Making a Name in Konoha

The next day.

Kazan was late.

He had no idea how long it had taken them to repair the road last night, but it certainly hadn't been early when they finished. By the end, only he and Kakashi remained on the street. There wasn't another soul in sight.

As a healthy person who needed eight hours of sleep every day, Kazan had simply overslept.

And when he opened his eyes, the system that had been silent all this time finally stirred.

[Hidden Achievement completed: Famous Across Konoha 1!]

[Reward: Garp Template integration increased by 10%!]

"Huh?"

Kazan froze, then understood. He hadn't expected the system to work like this.

What had all that time spent keeping a low profile been for?

He should have gone and beaten Kakashi up the moment Kakashi graduated!

"Still, it's not too late. At least I know how this system works now."

The 10% boost to the template was unmistakable.

When Kazan got up, he felt as if his whole body was brimming with energy.

There had been other factors behind his victory over Kakashi last night. Now, beating Kakashi would be easy.

And...

He had a vague sense that his body finally met the requirements to train in the Six Powers.

"Two pieces of good news in one day."

In his excitement, Kazan created six Shadow Clones and sent them to train in the Six Powers for him.

Only then did he leave home and head for the Ninja Academy.

Along the way, the people of Konoha were gossiping like mad.

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"Last night, Kazan, that little demon, knocked Kakashi Hatake—the village genius—unconscious!"

"What? Kazan? That good-for-nothing brat knocked Kakashi out?"

"That's right. I heard he invented a move called Big Bang and slammed Kakashi into the street like he was wringing a chicken's neck. Knocked him right out."

"Whoa. He's that strong?"

The listener was stunned. Then the two parted ways and spread the rumor in different directions.

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"Kazan took Kakashi down last night with one Big Bang!"

"Big Bang?!"

"Yeah. I heard Kakashi nearly went to join his dad on the spot!"

"That's terrifying!"

"..."

"What? Kazan punched Kakashi into the hospital, and he still hasn't woken up?"

"Pass it on! Kazan beat the crap out of Kakashi Hatake, the genius!"

"Big news! Kazan blew the genius Kakashi away with one punch! Piss and shit went everywhere!"

"We're doomed! Kazan, that little terror, has stopped holding back..."

It was getting ridiculous.

Even with the experience of two lifetimes, Kazan couldn't keep the corner of his mouth from twitching when he heard the rumors.

So I completed Famous Across Konoha thanks to these people!

Kazan picked up his pace. The rumors grew more absurd by the minute. Now people were saying he'd beaten the piss and shit out of Kakashi. He couldn't imagine what they'd come up with next.

They're out of their minds!

A little while later.

Classes had already started at the Ninja Academy. In a hurry, Kazan leaped straight up to the classroom window instead of taking the entrance.

The Chunin teacher stopped mid-lecture, and everyone in the class turned to look at him.

"He's here! It's Kazan!"

"I heard he put Kakashi in the hospital last night."

"In the hospital? I heard he beat the crap right out of Kakashi!"

"Huh? Wasn't it piss and shit?"

"Whoa..."

Sharp intakes of breath rippled through the classroom.

Who could have imagined it? Kakashi had entered school at five, graduated early that same year, and was already a Chunin. Yet that genius had apparently lost to Kazan, who only knew how to throw punches.

"Impossible. It has to be a rumor. I'm the one who's going to beat Kakashi!" Obito refused to believe it.

Asuma didn't believe it either. If Kazan really was that strong, where would that leave him?

"Kazan!!!"

The Chunin teacher was surprised too, but when Kazan casually headed for his seat, the teacher's shock vanished. His sacred duty as an educator had been affronted.

"Why didn't you use the door?" he demanded.

"Because I was late and in a hurry!"

"Then why were you late?"

"I overslept!"

At least the kid was honest.

"Go stand outside the door. You're not coming back into the classroom for the rest of this lesson!"

"And from now on, no coming in through the window. Use the door like everyone else!"

"Okay."

With that, Kazan went into the hallway and stood against the wall as punishment.

After a burst of chatter, the classroom fell quiet again under the teacher's scolding, and the lesson resumed.

As for Kazan.

He began thinking about how to make a bigger splash.

He had noticed the Arabic numeral at the end of the achievement name, [Famous Across Konoha 1].

That meant there was more to the achievement.

If he could become even more famous, he could probably increase his Garp Template integration further and grow stronger.

But I've already beaten Kakashi. How am I supposed to make a name for myself now?

Kazan thought for a while.

He realized that unless he left the village and did something earth-shattering, his only options were to take on the Uchiha Clan or the Hyuga Clan, Konoha's two largest Shinobi Clans.

People in the Shinobi World had long spoken of three great dojutsu.

The first was the legendary Sage of Six Paths' Rinnegan, known as the eyes of a Sage.

It belonged to legend. Across the entire Shinobi World, only a handful of people knew it had truly existed.

The other two were the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan and the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan.

To keep their descendants' bloodlines pure, the two clans rarely married outsiders.

Their powerful Kekkei Genkai also gave them exceptional standing within Konoha.

Worth a try. It might actually work.

The Third Shinobi World War was fast approaching. He had to get as strong as he could.

His original plan had been to lie low and survive the war. Even the Third Raikage, a monster of a man, had died in that "slaughterhouse." That said plenty about how brutal it would be.

Now he intended to make a name for himself. If there was an achievement called Famous Across Konoha, surely there was one for becoming famous across the Shinobi World too.

The greater his feats, the faster he would grow stronger. And the stronger he became, the better his chances of surviving the war.

Strength was what mattered most!

Meanwhile.

Inside the Hokage's Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was listening to a Jonin from the village complain.

The subject was Kakashi, who had clashed with the other members of his squad.

Much of the time, Kakashi wouldn't even listen to the Jonin leading his squad. He did as he pleased, and it had begun to seriously interfere with their missions.

"I understand. You can go. I'll make arrangements for Kakashi."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed silently.

Kakashi was immensely talented. If given the chance to grow, he would surely become another White Fang of Konoha, feared throughout the Shinobi World.

But as things stood...

This was the fourth squad-leading Jonin to complain about Kakashi.

Kakashi's problem had to be handled properly. Konoha couldn't afford to lose a genius like him.

Only one person came to Hiruzen's mind: Minato Namikaze.

That genius was like sunshine, always wearing a smile that seemed to embrace everyone. Perhaps he could guide Kakashi back onto the right path and dispel the shadows in his heart.

"Have Minato come see me."

"Yes!"

An ANBU operative answered from the shadows, then swiftly vanished from the office.