"Thank you for the meal."
Ten-year-old Akihara Kagura nodded in thanks.
Perhaps because of the saying, 'one's mouth is indebted to those who fill it', or perhaps because Sarutobi Hiruzen had them quietly finish their ramen, Akihara Kagura was unusually polite.
"Thank you for the meal."
Six-year-old Uzumaki Naruto was still very much in sync.
If one ignored the hair colors of these two kids, it almost seemed like the synchronized actions of two brothers, the older leading the younger.
"Go home and rest early."
Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up his smoking pipe again.
This encounter was not without its gains. Sarutobi Hiruzen felt he had come to understand Akihara Kagura and was no longer too insistent on guiding him. He even felt that Kagura's attitude towards Naruto tonight showed that the kid's character wasn't so bad.
"I'm off! Bye-bye!"
Uzumaki Naruto happily patted his full belly, waved goodbye to Akihara Kagura and Sarutobi Hiruzen, and walked back towards his home.
"Can't really tell..."
Akihara Kagura's gaze followed the departing Uzumaki Naruto.
"Oh?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen, with his pipe, turned and asked Akihara Kagura, who stood still: "Kagura, is there something you're trying to see in little Naruto?"
"You can't tell at all that he's sad."
Akihara Kagura's eyes darkened and he spoke softly: "If someone abandoned me, I'd be so sad I'd want to kill."
"..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt somewhat uneasy.
"I'm leaving."
Akihara Kagura said no more and walked towards the headquarters of the Root organization.
"This child..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head helplessly.
The old man, who had controlled the power of Konoha for decades, walked towards the Hokage Tower. His voice suddenly turned deep and cold.
"Kakashi, Tenzo."
As the sound fell, Hatake Kakashi and Tenzo appeared beside him in an instant.
This morning, they were both on leave, but while they were resting in the evening, they were suddenly ordered to serve as guards for the Hokage.
"How do you feel about Akihara Kagura?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze was fixed on the Hokage building, not looking at his two subordinates, and he continued: "After the Chunin Exam is over, that child will join the Anbu. I will arrange for him to be in your team."
"..."
Hatake Kakashi couldn't help but glance at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The Third Hokage did not turn around, his steps were firm, and he did not seem to want to discuss it with anyone. It was an order from the Hokage.
"Yes."
Hatake Kakashi quickly bowed his head.
As for Tenzo beside him, he usually had little say in such situations.
Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly stopped and seriously continued, "By the way, don't underestimate that child. His Wood Release talent is strong, and from what we can see now, he already has considerable combat ability."
"Yes."
Hatake Kakashi and Tenzo exchanged glances.
Sarutobi Hiruzen again mentioned Akihara Kagura's shortcomings: "However, that child's basic ninja education is not up to standard. He is somewhat too extreme, and we can't put him under the guidance of the leading Jonin in the village. You and Tenzo will have to teach him more in the future."
"This..."
Hatake Kakashi suddenly felt a bit troubled.
Because the first time he met Akihara Kagura, he thought that the kid wasn't normal, often wanting to kill people for Shimura Danzo and such...
However, whether it was the encounter at Ichiraku Ramen this morning or hearing about the kid impersonating him and almost causing a major incident, Hatake Kakashi felt that the child's personality was definitely worse than he had imagined.
But...
The Anbu must obey orders from the Hokage.
"Yes."
Hatake Kakashi could only seriously agree, and then suggested, "Since Akihara Kagura possesses Wood Release Kekkei Genkai, why not put him in Tenzo's team..."
"..."
Tenzo looked at Hatake Kakashi in disbelief!
Tenzo was an honest person who believed Hatake Kakashi to be a reliable senpai.
At this moment, Tenzo suddenly heard that Hatake Kakashi was going to give him a big trouble, and his mind finally became uncontrollably active.
'Hey, hey, hey, what kind of joke are you making, Kakashi-senpai!'
'You know very well how awkward my relationship with Akihara Kagura is. That kid yells at me every day, why would you still put him in my class? You must know the kind of torture I will endure!'
"Okay."
Sarutobi Hiruzen agreed to Hatake Kakashi's suggestion.
After giving his orders, the Hokage waved his hand at them: "Alright, you can leave now, I'll take a walk by myself."
"Yes."
Two figures disappeared instantly behind Sarutobi Hiruzen.
In the alleyways of the street.
After leaving the Hokage, Tenzo couldn't hold back anymore and anxiously said, "This, senpai, putting me and that kid Kagura together…"
"I believe you can do it well."
Hatake Kakashi patted Tenzo on the shoulder and continued, "Tenzo, I've always believed that you can become a reliable senpai too."
"But…"
"Tenzo."
Hatake Kakashi interrupted him and said in a low voice, "That child possesses the same Wood Release Kekkei Genkai as you. Maybe this is also a fateful encounter. I hope you can make him someone who, like you, silently protects Konoha from the shadows."
"Alright…"
Tenzo could only scratch his head helplessly and proposed his plan: "I'll first teach him to slowly develop the Wood Release ninjutsu. If there are any problems, I'll come to ask senpai."
"Okay."
Hatake Kakashi agreed, putting his hand into his pocket: "Since today's guard mission is over, go back and rest early."
"Yeah."
Tenzo scratched his head in distress and walked towards his home.
"..."
Hatake Kakashi, with his head hung low, leaned against the wall.
This famously cold-blooded ninja, Kakashi, gradually began to zone out. Most of the time, he didn't even know what he was thinking about.
It seemed as if Hatake Kakashi's fate was destined to be lonely.
As a child, his father suddenly committed suicide, making him an orphan in school. As he grew up, his closest teammates died one after another in the war. Later, his teacher and his teacher's wife both died during the Nine-Tails' rampage, making Kakashi feel oppressed by fate, unable to catch his breath.
Kakashi felt his future life was going to be muddled, forever staying in the Anbu carrying out endless missions, never able to have a moment of happiness again.
After a long time.
Kakashi got up and left the alley.
Only after Kakashi had left did a mysterious man in a black robe with a mask quietly appear, coldly snorting as he watched Kakashi's departing figure.
"Hmph, this waste..."
"Hehehehe..."
A plant monster resembling a pitcher plant with a black and white body slowly emerged from the ground. The half of its face that was white was smiling as it spoke to the masked man, "There's no need to pay attention to Hatake Kakashi anymore, right? Shouldn't we be more concerned about that Wood Release kid who has reappeared in Konoha?"
"Maybe..."
"That kid could become an ally in the Eye of the Moon Plan?"