Hiruzen watched Kakashi read over the material in the scroll for an hour, tactfully ignoring the stack of papers that somehow managed to multiply, and was surprised at how Kakashi's lone eye never wandered back up the scroll to read the information again.
'He seems to be absorbing the information rather than merely skimming and going back over it over and over again.'
Hiruzen felt a pang of jealousy in his heart, he too read over his sensei's scrolls, but he could never make sense out of anything that wasn't ninjutsu or taijutsu related. Kakashi was too smart for his own good, and it reminded Hiruzen of his days watching his sensei rattle off jutsu formulas as if they were simple math.
Rolling up the scroll, Kakashi couldn't help but smile under the mask; the knowledge contained in it was a gold mine to his newfound sensory talent. Tobirama spent his life refining his sensory abilities, and here it all was, explained in detail how he achieved it, along with the paths to avoid.
"Lord Second was truly a genius."
Kakashi couldn't help but mutter to himself as he mentally reviewed all he had read.
Crouching down, Kakashi reached out to the ground with his right hand, the tips of his index and middle fingers against the ground, before he pulsed his chakra out as the scroll described, an invisible wave of chakra enveloping the Hokage tower with him as the focal point, before stretching out a little into the village.
A wave of information became known, revealing the chakra levels of civilians, animals, and even some passing ninja.
'If I continue to develop, I'll be able to tell someone's chakra nature, or if they have multiple, but for now, this is a great start.'
Kakashi thought as he let the pulse of chakra go and stood.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen waved it off, happy to see one of his most talented improving once more.
"What else did you wish to discuss with me?"
Hiruzen asked, sensing that Kakashi had something serious on his mind.
Kakashi nodded and got serious once more.
"It's about Naruto, I want to help him. He's in a class with clan heirs and civilians who have parents. Naruto is alone without guidance in a village that wouldn't bat an eye if he died right now. I understand their feelings, however misguided, but this can't continue. What happens if the boy snaps? He should be surrounded by people who can offer him guidance and support throughout his life. Please, let me care for Sensei's son, the boy who holds back our doom shouldn't be mocked and scorned as a 'Dead-Last' or 'Demon-Fox."
Hiruzen listened intently to the usually stoic Jonin's impassioned speech, leaning forward with his fingers intertwined.
"Do you truly want this, Kakashi? Raising a child, especially one as rambunctious as Naruto, is no easy task."
Kakashi's lone eye gazed back into Hiruzen with steely resolve.
"I realize his behavior stems from a need for recognition and a lack of guidance. While I'm ready to move forward, I'm frustrated that it took me this long to finally let go of the past. But if you'll let me, I'll be sure to give him what he should have had since his birth. a family."
Hiruzen paused for a moment, thinking it over before he stamped out his lit pipe with his thumb and set it on his desk.
"While I welcome this arrangement, it will inevitably raise suspicions. A blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy under the care of the Copy Ninja? It's too obvious. The village might be blinded by resentment, seeing only the fox, but Iwa and Kumo wouldn't miss the parallel."
'And that's not even counting the rot within our own walls.'
Hiruzen thought, his mind flashing to his old teammate.
Kakashi nodded.
"I'm aware, but we can't let the boy suffer due to what-ifs. No day is guaranteed for anyone, but we can't let that dictate how we live. I'm done letting the past rule me; maybe you should try it as well."
Hiruzen didn't miss the hidden meaning in Kakashi's words, thoughts swirling behind his eyes before he made a gesture, watching as an anbu appeared and bowed.
"Bring me Naruto Uzumaki."
The ninja vanished after a quick 'yes, Lord Hokage,' reappearing with a confused orange-clad bundle.
"Gramps?"
Hiruzen smiled, happy to see the boy, before he gestured to the seat next to a standing Kakashi.
"Naruto, this is my best Jonin, Kakashi Hatake. He graduated from the academy at 5, became a Chunin at 6, and a Jonin at 13."
Hiruzen introduced, hoping to grab the blonde's interest, and appeared to succeed based on the stars in the boy's eyes.
"Cool! Nice to meet you, Kakashi. I'm Naruto, and I'm going to be the next Hokage, believe it!"
Naruto held out his hand, stunned when Kakashi gave it a firm shake instead of scoffing or laughing at his dream.
"I'm sure you'll be a great Hokage someday, Naruto."
Kakashi watched as the kid unknowingly did an impression of a fish, his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to say something but couldn't think of anything.
"Naruto."
The voice of the Hokage snapped Naruto out of it and made him turn his head back to him.
"I know about your latest attempt at graduation, and I know you're aware of your faults, even if you act tough; deep down, you know this to be true."
Naruto went to interject when Hiruzen held up a hand.
"I'm aware of your struggles, and I've been persuaded to intervene. Moving forward, Kakashi will be handling your training—not just in the ninja arts, but in essential life skills. He will bridge the gaps in your knowledge and ensure you improve. I regret you weren't taught sooner. However, Kakashi can mold you into a true ninja. This opportunity requires absolute obedience—no complaints and no slacking. I expect your best, nothing less."
The air in the office grew heavy as Hiruzen exerted his pressure, aiming to command, not just ask. But Naruto didn't break. The boy met the stare head-on, his expression hardening into a chilling, unwavering focus. It was a look of pure, unadulterated intent that stole the breath from Hiruzen's lungs, showing him a side of Naruto he hadn't known existed.
"I promise to do my best and try my hardest. I won't complain, and I won't give up."
Naruto's words to Hiruzen and the observing Kakashi were stripped of their usual bravado, replaced by a raw, quiet intensity. He was setting a seal upon his own heart—a vow so sincere it would serve as his guide moving forward.
Hiruzen's expression softened, happy to see the boy taking this seriously.
"Kakashi will be your sensei. You're welcome to live at his place if you'd like; it's located just outside the village square and comes with its own private training area."
Naruto stole a glance at Kakashi, a silent question hanging in the air: did his teacher truly want him there?
Noticing this, Kakashi reached a hand over and ruffled the spikey blonde locks with an eye-smile before pulling his hand back to reply to the unasked question.
"I don't mind at all, Naruto. Whatever you decide is fine with me."
Naruto nodded, a genuine smile threatening to appear on his face, not the over-the-top ones he generally uses every day.
Hiruzen smiled as he dismissed them, shaking his head when Kakashi offered the Second Hokage's scroll back. The look he gave the Jonin clearly conveyed: Keep it, I have no use for it.
Walking out of the office and down the tower, Kakashi spoke up as their feet hit the village road.
"So, how was Ichiraku's?"
Naruto nearly tripped on his own feet, turning his head with an expression of shock.
"How did you know that I ate Ichiraku's today?"
"Maa."
Kakashi waved it off, finding it funny that the kid didn't even notice him leaving the ramen shop when he was running in earlier.
"You entered while I was leaving. And that's all you ever eat, which we will be fixing starting today."
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei."
Kakashi was a bit surprised that Naruto didn't throw a fit, but suspected it had something to do with the vow he made in the Hokage's office.
"Don't worry, you can still eat ramen, but that can't be your meal every day, three times a day. You need proper nutrition if you don't want to be the shortest in your graduating class."
Naruto sighed in relief, thankful that he didn't have to give up, the 'Food Of The Gods'.
The two stopped by a grocery store and picked up proper food for Naruto. The grocers, who normally found reasons to ignore Naruto or overcharge him for wilted greens, were suddenly models of professional courtesy. At a simple, cold look from the silver-haired Jonin, the shopkeeper straightened his apron and offered a stiff, nervous bow. No one so much as dared to glare at Naruto; in fact, they seemed to go out of their way to avoid even looking in his direction, terrified that a stray thought might be misinterpreted as hostility. Under Kakashi's shadow, Naruto was untouchable, moving through the aisles with a bewildered, quiet awe.
Having browsed all of the store, Kakashi and Naruto each approached the counter with two handfuls of groceries each. Chicken, eggs, rice, potatoes, greens, and fruits are all stuffed into the bulging bags.
Paying the clerk and leaving the store, Kakashi created two shadow clones that took the groceries from him and the shocked Naruto.
"Those clones are real."
Naruto muttered in shock, only having known of the much less chakra-intensive clone jutsu.
"Yes, they're Shadow-clones. Physical copies that split the users' chakra evenly among them. While useful, they're easy to dispel with one hit, popping them. Upon dispelling, the clone's memories and any remaining chakra return to the user."
*Ding*
Become Naruto's sensei ahead of time (2 years early), and teach Naruto about Shadow clones and their secret use. (5 years early)
Rewards
Increase of Chakra Reserves and Minato Namikaze's talent for Fuinjutsu.
Kakashi felt the unfamiliar, buzzing swell within his chakra coils—a tangible increase that was as welcome as it was unexpected. It was a marginal leap, elevating his standard Jonin capacity to the threshold of peak Elite Jonin, yet it was a vast improvement from the frustrating limitations of his past. Still, in the grand, chaotic scheme of the Ninja World, it hardly made him a Titan. But for a power he hadn't earned through grueling, self-destructive training, but had been freely given... he would take it. The more impressive reward was the talent he just received.
High on the thrill of the rewards, Kakashi treated Naruto to a long shopping spree, picking up a fresh arsenal of kunai and shuriken, along with a new wardrobe of civilian and ninja attire—sandals included.
"Don't you think this is too much, Kakashi-sensei?"
Naruto asked in shock at the piles of bags now in the two shadow clones' arms.
Instead of replying, Kakashi clasped Naruto's shoulder and body flickers towards his house, his clones doing the same. Arriving at the house, Kakashi's clones got to work storing the food as Kakashi led Naruto to his new room. Kakashi helped Naruto put away all of his new clothes.
"I'll call you when dinner is ready."
A numb nod was all Naruto could manage as his world tilted on its axis. Kindness, respect, thoughtful gifts—these weren't things people gave him. Not even the old man Hokage was this warm. It tugged sharply at a void in his chest, a poignant reminder of the family he'd always observed other kids having.
-Chapter end-
- Just me, but my train of thought regarding Kakashi is that his reseves
while average in part 1, improved rapidly in Shippuden. I could be wrong though -