The next day, on the academy's podium, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was delivering a passionate speech to the new students.
> "Where the leaves dance, the fire will burn. The flames will continue to illuminate the village and nurture the growth of new leaves…"
Konoha's ultimate S-rank genjutsu: The Will of Fire — activated!
Kakashi stood among the students, watching their enthusiastic faces light up at the Hokage's words. He stifled a yawn.
He didn't doubt the sincerity behind the Third Hokage's speech. After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen had died upholding the Will of Fire in the original story, sacrificing himself to protect the village and its ideals. It was admirable.
Still, Kakashi had received nine years of compulsory education back on Earth. He possessed a mature, critical mind shaped by dialectical reasoning and modern values. Even after spending a full year in Konoha, he couldn't immerse himself in the same emotional tide that swept through these children.
The Will of Fire was, at its core, about protecting one's comrades and being willing to sacrifice oneself for the village. Noble, in theory.
But in practice? Konoha was a ninja village—a mercenary organization draped in patriotism. Missions were assigned regardless of the innocence of the target, so long as they didn't conflict with the village's interests. If the price was right, a ninja wouldn't hesitate to take a life.
They'd strip away human emotion, glorifying cold-blooded efficiency as a noble virtue.
Under the Third Hokage's leadership, Konoha continued to send children as young as six or seven onto the battlefield. Meanwhile, the village elders themselves rarely left the safety of the village walls. It was a direct betrayal of the First Hokage's original dream of founding a peaceful village to protect the next generation.
As for the dream of becoming Hokage—a goal nearly every child in Konoha seemed to share—it had zero appeal for Kakashi.
"Kakashi, what are you thinking about?" a soft voice whispered in his ear.
It was Rin. Her warm breath tickled his ear, making it flush red involuntarily. He shifted slightly, feeling a little itchy yet oddly comfortable.
"Oh, I was just wondering why that Obito guy hasn't shown up yet."
He turned to glance at Rin.
Over the past year, Kakashi had lived alone. He trained alone, fished alone, shopped and cooked alone, and cleaned his house by himself. Occasionally, Rin and Obito would drop by—mostly to "help" him by taste-testing his cooking.
And then there was Guy, who was always popping up at strange times to issue "youthful challenges." Like that one time Guy barged in while Kakashi was changing. After a long, stunned silence, Guy left without a word, wearing a look of existential crisis. Since then, he hadn't challenged Kakashi even once—something Kakashi was secretly grateful for.
"Yeah, Obito… why is he late again? Today's the start of a new semester!" Rin frowned, clearly worried.
"Well, who knows? Maybe he's helping an old lady cross the road again."
"Forget him. Looks like the ceremony's almost over. Let's get ready to go."
As the Third Hokage wrapped up his speech, the students began leaving the venue in an orderly fashion under the teachers' supervision. Most of them were still buzzing with excitement, animatedly discussing the Will of Fire.
Suddenly—
> "Oh no, oh no, oh no! Today's the one day I absolutely can't be late!"
A boy in goggles and a sporty outfit sprinted toward the academy, panic written all over his face. But by the time he arrived, the crowd had mostly dispersed. He skidded to a stop and sighed in defeat.
Kakashi, who was just walking by, paused, turned around, and said coolly, "You missed the opening ceremony. You might want to give up on becoming a ninja—it's impossible."
He shrugged and lifted his hands in mock surrender.
"Hmph!"
The boy turned to glare at him through his goggles, full of frustration.
"It's okay~"
A sweet voice chimed in. Rin stepped forward and handed the boy a document folder, smiling gently.
"I got everything for you."
"M-Me?" Obito blinked, pointing at himself. His face turned crimson, and he looked away, flustered by her smile.
"Yes. Just write a short essay on the Will of Fire based on the materials. It won't affect your enrollment. Same as last year."
"We're saved! Rin, you're the best!" Obito clutched his hands together, overflowing with gratitude.
"Tsk. If you keep spoiling him like this, he'll never learn to show up on time," Kakashi scoffed.
"Shut up! You wanna fight, jerk?"
"What?"
"What do you mean, what?"
"You heard me."
"You're such a pain, idiot Kakashi!"
Standing to the side, Rin giggled at their bickering.
When they reached the intersection, Kakashi waved and headed off on his own.
Sigh… Why am I, a full-grown adult inside, arguing with a brat like Obito?
He rubbed his temples, feeling a wave of tiredness.
Maybe… this was one of the side effects of soul fusion?
After walking for a while, he stopped and looked up at a nearby shop. A wooden sign swung gently in the breeze. The words "Ichiraku Ramen" gleamed under the afternoon sun.
"Good evening, Kakashi! What'll it be today?" a friendly voice called out as soon as he stepped through the door.
Before he could even sit down, the store's owner, an unassuming middle-aged man with a warm smile, greeted him enthusiastically.
"Evening, Uncle Teuchi. One large miso ramen with extra chashu and egg, please. Thanks."
"Coming right up! Have a seat and I'll have it ready in a flash."
A small head popped up from behind the counter.
"Kakashi!"
It was a little girl, younger than him, with wide, excited eyes.
"Oh, it's Ayame."
Kakashi reached over and gently patted her head.
He'd always been fond of this cheerful girl. She was a regular here, and her innocence reminded him of simpler times. He'd even shown her what he looked like under the mask once.
Ayame giggled and stuck out her tongue, her cheeks turning pink.
She really liked this mysterious big brother who always wore a mask. Especially because—beneath it—he was seriously handsome.
About five minutes later, a steaming bowl of ramen was placed in front of him.
Kakashi clasped his hands together.
"Itadakimasu."
The aroma hit him first—the deep, savory richness of slow-cooked pork bone broth layered with the tangy scent of fermented miso. The chashu pork was tender, marinated to perfection, melting in his mouth. Despite the richness, the soup wasn't greasy at all.
The miso added a fragrant bean aroma that elevated the entire flavor profile. The noodles—hand-pulled, chewy, springy—tied everything together.
Kakashi remembered asking Uncle Teuchi about the recipe when he first came here.
Turned out this bowl of ramen contained over thirty different ingredients. No wonder Naruto loved it so much in the original story.
In under five minutes, he had polished off the entire bowl.
Satisfied, he leaned back, patted his stomach, paid his bill, and stepped out into the evening streets.
That's when he noticed something—three familiar figures sitting in the izakaya to his left.
One of them was a woman with long, pale blonde hair that cascaded down her back. Her slim eyebrows, sharp brown eyes, and porcelain skin made her stand out even among ninjas. And—let's not beat around the bush—the considerable assets beneath her short white shirt sealed the deal.
Kakashi recognized her instantly.
Tsunade.
Granddaughter of the First Hokage. The legendary sucker of bets. The princess of Konoha. The pinnacle of medical ninjutsu. One of the Sannin.
And sitting beside her were the other two members of the Sannin—Jiraiya the Pervy Sage, and Orochimaru, the Mad Scientist.
Weird. Weren't they supposed to be scattered around the world by now?
Tsunade, in particular, should've already left the village after the deaths of her brother and lover. Kakashi frowned.
Then again… the Naruto timeline was infamously inconsistent. Some events contradicted themselves outright. And now, with him—an anomaly—present in this world, things were bound to shift.
The butterfly effect was in full swing.
He exhaled, about to walk away—when a bold idea suddenly flashed in his mind.
He paused.
Thought about it.
Then slowly lowered his raised foot and turned.
Taking a deep breath, he made his way toward the table where the Sannin were seated.