Dark Kakashi

Hearing Uchiha Obito's reason, Umino Ikkaku's mouth twitched.

So this kid really went to help someone else?

Looking at Uchiha Obito panting for breath, Umino Ikkaku nodded; he was a good kid.

"Go back to your seat first. Just don't be late next time."

"Yes!" Hearing Umino Ikkaku's words, Uchiha Obito took a few deep breaths and then promised, "I won't be late again!"

"Pfft~" Uchiha Obito's words made Yuki Yuichi burst into laughter.

The eyes of the entire classroom turned toward him.

"Sorry, sorry."

"I've undergone professional training, unless... I just can't help it..."

Glancing at Yuki Yuichi, Umino Ikkaku sighed. Troublemakers, they were all troublemakers.

This class was full of them.

Returning to his seat, Uchiha Obito glared fiercely at Yuki Yuichi.

Just you wait. I will definitely accomplish great things that shake the world in the future!

Uchiha Obito thought silently to himself, I will make every ninja remember my name!

I will definitely become Hokage!

"Yuichi, what were you laughing at just now?" Yuhi Kurenai leaned in close to Yuki Yuichi and whispered, while simultaneously glancing up at Umino Ikkaku, who had his back to them, fearing he might notice her small movements.

"I just have a feeling that a guy like Uchiha Obito can't possibly stop being late," Yuki Yuichi whispered back.

"How do you know that?" Kakashi Hatake's voice rang out abruptly from the front.

To avoid the boredom he'd experienced yesterday, he had sat in the back today.

It wasn't just Kakashi; all the students who had successfully refined chakra and knew how to read had moved to the back.

Umino Ikkaku didn't mind; these students were clearly beyond this level of instruction.

But there was no help for it; this was the curriculum, and it would remain so until everyone had refined their chakra and learned to read.

This was the primary focus of the first-year curriculum.

However, refining chakra generally only took about a month.

Students who failed to refine chakra after more than a month were essentially deemed to have no talent and would be expelled.

After that month, while they would continue to teach these basics, they would shift from primary to secondary importance.

At that point, they would begin explaining the Will of Fire and other theoretical knowledge.

This was exactly why Yuhi Shinku said their first-year curriculum was a waste of time.

These things would all be learned through a few more practical exercises anyway.

Looking at Kakashi Hatake, who had turned his head around, he was still wearing that signature dead-fish look.

Yuki Yuichi spoke up, "I just have a premonition."

Hearing his words, Kakashi Hatake looked toward Uchiha Obito's direction, lost in thought.

"That Uchiha guy... he shouldn't be late forever, right?" Kakashi Hatake said uncertainly.

"Uchiha Obito is a bit different, you know."

Just as Yuki Yuichi was about to explain, a piece of chalk flew over from Umino Ikkaku.

Yuki Yuichi stretched his hands forward, and the chalk, no larger than a fingernail, was caught between his index and middle fingers.

He had caught it, but Kakashi was not so lucky. Since his back was turned to Umino Ikkaku, by the time he sensed the danger, the chalk had already struck the back of his head.

Arrogant, simply too arrogant!

It had been a long time since Umino Ikkaku had seen such insolent students.

If they had just turned around to talk, he wouldn't have said anything, but Kakashi and Yuki Yuichi were speaking loudly enough for the students in the front rows to hear.

And the very subject of their discussion, Uchiha Obito, was still staring at the two of them.

Umino Ikkaku pointed toward the door and shouted angrily, "Both of you, get out and stand in the hallway!"

Yuki Yuichi and Kakashi Hatake exchanged a glance, stood up in unison, and walked toward the door.

However, before leaving, Yuki Yuichi whispered something into Yuhi Kurenai's ear that left her looking stunned.

Once Yuki Yuichi finished, he left his seat alongside Kakashi.

As the two stepped out of the classroom, Umino Ikkaku's voice grew louder, as if he wanted to ensure they could still hear the lesson from outside.

Noticing this, Yuki Yuichi couldn't help but remark, "Ikkaku-sensei really is a good man, worrying that we wouldn't be able to hear from out here."

Kakashi Hatake nodded from the side, saying with a punchable expression, "Indeed, though I don't really need this..."

Hearing this, Yuki Yuichi's mouth twitched; the young Kakashi seemed quite different from the version in his memories.

With that thought, Yuki Yuichi shook his head and walked toward the exit, waving his hand as he said, "I'm heading out. See you this afternoon."

He had decided to skip class the moment Umino Ikkaku told him to come out.

The current lessons were truly torture.

Watching Yuki Yuichi's retreating back, Kakashi Hatake froze, then glanced back into the classroom before sneaking out to follow him.

Walking down the street, Yuki Yuichi looked at Kakashi Hatake helplessly. "Why are you following me?"

"I don't know where else to go," Kakashi Hatake said righteously.

"Then don't follow me, either."

"Following you is still better than not knowing where to go."

"But I don't know where to go either!"

Following Yuki Yuichi's words, the two of them were at a loss for what to say for a moment.

After a long silence, Kakashi Hatake managed to squeeze out, "Then why did you skip class?"

Hearing this, Yuki Yuichi was equally righteous. "Because I don't want to stay in school."

Silence fell between them again. They looked at each other, then spoke in unison: "How about we go train?"

After speaking at the same time, they both paused, stunned.

Yuki Yuichi looked at Kakashi Hatake and laughed, throwing an arm around his shoulder. "I couldn't tell, you're quite the diligent one."

"Not bad, I admire you."

Hearing his words, Kakashi Hatake was speechless.

"Don't talk to me in that adult tone, you jerk!"

Yuki Yuichi waved his hand dismissively and asked, "Since we're going to train, do you know any good spots?"

"It's best if it's somewhere secluded so we can skip class to train there in the future without getting caught by Ikkaku-sensei."

Hearing Yuki Yuichi's words, Kakashi Hatake pondered for a moment before saying, "There's a clearing in the forest behind the Hokage Rock. I saw it when I went there before."

"We can go there."

"Good job, Kakashi!" Yuki Yuichi gave a thumbs up in praise. "As expected of you!"

Hearing the nickname, Kakashi Hatake's eye twitched. "Jerk, don't call me Kakashi!"

"Fine." Yuki Yuichi didn't mind. "Since you don't like that nickname, I'll call you Dark Kakashi from now on!"

As he said this, Yuki Yuichi even mimicked an Ultraman firing a beam.

"I... you... sigh..." Kakashi Hatake wanted to curse, but ultimately gave up.

"You'd better just call me Kakashi."

Compared to Dark Kakashi, he found that Kakashi wasn't actually that hard to accept.

"Let's head over now, then." Kakashi's words made the corners of Yuki Yuichi's mouth curl up.

Hearing him, Kakashi Hatake shook his head. "I'm going back to grab my ninja blade first."

"You can go back and grab your ninja tools, too."

"We'll meet up at the Hokage Rock."

"No need." Yuki Yuichi shook his head. "I don't have any ninja tools, and I don't use them anyway."

"I'll just go back with you."

Hearing this, Kakashi Hatake thought for a moment, then nodded. "That works too. We'll head straight over from there."