In late October of Konoha Year 42, the first-year students had recently been buzzing about Hatake Kakashi's individual examination.
On the way to the Ninja Academy that morning, the boys who met up loudly praised him. As members of the same generation, they felt proud to witness a genius rise.
"Kakashi only turned five last month. He's amazing!"
"He finished six years of classes in half a year. Maybe he'll become a Chunin soon?"
"No way! Becoming a Chunin can't be that easy."
"That's what geniuses do—they break the rules. Shu already skipped ahead to the advanced Medical Corps class. I heard Lady Tsunade, one of the Sannin, personally approved it!"
"My head hurts just looking at those books. Shu is incredible..."
"..."
As everyone entered through the school gates, the conversation only grew more excited. Perhaps because Shu Furukawa was so well-liked, Kakashi benefited as well, and the hostility from the start of the school term had completely disappeared.
Obito Uchiha stood among the crowd with a gloomy expression. There were still a few scrapes on his left cheek from getting beaten up after challenging Kakashi yesterday. He really did not want to hear that name.
Kakashi, who was preparing to graduate early, made no attempt to hide it. After his birthday, he publicly announced the matter.
The Ninja Academy's classes were simply too easy for him. More importantly, graduating early meant winning another round!
"Kakashi, how's your preparation? It seems the Third Hokage will be the chief examiner..."
Rin Nohara moved beside Kakashi with admiration in her eyes and asked him. Obito, behind them, had wanted to greet her, but in the end, he lowered his arm halfway through the motion.
I want to be the person she admires.
"Huh?!"
Obito suddenly heard his own thoughts beside his ear and jumped in fright. He then angrily turned toward Shu Furukawa, who had silently appeared beside him, and shouted:
"What are you talking about?! What admiration..."
Obito's face gradually reddened as he looked ahead and realized Rin Nohara did not seem to have noticed what was happening here. He breathed a sigh of relief, only for a trace of disappointment to rise in his heart afterward.
"Everything you're thinking is written on your face. Want me to remind Rin..."
Shu Furukawa had only said half of it when Obito hurriedly stepped before him and said nervously:
"Don't! What if she rejects me..."
"How old are you? You seriously have thoughts like that already?"
With a deliberately disgusted look on his face, Shu Furukawa slowly walked past Obito. Realizing he had been tricked into revealing his true feelings, Obito stomped his feet in anger.
"You're just as awful as Kakashi! I'll beat both of you to a pulp someday!"
"..."
Shizune, whose presence was easy to overlook, lowered her head beside Shu Furukawa and held back a laugh. She had studied with Shu Furukawa for half a year and skipped ahead to the advanced class last month. The girl liked her current life very much.
"Herbal extraction class is this afternoon, right? At this pace, it'll still take another two years to finish all the courses."
Before coming to this world, Shu Furukawa had not been a medical student. After learning the basics of medical ninjutsu, he suddenly recalled a saying from his hometown:
"Never persuade anyone to study medicine..."
Medical ninjas were extremely difficult to train. Getting children this age to honestly bury themselves in books was simply too hard. Someone as disciplined as Shu Furukawa was rare.
Shizune nodded, admiration appearing on her little face as well. Whenever she slacked off, Shu Furukawa would always help her. Hearing a trace of regret in his voice, she immediately comforted him:
"Shu is already amazing. Even Lady Tsunade praised your studies and chakra control!"
"Thanks, Shizune. Don't worry. I'll be satisfied as long as we can graduate together."
A gentle smile appeared on Shu Furukawa's face as he turned to thank her. Besides his outstanding talent, gaining the attention of one of the Sannin was also inseparable from the girl's support outside school.
Unable to stop herself from imagining them working together at Konoha Hospital after graduation, Shizune smiled happily and instinctively replied:
"I'll keep up with you, Shu!"
At noon, many students had gathered at the Ninja Academy gates. When Kakashi appeared wearing a ninja forehead protector, the boys quickly cried out in surprise:
"He really did it!"
"That's amazing..."
"Graduating from the Ninja Academy at five must have broken the record, right?"
"As expected of Kakashi..."
At the very edge of the crowd, Obito watched Kakashi being surrounded by their classmates, envy appearing on his face. Then, hearing Shu Furukawa, Might Guy, and the others loudly talking about celebrating, he quietly left in loneliness.
Sitting alone on a stone bench, Obito thought of Rin Nohara's smiling face from earlier and covered his face with both hands in frustration.
After an unknown amount of time, he heard that familiar voice again and instinctively looked up.
"Are you okay, Obito? Class is about to start."
A trace of concern appeared on Rin Nohara's face. Obito was the only one in the class who had not gone to congratulate Kakashi, and she worried he might be isolated.
"Rin, you said you'd watch me, right?"
"I'll catch up to him soon, then surpass him and become Hokage!"
Seeing Obito pull himself together again, Rin Nohara quickly nodded beneath his hopeful gaze and replied with a smile:
"Yeah, I'll watch you closely."
"Great! Let's do this!"
Obito Uchiha leaped to his feet and shouted happily, instantly regaining his drive. But Rin Nohara's next words left him depressed again:
"Shu and Shizune have already skipped ahead to the advanced class! I can't keep up with their progress at all. Obito, after school, I want to ask Shu for some guidance..."
The moment Obito thought of those textbooks that made his scalp tingle, he completely deflated. When it came to reading and studying, he really could not help.
"Damn it! Why is everyone so outstanding?!"
After night fell, Konoha's commercial district was still bustling. Multicolored lights shone on people's smiling faces, and the shadow of war had not reached this place.
At the barbecue restaurant, many ninjas who had finished their missions came to congratulate Hatake Sakumo.
Graduating from the Ninja Academy at five years old—even the Third Hokage had lavished praise on Kakashi's talent. Everyone present praised the White Fang of the Leaf for how he had raised his son.
Even ninjas from the great clans had come to offer their congratulations. Hatake Sakumo drank heartily for once, and the atmosphere grew even livelier.
"Kakashi, you'll be taking missions next, right? I heard C-rank missions pay thirty thousand ryo..."
Might Guy's eyes gleamed as he stuffed himself with barbecue and spoke of mission earnings. Worried that the silver-haired boy might say something inappropriate, Shu Furukawa took over the conversation.
"You have to start with D-rank missions that pay five thousand ryo, and you'll have to give the captain a cut. It definitely isn't as simple as earning six times as much."
"Even if the village encourages early graduation, it won't assign too many missions to a Genin this young."
Genma Shiranui and Ebisu nodded along. They knew Might Guy's family circumstances. The "Eternal Genin" sometimes could not even get D-rank missions, so life was indeed rather difficult for them.
"That's still an incredible income! I'll definitely graduate early too..."
Eager to improve his family's circumstances, Might Guy set his goal. He quickly received everyone's encouragement. Kakashi had originally wanted to say something, but after seeing Shu Furukawa's look, he changed the subject.
"By the time you graduate, I'll probably be a Chunin! Remember to call me Captain."
"There's no way you'll become a Chunin that quickly!"
Might Guy loudly retorted. As the group bickered and laughed, the usually quiet Shu Furukawa smiled and responded at the right moments. Watching this, Hatake Sakumo felt deeply gratified.
When the meal ended, the barbecue restaurant owner grabbed Hatake Sakumo and insisted on waiving the bill. It was the first time that night the White Fang of the Leaf showed a wry smile.
After stepping outside and seeing off the Chunin and Jonin, Hatake Sakumo finally patted Shu Furukawa on the shoulder and thanked him with a smile.
"Shu, thanks to you, Kakashi was able to make so many friends. Honestly, I didn't want him to graduate so quickly. After all, ninjas need companions."
"It's only what I should do. Kakashi is actually very popular!"
The White Fang of the Leaf laughed heartily at Shu Furukawa's praise. His son possessed extraordinary ninja talent, and that made him incomparably proud.
Everyone chatted and laughed beneath the night sky. Seeing Hatake Sakumo gently rub Kakashi's head as he kindly spoke with the boys, Shu Furukawa could only sigh inwardly.
What kind of mission could lead to what happened in my memories?
"..."