When Anya opened his eyes, the sky was already bright. He glanced around and saw only a little kid dozing off beside him.
Isn't that Kakashi? Where am I?
Recalling what happened, he remembered using up every last bit of energy before passing out from exhaustion. Could this kid actually have dragged me indoors?
Anya mischievously pulled out a strand of his own hair and gently brushed it back and forth against Kakashi's nose.
"Achoo!"
Kakashi sneezed loudly. His eyes sleepily fluttered open, immediately meeting Anya's cheeky grin and the strand of hair in his hand. For such a young kid, he figured out what happened in no time. His face flushed red with embarrassment as he pointed at Anya and said, "You're so mean! I should've just left you to sleep outside."
This little squirt is pretty interesting, Anya thought. After waking Kakashi up, he reached out and ruffled the boy's hair, saying, "Alright, sorry for disturbing your nap. How about I take you out for something good to eat?"
At the mention of food, Kakashi's stomach suddenly growled loudly. His face turned even more embarrassed as he opened his mouth, unable to say anything for a moment.
"Hahaha!"
Anya laughed heartily and picked up the slightly reluctant Kakashi, heading straight out the door.
Despite the frequent small-scale conflicts, Konoha still managed to maintain a relatively relaxed atmosphere, thanks to its abundance of powerful ninjas. Its commercial activity also flourished. Naturally, Anya took Kakashi to the famous Ichiraku Ramen shop.
That's right—Ichiraku Ramen already existed in this era, and business was booming. Delicious and affordable, the rich aroma wafted out even before they entered.
As soon as they walked in, Anya ordered two bowls of ramen. When the steaming bowls arrived with their rich, savory broth, Kakashi couldn't help but swallow hard with anticipation. Even Anya didn't seem that bad anymore.
"Itadakimasu!" (Let's eat!)
Anya started eating first. Naturally, Kakashi didn't want to fall behind. Both devoured their meals. Although ramen was just simple commoner food, it felt incredibly satisfying—way better than those nasty ninja ration pills.
After finishing the last sip of broth, both patted their little bellies contentedly.
"Time to head back."
Upon returning to White Fang's house, Anya once again went to the training ground. Just like yesterday, he picked up his sword and started training. Unlike yesterday though, after a day's worth of practice, he clearly felt a stronger connection with the blade. Its movements now felt effortless and fluid. Though still far from matching White Fang's level, consistent practice might one day lead him there.
Kakashi watched intently from the sidelines. He'd stayed up late watching yesterday too, and now finally understood why his father had taken this person as a student—he was truly exceptional with the blade, and worked extremely hard.
Unfortunately, his father wouldn't let him learn yet, claiming he was too young, his bones hadn't fully matured. That kind of training would do more harm than good. After watching for a while, Kakashi himself became inspired. He returned to his own little wooden post and resumed practicing. Soon, the yard echoed only with the sounds of their training.
Time passed like flowing water. For half a year, Anya had been constantly training in White Fang's yard. As a newly promoted Genin, he had yet to complete a single mission, but his teacher, White Fang, had never pushed him either—which suited Anya just fine.
He felt uncertain about heading into battle—he wasn't one of those lucky protagonists who always survived, like the so-called Legendary Twelve. In this war-torn era, even the smallest mistake could cost you your life. Enemies weren't NPCs that followed your script; they moved however they pleased. To survive, you had to work much harder.
"Kakashi, what do you think of my slash? Totally cool, right?"
Half a year was enough time for the two to become quite close. Kakashi had also grown less moody and prideful over time, gradually accepting this new "older brother" who had suddenly appeared in his life—though he still often found Anya's teasing annoying.
"Hmph, didn't see it," Kakashi turned away, refusing to answer.
Anya smirked, "Oh come on, you totally saw it! Admit it—you're jealous of me!"
Truthfully, Kakashi did feel a bit envious deep down—but now that he'd been caught, he knew another way to handle it: simply act cold and ignore the other person no matter what they said.
Anya naturally saw through him. Just as he was about to tease him more, White Fang suddenly appeared. Fully dressed in ninja gear, his face bore an air of grim seriousness. He spoke succinctly, "Anya, put on your ninja uniform, grab your headband and tools—we're leaving."
Anya understood immediately—this meant a mission. "Yes!" he shot back eagerly.
The two quickly left Konoha. Along the way, White Fang remained completely silent, his expression unusually severe.
It was the first time Anya had seen White Fang so tense. Curious, he asked, "What's going on?"
White Fang stayed quiet for a moment before slowly replying, "I believe the Second Great Ninja War is about to begin."
"What?"
A chill ran through Anya's heart. A Great Ninja War was no laughing matter—it involved practically every ninja alive. While staying in Konoha, he had studied some history. After the First Great Ninja War ended, all the great nations suffered terrible losses. Except for Sunagakure, all four other Kage had died—including Konoha's The Second Hokage, the man who had researched countless forbidden techniques.
Konoha had ultimately won—but the losses were devastating.
White Fang continued, "Sanshouo Hanzo, known as the 'Demigod,' has declared war against Sunagakure, Konoha, and the Land of Iron at the same time."
"The Demigod?" Anya frowned slightly. Was there really such a figure in the Naruto world? He couldn't help but ask curiously, "Who is he? How dare he wage war alone against three major nations?"
White Fang's gaze darkened slightly, "A very strong man."
This brief description didn't give Anya a clear idea of the man's true strength, so he pressed further, "You think he's stronger than you?"
White Fang fell silent for a moment before finally answering, "We've never fought, so I can't be sure—but if it came down to a life-or-death fight, I'd have around a seventy percent chance of killing him."
After hearing that, Anya immediately understood—he truly was a formidable opponent.
"Are we heading to the frontlines then?"
White Fang finally looked at Anya upon hearing those words, his gaze heavy with meaning as he asked, "Scared?"
"Of course I'm scared," Anya answered truthfully. "But this is the way of the ninja—I'll do what I'm told, as long as it doesn't guarantee death."
Anya's honesty left White Fang chuckling silently. "Don't worry—we're not heading anywhere near Sanshouo Hanzo. He's still focused on the Land of Iron. Our destination is Sunagakure."
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