The Bratty Kakashi

I had to admit, Sakumo was a really good cook.

Even Ye Ning, who was used to all kinds of delicacies at the Daimyo Mansion, had to admit that the food in front of him was delicious.

It was hard to imagine that Sakumo, a blade known for his fearsome reputation and hailed as Konoha's White Fang, could also be such a good cook.

"Come to think of it, with all of us gathered here, I bet the old man won't be able to sleep tonight, huh?"

Tsunade wolfed down her food without the slightest concern for her image, stuffing her cheeks until they bulged. Her words came out muffled.

Yet everyone present understood her perfectly.

Orochimaru smiled faintly. "Who knows?"

Sakumo paused for a moment, then carried on as usual.

As for Ye Ning... he didn't react at all.

What did he care whether the Third Hokage got a good night's sleep?

He'd be better off using that time to eat a few more bites.

Besides, the Third Hokage couldn't do anything to him.

If the Third Hokage dared to play dirty, Ye Ning would tell his own dear old dad to cut off Konoha's funding.

He could make the Third Hokage follow the Kazekage next door's example and earn his own money.

Konoha was full of trees. Maybe they could cut them all down and sell the lumber for a tidy sum?

Among them, only Kurama Dequn looked close to tears.

Was this... something he was even supposed to hear?

Two of the people here were the Third Hokage's students, one was a hero of Konoha, and the only one weaker than him was the only son of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. None of them were afraid of the Third Hokage.

But he was just an ordinary jonin!

Kurama Dequn hesitated for a moment, then simply lowered his head and ate in silence.

You all talk among yourselves. I didn't hear a thing. That should be fine, right?

"It's a shame Jiraiya isn't here. Come to think of it, it's been years since we last saw him, hasn't it?" Sakumo took a sip of wine, his expression unchanged.

Though Sakumo was still an elite jonin of Konoha, in truth, he hadn't gone on a mission in a long time. The person he had once looked up to as his goal had gradually lost much of his hold over him. He was quite content to stay home and teach Kakashi, and occasionally get together with friends.

It was just a shame they weren't all here yet.

"Who knows where that guy's off fooling around?" Tsunade rolled her eyes, looking thoroughly dismissive. "Maybe he's out enjoying himself somewhere."

Jiraiya had said he would stay in the Land of Rain and take good care of the three orphans of the war, but Tsunade couldn't imagine someone like him spending three years as a caretaker. He'd probably already run off to some obscure corner of the Shinobi World to enjoy himself.

All in the name of "gathering material."

"Maybe he'll be back by the next time we get together."

Orochimaru's lips curled slightly. Whenever Jiraiya came up, his mood always seemed to lift for some reason.

Looking at the people around the table, and disregarding Kurama Dequn, who barely made his presence felt, Ye Ning suddenly felt like laughing.

Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Sakumo: three bona fide Kage Level fighters, and not one of them wanted to become Hokage. Orochimaru might still have some desire to become Hokage, but compared with immortality, the position was little more than an afterthought.

The power the Third Hokage and Danzo fought so desperately to seize was something the three of them scorned.

One longed for immortality, one wanted to travel the world, and one wanted to stay home and be a dad.

Yet just having those three together was enough to keep the Third Hokage up all night.

"Come to think of it, Orochimaru, you've been getting more and more mysterious lately. You're never around. What have you been tinkering with in secret?" Tsunade tilted her head, curiosity glinting in her eyes.

Ever since the Second Shinobi World War ended, Orochimaru had been acting mysterious, disappearing for long stretches at a time. He only showed up now and then to teach Ye Ning; the rest of the time, nobody could find him.

Perhaps Tsunade, who had been lost in grief all this time, had never cared enough to ask.

But the Tsunade here and now had grown curious.

Ye Ning knew full well what Orochimaru was up to at this point. He immediately put on an expectant look and watched Orochimaru with interest.

He was eager to hear the answer.

Would Orochimaru brush her off, make an excuse, or...

Orochimaru fell silent, his yellow, snake-like eyes lost in thought.

After a long while, he finally spoke in his hoarse voice.

"With Danzo's help, I'm researching something very interesting."

Something very interesting?

Tsunade took a disinterested sip of wine and turned away.

She'd never been interested in Orochimaru's strange experiments.

Besides, the things Orochimaru found interesting were usually nothing good.

But Ye Ning perked up.

At this point in time, Orochimaru had already begun researching Hashirama Cells.

If he could extract Hashirama's chakra from his cells, then use his cheat to fuse it into his own body, could he gain the power of Wood Release?

But not long after the thought crossed his mind, Ye Ning abandoned it.

It seemed like more trouble than it was worth.

Wood Release wasn't that tempting.

Hashirama's strength came from Ashura's chakra, not Wood Release.

Even if Ye Ning needed Ashura's chakra someday, there was no reason to get involved with Hashirama Cells.

He only needed to wait for Naruto and Sasuke to be born, one step at a time.

"You bratty Kakashi! Just you wait!"

A commotion suddenly rose outside the Hatake Clan's front gate.

A white-haired boy with his face covered immediately walked into the courtyard, completely ignoring the loud voice outside and leaving only a cool, aloof figure behind.

"Sakumo, is that your son?" Tsunade cocked her head, her expression teasing.

That unknown kid outside didn't seem to be wrong.

Judging by his looks and air alone, the boy really did have a bratty sort of attitude. He even seemed a little... like Orochimaru used to be?

Tsunade's gaze unconsciously shifted to Orochimaru, and she gestured toward him with her eyes.

If Jiraiya had been there, he would probably have exclaimed that little Kakashi was the spitting image of Orochimaru as a child.

Just as aloof, just as bratty.

Sakumo couldn't help but smile wryly.

His son was good in every way, except that he was too prone to getting stuck in his own head.

There had been plenty of rumors about him in Konoha back then. Nearly everyone on the street had talked about him, and it had made the already quiet Kakashi even more withdrawn. He'd shut himself off completely and pushed everyone away.

Gradually, in the eyes of the children outside, Kakashi—who was popular with girls and always seemed so aloof—became the bratty thorn in their side.

After crossing the courtyard, Kakashi soon noticed that there seemed to be guests at home. A hint of confusion showed in the eyes visible above his mask.

All these faces were unfamiliar to him.

Were they his father's friends?