"Kakashi?"
Hearing the somewhat familiar name, Jin blinked, focusing on the figure pinned beneath his sword.
After the recent activity and the stimulation from the reward, Jin's drunkenness had subsided somewhat.
Looking closely at Kakashi's face, Jin finally remembered.
Wasn't this the guy he'd beaten up before? The one later known as Kakashi Hatake, who could supposedly fight anyone to a "stalemate"?
"Kakashi, it really is you."
Hearing Jin's words, Kakashi actually felt a sliver of relief.
After all, Obito, who had been Jin's classmate the whole time, hadn't even been recognized by Jin.
Yet he himself had graduated two years early, but Jin recognized him after just one reminder.
"Jin, let me go!"
After the fleeting relief, Kakashi realized his current position was utterly humiliating.
Pinned face down on the ground like a captured prisoner, with Jin's sword at his neck.
In front of everyone like this, Kakashi's face burned hot.
Humiliating! Beaten by Jin again!
Shink—
Just as Kakashi thought Jin, having recognized him, would finally let him go—
Jin pressed the sword even closer to his neck.
"Kakashi, you bastard! How dare you betray the village and become a spy for another village!"
Jin accused angrily.
"I..."
Kakashi nearly cursed out loud.
Which eye of yours saw me being an enemy spy?!
Isn't this entirely your own drunken delusion?!
"How about this: seeing as you used to attend our Ninja Academy, if you give me a few bottles of good liquor, I'll put in a good word for you, let you rejoin the village."
Jin's eyes darted around as he spoke with stern uprightness.
His confident demeanor made it seem as if Jin were the Hokage himself.
"I..."
Kakashi's face flushed red. His mouth opened, but he couldn't find the words to rebuke Jin.
"What 'I'? Don't want to??"
Jin frowned. 'This kid is clueless?'
As he spoke, Shūsui made intimate contact with Kakashi's neck.
The icy touch sent a violent shiver down Kakashi's spine.
"Jin! I'm not a spy! I'm a Konoha ninja!"
Kakashi yelled frantically.
Being killed by Jin as a spy like this would be far too frustrating!
"Who are you kidding! You came to the Konoha Ninja Academy to capture me; if you're not a spy, what are you? Look closely, this is the Konoha Ninja Academy!"
Jin pointed at the Ninja Academy's insignia, speaking with immense pride.
Kakashi felt like his face was about to cramp up. 'Aren't you clever!!!'
You even recognize the Konoha Ninja Academy?!
Then did you somehow not notice—
—That the forehead protector on my head has the exact same Konoha symbol as the one on the academy building?!
The usually stoic Kakashi was already cursing furiously in his mind.
"J-Jin-kun, he really isn't a spy."
Kurenai and Rin, seeing the situation escalating oddly and fearing Jin might face punishment later, quickly hurried to Jin's side and whispered softly.
"Jin, he's really not a spy. Kakashi and the others came today to maintain...'examination order'."
Mr. Tanaka thought for a long time before finally landing on a suitable phrase.
He couldn't exactly say Kakashi and the others were here to stop Jin from cutting people down in a drunken frenzy, could he?
"Is that so?"
Jin blinked, looking suspiciously at Kakashi pinned beneath his sword.
"It's true! Look at my forehead protector!"
Kakashi lifted his head, his face flushed red as he spoke.
Only then did Jin register it, looking at the forehead protector on Kakashi's head.
Hmm... it really was the Konoha symbol.
"Uh oh, didn't I screw this up?"
Jin patted his slightly hazy head, muttering.
"Gotta think of a way to fix this."
As Jin spoke, his sword remained pressed against Kakashi's neck.
"Got it!"
Shing!
"Hahaha! See? I told you! Kakashi, how could you possibly become a spy?"
Jin sheathed Shūsui, pulled Kakashi up, patted his shoulder, and smiled reassuringly.
His expression screamed, 'I totally believe you.'
"I..."
Kakashi now completely refused to engage with Jin!
Are you pretending you're deaf?!!!
Nearby, Shisui watched Jin's antics, his lips twitching uncontrollably.
That was quite the performance, wasn't it?
Kakashi miserably brushed the dirt off himself. Noticing the strange looks from the surrounding crowd, he felt utterly mortified.
Whoosh!
Ignoring Jin's words, with a single flicker, he leaped away into the distance.
"Hey! You bastard! You still haven't given me the liquor you promised!"
Seeing Kakashi run off, Jin became anxious. 'That bastard still owes me several bottles of good liquor!'
Kakashi's leaping steps faltered; he nearly plummeted headfirst from the air.
'When did he ever say he'd give Jin liquor?!'
'So, I almost got cut down by you—mistaken for a spy.'
'And I still have to give you several bottles of liquor?!!!'
Internally fuming with humiliation, Kakashi surged Chakra through his feet, transforming into a blur as he vanished into the distance.
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