Chapter 24: Going after Hand (1)

Kakashi was back home in Hell's kitchen after 18 months of his stay in Kamar Taj.

His grocery store job was long gone. After vanishing for over a year, his employer likely assumed he'd been swallowed by Hell's Kitchen's violence—gangs, mobsters, or worse.

'Not far off, I was kidnapped by a bald sorcerer lady,' Kakashi mused.

The Ancient One's insistence on leaving after exactly eighteen months puzzled him though.

'Not one month less or more. The more I think about it, the more my suspicions become strong. Well, no use thinking about it.' Kakashi thought

True to her word, the Ancient One had provided contacts for mercenary handlers, vetted through her magic to align with Kakashi's moral code.

'No Orochimaru types, hopefully.' He'd reached out to three: Elena Voss, a former MI6 operative running intel ops; Marcus Kane, a grizzled ex-mercenary specializing in high-risk extractions; and Li Wei, a hacker-turned-fixer with a knack for corporate espionage. To build trust and reputation, Kakashi took their simpler missions—gathering intel, spying, assassinations, document theft.

It was easy stuff but it paid Kakashi's rent so he did not complain much.

His shadow clones made short work of the tasks. With his chakra reserves surging—freed from the Sharingan's drain and bolstered by Kamar-Taj's chi training—he could sustain three clones effortlessly.

One clone tailed a corrupt CEO for Voss, slipping into a penthouse to photograph incriminating ledgers. Another assassinated a cartel enforcer for Kane, a silent kunai strike in a crowded market. The third stole encrypted files from a tech firm for Li, bypassing security with Kamui.

Kakashi coordinated via burner phones, his clones dispelling to flood him with their mission status from time to time.

'It is quite efficient. I don't have to worry about Naruto having enough helpers when he becomes hokage with his shadow clones backing him up.' Kakashi chuckled a little thinking about his goofy student.

The handlers were impressed and his reputation has built enough to be given higher risk with higher pay missions. Not that he cared for money that much.

Meanwhile, Kakashi hunted the Hand, Hell's Kitchen's red-garbed shinobi staining the city's shadows.

'The Hand's pursuit of immortality through dragon bones and disasters like Chernobyl sickened him. They're a blight and needs to be taken down.' It was this reasoning besides the fact that he had already made enemies with them to hunt them down.

He'd eliminated dozens—lone operatives, small squads—using them to sharpen his skills in the past few days.

Kakashi's disdain wasn't just because of their inhumanity. The Hand's unchecked power echoed just like Root, a shinobi force operating without accountability.

'I saw what Danzō did to Konoha. I can't leave them unchecked in this world or else they would get too bold.' Eliminating them wasn't just a mission; it was personal, a way to purge a shadow that felt too close to his past.

Tonight, Kakashi perched on a rooftop overlooking a dimly lit alley, he watched a gang deal below.

A cartel was exchanging drugs for weapons, but intel from his dogs suggested the Hand would intervene.

These two were entering the Hand's business and Hand does n't play nice with competition.

Kakashi wanted to find out Hand's goal at least in New York. He was pretty sure that Hand was being challenged by someone or else they would not be acting so discretely. Maybe they were being challenged in some other country, thus decided to expand to New York where they would face less competition.

A tap on his thigh broke his focus. He glanced down to see Naruto, his kitsune familiar, its nine fluffy tails swaying, its eyes sparkling with mischief. In its squeaky, childlike voice, it chirped, "Nay nay, are we playing ninja dash-and-kill again? I'll show you who's the strongest, believe it!"

Kakashi sighed, his tone dry but fond. "You're gonna give me a heart attack, fuzzball. We're not playing. This is work."

Naruto puffed out its chest, hopping onto a vent. "Work, shmork! I'm Naruto, terror of mortals! I can take those red-robed wannabes with one tail tied behind my back!" It spun, tripping over its own tails and landing in a fluffy heap. "Oops."

Kakashi's lips twitched beneath his mask, his eye crinkling. "You're about as terrifying as a ramen spill. Stay quiet, or I'm sending you back to wherever you come from."

The kitsune gasped, clutching its tails dramatically. "You wouldn't dare! I'm your partner, Kakashi-sensei! We're like… like ramen and chopsticks! Unstoppable!"

It pranced around him, mimicking a ninja stance, its paws flailing. "Hiii-yah! Take that, evil Hand guys!"

Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose, stifling a chuckle. "Sensei, huh? You've been spying on my memories, haven't you?"

Kakashi had asked Ancient One about this and She had told him that with familiar like the Kitsune was formed with energy. His chakra had made Kitsune behave like his student since he had a longing for it.

Naruto plopped onto his shoulder, its tails tickling his neck. "Spying? Nah, I just know you're a cool teacher! Bet your students loved you. Did they call you 'Awesome Masked Sensei' or 'Super Ninja Boss'?"

Kakashi's eye crinkled, a rare warmth in his voice. "Just Kakashi-sensei. And they were a handful, like you. One kept yelling about becoming Hokage and eating ramen. Sound familiar?"

Naruto gasped, its eyes sparkling. "Ramen? I love ramen! We gotta get some after this! I'll eat ten bowls, believe it!" It mimed slurping noodles, nearly falling off his shoulder.

Kakashi caught it, setting it on the rooftop. "No ramen if you blow our cover. Stay put, or I'm rubbing your belly till you beg for mercy."

The kitsune froze, its ears twitching. "Not the belly rub! That's cheating!" It huffed, curling into a ball, but its tails kept wagging. "Fine, I'll be stealthy. Like a super ninja fox!"

Kakashi shook his head, amused. 'This fox is gonna drive me nuts.' He refocused on the alley, his senses sharpening. The deal was proceeding—cartel men exchanging briefcases under flickering streetlights—but a faint ripple of chi prickled his skin.

'Hand's here.'

Naruto whispered, its voice comically serious. "Ooh, bad guys? Can I bite 'em? I got sharp teeth, see?" It bared its tiny fangs, looking more adorable than menacing.

Kakashi shushed it, his tone low. "No biting. Stay hidden." He unsealed his tanto, ready to ambush Hand.

A shadow moved across a nearby rooftop, too swift for normal eyes. Kakashi's head turned, his instincts flaring as he mumbled, "Looks like the big fish is here." The kitsune perked up, but Kakashi's focus was locked on the approaching person after all one of the five fingers was here.

----Author Notes---------

You can read the next 12 chapters on my pat*reon. Enjoy the chapter!

https://pat*reon.com/Charizard6

[No star]