It was 0530.
Dawn hadn't fully broken yet; the light was pale and uncertain, creeping across the forest line in slow bands of gray.
Konoha was quiet.
Genji arrived first at the rendezvous point near the village gates.
Or so he thought.
A second presence landed lightly beside him a heartbeat later.
No words at first — just a brief exchange of looks, the kind where two shinobi understood more from silence than an entire conversation.
"You must be my new captain," Genji said, voice calm, even. "My name is Genji. I'll be joining the new Team Kakashi. I'll be in your care."
He bowed.
"You're correct," the other man replied. "I'm Yamato. I look forward to working together with you."
His tone was polite.
"Likewise," Genji returned.
For a few moments, neither spoke. They didn't need to.
Each was studying the other — posture, weight distribution, chakra rhythm, micro-tension in the shoulders.
All the silent tells of people who lived too long behind masks.
'Definitely ANBU,' Genji thought.
Good. One less variable to worry about.
The mission briefing had set 0600 as departure.
Half an hour to spare.
"I'll be nearby," Genji said, nodding once before moving toward a tree a short distance away.
Yamato didn't stop him.
Genji sat down with his back against the trunk, pulled a small notebook from his vest, and began writing. His handwriting was fast, almost surgical.
A habit from years of debriefing under Ibiki's department — write before memory decays, record before instinct fades.
---
Subject: Haruno Sakura
Background: Civilian-born kunoichi.
Apprentice to the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade Senju.
Notes:
-Exceptional chakra control.
-Medical ninjutsu at a professional level.
-Hokage sama's direct influence must've steered her towards close quarters Combat.
High technical capability; low battlefield flexibility. Reliable in support or medical roles. Likely to struggle under decent ranged assault.
He turned the page.
---
Subject: Uzumaki Naruto
Background: Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. "Classified," though almost the entire Village already knows this. Possible intentional leak.
-Immense chakra reserves.
-Physical stamina beyond conventional limit.
-Exhibits impulsive combat style.
-Taijutsu rebuilt from base; framework too mechanical — Master Jiraya must've Worked hard there.
-Heavy overreliance on Kage Bunshin.
-Latent sensory perception. Requires further observation.
Unrefined, unpredictable. Dangerous potential. Unshaped weapon.
Genji closed the notebook with a quiet snap.
---
'The potential's there,' he thought. 'But He needs some serious work.'
When he checked the time again, it was 0550.
Two chakra signatures approached from the main path.
Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto.
They were talking as they arrived, both mid-argument .
Yamato met them at the gate, posture already in captain mode. They introduce themselves.
"For the time being," Yamato announced, "I'll be taking command of Team Kakashi."
Sakura nodded, though curiosity flickered in her eyes.
"Captain Yamato, if I may — aren't we supposed to be a four-man squad? I don't see our fourth member."
"He's been here the entire time," Yamato said simply.
Both turned, scanning the area.
It took them a full ten seconds to notice him — Genji, leaning against a tree not ten meters away, one leg crossed over the other, presence entirely masked.
"Yo," he said lazily, raising a hand in vague greeting.
Sakura blinked. "Ah… hi," she said awkwardly, clearly unsure of the tone.
She started to speak again—
"Nice to—"
"YOU!" Naruto suddenly shouted, pointing.
"It's you!"
"ME!" Genji echoed, perfectly deadpan.
"STOP MOCKING ME!" Naruto barked.
Sakura's head snapped between them, utterly lost.
"Wait— you know him?"
"This is the crazy guy that attacked us yesterday!" Naruto exclaimed.
Genji tilted his head slightly. "Ah, you must be confusing me with someone else. See? Different clothes."
He was wearing a different outfit.
[Image]
His expression didn't change, but the sarcasm was so dry it could start a fire.
Even Sakura caught it.
"Um, well," she tried, "we're teammates now, so maybe… we can try to be civil?"
"As if!" Naruto snorted, folding his arms.
Genji sighed, then stepped closer.
The sudden movement made both of them tense — but instead of striking, he extended his hand.
Naruto stared at it suspiciously.
"You're strong, Naruto," Genji said quietly. "Sorry for the scare yesterday, I'm glad to have you as a teammate."
He doesn't know why He said it. Maybe because his uncle Hiruzen believed in this kid so damn much.
For a moment, it hung there — the outstretched hand, the sunlight just beginning to edge over the gate, the awkward silence of three shinobi who didn't know how to start over.
Naruto looked from the hand to Genji's face.
Then back to the hand.
And when It looked like He would stretch his hand.
"...Screw you. I'm not touching your hand."
He turned away, nostrils flaring.
Sakura nearly choked.
Yamato looked seconds away from breaking composure entirely.
Genji blinked once.
Twice.
There times.
Then—
BAM.
"YOU ORANGE MOTHERFUCKER!"
The punch landed squarely, launching Naruto backward in a cloud of dust and curses.
Sakura shrieked.
And Genji just stood there, flexing his knuckles, expression neutral.
"Damn that Felt good."