The Celestial Copy - Chapter 13

This felt strange.

For half of my life, travel meant speed and concealment, moving through the trees as shadows. The only time I’d leave the village was for a mission, and missions were measured in efficiency. 

But not today. Three of the Leaf’s most powerful shinobi walked side by side down the main road for all the world to see. Our presence was a display of power for anyone that might be watching.

Neither Hiruzen nor Jiraiya seemed to mind. They looked less like a Kage and his bodyguard and more like two old friends on a stroll.

“—and there I was, hunted down by three of the most ferocious kunoichi in the Tea Country! They thought they could lure me into the bathhouse of all places! Ha!” Jiraiya struck a quick pose in the middle of the road. “But they underestimated the depths of my research! With a flawless application of the Transparent Escape Jutsu, I not only evaded their trap but gathered priceless material for my next volume!”

Hiruzen puffed smoke from his pipe. “It remains disheartening to hear that my best intelligence operative is primarily using his talents for such… salacious activities.”

“Don’t play the stoic Hokage in front of the kid, Sensei! We both know what that crystal ball in your office is for. The only difference between us is that I’m willing to get my feet wet for my research!”

Jiraiya looked back at me. “And you should relax, Kakashi! Anyone stupid enough to attack this particular trio would have to be the biggest idiot in the world!” He slung an arm over my shoulders. “And because we’re so powerful, that means we have plenty of time for me to enlighten you! We’re in the Land of Steam, the home of the finest hot springs and the most beautiful scenery in the world! Once this business with the Raikage is over, I'll give you some personal training. A master must guide his student’s student in all of life’s essential arts!”

Hiruzen coughed into his fist and Jiraiya removed his arm from my shoulders then continued his one-man performance a few steps ahead of us.

“Pay close attention when the negotiations begin, Kakashi. The Raikage is a man who rules with emotion and brute force. He will posture and try to intimidate us with his power. Observe how Jiraiya and I respond. A Kage is more than their strength. They must understand how to project that strength without ever throwing a punch. They must know how to act around others of the same level.”

It was obvious to me that he was preparing me. I could see it in how he looked at me and the way he started treating me like a student.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted that future. It was a different kind of leadership than the one I had with Team Ro. I led from the front, letting my competence be a shield that allowed them to grow in confidence. 

Still, it’s the position where I can make the most positive changes.

My thoughts were cut short as a figure stepped out from the treeline. He looked like a teenager, maybe a few years younger than me. He had slicked-back silver hair, magenta eyes, a scythe slung over his shoulder, and a triangular amulet hanging from his neck.

Hidan.

“Blessings upon me,” he proclaimed, spreading his arms wide. “Three sacrifices delivered right to me. A glorious sign from Lord Jashin himself! What better way to sanctify my crusade than with the blood of the Leaf’s finest?”

I deadpanned. “There’s the idiot you were talking about.”

Jiraiya let out a humorless laugh. “Well, I'll be damned. I didn't expect someone to show up for an audition.”

“My village abandoned the holy ritual of slaughter for the pathetic work of keeping roads safe! Your deaths will be the offering that brings true faith back to this land!”

“He must be from the Hidden Steam,” Hiruzen noted. “They pride themselves as the 'village that has forgotten wars.' It seems some of its children have strayed.”

“I'll handle this,” I said, stepping forward.

Hidan’s immortality was his trump card, a surprise that could turn a fight against an unprepared opponent. My plan was to aim for a killing strike, and once he inevitably got back up and revealed his immortality, I’d incinerate his entire body with Rasencage. If, by some chance, that didn't work, Jiraiya could always seal him away.

Hidan charged, swinging his scythe in an unorthodox arc. “Let the ritual begin!”

I thrust my hand forward, lightning chakra coalescing into a thin line.

Hidan brought his scythe up to try to block, but my jutsu immediately shattered it. The Chidori Sharp Spear pierced him through the heart. Then I deactivated the jutsu and let him fall to the ground.

Any second now.

But the maniacal laughter and monologue about his god never came. He just lay there, lifeless.

Huh. I guess he hasn't received his immortality yet.

Jiraiya let out a low whistle. “No holding back, huh?”

Hiruzen’s expression didn’t change. “It’s for the best. Men like that spread rot wherever they go. Better to end it clean.”

“Trying to twist a peaceful village back into bloodshed… disgusting. No sense leaving a mess for the locals to find,” Jiraiya muttered as he unrolled a blank scroll and knelt beside Hidan’s body. After a few quick hand signs and a press of his palm, the corpse vanished into the seal.

[FEAT ACHIEVED: KILL HIDAN]

[50 CP GRANTED - 400 TOTAL]

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO ROLL?]

Now was hardly the time. Activating a new power in front of these two would be like setting off a flare. They’d notice any change in me instantly.

Still, the notification lingered in my thoughts.

That’s two future members of the Akatsuki I killed before they could grow up. It made a dent, but how much? Maybe I should hunt down the rest of them before they become a collective threat. If they were forced to recruit from a shallower pool of A-rank rogue ninjas instead of the S-rank monsters, the Akatsuki would be much more manageable.

Excluding Pain, Konan, Zetsu, and... Obito, I was left with Sasori, Kakuzu, and Kisame. But none of them would be as easy to eliminate as Deidara and Hidan were. 

Sasori should already be a human puppet, and hunting him down could cause political problems. Even if he’s an S-rank rogue ninja, he still has ties to influential elders in the Sand. Elders who already dislike me. And no one knew that he was the one who killed the Third Kazekage either. 

Kisame should be easier. He doesn’t have Samehada yet, but getting into the Bloody Mist was a mission I had no desire to take.

I suppose the only viable target is Kakuzu. He might be the most experienced shinobi alive, rumored to have fought the First Hokage, though that feat was always ambiguous to me. No one survives a real fight with Hashirama unless he simply wasn’t trying. For the rest of his history, Kakuzu was a bounty hunter operating in the shadows. Undoubtedly powerful, but still within the range of shinobi I could kill.

There was also Itachi. But his fate was one I intended to change entirely. Soon, he would be old enough to join ANBU. He’d be on my team. And I would find a way to prevent the Uchiha Massacre.

My gaze drifted to Jiraiya. He was a man who lived his life like a story, always searching for the next exciting chapter for ‘Jiraiya the Gallant.’

I knew how the final chapter was supposed to be written. ‘The frog at the bottom of the well drifts off into the great ocean.’ A tragic end for a man who deserved to see better. A man who deserved to see the world he helped save.

The path forward was clear. 

After this summit was over, I would request a break from my captaincy duties. It might be an awkward ask, considering I've only led one mission outside the village in the two months since taking command. But assuming the Hokage allowed it, I would use that time to make a serious attempt at learning Senjutsu. And with any luck, I’d run into Kakuzu somewhere along the way.

------------------------------

[Ay]

That idiot! He turned out to be a worthless coward! 

Ay could still see the Head Ninja’s face, the solemn nod, the look of understanding in his eyes as he accepted the mission. He knew the necessity of his own demise should the plan go wrong. Death before dishonor was a samurai’s phrase, yet it applied in this situation.

Instead of fulfilling it, he let himself be dragged away like some child, allowing the Leaf to pry into his weak mind and steal every secret entrusted to him.

The plan had been flawless. In the best-case scenario, the Cloud would possess a new bloodline. Even failure was accounted for. They would have a dead operative, but in exchange, they would have the perfect pretext to demand justice, and a pair of those all-seeing eyes as compensation. A win-win, ruined by one man’s failure to do what was necessary.

“Yo, the road to Steam, a powerful team! These fools are mad, but I’m feelin’ glad, YEAH!”

A vein pulsed on Ay’s temple. The taunt was just another spark on the raging fire of his frustration. He raised a hand, his fingers instinctively curling into the threatening shape of an Iron Claw. “Who are you calling a fool, B?!”

Yugito let out a sigh. “He’s already drifted off, Lord Raikage.”

Ay’s head snapped around. Sure enough, Killer B had stopped at a roadside food stall. 

“Steamed buns sizzle, village vibes dribble, these taste buds gonna wiggle! C’mon, kitty cat, where’s your rhythm at? Drop a rhyme for the people, make the flavor go splat!”

“B!” Ay barked. “We are on a diplomatic mission. Get back in formation!”

“Just spreadin’ the love, brother! Makin’ friends for the Cloud! You can’t put a price on good PR, fool, ya fool!”

Yugito went over to pay the vendor, then steered her fellow Jinchuriki back onto the road. 

If only B would carry himself like her, he’d be the perfect weapon. She was everything a Kage could want in a subordinate.

Ay felt the familiar tug-of-war begin inside him. He brought B to project power, but every second B was outside the village was a second he was out of control. Ay had confined him for years, weathered the arguments, ignored B’s desperate yearning for the outside world. He remembered the prejudice B had faced, the whispers and the fear. And yet, his brother had kept smiling until he’d become the village’s hero. Ay had to admit, B’s ridiculous antics did win people over. B was the Cloud’s greatest weapon, but he was also his little brother.

As they continued walking, his thoughts shifted to the village they were about to face.

The Leaf was a shadow of its former self. The Nine-Tails attack four years ago, a Sannin defection just two years later… they were vulnerable. But the recent report of the Stone’s entire Explosion Corps being wiped out suggested they weren’t toothless.

He ran down the list of their power players. 

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen. A relic past his prime who only came back because they had no other option. And it’s that same weakness that allowed a traitor to slip through his fingers. Jiraiya. A powerful wild card, but not enough to change anything on his own. Danzo Shimura. The ‘darkness’ of the Leaf, but only dangerous in the dark. In the end, he’s just a crafty old badger who can’t be trusted. And Fugaku Uchiha. A man who made a name for himself in the war as ‘Wicked-Eye Fugaku,’ yet did nothing afterwards.

A respectable roster, but ultimately irrelevant. He had B. He had Yugito. Two perfect Jinchuriki. No other village could match that. The only man to stand up to the A-B Combo already passed away. The Third Hokage could bring whoever he wanted. This was a negotiation, and Ay held the strongest hand.

Soon, they arrived at the Hidden Steam Village, a place that felt alien to him. How could such a weak village possess such peaceful streets? 

The local shinobi greeted them with formal bows and escorted them into the summit building.

At the head of the table sat the village head, a man whose face was placid. On one side sat the Leaf delegation. He expected two of them: the Hokage and Jiraiya. There was a third figure in a Jōnin vest with unruly silver hair and a mask covering half his face.

It took Ay a second to recognize him. Minato Namikaze’s last living student. Friend-Killer Kakashi. The scavenger who killed his own teammate on the battlefield to steal a Sharingan.

The irony was almost insulting. They were having a summit because he tried to retrieve the Byakugan, and one of their chosen guards was a thief of another clan’s dojutsu.

The Fourth Hokage had been a great man, a true rival whose speed and power Ay had respected. And this disappointment, a half-baked prodigy with no meaningful accomplishments to his name, was all that was left of his legacy.

If that’s who the Leaf were fielding as their rising star, they’d already lost.

Ay, B, and Yugito took their seats opposite the Leaf.

The village head cleared his throat. “I, Ganso, will preside over these proceedings as a neutral party. Let the Leaf-Cloud summit commence.”

Ay leaned forward, donning a mask of diplomacy. “Lord Hokage, I must begin with an apology. It has come to my attention that our Head Ninja, a man I trusted, was in fact a traitor who acted against my orders and the spirit of this peace. His shameful act was fortunately contained by your shinobi before any true harm was done.”

A lie, and one they both knew. But, with the firepower he had at his back, he was confident he could force them to accept the original treaty. Because strength excused everything.

------------------------------

When Lord Third told me to watch closely, to learn the art of Kage-level politics, this wasn’t what I pictured. He talked a big game in the council room back in the village, yet he hasn’t done any of what he said he would.

For the past few hours, we’d been trapped in a stalemate. Hiruzen would make carefully worded insinuations about the integrity of the Cloud, but they just slid off the Raikage.

Ay’s shamelessness was a weapon in itself. He simply repeated the same blatant lie about his “traitorous” Head Ninja with a straight face, daring us to call him out and be the ones to shatter the thin illusion of diplomacy.

Though credit where it was due, the Third Hokage hadn’t backed down an inch whenever Ay hinted at his willingness to go to war.

The Steam Village Head, who looked increasingly uncomfortable with every passing minute, clapped his hands together weakly. 

“A most… productive morning. Perhaps a short recess would be best. We shall reconvene in one hour.”

Hiruzen gave a slow nod. “A wise suggestion, Lord Ganso. A moment to reflect would be beneficial for all parties.”

A pair of Steam shinobi entered the room, one gesturing for our group, the other for the Cloud’s. The Raikage rose, giving Hiruzen a final look before turning away.

We were led down the corridor, the Raikage and his two weapons walking a few steps ahead of us. At the first intersection, their escort led them to the left, while we went to the right. The guard stopped at a wooden door, sliding it open to reveal a private chamber. 

The moment our escort left, Hiruzen sank into the nearest chair.

Jiraiya paced around the room. “That stubborn, muscle-head! He thinks he holds all the cards just because he brought his two Jinchuriki. He’s convinced that’s enough to make us back down. Like we’re some minor village instead of one of the Great Five.”

“We were expecting that, weren’t we?” I said, leaning against the wall. “The Cloud’s two perfect Jinchuriki are their greatest strength. It was always going to be his primary leverage.”

“That’s part of it. But the real problem,” Hiruzen looked up at me with a wry smile, “is you, Kakashi.”

Huh?

I blinked. “I don’t understand.”

“The Raikage is looking down on you. Your presence here, which I intended as a show of our new generation’s elite power, is actually emboldening him. He sees a young Jōnin and assumes we’re desperate enough to bring children to a summit.”

It made a twisted kind of sense. Ay respects power above all else. It was hard for people to gauge my strength when most of my missions were done from the shadows. To him, I probably looked like a token guard, someone brought along to fill numbers rather than project real capability. 

I felt irritation rising in me. I already knew I was the weakest in a group with Jiraiya and Hiruzen. There was nothing wrong with that; it was an objective fact. I'll probably surpass them in the future too. But being the reason things were going so badly hit differently.

“Is there any way to use that to our advantage, then?”

The thought felt stupid as soon as it left my mouth. Unless we were planning to assassinate the Raikage and his guards right here in neutral territory, which had its own set of problems, it didn’t seem like there was much to be gained from Ay’s contempt.

“Funny you should ask.” Jiraiya stopped pacing. “Let’s use that arrogance against him. Imagine what would happen if one of his ‘perfect weapons’ fails against the very guard he’s dismissing. His position at that table would weaken considerably. Though not his brother, that would make things personal.”

This was starting to sound close to the final round of the Chūnin Exams. Just with two of the best from their respective villages instead of bright Genin.

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. “The benefits are clear. A demonstration like that would remind the Raikage of the kind of power he’s dealing with. But Jiraiya, you seem to have forgotten that we are here for a peace summit. Proposing a duel could backfire spectacularly. If the Raikage declines, we look like reckless fools.”

“Nah, he’ll accept. He’s been stonewalling us, insisting on the original treaty. So let’s make it a wager. If his girl wins, we agree to the original terms and even return his captured Head Ninja as a show of good faith. But if Kakashi wins, he agrees to our revised terms. He’s too proud, too convinced of his village’s superiority to refuse a direct contest of strength.”

Hiruzen was quiet for a moment before looking at me. “Then we will give this gambit a shot. Kakashi, do not hold back.”

“What if I kill her by accident?”

“I ask that you try to avoid such an outcome. Her death here would brand the Leaf as treacherous negotiators for a generation. However, she is a perfect Jinchuriki. If your life is at risk, you eliminate the threat. The political fallout of a dead Jinchuriki is something I can manage. The loss of you is not.”

Jiraiya clapped me on the shoulder, a wide grin breaking across his face. “Well it looks like the Leaf is gaining another publicly known S-rank prodigy by the end of the day!” He winked, then added in a lower voice, “Hell, I can already see the title for my next one shot, Icha Icha: Animal Tamer. It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

I barely registered the comment. We were risking a lot in the wager. If I lost, the Hyuga Clan would be furious to find that the man who tried to steal their heiress returned without any consequences. Jiraiya and Hiruzen were risking internal strife on the belief that I would win. The trust, and the weight of it all, was immense.

Despite everything, I found myself smiling.

------------------------------

The village head practically had a heart attack when Hiruzen suggested a “friendly” spar. I can't say I blame him, the man was probably imagining his peaceful village turned into a crater.  He’d outright refused to let us have the match near the village.

So instead, they brought us to a remote canyon known as the Valley of Hell.

The place lived up to its name. A foul-smelling steam rose from the cracks in the rocks, and the water had an unsettling red color. I vaguely remembered that some clan with a dojutsu lived here, but it wasn't important at the moment. 

What mattered was making the Leaf’s final statement. Beating his perfect weapon at its own game, with overwhelming power, was the only language a man like Ay would ever understand.

After he had accepted the challenge, he’d gotten right in my face. His rant was an almost desperate tirade about how a brat with a stolen eye could never hold a candle to the Fourth Hokage. 

It’s almost touching, really. For all his bluster, the Fourth Raikage is my sensei’s greatest glazer. 

Across the canyon floor, I watched Yugito nod as Killer B gave her a fist bump, then joined the Raikage on a cliff edge overlooking the canyon. Hiruzen and Jiraiya stood on the opposite edge behind me.

The time for posturing was over. 

Yugito’s feet dug into the ground as her fingernails elongated into claws. A translucent shroud of orange chakra started to form a two-tailed cloak around her body.

Even if she was using the Version One cloak, I could easily end this with a single Raikiri to the heart. And in the event she went full Tailed Beast, Rasencage or Rasenquake would be enough to put her down for good. But that wasn’t what was necessary. I need to prove a point and dismantle Ay’s arrogance piece by piece.

She lunged, crossing the rocky ground between us in an instant. My saber emitted a silver flash as it met her attack. The shriek of her claws scratching against my father’s blade echoed through the valley. She twisted, using her raw power to toss me toward the canyon wall.

I flipped mid-air, landing feet-first against the rock before pushing off to avoid her follow-up strike. 

What was really annoying was the thick steam in the air making my normal vision unreliable while Yugito could ignore it with whatever improved senses she got from being a Jinchuriki. 

I lifted my headband. With my Sharingan, I could see with perfect clarity. The thick steam in the air previously made my vision unreliable, while Yugito could ignore it with whatever improved senses she got from being a Jinchuriki. At the same time, I focused my chakra and opened the Gate of Opening. Power flooded my system like a dam bursting.

I dodged her next swipe by inches, and launched into a series of precise sword strikes. She blocked once again with her claws, but wasn’t able to swat me away.

After another minute of being in a stalemate, Yugito let out a growl. The translucent orange chakra around her churned violently as it darkened into a dense, bubbling cloak of black and red. 

The Version Two cloak.

She was in a different league now. Her next attack was a blur that even my Sharingan struggled to follow. It was my other sense, the one that had become a part of me, that saved me. A jolt from A Shred of Self Preservation forced my body to twist a fraction of a second before impact. 

What should have been a fatal strike to my neck instead tore through the material of my flak jacket, the tips raking across my shoulder to leave a shallow scratch. Her potent chakra felt like acid against my skin.

It’s time to up the ante.

The hair on my body stood on end as I skipped the second gate and opened the Gate of Life.

I used the unstable ground against her, my lighter footwork allowing me to stay mobile while her erratic movements worked against her. My attacks became a relentless barrage, each one calculated to force her into increasingly disadvantageous positions. 

As she lunged forward, I sidestepped and moved behind her in a burst of speed. My arms wrapped around her waist, and I leapt into the air while ignoring the burning feeling from her chakra cloak.

The Primary Lotus was a technique I’d seen many times from Guy. Naturally, I learned how to use it too from our regular spars.

I began to spin as I drove her down toward the canyon floor. Right before the moment of impact, I released her and retreated to safety, leaving her to collide with the ground alone.

A deafening boom echoed through the valley as her body slammed into the stone. A cloud of red dust billowed upwards from the point of impact, obscuring everything from view.

As the dust began to settle, a figure rose from the center of the newly formed crater. Yugito stood, her Version Two cloak flickering but intact. She swayed on her feet, one hand pressed to the side of her head.

Then she let out a guttural roar. The red-black shroud blew outward and was consumed by blue fire. The humanoid silhouette twisted and expanded until a massive cat covered in flames with mismatched eyes and two long tails uncoiling behind it stood in her place.

Matatabi, the Two-Tails.

I created some distance, weaving hand signs as I backpedaled. Water Style had an elemental advantage against fire, and I had just the technique for something this size. I drew a deep breath, gathering large amounts of water chakra, and spat it high into the air. The water formed a massive torrent that arced up before cascading down like a waterfall directly onto Matatabi. 

However, the water evaporated the moment it made contact with the blue flames. Within seconds, the canyon was filled with a thick fog.

So this is the power of a Tailed Beast. Even an A-rank like the Water Style: Giant Vortex Jutsu had no effect.

Matatabi let out another roar as it charged forward, one enormous paw raised to swipe me. I didn’t have time to dodge; my only option was to meet it head-on. 

I formed a Rasengan in my palm, not one of my elemental variants, just the standard version except scaled up to the size of a boulder. The spinning sphere met the Tailed Beast’s paw with a grinding collision that blew the steam cloud away.

It forced Matatabi to take a step back, her massive form off-balance.

I used the opening to sink into the earth. The ground above me trembled as she searched for where I’d gone, her frustrated snarls echoing through the stone.

Underground, I had the space I needed to prepare. The muscle fibers in my body felt like they were being torn apart from the strain of having used the Third Gate. I ignored it. Weaving a single seal, I began to create shadow clones, pushing my chakra out until my reserves ran completely dry, leaving me gasping.

Then, I unsealed the Twin Sacred Flasks. I drank the cerulean one first, and the void within me filled as my chakra reserves were restored. Without pause, I brought the crimson flask to my lips and drank half. The cuts and bruises from the fight were mended, and the searing pain from the Gates vanished as if it had never been there.

I shot upward, emerging from the ground on the side of the cliff edge where the Raikage and Killer B stood. Both of them turned back in surprise as I showed up a few feet behind them. I kept my eyes fixed on Ay.

“Lord Raikage, you said I could never surpass my sensei.” I paused, letting the words hang in the air. “You might be right. He was a great man. But I know this: I am better than you. Instead of calling me Friend-Killer, you can start calling me the Copy Ninja from now on.”

And then I showed him why.

Pure lightning chakra erupted around my body like a second skin. My hair stood on end as the air crackled with power. I smirked when I saw Ay’s jaw drop. It was his signature technique, the pride of his village, mirrored right before his eyes.

To take things even further, I opened the fourth gate. The additional power surge from the Gate of Pain combined with the lightning enhancement. Without another word, I ran down the cliff wall at speeds that made my earlier movement look sluggish. 

Below, Matatabi was occupied with my shadow clones. They swarmed her from all sides, unleashing a coordinated barrage of B-rank elemental jutsu—Water Dragons, Water Tornadoes, Water Bombs, Thunderbolts, Electromagnetic Murder, and Earth Dragon Bullets slammed against her. She ignored the attacks, focused solely on swiping at the clones with her paws and turning them to puffs of smoke.

She never saw the real me until my kick drove into her chest. The massive form of the Two-Tails was lifted from its feet and sent crashing into the canyon wall with an impact that shook the entire valley.

This was the moment. Using Rasencage or Rasenquake would obliterate her, so I’d have to tone it down just a little.

I created one final shadow clone. I formed a standard Rasengan in my palm while my clone pressed its hands to the jutsu, feeding water chakra into the rotation. The sphere’s color turned into a darker blue.

The clone vanished in a puff of smoke, then I charged.

I slammed the Water Style: Rasengan into Matatabi’s chest, creating a pressurized tidal wave that extinguished the Tailed Beast’s flames. The transformation collapsed, leaving only Yugito’s unconscious form embedded in a new crater on the canyon wall.

Pain shot up my right arm from using the technique at such a close range, but it was worth it.

I deactivated the Gate of Pain and let the Lightning Chakra Mode fade. Then I looked up at the Raikage, meeting his stunned gaze.

The fight was over. My point had been made.

[FEAT ACHIEVED: DEFEAT YUGITO NII]

[100 CP GRANTED - 500 TOTAL]

[FEAT ACHIEVED: DEFEAT MATATABI, THE TWO-TAILS]

[100 CP GRANTED - 600 TOTAL]

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO ROLL?]

Damn, that's a lot of points. I might even roll twice when I'm finally alone.