"So, from today onward we're teammates. Name's Fox. I like tea."
Inside a private booth at the Akimichi clan's barbecue restaurant, Nara Kazuki and Kakashi sat on one side, facing the man known only as Fox.
The room was secluded, shielding them from prying eyes—probably because too many people who come here are doing things they don't want seen.
"Hey, real question... can you even eat with the mask on?" Kazuki looked at Fox's still-covered face, voice skeptical.
Fox calmly removed his mask—revealing a face that was almost obscenely handsome.
Kazuki and Kakashi exchanged glances... then both took off their masks.
"You've got to be kidding me..." Kazuki stared at the face in front of him.
Kakashi, meanwhile, sighed in relief.
Kazuki had transformed into his face, and Kakashi had chosen Kazuki's. They'd each disguised as the other.
"Hahaha! You two brats are pretty funny," Fox laughed, clearly amused. Of course, he already knew their real identities—he'd read their files.
"Alright, fun's over. Let's talk business."
His tone sharpened, and both Kazuki and Kakashi sat up straighter.
"The Fourth Hokage has already assigned us our first mission. Once you're done eating, get ready—we leave tomorrow."
First day in the ANBU and they were already heading out. Fast-track onboarding.
Kakashi didn't say anything, but he welcomed the mission. Sitting around the village lately just made him dwell on the past. A good mission could help him focus.
Fox didn't elaborate. Just smiled and urged them to eat more.
Which... made both Kazuki and Kakashi tense. That kind of warm encouragement usually meant the mission ahead was anything but easy.
Back home, Kazuki ran into Uncle Suzaku, who was carrying a basket of feed—clearly just back from tending the Nara deer.
"How was your first day with the ANBU?" Suzaku asked.
"It's fine... though our captain seems a little off," Kazuki admitted, thinking back to the over-the-top intro and chaotic energy of "Fox."
Aside from their quirky leader, everything else had gone smoothly. They hadn't seen the full ANBU HQ yet—only Fox's torture-chamber-looking office. No sensitive info had been shared either.
From the room's décor, Kazuki suspected Fox might have a background in interrogation.
"'A little off,' huh?" Suzaku caught the key phrase and immediately guessed who it was.
"Was it... Fox?" he asked.
"You know him?" Kazuki looked surprised.
"We've been on missions together," Suzaku replied, setting the basket down. "He's strong. Bit eccentric, but solid. If he's your captain, you and Kakashi will be in good hands."
That was all Kazuki needed to hear.
Reliable. Strong. Quirky, sure—but dependable? Good enough.
"Since you're officially a Chūnin now—and part of ANBU—I think it's time I taught you some of our Nara clan's jutsu." Suzaku dusted off his hands.
"Thank you, Uncle Suzaku!" Kazuki said earnestly.
Though Suzaku didn't appear much in the anime, Kazuki had always felt closest to him within the clan. And now, that closeness was paying off.
"This jutsu is called Shadow Neck Binding Technique—some call it Shadow Strangle Jutsu..."
The night stretched on as Suzaku trained him thoroughly.
The next morning, Kazuki and Kakashi met near the village gates.
They were waiting for Fox. Kazuki opened his system panel and noted that two new jutsu had been added: Shadow Neck Binding Technique and Shadow Sewing Technique.
"Feels like all Nara jutsu revolve around manipulating shadows," Kazuki murmured as he formed hand seals and tested the new technique, snapping a nearby branch off a small tree. He was satisfied.
Kakashi, meanwhile, only gave it a glance before returning to his own training.
He was still developing his use of the Sharingan—the eye Obito had given him.
So far, the results were promising.
"You two are early—good sign for rookies."
Fox appeared with his usual swagger, mask on. He gave Kazuki a wink and a wave.
Kakashi nodded silently in response.
"This mission takes place in the Capital of the Land of Fire—where the Daimyō resides," Fox finally revealed the target location.
Kazuki raised an eyebrow.
It would be his first time visiting the capital.
In the shinobi world, the Daimyō was technically the ruler of each nation. They held economic and political authority, and even early in the series, the appointment of a Hokage required their approval.
Later in the timeline, as shinobi powers became more godlike, the Daimyō's political weight became... something of a joke.
Still, it was undeniable—they were rich and influential.
Even if modern ninjas could blow up mountains, the Daimyō remained intact.
Kazuki figured maybe it was because no one had ever seriously tried to dethrone them.
"So... is our mission to help the Daimyō's wife find her missing cat?" he joked.
He just couldn't wrap his head around why, in a world filled with supernatural powerhouses, an ordinary person like the Daimyō still sat at the top.
Did no one ever think of assassinating him and taking over?
"..." Fox didn't answer.
Kazuki noticed the awkward silence and turned to look at him.
Even through the mask... that vibe was telling.
"...It's not a missing cat," Fox said. "It's a missing mistress. One of the Daimyō's lovers vanished. We're to investigate."
Kazuki's face twisted.
This is what ANBU does?
So the unit he joined wasn't really the elite Assassination and Tactical Squad.
It was more like... the Secret Affairs Division for Trivial Village Drama.
Fox added, "The reason ANBU is handling this is because intel suggests the disappearance might be linked to Orochimaru."
Suddenly, it all made sense.