room shifted instantly.

All three shinobi straightened ever so slightly. It was time to talk business.

Hiruzen tapped his pipe against the ashtray, letting the embers fall before setting it aside. The air in the room shifted, the casual banter giving way to something heavier.

"This mission isn't just about eliminating a bandit camp anymore," the Hokage began. "As I told Hayatou earlier, we suspect ties to an underground network dealing in stolen jutsu and high-value shinobi weaponry. The issue is, we don't know how deep this operation runs or who else might be involved."

Shikaku nodded slightly, his mind already working through possible scenarios. "So, information gathering is just as important as eliminating the targets."

"Exactly," Hiruzen confirmed. "If this group is larger than we anticipated, we need to know before we send in a full-scale response. That's where you three come in."

Kakashi tilted his head. "Three-man cell? That's a little unconventional for an S-rank mission of this nature."

Hayatou smirked, propping his chin on his hand. "That's because I count for, what? At least three people?"

Shikaku shot him a dry look, "Cocky brat."

"Once again, realistic." Hayatou corrected with a shrug.

Hiruzen smiled slightly but continued. "The reason for the small unit is simple—stealth. This is a covert operation. We want to avoid drawing attention. A large squad would compromise that."

Kakashi nodded in understanding. "So, recon first, elimination second. Do we have any intel on their numbers or possible affiliations?"

Hiruzen pulled out a scroll and laid it on the desk. "Based on what little intelligence we have, the camp consists of fifteen known operatives, though that number may be inaccurate. Most of them are former shinobi—ex-chuunin and rogue mercenaries. We suspect at least two are jonin-level, possibly more."

Shikaku sighed, "Tch… that complicates things." Shikaku knew better, this was technically a suicide mission in it's own right, 'Still, I've been in worse positions and came out relatively unscathed... However, the sheer trust the Hokage must have in this boy must be nothing short of tremendous.' He thought, glancing over towards Hayatou...

Hiruzen on the other hand, agreed; "It does." "Which is why you're going in together. Hayatou will lead the operation, but Kakashi and Shikaku will provide tactical support."

Hayatou raised an eyebrow. "So, what? I get to give orders now?"

Shikaku gave him a flat look, "You technically already did when you've managed to knock someone like Fugaku out cold."

Kakashi chuckled, "Well, he's not wrong."

Hiruzen ignored the exchange and continued, his tone much more serious now, "This isn't a mission where we can afford mistakes... If there are additional forces, or if they have unknown jutsu, disengage and report back immediately. Do not take unnecessary risks, do I make myself clear?"

Hayatou leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against his knee, "Understood sir... When do we leave?"

Hiruzen exhaled slowly, "Tonight. Move out at sundown." The room fell silent for a moment as the decision of the mission settled in.

Then, Kakashi stood up, stretching his arms a bit, "Alright then. We better get ready."

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END