New Semester

The next day.

The gates of the Ninja Academy grew lively once more. Just like this time last year, they welcomed a new batch of students.

And that also meant Yin Jie had advanced to the second year.

The new semester had begun.

Of course, since it was the first day of the new semester, Yin Jie had come in person this time rather than sending a shadow clone.

Just as Yin Jie was about to enter the Ninja Academy gates, two figures—one large and one small—suddenly entered his field of vision.

The larger one had long silver-white hair tied into a ponytail behind his head. He wore a red-and-white Hokage short-sleeved coat over his right shoulder, with a chakra short sword strapped to his back.

The smaller one had somewhat messy silver-white hair and a mask covering the lower half of his face. With both hands shoved into his pockets, he was doing his best to look cool.

Sakumo Hatake and Kakashi Hatake...

Yin Jie narrowed his eyes, recognizing the two.

Then he looked in the direction Sakumo Hatake and Kakashi Hatake had come from.

Sure enough, at the end of the street stood two green figures, one large and one small, clutching each other and weeping bitterly.

Might Duy and Might Guy...

Yin Jie silently recited their names.

It seemed that people's joys and sorrows truly were not the same.

They were both four years old, and both would become pillars of the Hidden Leaf Village in the future.

Yet Kakashi Hatake had easily passed the Ninja Academy entrance examination, while Might Guy, a commoner with no background to speak of, had failed and been rejected.

After all, although Might Duy would later achieve the glorious feat of turning the Hidden Mist Village's Seven Ninja Swordsmen into the "Lucky Trio," at this point, he was merely an obscure ninja who seemed to possess little strength and could only use taijutsu—a "perpetual genin."

Yin Jie shook his head almost imperceptibly, then withdrew his gaze and passed through the gates, continuing into the Ninja Academy.

However, even that brief pause and shift in expression did not escape Sakumo Hatake's notice.

"Dad! What were you looking at just now?"

Kakashi keenly sensed that something about his father had seemed different in that instant, and he could not help asking.

At the same time, he looked in the direction Sakumo Hatake had been watching and saw Yin Jie walking into the Ninja Academy, along with the fan-shaped clan crest on his back.

"I saw an interesting boy. A very talented boy, too."

Sakumo Hatake spoke slowly, his tone carrying admiration.

"More talented than me?"

Kakashi was unconvinced.

After all, he had already begun ninja training and possessed considerable strength.

More importantly, he was only four years old!

"Yes."

Seeing the defiant look on Kakashi's face, Sakumo Hatake pondered for a moment before ultimately deciding to tell the truth. He did not want his son to become blindly arrogant at such a young age.

When they had encountered Might Duy and Might Guy earlier, he had already warned Kakashi not to underestimate Might Guy, saying that the boy might very well surpass him and become his lifelong rival.

But clearly, since Kakashi had not seen anything extraordinary in Might Guy, he had not taken those words too seriously.

After all, the current Might Guy truly had accomplished nothing, and his strength was utterly ordinary as well.

Thus, Sakumo Hatake's judgment did not seem particularly convincing.

Yin Jie, who had happened to appear before them, was completely different from Might Guy.

Of course, Sakumo Hatake knew of Yin Jie, the talented Uchiha child. Before returning, Yin Jie had stayed at the frontline camp under Sakumo's command for roughly a week.

Though they had never formally met, how could he, as the commander, not know what was happening in the camp?

With an idea forming in his mind, Sakumo Hatake decided to make Yin Jie a target for Kakashi to chase. By comparing him to Yin Jie, he could put more pressure on his son and temper that slightly impetuous pride of his.

"His name is Uchiha Yin Jie. He is currently a second-year student at the Ninja Academy. He should be two years older than you, but..."

Sakumo Hatake first slowly told Kakashi about Yin Jie, then paused slightly. "In terms of strength, he has already surpassed most chunin!"

Kakashi froze.

Sakumo Hatake's final words were like a massive hammer blow, leaving him utterly stunned!

Impossible!!!

Absolutely impossible!!!

A storm surged through Kakashi's heart in an instant!

He simply could not believe that Yin Jie, who was only two years older than him, could be that strong!

Yet he had no choice but to believe it.

Because those words had come from his father, the man known as the "White Fang of the Leaf"!

Seeing Kakashi stand there in silence for a long while, Sakumo Hatake gently rubbed his son's hair and earnestly instructed him.

"Work hard, Kakashi! There is always someone stronger, and a sky beyond every sky. From now on, make him the target you strive to catch up to!"

He hoped the genius Yin Jie would place enough pressure on his equally gifted son. He also believed that his son could bear that pressure, perhaps even turn it into motivation to move forward.

As Yin Jie headed toward the classroom, his thoughts raced.

Since Kakashi had enrolled.

Then Uchiha Obito of the same clan, Rin Nohara, Sarutobi Asuma, Yūhi Kurenai, Aoba Yamashiro, Raido Namiashi, Tatami Iwashi, Izumo Kamizuki, Kotetsu Hagane, Tonbo Tobitake, Morino Ibiki, Anko Mitarashi, Shizune, and the other future pillars of the Hidden Leaf Village who appeared in the original story were most likely part of this new class as well.

Of course, Might Guy was included too.

Yin Jie vaguely remembered that Might Guy was eventually admitted to the Ninja Academy through supplementary enrollment and became Kakashi's classmate there.

It seemed that four was the normal age to enter the Ninja Academy.

The students in Yin Jie's class had generally been a little older...

Therefore, although he was two years older than Kakashi, at the Ninja Academy, he was only one class ahead of Kakashi Hatake and the others.

Still, that was fine.

The title of senior sounded pretty good.

The corners of Yin Jie's lips curled upward in an involuntary smile.