On the walls of the frontline base, the academy students stood under the protection of several Elite Jonin, pointing excitedly toward the distance. The excitement on their faces showed that they clearly had no understanding of the cruelty of war.
Even the Empire's ninjas did not feel any feverish enthusiasm toward war. Instead, they were utterly sick of it.
War meant death. It meant their comrades might sacrifice themselves in some corner, never even leaving behind a corpse to be found.
Looking at the younger generation's expressions of longing, curiosity, and excitement toward war, they could not help thinking of their former selves. When they had been young, had they not been exactly the same?
"Yoshihide, look over there. I just heard one of the seniors here say that's the main battlefield."
Inabi rose onto his tiptoes and shouted excitedly to his close friend.
"Stop shouting. You're embarrassing yourself."
Yoshihide put on a reserved, disdainful expression, but secretly, he was even more excited than his friend.
Inabi did not get angry. He clenched his fist excitedly. "Once we graduate, can we also go to the battlefield and kill enemies for the Empire?"
"Yeah." Yoshihide snorted. "But you probably won't graduate by then. Work hard to get stronger, and don't drag me down."
Might Guy, returning from a mission, passed by and overheard their conversation. He secretly nudged Kakashi beside him and said with a grin,
"Look at that cocky kid. Doesn't he look like you when you were little?"
"Tch." Kakashi rolled his eyes at him, too lazy to bother responding.
"Don't deny it. The kid beside him looks just like Uchiha Obito back then." Might Guy accidentally tore open the scar in Kakashi's heart again. Realizing he had said the wrong thing, he hurriedly covered his mouth.
Kakashi could