Hatake Sakumo was very happy right now because his son was going to the Ninja Academy tomorrow.
Sakumo believed that Kakashi's talent was even greater than his own, and because of this, while other kids were playing ninja games, Kakashi was genuinely undergoing ninja training.
The next day, early morning light broke.
Just as Sakumo was holding Kakashi's hand and preparing to set off.
The Mitarashi household.
"Clap, clap, clap! Anko, open the door!"
It was Kushina's voice.
Shikun Mitarashi had been worried that his daughter Anko would be left alone at home without care while he went off to war, so Kushina had taken the responsibility upon herself.
Mitaraishi Anko: zzz...
She was sprawled across the bed, drooling as she slept soundly.
"Anko, open the door! Today is the day the Ninja Academy starts, and if you don't get up now, you're going to be late!"
Kushina stood outside the door and shouted toward the upstairs.
Anko:
w(?Д?)w!!!
"I'm getting up right now!"
Soon, Mitaraishi Anko came downstairs, opened the front door, and got ready to leave.
"Don't rush, Anko. No matter what, eat breakfast first before talking."
Kushina said to Anko with a beaming smile.
Anko was startled, then forced a laugh, hoping to muddle through.
"Ahahaha, big sis Kushina, look, time is so tight, let's hurry up and get going!"
"No way, I already said it: no matter what, you have to eat your breakfast first so you'll have the energy to handle the entrance exam."
Kushina had already opened a food box, revealing a lump of greenish paste inside.
"Even though it doesn't look very appetizing, I made this mung bean porridge early this morning. Aside from the fact that it took a bit too long to simmer and looks a little rough, everything else was made strictly according to the recipe!"
Kushina said with a smile.
Anko turned her head stiffly and asked:
"Can I really not eat it?"
She was still making a final struggle.
"No-way~ If you don't eat it now, it's going to get cold."
Kushina wagged her finger as she spoke to Anko.
Mitaraishi Anko:
〒▽〒.
Clearly, Kushina was not very good at taking care of people.
On this day, most of the elite of Konohagakure's golden generation entered the academy.
Might Duy ran over doing a handstand, bringing Might Guy to register.
Kurenai Yūhi was also brought along by Yūhi Shinku, who held her hand.
As Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi had too many things to busy himself with lately, so Biwako brought Asuma to enroll.
Asuma fell completely in love the very first time he laid eyes on Kurenai.
There was also Kushina bringing Anko, Hatake Sakumo bringing Kakashi,
Rin Nohara brought along by her parents and family, and Obito Uchiha who arrived late because he helped an old granny cross the street, and so on.
Among all these people, except for Might Guy, everyone successfully passed the evaluation.
Yet in order to pass the entrance exam, six-year-old Might Guy had stubbornly run five hundred laps around the playground before collapsing.
Such a talent for Taijutsu was still worth cultivating, and an exception could very well be made.
Kakashi followed his father and left the Ninja Academy.
Hatake Shōsō looked ahead.
There was the green-clad father and son who showed no discouragement even in failure, instead demanding that they step up their training and swearing to successfully pass the selection next time.
Hatake Shōsō's sword heart told him that Might Duy was strong.
This was the resonance of strong individuals.
Every greatest warrior possessed a sword heart; once the sword heart suffered damage, the person's own strength would likewise be affected.
When Hanzo of the Salamander fought the Three Ninja, he also possessed an incomparably steadfast conviction-making the Land of Rain great again was his sword heart.
"Kakashi."
"Hm?"
"Don't get cocky just because you passed the Ninja Academy."
"Eh?"
"At your current pace of effort, if things keep going like this, that kid will surpass you."
Hatake Shōsō looked at Guy, sensing the exact same incomparably steadfast conviction in him as in his father.
With a conviction like that, there was a high probability he would become one of the absolute top powerhouses in the Shinobi World in the future.
"Him?"
Kakashi felt somewhat puzzled; this green-clad brat looked completely ordinary.
"The supplementary list hasn't been announced yet, has it?"
Shōsō squatted down, his eyes leveling with Kakashi's.
"The Ninja Academy isn't stupid either. The ones in charge of selections are powerful Jōnin; they won't let a talent like that slip by."
This was to prevent any instances of missing hidden gems.
Anyone capable of becoming a Jōnin was no fool; they could judge who possessed the potential of a strong individual, which facilitated the subsequent allocation of school resources while also preventing pearls from being left in the dust.
"Go ask him his name. He's going to become a fine rival for you."
Shōsō patted Kakashi's shoulder, signaling him to step forward.
Kakashi did as told.
"Hey, kid."
Might Guy turned back.
"What's your name?"
"Might Guy!"
Shining teeth accompanied a passionate voice.
"From now on, I'll become a man stronger than anyone else!"
Kakashi didn't take this to heart; little did he know that this person would become his greatest rival and friend in the future.
The war between Konohagakure and Sunagakure had been deadlocked for nearly a year.
Orochimaru truly wasn't holding back even a tiny bit, because right now they were beaten back to a defensive stance inside Kikyo Castle.
Depending on the fortifications of Kikyo Castle, the Konoha Ninja were barely managing to hold Sunagakure off.
Kumogakure had already declared war on Konoha.
Jiraiya had already set out with his troops.
Ōnoki certainly wouldn't give up this opportunity either.
With Iwagakure entering the fray, it was likely just a matter of time, and Konohagakure could no longer spare any more reinforcements.
Meanwhile, Sunagakure's reinforcements continued to increase in an endless stream.
If the stalemate continued like this, Konohagakure's strength would be relentlessly chipped away, and absolute defeat awaited them then.
Orochimaru was considering whether to launch the decisive battle ahead of schedule; although their odds of winning were inferior to the enemy's, at least there was a chance.
If they let the situation drag on like this, their side would have zero chance of winning.
Orochimaru knew this logic, and Konoha's higher-ups were also well aware of it.
The spies Danzo had planted in Iwagakure Village had already detected large-scale movements of shinobi forces.
And there were only two places Iwagakure could strike: one was the Land of Lightning, and the other was the Land of Fire.
The Land of Water was isolated overseas; it had always been the one invading others, and up to now, no one had ever brought a war to the mainland of the Land of Water.
"Hiruzen, the situation has come to this, what on earth are you still hesitating for!"
"Let me think on it a bit more..."
"Think about what! Orochimaru's side is already reaching its limit! Didn't you see the intelligence reports? Right now on the western border, Orochimaru already stated they suffer defeat after defeat yet keep fighting on; Sunagakure's reinforcements keep arriving while Orochimaru's forces are constantly being worn down, and the odds of winning keep dropping!"
"At a time like this, you as the Hokage need to show sufficient resolve! As long as the Kazekage is eliminated, Sunagakure is absolutely incapable of enduring the blow of losing two successive Kazekages!"
"The secret assets I deployed in Sunagakure have already scouted out a viable route. As long as we dispatch the most elite assassination team, there is a substantial possibility of success."
Shimura Danzō spoke with absolute certainty, as if he had victory firmly within his grasp.
"Secret assets? Is that the Wandering Miko..."
"If it's intelligence passed down by her, then it indeed carries immense credibility."
Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated no longer, immediately selecting a batch of the most elite Anbu Ninja to form a squad and execute the Kazekage Assassination Plan.
His eldest son and Hatake Sakumo were among them.
From his perspective, if the accuracy of the intelligence could be guaranteed, then with Sakumo's strength there was truly a significant possibility of success. Moreover, the White Fang's notoriety was too great, and his hatred with Sunagakure was even deeper, making him bound to be the primary target of Sunagakure's focused retaliation.
If it succeeded, he would shift the main credit onto his own son.
If it failed, with the White Fang drawing all the attention, given his son's level as an elite Jōnin, there was still a high probability he could escape with his life.
That very night, Hatake Sakumo bid farewell to Kakashi and prepared to set off for the front lines.
Before you continue