"Thank you for the meal."
Ten-year-old Akihara Kagura nodded in thanks.
Perhaps because one should not bite the hand that fed them, or perhaps because Hiruzen Sarutobi had made them quietly finish their ramen, Akihara Kagura was unusually polite.
"Thank you for the meal."
Six-year-old Naruto Uzumaki remained perfectly in sync.
If one ignored their hair colors, their synchronized movements even made them seem like an older brother taking care of his younger brother.
"Go home and get some rest early."
Hiruzen Sarutobi put his pipe back in his mouth.
This encounter had not been without gains. Hiruzen Sarutobi believed he had already gained some understanding of Akihara Kagura and was no longer so determined to guide him. From the way Akihara Kagura had treated Naruto Uzumaki tonight, he even felt that the boy's personality was not quite as bad as he had thought.
"I'm leaving! Bye-bye!"
Naruto Uzumaki happily patted his bulging stomach, waved goodbye to Akihara Kagura and Hiruzen Sarutobi, and headed back toward his home.
"You really can't tell at all..."
Akihara Kagura stared at Naruto Uzumaki's retreating figure.
"Oh?"
With his pipe in his mouth, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned back to look at Akihara Kagura, who was standing still. "Kagura, what are you trying to see in Naruto?"
"You really can't tell that he's sad."
Akihara Kagura's eyes became somewhat inscrutable as he said quietly, "If someone abandoned me, I'd be so sad I'd want to kill someone."
"..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that something was not quite right.
"I'm leaving."
Akihara Kagura said no more and walked in the direction of the Root Organization Base.
"That boy..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head helplessly.
The old man who had held Konoha's power for decades walked step by step toward the Hokage Building, his voice suddenly turning deep and cold.
"Kakashi, Tenzo."
As his words fell, Kakashi Hatake and Tenzo appeared at his side in a flash.
The two of them had originally been on leave this morning, yet while resting tonight, they had suddenly received orders to serve as the Hokage's guards.
"What do you think of Akihara Kagura?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi kept his gaze fixed on the Hokage Building without looking at his two subordinates. He simply continued, "After the Chunin Ninja Exams end, that boy will enter the ANBU. I'll assign him to your team."
"..."
Kakashi Hatake could not help glancing at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The Third Hokage did not turn around, and his steps remained firm. He clearly had no intention of discussing this with anyone. This was an order from the Hokage.
"Yes."
Kakashi Hatake quickly lowered his head.
As for Tenzo beside him, he had always had little say in situations like this.
Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly stopped and continued seriously, "Also, do not underestimate that boy. His Wood Style talent is very strong. From what we've seen so far, he can already display considerable combat ability."
"Yes."
Kakashi Hatake and Tenzo exchanged a glance.
Hiruzen Sarutobi brought up Akihara Kagura's shortcomings again. "However, that boy's basic ninja education is still inadequate. His temperament is a little too extreme, and he cannot be placed under any of the village's Jonin squad leaders for instruction. From now on, you and Tenzo will have to teach him more."
"This..."
Kakashi Hatake immediately felt a headache coming on.
Because the first time he had met Akihara Kagura, he had felt that the boy was not normal. He kept talking about killing people for Shimura Danzō at the drop of a hat...
Yet whether it was their encounter at Ichiraku Ramen this morning, or hearing that the boy had impersonated him to deceive examinees and nearly caused a major incident, Kakashi Hatake felt that the child's personality was definitely even worse than he had imagined.
But...
The ANBU had to obey orders from the Hokage.
"Yes."
Kakashi Hatake could only agree seriously, then suggested, "Since Akihara Kagura possesses the Wood Style Bloodline, assign him to Tenzo's squad..."
"..."
Tenzo looked at Kakashi Hatake in disbelief!
Tenzo was an honest man who had always believed Kakashi Hatake to be a dependable senior.
At that moment, upon suddenly hearing that Kakashi Hatake intended to dump a huge problem on him, Tenzo's thoughts finally became impossible to suppress.
Hey, hey, hey, are you kidding me, Kakashi-senpai! You obviously know how awkward the relationship between Akihara Kagura and me is. That kid threatens to kill me every day, so why put him in my squad? You must know what kind of torment I'll suffer!
"Fine."
Hiruzen Sarutobi approved Kakashi Hatake's suggestion.
Having finished giving his orders, the Hokage waved them off. "All right, you may withdraw now. I'll take a walk by myself."
"Yes."
The two figures vanished in a flash behind Hiruzen Sarutobi.
In a side alley by the street.
After leaving the Hokage, Tenzo finally could not hold himself back any longer. His face anxious, he said, "Hey, senpai, putting me together with that kid Kagura..."
"I believe you can handle it."
Kakashi Hatake reached out and patted Tenzo's shoulder. "Tenzo, I have always believed that you, too, will become a dependable senior."
"But..."
"Tenzo."
Kakashi Hatake interrupted him and said quietly, "That child possesses the same Wood Style Bloodline as you. Perhaps this is also an encounter ordained by fate. I hope you can make him someone like you, someone who silently protects Konoha from the darkness."
"All right..."
Tenzo could only scratch his head helplessly and offer his own plan. "I'll first teach him to gradually develop his Wood Style bloodline techniques. If any problems arise, I'll come ask you, senpai..."
"Fine."
Kakashi Hatake agreed, slipping a hand into his pocket. "Since today's guard duty is over, go back and rest early."
"Mm."
Tenzo scratched his head in distress and headed toward home.
"..."
Kakashi Hatake lowered his head and leaned against the wall.
Bloody Mist Kakashi, famed throughout the ninja world, gradually let his mind drift. Most of the time, even he himself did not know what he was thinking.
Kakashi Hatake's fate seemed destined for loneliness.
When he was young, his father's sudden suicide left him an orphan while he was still in school. After he grew up, his close companions died one after another in the war. Later, his teacher and his wife both died during the Nine-Tails' Rampage, leaving Kakashi Hatake feeling as though fate was crushing him so hard he could barely breathe.
Kakashi Hatake felt that his future life would be muddled and aimless, spent forever in the ANBU carrying out endless missions, never again having a single thing worth being happy about.
A long while later.
Kakashi Hatake rose and left the alley.
Only after Kakashi Hatake had left did a Mysterious Masked Man in a black cloak quietly appear. Looking in the direction Kakashi Hatake had gone, he gave a cold snort.
"Hmph, that useless fool..."
"Hehehehe..."
A Pitcher Plant Monster made of black-and-white bodies slowly emerged from the ground. Its white half smiled as it spoke to the Mysterious Masked Man. "There seems to be no need to keep watching Kakashi Hatake now, right? Shouldn't we be more concerned about that Wood Style brat who has appeared in Konoha again?"
"Perhaps..."
"That brat could become an assistant to the Moon Eye Plan?"
First update!
Before you continue