Sasuke's plan

Daylight filtered through the window, illuminating the used instant noodle cups and unwashed dishes, with expired milk sitting among them.

It went without saying whose home this was: Naruto Uzumaki's.

Naruto Uzumaki was still asleep, a smile on his face. Clearly, he was having a wonderful dream.

Thud!

"Ow!"

He had slept so deeply that he fell straight out of bed. Jolted awake, he sprang to his feet.

"Heh heh heh!"

He got up from the floor with a goofy grin, seemingly still reminiscing about his dream. The bulging Frog Wallet beside him proved that someone really had taken him on a mission yesterday.

If one person could change their opinion of him, then there could be a second and a third. He had fallen asleep with that thought, dreaming that he had become Hokage and completed countless missions, no longer hated or looked down upon.

"Doing missions... right, I need to take a mission. I'll go by myself tomorrow. I can't keep troubling other people."

Naruto's eyes instantly curved into crescents, and he rushed out to pick up a mission. But after only two steps, he slipped on a milk carton lying on the floor!

"Ow! Just my luck!"

Rubbing his elbow, he got up from the floor, sucking in sharp breaths.

He opened his eyes and looked around at the mess filling his home.

"No, no! As the future Hokage, how can I let my home be this messy? I'd better clean up and eat before heading out!"

Naruto Uzumaki patted his cheeks, then started tidying up his home.

After a quick cleanup, Naruto ate and ran toward the Hokage Building.

He reached the mission desk on the first floor and found a suitable weeding mission.

"I'd like to take this mission."

He pushed the sheet he had selected across the desk as he spoke.

"Ah, sure!"

The man at the desk looked up at him, glanced him over, and nodded.

Naturally, he did not know the boy's identity, but anyone the Third Hokage took so seriously could hardly be insignificant. Whatever requests the boy had, he would do his best to accommodate them.

He had heard the rumors going around, too.

But rumors were just rumors. He still needed to judge things for himself, or he could easily suffer for it.

"Okay, thank you."

Naruto Uzumaki nodded and was about to find the client as instructed. Then he paused and turned back to ask a question.

"Oh, mister, has Mang-the guy who came with me yesterday-come to pick up a mission?"

"No. Luo Mang is a regular when it comes to D-rank missions. He's been taking them for several months, after all. Going by his usual habits, since he took one yesterday, he won't come today. He usually leaves a day or two between visits, so he might come tomorrow or the day after."

The man answered Naruto Uzumaki's question warmly rather than refusing him.

"Oh, okay. Thanks."

With that, Naruto Uzumaki ran off, only to collide head-on with someone just as he left.

"You again, idiot!"

Sasuke Uchiha's icy voice reached Naruto Uzumaki's ears.

Seeing that smiling face here at the mission hall, Sasuke figured they really had done a mission together yesterday. Luo Mang was his clansman, yet instead of coming to find him, he had taken Naruto along.

Sasuke Uchiha had also come today hoping to gain some experience through missions, and perhaps run into Luo Mang so they could do one together and build a good relationship.

The man could predict the future. Even if they had not been clansmen, getting on good terms with him could hardly be a mistake.

Naruto Uzumaki looked up and met his gaze, then shot back, unwilling to back down.

"Oh, it's stuck-up Sasuke!"

"Tch."

Sasuke Uchiha rolled his eyes and ignored him, looking around instead.

Since Naruto Uzumaki had come to pick up a mission, perhaps Luo Mang had accompanied him. This would be a good chance to formally introduce himself.

But he found no sign of him.

"Sigh..."

Sasuke sighed helplessly, then turned and left.

"What's his problem? As stuck-up as ever."

Watching him walk away, Naruto Uzumaki felt puzzled. He frowned, then put it out of his mind.

"Time for a mission! Time for a mission!"

Full of excitement, Naruto ran toward his destination.

Meanwhile, Sasuke headed toward the river.

Since he had not run into his clansman, he could only train on his own.

The riverside was his only option for training. He could hardly go home to do it. As for missions, although much of the Uchiha Clan's inheritance had been withheld, he was still better off than Naruto. He had enough food and clothing, at least, and was not short of money.

He would not be allowed to take missions that could give him experience and make him stronger until he received his forehead protector. He was still an intelligent boy, and could work that much out clearly.

The water burbled.

When he reached the riverbank, he could clearly hear the flowing water. His heavy heart immediately eased.

"Hi!"

"Ah!"

He had just taken a deep breath when the sudden voice startled him. Instinctively, he assumed a fighting stance, reaching toward his shuriken pouch.

The Copy Ninja?

At the sight of the man looking utterly drained, with his face covered by a mask, Sasuke recognized him immediately. Wasn't this the teacher mentioned in the diary?

"Who are you? What do you want?"

He certainly could not reveal that he had a diary. Sasuke could only pretend not to recognize him and ask cautiously.

"Oh?"

Kakashi drew out the sound, narrowing his one visible eye as he studied Sasuke, who supposedly would awaken the Mangekyo in the future. He was very curious.

"Sasuke Uchiha. I've heard about you at the Academy. The Hokage intends to make you my student, so I came to meet you ahead of time. I don't teach dead weight."

That was right. Kakashi had come to secure Sasuke Uchiha as his student this time, perhaps even formally take him on as an apprentice.

Judging by Sasuke Uchiha's duel with Shimura Danzō, the lightning-style ninjutsu he had used bore a striking resemblance to Kakashi's Lightning Blade.

His future self must have treated Sasuke as an apprentice. Even if he had never formally accepted him, he must have taught him as a personal disciple. Perhaps his own overly lax attitude and poor teaching were what had made Sasuke turn out like he had in the video.

So this time, he would properly instill the Will of Fire in him and teach him to protect Konoha. He could not let him become so twisted that he would stab someone who had saved his life without a second thought.

"My teacher?"

Sasuke Uchiha had already known this man was his teacher. He just had not expected it to happen so soon.

Kakashi paid no mind to the change in his expression, assuming he was simply excited to hear that an elite jonin would be teaching him.

"That's right. I've come to test your ninjutsu and your ability to react. We'll have a sparring match, and I'll give you some pointers."

"All right."

Sasuke Uchiha did not refuse. He needed to grow stronger now. Whether it was that man or the dangers awaiting him in the future, he needed the strength to survive.

He also had to protect his last remaining clansman and get him to find more girlfriends so they could expand the clan.

As for himself, of course he would make it up to the girl named Karin in the footage. The one who had stabbed her was the person in the video, not him!