Do I Still Have a Chance?

Impacted by the Rasengan, Sakumo Hatake slid backward for a distance before he could barely steady himself.

He looked up at Hayato, a flash of admiration crossing his eyes.

Hayato's figure followed like a shadow, flashing behind Sakumo almost the instant the latter came to a stop.

A sharp kunai rested lightly against Sakumo's neck.

However, there was not a hint of killing intent in his movements; he had simply completed this attack as a way to demonstrate his strength.

"Sakumo-sensei, I accept your concession." Hayato's voice was calm and confident, revealing a composure that surpassed his years.

Sakumo smiled slightly, putting away his previous dismissive attitude and regarding the subordinate he would be fighting alongside in the future with newfound seriousness.

"You won, Hayato. Your strength exceeds my expectations."

On the other side, although Hayato felt a sense of pleasant surprise at his victory, he did not become complacent.

He did not think that his strength was greater than Sakumo's just because of a single sparring match.

He knew clearly that this lucky victory was primarily due to an information gap, catching Sakumo off guard.

But then again, battles between ninjas were often a contest of intelligence.

"Sakumo-sensei, I still have many things to learn from you in the future," Hayato said, neither humble nor arrogant, his tone filled with modesty and respect.

Watching the young man before him, Sakumo couldn't help but nod inwardly.

He had not become proud or arrogant because of a momentary victory; instead, he was even more humble and polite.

This child was not only gifted but also possessed a remarkably steady temperament; he would surely achieve great things in the future.

"Alright, now that we've had a simple introduction, let's go have a proper meal. My treat—is there anything you'd particularly like to eat?" Sakumo asked with a smile.

Hayato blurted out almost without thinking: "Udon!"

His tone was full of anticipation and joy, as if he could already smell that familiar and enticing aroma.

It seemed team-building was a thing after all.

Then again, it was rare to start missions on the very first day.

With that, the two shared a smile and headed toward the noodle shop.

In a short while, they arrived at a bustling noodle shop.

Sakumo ordered a bowl of udon and a bowl of soba, while Hayato waited with great joy for his udon.

"I've heard about you from my son. Oh, right, my son is Kakashi; you two were classmates." Sakumo used his son as a topic to open the conversation.

He wanted to learn more about this young man so he could better guide him.

Upon hearing this, Hayato wore a look of "sudden realization." "So you are Kakashi's father."

Following that, the two began to chat about their respective hobbies and experiences, and their understanding of each other gradually deepened.

After chatting for a while, Hayato finally asked: "Sakumo-sensei, when will we go on missions?"

He knew that to be promoted to a Jonin, strength alone was not enough; he needed corresponding achievements to prove himself.

After considering for a moment, Sakumo replied: "Tomorrow. I'll go see if there are any suitable missions tomorrow."

"Just get some good rest today; you'll have plenty to keep you busy in the future." His tone was full of care and expectation.

Upon learning this, Hayato nodded slowly.

He couldn't help but think that he would need to tell Minato.

In the future, not only would there be times when the other party was unavailable, but he himself would also be unable to discuss the Flying Thunder God Technique due to missions.

Thinking of this, he felt a twinge of regret.

However, these regrets were quickly washed away by a delicious bowl of udon.

After finishing their meal, the two parted ways and headed in their own directions.

Hayato headed toward the old spot he had agreed upon with Minato.

Seeing Hayato running toward him from a distance, Minato, who was in the middle of training, couldn't help but show a look of delight.

When he saw the Konoha forehead protector worn on the other's brow, he felt even happier for him.

"Hayato, congratulations! You've finally become a ninja!" Minato's voice was filled with sincerity and blessings.

"Minato-nii, thank you!" Hayato replied with a grin, showing his white teeth. His heart was also filled with joy and pride.

"By the way, who is your supervising Jonin?" Minato asked curiously. He wanted to know what kind of teacher Hayato would have.

Hayato didn't keep him in suspense and said directly: "It's Sakumo-sensei." His tone was filled with respect.

Hearing this, Minato couldn't help but be shocked. It was actually Sakumo Hatake, known as the White Fang of Konoha.

The man was an elite Jonin whom even the Sannin of Konoha had to treat with three parts respect.

However, Minato did not feel any jealousy because of this. He was genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart that Hayato had such a good teacher.

He knew that Sakumo-sensei would provide Hayato with the best guidance and help.

The two did not continue to discuss this issue, but instead quickly threw themselves into the research of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

They all knew that such opportunities for group discussion would become increasingly rare due to the nature of their missions.

Therefore, they cherished every single second, striving to improve their own strength.

Meanwhile, at Kakashi's home.

In the evening, Kakashi returned home with a somewhat dejected expression.

This was mainly because Shuichi had announced Hayato's graduation to them during class today.

Except for Kurenai, everyone else was shocked.

Kakashi was also extremely astonished, and he felt a sense of frustration deep within.

Is the gap between us going to keep growing?

"Father, did you not go on a mission today?" Kakashi loosened his scarf and asked upon seeing Sakumo, who was busy wiping down White Fang.

However, Sakumo did not answer Kakashi's question, instead saying, "Kakashi, it is no injustice for you to have lost to Hayato."

Hearing this, Kakashi froze, then looked at Sakumo in confusion.

What was going on? Why bring up Hayato so suddenly?

Suddenly, a conjecture popped into Kakashi's mind.

Sakumo put down the silk cloth in his hand and slowly stood up.

"He is a member of my squad now. Today, we had a sparring match."

His words were filled with openness and pride, as if he were sharing something worth being proud of.

Upon hearing Sakumo say this, Kakashi's pupils dilated in shock.

"Father, do you mean..." His voice was filled with tremors.

He had heard from his father last night that he would be serving as a jonin instructor.

That was why, when Sakumo proactively mentioned Hayato, he had guessed that his father's subordinate might be Hayato.

But what shocked him even more was Sakumo's follow-up statement about having "sparred with him."

Regarding this, Sakumo did not hide much and said candidly, "That's right, I lost."

Regardless of whether it was a matter of intelligence disparity, a loss was a loss.

Sakumo's words finally crushed the hope Kakashi had been clinging to.

He felt an unprecedented sense of frustration and loss.

Is the gap between us already this large? His heart was filled with doubt and unease.

Kakashi lowered his eyes, his expression desolate.

Sakumo walked over to Kakashi's side and ruffled his hair.

"What, have you given up?" His voice was filled with care and expectation.

Kakashi slowly raised his head. "Do I still have a chance?"

Sakumo's voice became a little more serious. "So, is giving up easily your ninja way?"

His words were filled with questioning and expectation. He wanted Kakashi to understand that on the path of a ninja, there is no giving up, only persistence and hard work.

Upon hearing Sakumo's words, the light returned to Kakashi's eyes. "No, that is not my ninja way! 'Never give up'—that is the ninja way that belongs to me!"

His voice was filled with determination and confidence, as if he had already found his direction and goal.

Seeing his son regain his spirit, Sakumo smiled with relief.

"So, strive forward without regrets. Having a goal to chase after is a good thing, isn't it?"

Kakashi nodded firmly, then looked out the window.

Watching a sparrow flapping its wings to fly high, he secretly made a resolution in his heart.

"Hayato, I will catch up to you soon!"

The next day.

"Hayato, repeat the target's intelligence."

"Moves quickly, possesses good anti-reconnaissance capabilities. Excellent concealment skills."

"Just watch me later; I won't let it escape from my hands," Hayato said, full of confidence.

Hayato wore a serious expression, looking like a general heading to the front lines for battle.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

Hayato created three shadow clones, surrounding the target from the north, south, east, and west.

Just as the mission target let down its guard!

"Now!"

"Surrender!" With a loud shout, Hayato and his three shadow clones rushed forward together and apprehended the target on the spot.

"Thank you so much! You found my child!" a plump woman wearing thick rouge said happily.

He was cradling a chameleon in his arms.

It was the very child she had spoken of.

The chameleon gazed at Hayato with a look of deep resentment before being carried away by the plump woman, its face a mask of utter despair.

It missed the days when it could run beneath the setting sun; that was its lost youth.

"Take care!"

First D-rank mission, completed perfectly!