Chapitre 34: The Paranoid Ones

--- Kakashi Hatake's POV ---

I'm speechless.

"Was that all?"

"W-woof!! (Yes! I've tell you everything, now please let me go!!)"

He attempted to flee once I started questioning him. Now, here we are, with me gripping the puppy tightly by the neck, pressing him down onto the ground as he whimpers in fear.

As I let his words sink in, the bloodlust I had been releasing slowly began to fade.

The puppy claimed to know about "Kakashi Hatake" from a fictional story. According to him, the main character of that tale was the jinchuriki of the nine tails, which means... Sensei's child, Naruto-kun.

It's surprising to hear him refer to it as a fictional story, like something out of novels or movies. I probed further about the plot, and it turned out to be a gold mine of information.

I should definitely use kotoamatsukami on him.

Kotoamatsukami requires a decade to recharge before it can be used again. However, the Universal Affinity has enhanced my connection to the bloodline even beyond that of having Uchiha lineage.

This allows me to cut the long cool down by a half of a decade.

Moreover, both of my eyes possess eternal Mangekyou Sharingan as a result of repeatedly swapping eyes with Shisui. Consequently, Shisui now wields both Kamui and Kotoamatsukami in his eyes, as do I.

Sure, I've used Kamui twice already. Now, I'll have to wait five more years before I can use it again.

Whimpers "a-arf? (w-what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?)" The puppy let out a whimper as it sensed the chill of my expression.

"Quiet" I commanded shortly.

Given that I can't currently utilize Kotoamatsukami, I should nonetheless ensure his cooperation and engage him in conversation to acquire the desired knowledge.

"You, I will give you an opportunity... Mike-san." The puppy was startled, I suppose he wasn't expecting to hear his name in his past life from a fictional stranger.

Even without Kotoamatsukami, reading his mind revealed most things about him.

"Bark!?? (H-how did you-!?)"

I ignored his startled face and cut in, "Shut it and listen. You have to choices. I will have you die here, or... You can become my summon. Since you know everything about my world through that animes, I'm sure you're aware of my ninkens."

"..."

Ninkens, I possess summoning techniques capable of bringing Pakkun and the packs, although I haven't attempted summoning them here and now.

Nevertheless, even if I'm unable to do so, I can still transport this guy into Kamui's dimension and then return him to my world.

"W-woof??? (You're going to make me a ninja hound??)"

"That's right, I can make you stronger."

At the very least, I will make sure to use him well.

--- Amethyst Hoshino's POV---

We're inside the temporary hideout, a cave. The other two companions except for Kakashi was sitting quitely, was waiting for my orders.

Yet, I can only saw the screen on my phone with confusion and anger.

Ding

Something isn't right...

[Sequences:]

• Utilize any available means to bring about favorable alterations to the timeline. (1/1) [Completed]

[All sequences are completed, participants will be automatically transported into their original world in 72 hours]

"Hm? what's this? the quest's done?" (Rimuru)

"Did something happen??" (Riko)

The blue light from my phone hurts my eyes, but I keep reading it repeatedly to ensure I understood it correctly.

Who, who was it!?? What happened?? Where is that dog!??

«Answer: Possible culprit: Kakashi Hatake»

After a few minutes, accompanied by the sound of a thunderstorm outside, a figure emerges at the cave's entrance.

It's Kakashi.

He finally arrived, along with his usual bullshit.

"Hey, sorry I'm late... A black cat crossed my path you see..?" He made a smile with his closed eyes, and scratches his head sheepishly.

Well, immediately, I shot his mask down.

"You really still can show up like nothing happened huh? Where's the dog, Kakashi?"

There are a few reasons I hesitate to immediately secure the transmigrator after regrouping with everyone.

Firstly, allowing the transmigrator to be in Rimuru's presence poses a potential threat. If his Great Sage discover the existence of a fictional world called Tensura within the transmigrator's mind, it could jeopardize my future information business with Rimuru.

But that's not the main concern.

I can still replicate the same skills since I have Great Sage with me; conducting business with Rimuru might not even be necessary anymore. I can do it just to maintain friendship...

The real problem... Is Kakashi.

He informed me that he exchanged eyes with Shisui, resulting in his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan containing both Kamui and Kotoamatsukami abilities.

I want it.

I can't let this one go.

Sigh

After sighing, he said, "Well, I guess you could figure that out..." I couldn't read his mind, but what he said matched what I was hearing.

It seems he's already figured out how to use Universal Affinity by now. Higher beings can lie and bypass the magic perception easily,

I need to secure that dog, immediately!

"I could tell you, but... What's up with that expression of yours?" He suddenly asked, calmly yet filled with suspicion.

What's up with my expression?

I suppose...

«Report: The newly acquired skill, 『Haki』has been activated.»

I suppose it wasn't a good expression is it now?

Thunder

The rain was violent.

Once again, we found ourselves outside, away from the watchful eyes of Rimuru and Riko. I walked along side Kakashi as I think about how should I respond to this.

Kakashi remained cool as a cucumber, noting my tense demeanor with a hint of humor. "You've got that 'I might just kill you' look," he said casually, though the seriousness of his words hung heavy in the air. "I'm guessing you know it too, right?"

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure. Getting hostile could raise suspicion, especially with Rimuru already sensing my unease. "Yeah, I know," I admitted, the words escaping in a strained whisper. "And I'm pretty sure you know why."

"Really..." Kakashi halted abruptly, causing me to pause and meet his gaze. "You're the one pushing me to use my Kotoamatsukami, twice. Makes me wonder if this is all part of your scheme."

"Think what you want," I reply, turning away from him.

He persists, "Well, this is getting tricky... After 5 years, I thought we had everything sorted." His statement prompts me to raise an eyebrow. "Sorted?" Kakashi echoes my expression with a raised eyebrow of his own. "What, is 'friendship' a new concept for you?"

...Ah, despite Kakashi's confident demeanor, I caught a momentary lapse in his perception. In just a few seconds, I glimpsed into his thoughts through a single sentence. And within that sentence, a line slipped into my magical perception. "There's no way I'd be able to monopolize all the information from this dog all by myself, can I now?"

Silently conveying his message, he handed me a scroll. As my eyes scanned its surface, Great Sage swiftly delved into its contents. Damn Kakashi... I had worried for nothing. He could easily monopolize all the memories of the transmigrator if he wanted to.

Yet, he grasped my responsibilities of an administrator clearly. It seemed that the Transmigrator had become his Ninken. By infusing my blood into the scroll, I could become a "co-contractor" of this companion, enabling me to summon it at will. I can easily use Great Sage to temper with the contract so it was a risky move for someone paranoid like Kakashi, like wielding a double-edged kunai. I couldn't read his thoughts anymore, but...

«Report: Individual: Kakashi Hatake is genuine with his words after further examination.»

Alright, I'll go along with this. I understand how paranoid we both can be, but the Kakashi Hatake standing before me... the idea of him betraying me doesn't seem likely, at least not anytime soon.

"Halt, Both of you!"