Looking at those two pairs of delighted eyes, Kakashi couldn't help relaxing a little.
He spread his hands.
"Just as I thought, I still don't like you very much."
"But if I keep letting Hayashi protect you, he'll have a hard time."
"So—I'm giving you this extra training because of Hayashi, not for any other reason."
Naruto and Sasuke nodded in unison.
"I'll work hard!" Naruto clenched his fists. "Hard enough to protect Hayashi!"
Sasuke said nothing.
He stared into Kakashi's eyes for two seconds, as though he had glimpsed something more painful there-in the end, he said nothing, only giving a firm nod.
"Good." Kakashi clapped his hands. "Then let's start now. First exercise-tree climbing."
"Huh?" Naruto froze. "Tree climbing? Even little kids can do that..."
Kakashi ignored him.
He walked straight up to a large tree, lifted his foot, and stepped onto its trunk-then walked vertically up it, one step at a time, as though he were on level ground. Only when he reached the treetop did he look down at the two dumbstruck boys below.
"Gather chakra in the soles of your feet to stick to the trunk," he said unhurriedly. "Once you can walk up here to me, you're done."
Naruto went first.
Copying Kakashi, he closed his eyes and spent a good while sensing his chakra, then gathered it in his soles and confidently planted a foot on the trunk.
Crack!
The bark shattered, and he was thrown backward, landing flat on his back in the grass.
"Pfft."
Naruto sprang to his feet and was about to blow up when he turned his head-at some point, Kakashi had found a rock to sit on, and he was holding a book.
"Hey! Kakashi-sensei! What are you reading?"
"A book children aren't allowed to read." Kakashi didn't