Kakashi had a headache.
A massive one.
His brain felt like it was about to explode.
The sheer volume of chakra in Naruto's body made the young man look almost pitiful in Kakashi's eyes—overwhelmed by his own power. But what truly stunned Kakashi wasn't just the chakra itself… it was Naruto's insane talent.
Walking on water, climbing trees—those fundamental techniques that most Genin struggled with for days—Naruto had already mastered them, perfectly, and without any help.
And when it came to ninjutsu, he only needed to see something once. After that, he could perform it flawlessly. With that massive pool of chakra behind each technique, his power easily surpassed expectations.
Kakashi, the legendary Copy Ninja—said to have mastered a thousand jutsu—found himself hollowed out.
In just half a month, Naruto had learned nearly everything he knew.
Naruto possessed six chakra natures, everything except Yin. His Wind nature was dominant, but the others weren't weak either. His ability to balance them and learn complementary techniques was terrifying.
Even Chidori and Raikiri, Kakashi's signature moves, were now in Naruto's arsenal.
"Kakashi, are you okay? Is this what a teacher's supposed to be like?" Naruto teased.
"I heard you were some prodigy—graduated early, became a Chūnin at six, right? Way more impressive than me back then. So what happened? You stuck at this level forever?"
"In the beginning, you must've been sharp. But now? If your disciple ends up stronger than you were, that's kinda embarrassing, don't you think?"
Naruto smirked at him, eyes gleaming.
He really couldn't stand Kakashi sometimes.
Sure, the guy used to be a genius—but now, twenty-one years old, barely growing stronger? What a waste.
"I'm gonna light a fire under you," Naruto muttered. "Maybe then you'll stop reading that dumb Icha Icha Paradise book all day."
"Hey, you brat—how do you talk to your teacher like that?"
"Why shouldn't I? Forget it. I don't need you teaching me anymore. You've got nothing left to show."
"I—"
Kakashi trembled with anger but couldn't find a comeback.
Because… Naruto wasn't wrong.
After Obito's death, Rin's death, and Minato-sensei's death during the Nine-Tails' attack—Kakashi had been shattered. Blow after blow left him hollow. For years, he was just drifting through life, barely holding himself together.
The fact that his strength hadn't decreased was already something.
But spending time with Naruto had reignited something inside him. Even if the kid made him furious, Kakashi's spirit was coming back to life. He even caught himself reading Icha Icha Paradise less often.
"All right," he finally said. "Time for today's mission."
"What is it this time? Catching cats? Pulling weeds again? Boring."
"It's boring, sure, but you still have to do it. These are Genin-level missions. You think you're ready for the battlefield—"
Kakashi stopped mid-sentence. Naruto was giving him that smug, half-smile again.
If this monster of a kid ever did go to war, the people who should be scared wouldn't be on his side.
These small errands around Konoha weren't doing Naruto any good anymore.
"Fine, let's just get it over with," Naruto sighed.
Suddenly, a clone appeared beside him—same expression, same lazy attitude.
"Naruto," Kakashi said flatly, "you're using shadow clones to do missions again. That's cheating."
"Cheating? Please. Ninjutsu is cheating. Shadow Clones are just one of the tools."
Kakashi sighed. He couldn't argue with that logic.
In the end, he just took Naruto's clone to complete the mission—while he himself sent his own clone along, keeping his real body at a training ground.
There, the real Kakashi was pushing himself harder than ever.
Naruto's drive had completely lit a fire in him.
As a teacher, being weaker than your student? Unthinkable.
Kakashi had always been lazy because he could afford to be. Even without effort, he was among Konoha's elite. But now… with Naruto's strength skyrocketing by the day, Kakashi wasn't so sure anymore.
If they actually fought, he suspected he'd lose.
That realization hurt more than anything Naruto had said.
So, he trained. Harder than ever before.
One day, after a brutal session, Kakashi walked into the Hokage's office, his face serious.
"Lord Hokage," he said, "I think it's time for Naruto to leave the village and take on a real mission."
If they stayed here, Naruto would stagnate—and Kakashi had nothing left to teach him anyway. Out there, through real missions and danger, the boy would grow.
Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned back in his chair, pipe in hand, and studied Kakashi carefully.
"Kakashi… tell me honestly. Is Naruto truly ready for that?"
Ordinary Genin wouldn't be. But Naruto wasn't ordinary—he was Konoha's greatest secret weapon. The Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki. Letting him leave the village wasn't a small decision.
"His strength already surpasses that of an elite Chūnin," Kakashi said calmly. "He'll be fine."
What he didn't say was that Naruto could probably handle most elite Jōnin, too.
Kakashi still played the role of Hiruzen's loyal subordinate, but deep down, his trust in the Third Hokage had faded. His reports were routine now, carefully worded, not entirely honest.
And he wasn't the only one.
Across Konoha, countless shinobi were starting to doubt their leadership.
If it weren't for the current peace, the village might have already splintered apart.
Because when people drift apart…
the team truly falls apart.
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