The First Battle of the Exams

See you in a week. At a crossroads, Karot said goodbye to his teammates.

When he returned home, he found Hatake Sakumo had been waiting for some time.

"You two did well today, Karot, Kakashi."

A smile spread across Hatake Sakumo's face as he felt proud of his sons' performance.

"After all, our father is Konoha's White Fang. How could we let him down?"

"Hahaha! That's my son!"

Karot's frank words pleased Hatake Sakumo greatly.

"By the way, Kakashi, I've found you a teacher."

Hatake Sakumo said this out of the blue.

Kakashi was taken aback, then asked in confusion,

"A teacher?"

"Yes, an excellent teacher. I think you've heard of him."

As soon as Karot heard Hatake Sakumo's words, he knew who the teacher would be: the "fastest" man in the Ninja World, Minato Namikaze.

"It's Minato Namikaze."

"Is that the Minato Namikaze who's Lord Jiraiya's student and learned the Flying Thunder God?"

A glint appeared in Kakashi's usually dull eyes as he asked excitedly.

"That's right."

"But he intends to compete for the next Hokage position. Wouldn't that make him your rival, Father? Then I..."

Before Kakashi could finish, Hatake Sakumo interrupted him.

"You don't need to worry about the Hokage position for me. Minato and I are on good terms, even as rivals. I'm sending you to him because he's the right teacher for you. You should trust your father's abilities."

"Thank you, Father."

Karot was starting to get a headache over how utterly clueless his father was about politics. He spoke up.

"Come on, Father. Without any backing, you can't become Hokage."

"Hm?"

Both father and son turned puzzled looks toward Karot, wondering what earth-shattering insight he was about to share.

"From the Second Hokage to the Third, the position was passed from teacher to student. You're only the head of a small clan, Father. The support you have is nowhere near as strong as the Hokage's faction. That's the first point."

"Second, your achievements can overshadow your superiors. If your abilities outshine those of the current leader's successor, you'll be in danger."

"Minato taking you on as a student this time is the Hokage's way of testing you, Father."

After hearing Karot's analysis, Hatake Sakumo was dumbfounded. Was this really the same foolish son who only knew how to eat and train? Kakashi was just as astonished. When had his older brother gotten so smart? Where had the brother who used to rely on brute force to put him in his place gone?

Seeing the two of them still stunned, Karot rapped his knuckles on the table to bring them back to their senses.

"Does that mean I can't become Hokage, Karot?" Hatake Sakumo asked, unwilling to give up. Every ninja in Konoha dreamed of becoming Hokage, and Hatake Sakumo wasn't stupid. After hearing Karot's analysis and thinking it over himself, he fully understood that the position seemed within reach, but was really just an illusion.

"Not necessarily."

"Really?" Hatake Sakumo asked eagerly.

"When I'm strong enough to sweep all of Konoha, you can be Hokage if you want, Father," Karot replied boldly.

"Honestly, as long as you and Kakashi are safe and sound, I don't mind not becoming Hokage, Karot."

In the end, a father's love for his children won out over his desire for power. Everyone faces countless choices, but not everyone can accept the consequences of the ones they make.

"Eat before the food gets cold. I had it specially prepared to celebrate your success in the exams."

"Then let's eat!"

Another week passed in the blink of an eye. Karot and Kakashi arrived at the venue for the third round.

Spectators packed the area around the exam grounds. Some were civilians, others were ninja. The Chunin Ninja Exams had drawn them all in.

Because Karot had trained that morning, they arrived late.

"You two are the only ones missing. Hurry up," the Jonin examiner urged the brothers, who had shown up at the last minute.

"Yes."

"Yes."

Knowing they were in the wrong, the two said yes, but made no effort to hurry as they strolled along.

"Everyone's here. Draw lots to decide your opponents."

After speaking, the Jonin brought over a box, and the candidates drew their lots one by one.

There were ten slips of paper in the box. Each had a symbol, and the two people who drew matching symbols would face off. The winners would advance to the next round.

After the Jonin finished speaking expressionlessly, all but the Hatake brothers and a few ninja from prominent clans looked nervous. The three remaining civilian ninja could only pray they would draw another civilian ninja, since that was their best chance of winning. Ninja from prominent clans began training and studying ninjutsu at a young age. They had a strong foundation, and generations of experience helped them grow faster and stronger. Not every civilian was Minato Namikaze. He was the exception, not the rule.

But clearly, Lady Luck was on her period today and hadn't heard their prayers.

Soon, everyone had drawn an opponent. Kakashi had drawn someone from the Inuzuka clan. Both wore confident smiles, each convinced he would win.

Karot's opponent was from the Hyuga clan, another family known for its eyes. Was he cursed to fight people with special eyes? Last round, he'd dealt with the Sharingan; this time, it was the Byakugan.

The exam began soon afterward, and Kakashi, who had taken first place in the second round, was the first to step forward.

"Hey, Hatake brat, you'd better surrender now! You're way too young to become a Chunin."

His opponent looked at him with disdain. Kakashi was called a genius, but his age made him seem far less capable than he was. Putting himself in Kakashi's shoes, the Inuzuka ninja compared their abilities at the same age and concluded that victory was his.

"Keep talking like you're so sure of yourself, and you'll look all the more pathetic when you lose."

Kakashi was razor-tongued at this age. Even Karot sometimes couldn't win an argument with him and had to resort to brute force.

"In that case, don't blame me for showing no respect to Lord Hatake Sakumo. If you won't take the dignified route, then I'll have to put you in your place."

Inuzuka Yasha believed he'd already shown Kakashi plenty of respect. If Kakashi wouldn't accept it, then he couldn't be blamed. Even if Lord Sakumo wanted to call him to account, it would be Kakashi's fault. Yasha couldn't possibly lose: he was more than twice Kakashi's age and had trained for at least twice as long.

Each member of the Inuzuka clan had a small dog companion. Inuzuka Yasha's was a little dog with long, pure-white fur, named Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, attack with me!" Inuzuka Yasha shouted.

"Woof!" Inuyasha answered. After years together, the boy and his dog understood one another perfectly. Then they attacked Kakashi from different directions.

Kakashi had studied the profiles of the candidates in the third round beforehand. Knowing your enemy as well as yourself could only help, and he'd also looked into the Inuzuka clan's ninjutsu. So he didn't let his guard down around this seemingly harmless little dog.