After Kakashi finished speaking, he used the Body Flicker Technique to leave the Rooftop, leaving behind three little brats with envious looks on their faces!
That was right. None of the three of them knew the Body Flicker Technique.
And the Body Flicker Technique really was a great way to show off, especially to people who didn't know it. Coming and going in a flash—that was the true essence of being a ninja, wasn't it?
"We've got to learn the Body Flicker Technique first. That creepy-looking teacher got to show off in front of us, and it's really annoying!" Sasuke said through gritted teeth. When he noticed the expression on his own face, he couldn't help feeling a little strange.
In the past, he would never have let himself show an expression like that. Maybe spending so much time with Naruto and Nanfeng had softened him.
But that only applied to those two. Toward everyone else, Sasuke still acted as if they were strangers.
And Hinata? She was his sister-in-law, so of course he had to show her some respect.
"But what do you think this Survival Exercise tomorrow is about?" Naruto asked, frowning as he recalled what Kakashi had said before leaving.
"Whatever it is, we'll find out tomorrow. He told us to meet at nine thirty and not eat breakfast, so let's show up at one in the afternoon instead. That guy's chronic lateness is such a headache..." Nanfeng rubbed his temples. He'd wanted to slip away that afternoon, but he'd forced himself to stay because he could feel Old Man Third watching them the whole time.
Tomorrow, he wasn't going to give Kakashi a single minute of waiting time!
"Fair enough. Today's been exhausting. How about we grab a meal, then go train? I haven't cooked for myself in ages. Should we meet at Naruto's place?" Sasuke asked as he packed up.
At some point, the three of them had grown used to eating at one another's homes, like a family.
"We don't have anything else to do. Let's go." Nanfeng nodded and followed Naruto and Sasuke away from the place where they'd spent the whole afternoon being put through the wringer.
In the Hokage Office, Kakashi stood respectfully before the Hokage and truthfully reported the three boys' performance that afternoon, along with his own impressions, to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Is that so? Naruto and Nanfeng both have someone they're determined to protect. Sasuke is driven by his family's grudge, but he treats other people quite warmly?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked after a moment's thought.
"That's right. In my opinion, all three of them are worthy successors to the Will of Fire. Naruto and Nanfeng especially value their comrades more than we might have expected. As for Sasuke... for now, he only seems to care about Nanfeng and Naruto. We'll have to help him build bonds with others through future missions."
Kakashi answered respectfully.
"I see. That puts my mind at ease. I'll leave their training to you from now on. They're the future of Konoha!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said warmly, then gave a light cough.
"Hokage-sama, you're still young..." Kakashi said softly, seeming to understand what Hiruzen Sarutobi had meant.
"But the future belongs to the young, doesn't it?" Hiruzen Sarutobi gazed at the setting sun outside, a hint of melancholy in his voice. The feeling lasted only a moment before he once again radiated the presence of the Ninja Hero he had been in his prime!
At Naruto's house, after they'd eaten, the three of them began discussing the Ninjutsu recorded in the Scroll of Seals.
All three of them had already mastered the Shadow Clone Jutsu. The remaining techniques were the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique, Reaper Death Seal, Rasengan, Impure World Reincarnation, and Flying Thunder God Technique.
"I'm going to start with the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique. I'm not very good at Genjutsu, though Sasuke doesn't need to worry about that with his Sharingan..." Nanfeng explained. "As for Impure World Reincarnation, I don't think there's any need for us to learn it at this point."
Naruto had taken detailed notes. They could clearly see the requirements and side effects of Impure World Reincarnation. Bringing back someone who had died required a sacrifice, and the person who returned was only a soul—the body was just a vessel made from someone else.
"I'll learn the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique too. We can practice the Rasengan alongside it. Those two techniques should suit us best right now. But if they were included in the Scroll of Seals, they can't be easy to master..." Nanfeng continued.
Still, none of the three were the sort to be easily defeated by difficulties. Once they'd settled on a training plan, they got down to regular practice. They made little progress that night, but their understanding of Ninjutsu and their Chakra Control improved quite a bit!
"By the way, I should teach you how to control your chakra. We had to hide our talent at the Academy, but now we need to grow quickly and make anyone who's after us think twice." After their training, Nanfeng showed Sasuke and Naruto how to do Water Walking and Tree Climbing.
They all knew who might be after them. Now that they no longer had to hide their abilities, it felt as if they'd finally shrugged off a shackle!
"See you tomorrow. Remember to show up in the afternoon and make Kakashi suffer a little!" Nanfeng said viciously.
At one thirty the next afternoon, Kakashi looked at his watch, wondering if he was losing his mind. Those three really held a grudge. Hadn't he just gotten a little lost on life's winding road yesterday? And now they were pulling this?
It was all Icha Icha Paradise's fault for being so good. He'd stayed up reading without realizing it. Staying up late was a ninja's greatest enemy, so he had to get plenty of rest. Why couldn't they understand the importance of respecting their elders?
"Well, if it isn't Kakashi-sensei. You're early today!" Just as Kakashi was thinking that, a sarcastic voice sounded behind him. He turned around to see the three little brats strolling toward him.
"You three, do you remember what time I told you to meet this morning?" Kakashi asked, holding back his anger.
"Of course. You said nine thirty. But going by your usual schedule, you'd be three and a half hours late. We figured we'd show up at twelve thirty, but then we remembered how long we had to wait yesterday. We thought you should get to experience what it feels like to wait for someone, so we moved it to four thirty..."
"So, Kakashi-sensei, you wouldn't want the Hokage to find out how often you're late, would you? Let's just say that our being late today evens things out with what you did yesterday, okay?"
Before you continue