"You've convinced me, Hokage."
As Hashirama Senju's words fell, a ray of bright, yet not blinding, light rose from the distant horizon.
Dawn.
The dark night would eventually pass, and a new light would descend.
Tsunade looked at the exchange between the former Hokage and the current Hokage with emotion, a smile rising in her eyes.
When Kakashi returned home, Hikari had already gone back to her room. On the dining table, there was an insulated lunch box left for him, along with a sticky note.
Remember to eat.
Looking at the note, Kakashi smiled.
He sat at the table and began his "dinner."
Now that Hashirama Senju had acknowledged him, and since it was already late, he had told Kakashi to go back and get some sleep before officially starting his Sage Mode training.
Might Guy had already led the Flying Raijin Squad to search for the ruins of the Land of Sky.
Good. Everything in Konoha was proceeding step-by-step in the direction Kakashi had anticipated.
As for Sakura Haruno, Kakashi planned to let her follow Shizune for a while. He would deal with her character flaws after he completed his Sage Mode training.
Then there were Naruto and Sasuke.
Naruto would be moving in to live with him soon. With Kakashi teaching him by example, Naruto would be able to grow even better.
Although Sasuke had lost his parents, he still had Itachi Uchiha by his side, so Kakashi wasn't too worried about Sasuke's growth.
As for the others...
Kakashi finished his meal, washed the dishes, and prepared to wash up and rest.
Regarding the other children of Konoha, Kakashi could only say that becoming qualified ninja in the future would be good enough.
It wasn't that Kakashi didn't value them, but the brilliance of this future Team 7 was simply too dazzling.
Even the weakest among them, Sakura Haruno, was leagues ahead of her peers, aside from Naruto and Sasuke.
Among the remaining nine of the Konoha 12, Neji Hyūga and Rock Lee, who were under Might Guy's charge, were arguably excellent.
Unfortunately, Neji was limited by the Caged Bird Seal, and as for Rock Lee...
Kakashi remembered that in the so-called The Last, when facing the meteor brought down by Toneri Ōtsutsuki, the Eight Inner Gates Squad led by Rock Lee only managed to shatter half of it.
At that time, Rock Lee was already nineteen years old.
His talent for the Eight Inner Gates was obviously inferior to his teacher's.
It could be said he had some talent, but not enough.
However, he was certainly qualified to be an Elite Jōnin of Konoha.
It was just a pity that he didn't have the ability to compare with the trio of Team 7.
Thinking of this, Kakashi said no more. He returned to his room, saw that Hikari was still sleeping, and had no intention of waking her. He climbed into bed with careful movements.
"Why are you back so late? How did it go..."
Kakashi's movements were very gentle, but even so, Hikari roused slightly from her dreams. She turned on her side and squeezed into Kakashi's embrace.
"It was a success. I'm going to proceed to the next step of training soon."
Patting Hikari's back, Kakashi didn't say much else. He simply lay in bed and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
The Next Day
The Mountain Behind Hokage Rock
"So, the so-called Sage Mode is about sensing the natural energy within nature."
"Only by sensing the natural energy in the environment and combining it with your own chakra can you use your own unique Sage Mode."
The man with long black hair sat cross-legged on the ground in front of Kakashi, looking earnest as he instructed Kakashi on how to train in his Sage Mode.
Kakashi listened to Hashirama Senju's words and nodded seriously.
Regardless of the type, Sage Mode always involved borrowing the power of nature.
"Then how do I sense natural energy?" Kakashi asked.
Hashirama Senju blinked, looking at Kakashi as if he couldn't understand the question.
"Isn't it everywhere?"
Hearing Hashirama's response, a question mark appeared over Kakashi's head.
"Just sense it with your heart, and you can perceive the omnipresent natural energy."
Seeing that Kakashi didn't quite understand, Hashirama rephrased his explanation.
Sense with my heart?
Kakashi sighed helplessly internally.
He had guessed he might encounter this kind of situation.
But he had no choice. Right now, other than Hashirama Senju, there was nowhere else he could train in Sage Mode.
Sitting cross-legged by the lake, Kakashi calmed his mind, attempting to sense the natural energy Hashirama spoke of.
Hashirama watched Kakashi with a satisfied nod.
He didn't make a sound to disturb him. He simply sat quietly beside Kakashi, looking at the scenery before him—so different from his memories—and felt a touch of emotion.
Although the current ninja world ran contrary to his original dream, guiding a junior from the village in such a scenic place, and slacking off a bit while doing so, was a pleasant experience.
With that thought, Hashirama sat quietly beside Kakashi.
As the minutes and seconds ticked by, a few birds flew down and landed on Hashirama's head.
Sage Mode was about becoming one with nature.
With Hashirama's ability, he could naturally do this with ease.
So, in the eyes of the small animals in nature, Hashirama was not a threatening existence, but one of their own kind.
"Calm your heart, steady your breath, and discard the distracting thoughts in your mind."
"If you can maintain this state of mind even in battle, you will be able to enter Sage Mode anytime, anywhere."
Hashirama's calm voice lingered in Kakashi's ears, causing him to suddenly open his eyes.
He looked at his own empty hands, then glanced at Hashirama beside him.
Birds rested on his head, squirrels squatted on his legs, butterflies landed on his fingertips...
Is this natural energy?
Kakashi looked at the scene before him, deep in thought.
Hashirama was using himself as an example to demonstrate the process of gathering natural energy, and Kakashi felt he was starting to understand.
He closed his eyes again.
Compared to the Sage Modes of the Three Great Sage Regions—Mount Myōboku, Shikkotsu Forest, and Ryūchi Cave—Hashirama Senju's Sage Mode didn't require any external aids. It relied entirely on oneself to sense natural energy.
Although this process was more arduous and tested one's talent and mental fortitude more heavily, once mastered, its power was not something the Three Great Sage Regions could compare to.
Perhaps this was the reason Hashirama's Sage Mode hadn't been passed down.
No one could learn it.
The sun gradually moved overhead, and the lake breeze brushed across the water's surface, gently stirring Kakashi's white hair. He and Hashirama had been sitting by the lake for a long time.
Aside from the brief exchange at the beginning, neither of them had spoken another word.
They simply sat there quietly, like two wooden sculptures.
Dawn, noon, sunset, nightfall, midnight...
The sun and moon traversed the sky overhead time and time again.
Tsunade and Hikari came by again and again. Each time, seeing the two men without a hint of movement, they simply set down the lunch boxes and quietly left.
If not for the rise and fall of Kakashi's chest, they might have thought he had starved to death right there.
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi came to take a look.
Hashirama had once instructed him in Sage Mode as well, but he lacked the aptitude for it and was never able to sense natural energy.
Thus, the sun and moon rose and fell five times in a row.
Finally...
A bird landed on Kakashi's head, pecking at the tips of his hair.
Kakashi remained unmoved.
A sparrow treated Kakashi's clothes as a granary, starting to stuff pine nuts it had found into the folds of his clothing.
Kakashi seemed unaware.
The bird fluttered away, hiding under Kakashi's palm.
The sky began to turn gloomy...
It was raining.
The rain grew heavier and heavier. Hashirama and Kakashi made no move to seek shelter. Like reefs by the lakeside, they remained unmoved.
They let the rain soak them through.
In the distance, a black-haired woman holding an umbrella watched this scene from afar. She held a lunch box in her hand, wanting to go up and shake her husband awake, but after thinking it over, she silently left.
The heavy rain stopped, the sky cleared, and the small animals of nature that had taken shelter became active again.
There was even a small snake, green as jade and about the thickness of a finger, coiled around his wrist.
But Kakashi seemed to have no awareness of any of this.
Suddenly...
Kakashi, who had been sitting by the lake for six days and six nights, finally opened his eyes.
Accompanying Kakashi's movement, Hashirama also opened his eyes.
"How does it feel?" Hashirama asked softly.
Kakashi didn't answer; instead, he raised his hand.
A dark blue butterfly rested on his fingertip, fluttering its wings.
Even though Kakashi raised his finger, the butterfly showed no intention of leaving, continuing to use his fingertip as a resting place.
This was the best answer.
Seeing this, Hashirama nodded steadily.
As expected of me. I truly possess outstanding teaching abilities.
The fact that Tobirama and Monkey couldn't learn his Sage Mode—what did that have to do with him?
It was purely because Tobirama and Monkey lacked the ability.
Look at this Fifth Hokage; didn't he teach him successfully in one go?
Hashirama felt quite smug inside, finally experiencing the joy of being a teacher through Kakashi.
However, Kakashi's talent did surprise Hashirama a little.
He had originally thought that someone with Kakashi's forceful personality and ambitious heart would be unable to calm down enough to sense natural energy. He hadn't expected the man to be so talented in this regard.
"It looks like we can continue to the next stage of training," Hashirama smiled.
If he could finish guiding this junior's Sage Mode before disappearing, he would have more time to spend with Tsunade.
"Before that, I have to do something I absolutely must do right now," Kakashi said softly.
"What is it?" Hashirama was curious.
"Eat."
"..."
Well then. I was wondering why you weren't answering my questions and why your voice was so faint. I thought you were putting on airs, but it turns out you were just starving...
Hashirama scratched his head and laughed loudly, urging Kakashi to hurry up and eat.
Hatake Residence
Kakashi, who hadn't eaten a grain of rice or drunk a drop of water for six days and six nights, felt like he could swallow a cow whole.
If ninja didn't have chakra to sustain their lives, he probably would have starved to death already.
Kakashi rarely lost his composure like this, but he was devouring the table full of food, swallowing it whole without chewing much.
"Honestly, even if you're training, you have to take care of your body."
"If you end up with health problems, the loss outweighs the gain."
Hikari scolded Kakashi while filling a bowl of rice for him.
"I had just found the feeling. It would have been a pity to stop, so I had to keep going. I just didn't expect it to last so long."
Swallowing the food in his mouth, Kakashi replied to Hikari.
To be fair, what the Slug Sage said back then was correct.
Hashirama Senju's training method was a Sage Mode belonging to humans. Aside from the high requirements for talent and comprehension, it didn't actually carry much danger.
Compared to the Sage Modes of the Three Great Sage Regions, the difference was like heaven and earth.
One involved betting your life on whether you could complete Sage Mode.
The other simply tested if you had the talent. If you couldn't even sense natural energy, you could just go home and sleep.
Although Mount Myōboku had toad oil to help practitioners sense natural energy, it also significantly lowered the test of the practitioner's mental fortitude.
Take Jiraiya, for example. If it were him, he definitely wouldn't be able to complete Hashirama's Sage Mode.
And even so, Jiraiya's Sage Mode wasn't perfect. His body still showed signs of toad-ification. If he maintained Sage Mode for too long, he would turn into a giant frog.
Having eaten and drunk his fill, Kakashi washed up and, under Hikari's urging, went straight to his room to sleep.
After all, having not slept for a full six days, Kakashi was truly exhausted.
Almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, he fell into a deep sleep.
When Kakashi slowly woke up, it was already noon the next day.
He subconsciously reached out to touch the side of the bed, but Hikari wasn't there.
After lying in bed for a while, Kakashi got up and walked out of the room, realizing there were other people in the living room.
"Naruto?"
"Kakashi-nii! You're finally awake!"
The little blond poked his head up from the sofa, looking at Kakashi with surprise. Then, with a flying leap, Naruto jumped from the sofa into Kakashi's arms.
Looking at Naruto, Kakashi finally remembered that he had previously agreed to let Naruto live with him. But because he had spent six full days sensing natural energy for Sage Mode, he hadn't had the time to help Naruto move.
It seemed now...
"Come eat. You've been busy this whole time, so I helped Naruto move in early."
Hikari brought out freshly cooked dishes and placed them on the table, looking at Kakashi with faux annoyance.
"Thank you, Hikari."
Kakashi looked at Hikari apologetically.
"Hmph, if we counted on you, Naruto would probably be waiting forever."
"Don't you agree, Naruto?"
Hikari huffed lightly, coming over to Kakashi and Naruto, and poked Naruto's forehead with her finger.
"Yeah, yeah! Big Sister Hikari is super nice. Kakashi-nii is too slow!"
Naruto nodded in agreement with a serious face.
Seeing that Hikari and Naruto were in the same camp, Kakashi could only apologize to the two of them.
However, seeing Hikari and Naruto united against him, Kakashi felt a touch of emotion in his heart.
It seemed that Hikari and Naruto had been getting along well these past few days.
"Alright, go wash up and eat."
"Then remember to go to the Hokage Building. That woman Kurenai has come looking for you these past two days."
"Because you weren't there, some matters have piled up. Not much, but you need to review them personally."
Hikari rolled her eyes at Kakashi, but she gave him a meaningful look when she mentioned Kurenai.
Kakashi could only laugh dryly and agree to everything.
Kurenai, huh?
Since that day, he hadn't gone to see her for a while.
Kakashi's heart fluctuated slightly, but he finished his meal and spent the afternoon at home with Hikari, playing with Naruto for a while. Then, pinching the time right before the workday ended, he clocked in at the Hokage Building.
Sitting in the familiar office, Kakashi flipped through the documents piled on the desk. Most were about important personnel transfers in various departments of the village.
Kakashi read through them once, then stamped them with the Hokage's seal.
Gazing at the setting sun outside the window, Kakashi's expression was calm as he waited to get off work so he could go see Kurenai.
Just then, as the office door was pushed open, Itachi Uchiha appeared before Kakashi holding a document.
"Lord Hokage, you weren't here these past few days. This is regarding the expansion of the Police Force."
Itachi Uchiha—who had now become the Uchiha Clan Head, the Captain of the Konoha Military Police Force, and a member of the Hokage Guard Platoon—placed the document in his hand in front of Kakashi.
Kakashi didn't say much; he simply glanced at it and approved Itachi's handling of the Police Force.
Aside from selecting a portion of the remaining Uchiha clan members to supplement the Police Force, he had also posted recruitment notices inviting ninjas from other clans and civilian ninjas in the village to join.
Because Itachi Uchiha had now become a member of the Hokage Guard Platoon, everyone knew he was a trusted aide of the current Hokage. People signed up enthusiastically, and the Police Force was replenished very quickly.
"Itachi, how have you felt these past few days?"
Looking at Itachi Uchiha, who could almost be said to have given everything for him, the Hokage, Kakashi asked.
"This... I hadn't thought these tasks would be so complicated before. It is a bit tiring."
"But if it's for Konoha..."
Itachi Uchiha hesitated slightly but spoke the truth.
It wasn't just being the Uchiha Clan Head; the work of the Police Force kept Itachi so busy his feet barely touched the ground. Even his time with Sasuke had decreased significantly.
"You don't need to do these things personally. Just cultivate a few subordinates you can trust who have decent ability."
Kakashi had no interest in letting a genius like Itachi Uchiha busy himself all day with work that was useless for his personal strength.
"Understood, Lord Hokage."
Itachi Uchiha nodded seriously.
"By the way, if you have time, go find Shizune for a full body checkup."
Suddenly, Kakashi said this out of nowhere.
Itachi Uchiha looked at Kakashi with some confusion.
A full body checkup?
Itachi felt his body was in pretty good shape, so why go for a checkup?
But he didn't question it. instead, he respectfully agreed to go see Shizune after dealing with the matters at hand.
After all, in Itachi's view, as the Hokage, Kakashi would never make a mistake.
But if Lord Hokage wasn't wrong...
Does that mean there's really something wrong with my body?
Itachi Uchiha left the Hokage's office with a hint of apprehension.
Watching Itachi leave, Kakashi remembered clearly that this guy's health wasn't great. Although it didn't show now, in the original story, he was already terminally ill when he fought Sasuke.
Kakashi had no interest in letting such a loyal follower die young.
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