"In my most rational judgment, we should turn back now. It's not just the imbalance between our strength and theirs; more importantly, at this stage, continuing the mission is meaningless..."
"The mission has already failed..."
Hagoromo spoke in a strange tone—half-resigned, half-serious. He wasn't being aggressive, but he wasn't exactly asking for Kakashi's opinion either. He was stating a fact: they needed to retreat.
More accurately, they had to retreat.
After over an hour of pursuit, Hagoromo and Kakashi had finally caught up with the enemy, but a second engagement was out of the question. They hadn't just found Mei and Zabuza; they had stumbled upon a surprise—a massive gathering of high-level threats. If Konoha had an army nearby, it would be a golden opportunity to net some "big fish."
Unfortunately, there were only two of them, both Chunin. Their only viable choice was to withdraw before alerting the enemy.
Because the crowd they had tracked down didn't just consist of Mei Terumi and Zabuza Momochi.
Several members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were present: Fuguki Suikazan, Kushimaru Kuriarare, and Ameyuri Ringo.
Additionally, there was a young shinobi with a shark-like face, likely named Kisame Hoshigaki.
Several others were harder to identify by name, but their distinct features suggested they were from the Hozuki clan.
Most notably, however, was a figure mixed into the group who looked like a young boy—a "shota."
This male shinobi had a classic baby-face and appeared quite young. Even from this distance, his silver hair was visible. If they were closer, they'd see his purple eyes and a scar under his left eye that looked like a stitch mark. He carried a distinct weapon: a club-like staff with hooks at both ends, decorated with a small green flower.
His name was likely Yagura.
Seeing this lineup and cross-referencing it with Konoha's intelligence manuals, Hagoromo felt their squad was either incredibly lucky or cursed. While other teams were struggling to find even a trace of the enemy, they had kicked the proverbial hornet's nest. This roster could determine the outcome of a mid-scale war, or, without exaggeration, wipe out a small nation.
Even Kakashi, who was usually obsessed with mission completion, agreed with Hagoromo's assessment. He wasn't a fool; he could judge the power gap. If they engaged now, the outcome was certain. Senseless sacrifice was not an option.
"Do you have a way to immediately notify Lord Minato of what's happening here?" Hagoromo asked in a low whisper as they began to back away cautiously. Hagoromo was the captain, but Kakashi was Minato's student—perhaps they had a secret way to communicate.
"No."
Kakashi's denial didn't surprise Hagoromo. He had only asked on the off-chance; he didn't truly expect a viable long-distance communication method, as Konoha currently lacked real-time instant messaging for such ranges.
"Then there is no debate. We retreat."
Hagoromo made the call. Staying meant handing their heads to the enemy on a silver platter. He had zero interest in an asymmetrical one-vs-many slaughter.
Despite their stealth and careful movements, Yagura—among the Mist group—suddenly stopped. He had sensed something.
"What is it?" a nearby shinobi asked.
"Tails are following us," Yagura said after a moment's thought. He turned to his companions. "You continue the withdrawal. I'll go deal with them."
Since there were only two pursuers, Yagura wasn't afraid of enemies who hid in the shadows.
Meanwhile, during their retreat, Hagoromo finally sensed something was wrong. That faint feeling of being watched wasn't an illusion. He stopped.
"Kakashi, you go first. Tell Lord Orochimaru or Lord Minato about the situation here as fast as you can."
"What? We're not moving together?" Kakashi was confused. Why split up when they could both retreat?
Hagoromo pointed toward the snowy haze. "It seems we were exposed. A guest is coming, and I need to go meet him."
"How many?"
"Maybe one, maybe more..." Due to the distance, even Hagoromo couldn't be precise.
"Then acting as a squad is more efficient. We'll both—"
Hagoromo cut him off. "Konoha Chunin Hatake Kakashi: prioritize the intelligence."
With that, he stopped looking at Kakashi and walked toward the direction he had pointed. Kakashi stood frozen for a second, then his face hardened. He obeyed Hagoromo's order and sprinted toward the Land of Whirlpools, pushing his speed to the limit regardless of chakra consumption.
Back with Hagoromo.
Through the snow, two figures gradually drew closer.
"Just one person? Come then, let's see who it is," Hagoromo muttered to himself.
"Leaving yourself behind to cover the retreat while your companion goes to report? A viable strategy," the newcomer's voice drifted through the wind before his form was fully visible. "But it only works if you can hold out long enough."
"Don't worry about that. I can hold out plenty long."
Was that the real reason Hagoromo sent Kakashi away? Not entirely. If he was going to use certain techniques, he preferred not to have a Konoha witness present. This was simply a preparation for fighting at full strength.
Hagoromo finally saw his opponent clearly.
Yagura. The future Three-Tails Jinchuriki and Fourth Mizukage. Just like Roshi, he was a target Hagoromo took very seriously. Being a Jinchuriki meant he possessed immense chakra; being a future Mizukage meant his current strength and potential were formidable.
It seemed that choosing to fight alone was the right move.
Hagoromo wasn't at peak condition, certainly not in terms of chakra after consecutive battles. But his combat style was unique—he didn't rely solely on chakra. He wasn't a "normal" shinobi, and when it was time to go all out, he wouldn't hesitate to play his biggest cards.