Minato Namikaze

"Are you Hyuga Kazuya? The Hokage has already told me about you. You'll be joining my team from now on. My name is Minato Namikaze."

Minato Namikaze stood tall, his golden hair looking especially handsome beneath the sunlight. Smiling gently, he spoke to Hyuga Kazuya.

Hyuga Kazuya, however, was somewhat stunned. Although he knew of the Flying Thunder God's incredible speed, hearing about it and experiencing it firsthand were completely different things.

He had not reacted at all before Minato Namikaze appeared instantly.

That was way too fast.

"Is this the Flying Thunder God created by the Second Hokage? It's incredibly fast."

Hyuga Kazuya muttered in amazement, the shocked expression on his face refusing to fade.

"Haha." Seeing the surprise on Hyuga Kazuya's face, Minato Namikaze was still young enough to feel a little pleased.

"That's right. This is the Flying Thunder God Technique. It took me several years to master it. If I get the chance in the future, I'll teach it to you too."

As Minato Namikaze gently explained things to Hyuga Kazuya, he also encouraged him, saying that he might have the chance to learn the technique someday.

"Really? I can learn it too, Teacher Minato?" Hyuga Kazuya asked eagerly. He did not call Minato Namikaze captain, but teacher instead, hoping to close the distance between them.

After all, whether now or in the future, Minato Namikaze was undoubtedly someone worth relying on.

Minato Namikaze nodded, silently thinking as he looked at Hyuga Kazuya.

I've basically mastered the Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique. Since the Third Hokage has given me the chance to take on disciples, if possible, I should pass down the Flying Thunder God. I hope future ninja won't have to be like me, relying entirely on their own trial and error and struggling for years just to barely learn the Flying Thunder God Technique.

"There'll be an opportunity someday."

Minato Namikaze did not make any promises too easily. He knew very well that a high-level ninjutsu like the Flying Thunder God Technique, especially since he was not its creator, could not be taught to others privately. Even if he wanted to teach it to someone one day, he would first ask for the opinions of Teacher Jiraiya or his Grandmaster, the Third Hokage.

"Let's go, Kazuya."

"Where to, Teacher Minato?"

Hyuga Kazuya asked in surprise. Although Teacher Minato had not clearly stated the conditions for teaching him the Flying Thunder God Technique, not refusing already meant he had agreed. But according to Hyuga Kazuya's memories, shouldn't Minato be testing his strength next?

"To find your Junior Disciple, Hatake Kakashi."

"Hatake Kakashi? White Fang's son?"

"Yes. You've heard about what happened to his father, right? So I hope you can help talk him through it."

Minato Namikaze explained what they were about to do and specifically reminded Hyuga Kazuya to be mindful of Kakashi's current state. If he did anything or said anything unpleasant, Hyuga Kazuya should try to understand him.

"No problem, Teacher Minato."

Hyuga Kazuya was not worried about that at all. Kakashi was just a brat right now, and besides, Hyuga Kazuya knew that Kakashi had not gone astray in the original story. Not to mention he had Minato Namikaze, a great sun, shining on him.

"Then let's go."

Minato Namikaze then led Hyuga Kazuya away from the Sixth Training Ground.

Morning had come to Konoha, and the sun's warm rays slowly spilled across the earth, bringing a trace of warmth to the cold world.

Because the weather had turned colder over the past few days and a faint east wind was blowing, people on the streets unconsciously tightened their clothes around themselves as they walked.

Before long, Minato Namikaze had brought Hyuga Kazuya to a residence far from Konoha's central district.

Knock, knock, knock.

Minato Namikaze knocked on the door in a steady rhythm.

Creak!

A young woman dressed in traditional Japanese clothing opened the gate, her scrutinizing gaze sweeping across the two of them.

"Who are you? What do you need?"

"My name is Minato Namikaze. I'm here to see Hatake Kakashi."

"Oh, you're here to see the young master. Please wait a moment. I'll notify him."

Perhaps because this was Konoha, or perhaps because of Minato Namikaze's handsome face and sunny friendliness, the maid did not even question them before going to find her young master, Kakashi.

Not long afterward, a white-haired child wearing a black mask appeared at the gate.

Minato Namikaze had met the person he came to see.

"Kakashi, I'll be your Team Leader Jonin from now on. My name is Minato Namikaze." Minato Namikaze smiled gently as he spoke to Kakashi.

"My name is Hyuga Kazuya. I'm also Teacher Minato's disciple."

Hyuga Kazuya, standing beside him, hurriedly introduced himself as well.

But Kakashi merely nodded coldly without saying a word.

With the atmosphere turning awkward, even Minato Namikaze, who was only twenty years old, could not help feeling embarrassed.

Minato Namikaze could only say awkwardly, "If you need anything in the future, you can come to me."

Then, feeling that his words were too pale, Minato Namikaze added, "As a ninja, you must endure pain. What is gone is gone, but those who remain must keep looking forward."

Before Minato Namikaze could continue, Kakashi interrupted him directly. His face was expressionless as his eyes stared straight at Minato Namikaze. "Do you think my father was wrong? Which is more important, the mission or one's companions?"

Minato Namikaze had no answer to the question Kakashi was struggling with either, so he could only brush it aside awkwardly. "When you grow up, you'll naturally understand these things."

When Hatake Kakashi saw that he had not received an answer, his expression instantly darkened again. His hand was even already on the door, ready to close it and send them away.

Hyuga Kazuya saw that the two of them were getting nowhere.

He knew that if this continued, who knew how things would develop?

He truly did not know how the original story had resolved this matter.

But Hyuga Kazuya felt that he should do something, so he quickly pressed his right hand against the half-closed gate and interjected, "Both the mission and one's companions are important."

Hatake Kakashi saw that this senior, who was only a few years older than him, had answered his question, but he did not understand. How could he say that? What kind of answer was that? Yet his Clan's strict upbringing made him listen anyway. At the same time, he gave Hyuga Kazuya a questioning look, wanting to hear what this "senior" had to say.

"Both the mission and one's companions are important. Rather than wondering which is more important, why not think about why White Fang chose his companions and abandoned the mission?"

"What happened to his companions? They were injured."

"Why were they injured?" Hyuga Kazuya deliberately paused, leaving them in suspense.

"The root cause was nothing more than the fact that his companions were not strong enough."

Hearing Hyuga Kazuya's explanation, even Minato Namikaze, standing nearby, looked over curiously.

Seeing that both of them were listening seriously, Hyuga Kazuya continued, "There are only three possible reasons. First, White Fang himself was not strong enough."

The moment he said that, Hyuga Kazuya saw Minato Namikaze and Hatake Kakashi both wanting to refute him. Kakashi in particular looked like he would have attacked already if looks could kill.

"Let me finish, Kakashi, Teacher Minato."

Hyuga Kazuya gestured for them to listen before responding.

"Second, his companions were not strong enough."

"Third, the enemies in the mission were too powerful."

Hearing Hyuga Kazuya explain the White Fang Incident this way, Minato Namikaze could not help smiling faintly. It was not a bad explanation. At the very least, it could pull Hatake Kakashi away from the unsolvable question of whether companions or missions were more important.

As for what came after, they could deal with it later.

After all, for something like this, aside from using time to forge new bonds, there was no particularly good solution.

"White Fang's strength was beyond question, but his companions did not possess strength that matched his."

"We can't weaken the enemy's strength in advance. We can only strengthen ourselves beforehand."

"If White Fang had been just a little stronger back then, if his companions had also been just a little stronger, wouldn't everything today have never happened?"

"So, Kakashi, do you understand?"

After Hyuga Kazuya finished explaining, Hatake Kakashi showed a thoughtful expression.

After thinking for a long time, Kakashi seemed to regain his spirit.

"Teacher Minato, I want to become stronger. I want to surpass my father. Please teach me."

Hatake Kakashi bowed solemnly to Minato Namikaze as he made his request.

Hyuga Kazuya, standing nearby, nodded in satisfaction and thought smugly to himself.

Looks like my Talk-no-Jutsu is pretty good after all.

Reverse thinking really is the best.

But how long can this sophistry fool him?

Whatever. The original story never gave any clear explanation for White Fang's death either, but Kakashi still didn't go astray and eventually became the Sixth Hokage.

But just as Hyuga Kazuya was feeling pleased with himself, Hatake Kakashi gave him a doubtful look.

"I wonder, Senior Kazuya, how strong are you? Can you become my companion?"

Hatake Kakashi had been despondent for quite some time because of Hatake Sakumo's death, but he was still a genius who had graduated from the Ninja Academy at five and become a Chunin at six. He had his own pride.

Combined with what had happened to his father and what Hyuga Kazuya had just said, Hatake Kakashi came to understand that companions were important, but not just anyone was qualified to become his companion.

If his father's companion back then had not been that person, but a Jonin stronger than him, then perhaps none of this would have happened.

Yes, that was it. It had to be.

His fists clenched tightly and his body went rigid. Kakashi kept forcing this belief into himself, allowing the pillar in his heart that had collapsed because of his father's death to reappear in a new form and become a new support.

Surpass his father, become stronger, and have both the mission and his companions!

Perhaps Hatake Kakashi knew he was comforting himself. Perhaps he did not. But in his heart, he certainly wished all of this was true.

There were no conspiracies, no struggle for the Hokage position, no sinister schemes between great ninja Clans and small ninja Clans, no conflict of interests between civilian ninja and Clan ninja. There was only one simple reason: they were not strong enough.

That was all!