Four Celestial Symbols Men

On a leaf-laden trail, Jada strode in step beside Kakashi. Their route was toward Takumi Village, located in the River Country.

For Kakashi, being on a mission with Jada was a welcome interruption from his usual solitude. While he was known as the lone wolf type, he had developed a certain fondness for her company.

She was quiet, often lost in thought, and unlike the exuberance of some of his past students, she respected his space. He could sense that she understood the burdens that came with being a ninja.

"Are you sure this has to do with the Four Celestial Symbols Men?" he asked, looking sideways at her.

She smiled and affirmed, "Pretty sure, Kakashi-sensei."

Like all the other players, she was careful in guarding the knowledge she had about this mission. That included the rest of this world.

Kakashi gave a nonchalant nod, trusting her instincts. He had learned to rely on Jada since they began partnering for missions. Her insights had proven beneficial, particularly during the downfall of Orochimaru's invading forces some time ago. She had demonstrated not just skill, but incredible bravery while protecting the villagers, sealing her value in his eyes as a reliable ally.

"I've been meaning to ask you something," he ventured, breaking the silence.

"Sure, what is it, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Sasuke… He wants revenge against Itachi, but you seem like the opposite. Is there a reason for that?"

Jada's smile only faltered for a little bit before returning. Then she focused on a distant tree, having prepared for such questions long ago.

"Well, yeah," she began. "I feel as though our clan's downfall wasn't what it seemed. Itachi's strong and all, but there's no possible way he could take on our entire clan by himself. I think he's being manipulated by someone."

This assertion caught Kakashi off guard. It was a great deduction—one he hadn't pondered deeply before. Perhaps there was merit in her theory.

"And who do you think could be behind it?" he prodded.

The information she harboured was a lot, and she was mindful of the pact she shared with the players to keep certain truths hidden until the right moment. One of the things they all agreed upon was not to reveal Obito Uchiha's name to anyone.

"I've been trying to figure it out," she responded, "but there's been so much going on lately. Until I gather more clues, it's hard to say."

Kakashi agreed in approval and said, "It's good to be cautious, especially with Itachi. Let's both hope that Sasuke comes to the same conclusion one day."

It wasn't long until the afternoon slipped away as the two continued their casual trek. They talked easily of missions past and future as well as Jiraiya's Make-Out Paradise series.

As they eventually crossed into the borders of Takumi Village, Jada felt an unsettling sensation, causing her head to spin.

"Is everything alright?" Kakashi asked, looking over with minor concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied with a forced smile. Though she could feel something was off. "Just a slight headache, is all."

"Well, when we get back, I want you to have that looked at," he insisted.

"Sure thing, Kakashi-sensei."

They crept closer to the village but made sure not to be spotted. Once they reached the safest edge, they could practically hear and see much of what was inside.

Takumi Village was one of those territories hardly expanded on. And to be frank, it wasn't the best place to dwell. Their modern homes were quite old with hardly any security to boot.

It didn't take long for the two to agree on a plan of action: to separate and remain undetected until they found their targets. In case something went wrong, they both had communication devices to call the other.

They moved in silence and blended seamlessly throughout the village. Only when they needed to gather information would they appear from the shadows and question citizens.

As the sun began to set, Jada finally gathered enough information to discover where the Four Celestial Symbols Men's territory was.

She was eventually led to a warehouse of sorts. From her vantage point, she could see figures gathered inside as if they were having a secret meeting.

Peering into their domain, she recognized the familiar faces: Kujaku, Ryūgan, and Suiko, alongside their commanding leader, Hōki.

The four were a disjointed yet interesting presence.

Hōki, their leader, stood at the forefront. His slim face was framed by brown hair, swept back to reveal black lines beneath his eyes. He was no ordinary shinobi; he wielded a long black sword that could unleash fire on command.

Despite being called the Four Celestial Symbols "Men," Kujaku was a female member. She had blue-green hair down to her torso, with yellow streaks at the front. Her weapon of choice was known as the "Double-Edged Swords," which complemented her wind style techniques.

Then, there was Ryūgan. He appeared to be the youngest and the most stylish among the group, as well as the most prideful. His blue hair, slightly tousled, peeked out from under his forehead protector, framing green eyes outlined by dark blue shadow. He wore a fitted purple shirt that displayed his abdomen.

But what held Jada's attention was the Garian Sword he wielded. With a single swipe, he could channel his chakra, creating waves that could put enemies on their toes.

Suiko caught her eye next, the brawn behind the Four Celestial Symbols Men. He was easily the largest, with an armour that resembled a silver tiger. He was also quite arrogant because his armour was the "Infinite Armour," which allowed him to endure hits that would have flattened lesser shinobi. It could also absorb chakra on contact.

This was them alright; she had found their hideout without raising alarms.

With every moment spent observing the four, she felt as if she were in the exact filler arc. More importantly, she was dissecting her opponents and figuring out the best strategies.

To see where exactly they were in the timeline, she decided to listen in on their conversation.

"We must make haste," Hōki asserted. "With the power of the One-Tail in our grasp, we shall revive Seimei. Matsuri is the key to our success. Once we capture her, the rest will fall into place."

Matsuri—the innocent girl caught in their wicked designs. Since she hadn't been captured, the four were still in the initial phases of their plan.

Jada was most certainly not going to let that event unfold again.

She crouched in the shadows as she contemplated her next move: should she attack them herself, or should she wait for Kakashi? The risk of acting alone was daunting, and ultimately, she decided that playing it safe was the better approach.

Quickly and discreetly, she activated her communication device: "Kakashi-sensei, I found them. I'm at the abandoned warehouse west of the village. Hurry…"

"I'll be right there," his crackling voice said.

Minutes passed before the familiar form of Kakashi emerged from the shadows, easing into the same hidden spot beside her.

"What's the situation?" he whispered.

Jada gestured toward the group and said, "They're discussing their plans and seem to be preparing for something big. I think they're focused on using Matsuri to revive Seimei like we discussed."

"Then we should act fast," he said, shifting his gaze to her. "What's the plan?"

Caught off guard, Jada blinked in astonishment. It was highly unusual for a Jōnin to seek the input of someone subordinate to them, let alone a ninja in her rank. The acknowledgment made her feel a tad embarrassed—the great Kakashi truly valued her thoughts and strategic abilities.

Before she could blush, she stammered, "Um, well… I think we should focus on disabling those with chakra armour first. If we hit them hard and fast, they won't have time to drain our chakra or use their weapons effectively. Also, your ninja dogs can distract them. If they're focused on the dogs, they won't notice us until it's too late."

Kakashi was impressed. Not only had she understood her opponent's strengths, but she was also keen to utilize her teammate's strength. "Alright, that's our plan then."

After drawing blood, he performed the summoning jutsu. In a flash of smoke, three dogs appeared; among them was Pakkun, the pug that made Jada's face light up.

"Pakkun!" she exclaimed, kneeling down. "It's so good to finally see you!"

The little dog raised an eyebrow, antsy and alert. "Do I know you…?"

Uh-oh. Jada had forgotten that because Kakashi never fought Zabuza in the Great Naruto Bridge, his ninja dogs were never summoned, meaning no one knew of them save his enemies.

"Uh, I just heard about you," she quickly improvised, hoping to dodge any suspicions. "It was just a nickname that I thought worked for you."

She looked toward Kakashi, who seemed unfazed by the exchange, while Pakkun merely tilted his head, accepting her explanation.

"Oh…" the pug said, still confused. "Well, it's nice to meet you then."

"Phew," she said in relief. "Yeah! Nice to meet you, too."

Kakashi didn't wait to interrupt their greeting. "Let's get into position."

Inside, Ryūgan lazily stretched. He turned from the group and yawned, "I'm getting hungry. I'll be back."

Before he could take more than a few steps out the door, a massive bulldog erupted from the ground, lunging at him with raw power. The creature seized Ryūgan, clamping its giant jaws around his torso and pinning him in place.

"What the heck?!" the boy screamed, feeling the pressure of the bite.

Startled, the remaining members of the Four Celestial Symbols jumped into action. Kujaku lifted her double-edged swords while Suiko prepared to rush forward. Seeing her chance, Jada stepped into the fray, causing them to pause in their tracks.

"Hi there!" she called out brightly at Kujaku, who narrowed her eyes in confusion. "I'm Jada Uchiha from the Leaf Village, and we're here to put a stop to your plans."

"'We're?!'" Hōki repeated in surprise.

In that moment, Kakashi appeared unexpectedly behind Suiko and delivered a kick that sent the hulking shinobi crashing to the ground.

"That's right," Jada confirmed as she charged forward to engage.

"Wind style: tempest wind!"

Kujaku swung her swords in an arc, releasing gusts of wind intended to sweep Jada off her feet. However, with her Sharingan activated, she moved, evading the attack as they swirled past her.

Kujaku's shock allowed Jada to close the distance, reaching for her swords. But just as she gripped one, Kujaku catapulted into the air in an attempt to employ another attack. Yet it was too late—a clone of Jada appeared behind her, creating a perfect diversion.

"Fire style: fire ball jutsu!"

A massive fireball erupted toward Kujaku, engulfing her in flames. It was over in an instant; Kujaku fell to the ground, defeated without a chance to counter.

Meanwhile, Ryūgan was still trapped beneath the bulldog, whining and flailing about, struggling to escape.

"Get off me, you mangy mutts!" he screamed in frustration, but Pakkun and the other dogs paid him little heed as their jaws clamped firmly on him.

"Sorry, kid," Pakkun declared while munching down, "but you lost this one."

As the sounds of their skirmish continued, Suiko finally regained his composure after Kakashi's kick. Recognizing the Copy Ninja, he suddenly appeared serious.

"You're Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja. I guess I'll need to take this seriously then!"

He then pulled out a flail, ready to engage. However, he was too quick to dismiss Jada, who was now sprinting towards him. He turned just in time to block her kick, allowing his armour to absorb her chakra.

"Haha! How weak!" he taunted.

"What's so funny?" Jada demanded with a confident smile.

Suiko laughed, unbothered. "What do ya mean?"

Then Kakashi appeared behind him with the infamous Lightning Blade glinting ominously in the fading light.

"Your real opponent's right here!" Kakashi declared, lunging forward.

The technique forward, piercing through Suiko's armor and into his heart. It was over before anyone could even register it, and Jada was excited to get a close-up look at his signature technique.

Only Hōki remained flabbergasted at what was happening.