The Yellow Flash and The Village of Mokugakure

[Kakashi Hatake]

Having burned through each of their chakra reserves in the early morning, the trio had set out to ease their exhaustion for the remainder and into the afternoon. More sensible fighters would perhaps have been more conservative with their stamina, though shinobi were a different breed than most people. More different still were Minato and his students, apt to wear themselves down to the bone rather than take the path of least resistance. Each had his personal reason for such arguably reckless behavior, but an unground blade could never hold an edge. For the remainder of the day, the trio worked on honing a similar mental sharpness, working together on formulating battle strategy. They’d need whatever edge they could get if they met another foe like the orcish Makhel elder. 

In the following days the squad worked on drills, honing their aim with ninja tools as well as practicing new fighting styles. Though utilizing different maneuvers took a good deal of practice, adding more options to one’s repertoire would be handy in battle. The wooden dummies along the periphery met their ruin at the hands of the capable fighters, those unshattered were left embedded with dozens of kunai and shuriken, rendering them nearly unrecognizable to the layman. So too the ninjas honed their speed and agility, re-enacting the bell test again and again in preparation. Most importantly, the trio learned through their spars and exercises how to better coordinate with one another and play off of the other in battle. Knowing oneself was simply not enough, if the rest of the squad was left guessing in the heat of combat.

Over the course of the week, Kakashi felt his body becoming more and more accustomed to the constant strain of the various tests and training he put it through. He could feel his chakra control improving as well as his reflexes and overall endurance. Progress in some areas seemed to come faster in this realm than it did back in the Land of Fire, owing mostly to the odd physics of the new world. It would not be long now before he felt he was back at the level he had been before his transdimensional hop into the Omniverse. Perhaps, with progression and a bit of luck, he could even surpass it. His sharingan’s sensory capabilities were already beyond what they had been back home; it was not a far cry to think that they could, as well as his other jutsu, be pushed further. As Omni had stated upon his arrival, anything could be his. He hoped there was full truth in the statement. 

Their final day was a beautiful one in the Tangled Green, the sun shining brightly in an otherwise deep blue sky. Kakashi had found a steadier hand and calmer resolve after some much-needed rest, built-up fatigue driving him to doze for a bit while Minato and Kito made conversation and prepared a meal. Their time in the training zone had been quite helpful in gauging their current strength, the trio of ninjas feeling a bit more confident in their abilities as they cleaned up after their late lunch. Despite the preparation, an air of uncertainty hung between the men. They could not know what would be waiting for them back in Mokugakure. For all they knew, the village could have fallen to ruin by another orc attack. 

“I think it’s about time we head back,” Kakashi commented, staring off in the direction of the village. To assume that Tsunade’s settlement had all but collapsed in their time away was perhaps illogical, but the less time they spent away the better. 

“I agree,” came Minato’s reply. “I think we’ve learned a good deal out here. We’ll be back a little early, but I’m sure Lady First will be glad to see us again.”

The group gathered up their supplies and a few small left-over rations and readied themselves for the trip back to Mokugakure. After replenishing and checking inventory of their various tools and weapons, they made their way down the cliffside and back into the woods proper. They walked in silence back toward the village, each lost in thought. Whether they could make a positive change in the Village Hidden in the Forest was anyone’s guess.

They could only hope.