"Actually, my original plan was to assign him and Itachi to Kakashi's ANBU unit."
"Unfortunately…"
Inside the Hokage's office, Minato Namikaze let out a weary sigh, a faint, bitter smile tugging at his lips as he looked over the prepared documents spread across his desk.
"Has that boy still not come to terms with it?"
Lighting his pipe, the Third Hokage exhaled slowly, regret clouding his features.
The boy, of course, referred to Kakashi.
To be honest, he'd always admired the young man. If not for his father's tragedy, Kakashi would have already become one of Konoha's strongest pillars.
"Yes. The reason I arranged for him to visit the Mitarashi household was to have him spend some time with Hakken and Itachi."
Minato's gaze drifted toward the framed photo resting on his desk—Obito, Kakashi, and Rin. His expression tightened with conflict.
There was no doubt he trusted Kakashi deeply.
He'd even entrusted him with the duty of guarding his own wife.
And yet, it seemed the young man still hadn't truly moved past that incident.
Perhaps, once his own child was born, things would begin to change.
For those who lived trapped in grief, the arrival of new life might be the only warmth left to cling to.
"Let's just keep observing for now," the Third said, shaking his head. "They're still far too young. Joining ANBU at this age wouldn't be appropriate."
ANBU and Root—Konoha's two special divisions.
He had once overseen the ANBU himself.
Root, on the other hand, was managed by his old comrade, Danzō Shimura.
Root operatives were raised from childhood, their emotions stripped away, their training far crueler than that of ANBU.
The most obvious example of that was Yamato—the Wood Release user he had transferred from Root to ANBU.
But ANBU operatives were carefully chosen elite shinobi, fundamentally different from Root in principle and purpose.
After the death of Sakumo Hatake, Root had been infused with a new generation of operatives, ones who now reported directly to Minato Namikaze.
"After all," the Third continued, "graduating from the Ninja Academy and truly becoming a capable shinobi are two very different things. Some time in a temporary squad would be good experience for them."
"But are you certain," he added, setting down his pipe, "that letting Orochimaru guide them for a while would really be such a bad idea?"
Yes—this was the very suggestion he'd made to Minato the previous day.
And Minato had turned it down immediately.
Orochimaru, really?
He'd have to be out of his mind to agree to something like that.
Minato cast a helpless glance toward the locked drawer beside his chair.
Inside lay the most detailed reports on Konoha's recent string of missing persons.
He'd read them himself—and every clue led back to one culprit: Orochimaru.
Sending Itachi Uchiha and Hakken Yoru, two of the village's most exceptional prodigies, to Orochimaru for "training"?
How could the Third even suggest such a thing?
Did he still believe Orochimaru was that calm, devoted man who once loved the village?
The room grew thick with unease.
Even the Third seemed to realize how hollow his own words sounded.
Orochimaru…
Letting out a long sigh, the old Hokage's mind drifted back to the look in that man's eyes.
Those eyes—so full of ambition, and something far darker.
It seemed the time was drawing near.
...
"Ken-san, I hate war."
As they left the Hokage Building and made their way toward the training grounds, Itachi suddenly spoke those words.
Hakken glanced sideways at him.
At that moment, the faint lines on the boy's face looked as though they might soon become tear marks—etched by tears yet to fall.
He was the kind of person who could only cry openly when it rained.
"You've been a bit sentimental lately."
With a flick of his finger, Hakken poked Itachi's forehead. The younger boy winced and immediately fell silent.
So it begins…
Your life of overthinking things.
Rolling his eyes, Hakken grabbed Itachi by the collar, locking eyes with him.
"No matter what happens, remember—you've still got me."
Swish.
Letting go, he took a swig from his flask of liquor and stretched lazily. "Let's move. The Hokage said the rest of the temporary squad's already waiting at Training Ground 8."
The Hokage.
It seemed Ken-san never called him "Hokage-sama."
Straightening his clothes, Itachi fell into step behind him.
Training Ground 8 was much like any other in Konoha—nothing particularly unusual.
When the two arrived, several figures came into view ahead.
A boy around ten years old with long brown hair stood there, a Konoha forehead protector glinting on his brow.
Beside him was a short-haired man with a pockmarked face.
So these were their teammates?
They didn't exactly look approachable.
"What's this? Just a couple of brats?"
The brown-haired boy folded his arms, frowning, clearly annoyed at being treated like a babysitter.
"Forget it. It's just a C-rank mission. More people means better odds anyway. And these two did graduate early from the Academy—they're supposed to be geniuses, after all."
The pockmarked man tried to ease the tension, though his tone dripped with sarcasm.
"Tch. Two useless kids. What good could they possibly do? I don't know what Hokage-sama's thinking. If Kiyokaze hadn't been injured and stuck in the hospital, we'd never have been saddled with them."
The brown-haired boy sneered. "Hey, you two—listen up. Tomorrow we've got a C-rank mission. We're escorting an important person, so stay behind us and try not to wet yourselves."
Swish! Boom!
A flash of steel split the air.
The arrogant brown-haired youth froze in terror as the massive tree beside him was cleaved clean in two.
"Whether it's 'useless' or 'kids,' I don't want to hear those words again."
Hakken grinned, clearly unimpressed.
A bunch of extras like them didn't even qualify to make him angry.
"Come on, Itachi. We've still got training to finish."
Watching them walk away, the pockmarked man swallowed hard.
What in the world…
What kind of monsters were they?
Suddenly remembering something, he called out after them, "Hey! Tomorrow morning, seven o'clock—meet at the village gate!"
But Hakken didn't even turn his head, as if he hadn't heard a word.
Only the boy walking beside him caught the quiet murmur that escaped Ken-san's lips.
"In any world, only true strength earns acknowledgment."
"Only with power can you protect what's important to you."
"From start to finish, I just want to appreciate this beautiful ninja world through strength."
Ken-san…
That's so like you.
Nodding deeply, Itachi's eyes gleamed with admiration.
The legend of Ken-san—was only just beginning.
...
For more chapters, feel free to follow me on P@treon.
(50 Chapters Ahead)
[email protected]/PinkSnake