A Mask That Hides The Heart

Since Rin's death, Kakashi suffered nightmares from the ordeal and became withdrawn and sullen. With the end of the Third Great Ninja War, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio are sent on a mission to deliver a treaty to the Hidden Stone. However, the exchange almost turns into an altercation until the Fourth Kazekage intervenes. The treaty is brought before Onoki and his council who discuss the future now that the war is over. Back in Konoha, Hiruzen discusses the village's future to the Leaf Council and his decision to step down as Hokage so his successor can usher in a new era for their village. Rejecting the nomination of his student Orochimaru issued by Danzo, Hiruzen tells the Lord of the Land of Fire that Minato Namikaze will the next Hokage for his deeds during the war. As Danzo and Orochimaru plot their next move, Minato ultimately accepts the post and is installed as Fourth Hokage much to his wife Kushina's joy. As his first duty, Minato assigns Kakashi the task of transporting a scroll. However, Kakashi's trauma hinders him when he is attacked by an enemy ninja that Guy quickly dispatched. As he sent Guy to secretly aid Kakashi, Minato visits his student in the hospital and informs him to enlist in the ANBU under his personal control as his right-hand-man. Heading to the equipment stores for his gear, Kakashi dons his ANBU attire along with his mask, thus beginning his tenure as an ANBU operative.