“Mm! Don’t worry, I’ll definitely study hard!”
[Tch! Work hard? Even if I work hard for six years, I’ll still be the dead last. I might as well take it easy, have fun for six years, and get myself a wife first.]
‘Dead last?
Naruto is the dead last at school?
How could that be!
Since I’ll become Naruto’s teacher in the future, I might as well start teaching him early.
Besides, if I spend more time around him, maybe I can find out what really happened to Rin and Obito!’
After making up his mind, Kakashi’s gaze toward Naruto gradually became firm, leaving Naruto completely confused.
“Big Brother Kakashi? What’s wrong with you this time?”
“Ah? Oh! It’s nothing. I just suddenly thought of something. Naruto, I still have something to do, so I’ll be leaving first. Take this.”
As he spoke, Kakashi took out a one-thousand-ryo banknote from his wallet and handed it to Naruto.
Naruto’s eyes immediately lit up, and he snatched the banknote, afraid that Kakashi might change his mind.
Was a one-thousand-ryo banknote a lot?
Not really.
The most expensive bowl of Ichiraku Ramen Naruto had just eaten cost more than three hundred ryo, while Kakashi’s ordinary bowl of ramen cost more than seventy.
One thousand ryo was only enough for two or three meals like that.
But to Naruto, one thousand ryo was already a lot, because the monthly living allowance the Third Hokage gave him was only one thousand ryo.
It was precisely because of this that he could only eat instant ramen every day and drink expired milk.
“Thank you! Big Brother Kakashi!”
[Ah! Calling you Big Brother really wasn’t for nothing. At least I can live a little better for the next few days. I’ll go buy some food to stock up on later.]
Kakashi nodded with a smile and disappeared in a flash.
Naruto also left Ichiraku Ramen and bought some instant ramen, bread, and milk to take home as food supplies.
That evening, inside the Hokage’s office, Kakashi respectfully knelt on one knee.
The Third Hokage no longer wore his usual kind expression.
Instead, he looked at Kakashi with a stern face and even a hint of anger.
“Kakashi, why did you disobey orders and approach Naruto? Danzo has already come to see me about this matter. If you cannot give me a reasonable explanation, it will be difficult for me to handle.”
Kakashi slowly raised his head and held out his ANBU mask with both hands.
“Lord Hokage, I wish to temporarily resign from my position in the ANBU!”
The Third Hokage did not take the mask.
Instead, he frowned deeply and stared at Kakashi.
After a long while, he took a puff from his pipe, and only then did his expression soften.
“I’m asking you for an explanation, not trying to hold you accountable. You also know that Naruto’s identity is special. If you want to help him, you need a reasonable reason.”
“A reason? Lord Hokage, what kind of life is Naruto living now? Only half of this month has passed, and he has already run out of food. There are only a few cartons of expired milk that he picked up left in his refrigerator! He is the son of the Hokage! He is also the hero who sealed the Nine-Tails! Yet he lives worse than even the orphans in the orphanage. I really don’t know how, in a few more years, you’ll have the face to meet my teacher!”
Kakashi practically scolded the Third Hokage right in his face.
The Third Hokage stared at Kakashi in disbelief and opened his mouth, yet he could not say a single word in rebuttal.
In the end, he could only let out a guilty sigh.
“Sigh~~ I was doing this to protect Naruto. Fine. From now on, Naruto’s monthly living allowance will be increased from one thousand ryo to three thousand ryo. That should be enough for his basic needs. Put your mask away. This matter is not your fault. You may leave.”
The Third Hokage sat weakly in his chair and waved his hand.
His aged face seemed to grow several years older.
However, Kakashi did not put the mask away.
Instead, he stood up and placed it on the Hokage’s desk, then solemnly bowed deeply to the Third Hokage.
“Lord Hokage, I’m not resigning from the ANBU because of this.”
The Third Hokage was stunned and looked at Kakashi in confusion.
“Not because of this? Then why?”
“I’m preparing to train. I’m afraid I won’t have that much time to carry out ANBU missions, so I want to temporarily resign from my position in the ANBU.”
The Third Hokage raised an eyebrow and took a deep puff from his pipe, appearing to think.
“What kind of training? The Sharingan?”
“No! Swordsmanship! I’m going to inherit my father’s swordsmanship!”
The moment those words were spoken, the hand of the Third Hokage holding the pipe suddenly trembled.
He abruptly stood up, and his excited voice was already trembling.
“I never thought that one day you would make such a decision. The White Fang of Konoha was so powerful back then. After the White Fang died, I thought I would never see the White Fang’s swordsmanship again. I never expected that you would… Good, good, good! I approve!”
The Third Hokage swept away his previous displeasure and immediately sat down, preparing to draft Kakashi’s resignation papers.
But before he could put pen to paper, Kakashi spoke again.
“Also, Lord Hokage, I hope to bring Naruto with me to train. I want to repay the Fourth Hokage’s kindness in teaching me through Naruto. Besides, if Naruto can obtain strength early, the pressure on your side will also be much less.”
The Third Hokage stopped before writing, his brows deeply furrowed as he became extremely troubled.
“This matter won’t be easy to handle. Even if I agree, the two elders and Danzo won’t agree. Naruto’s identity is simply too sensitive.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. You only need to tell them that I will surpass the White Fang of Konoha!”
…
After getting money, there were fewer worries.
With fewer worries, Naruto slept more soundly.
He slept in the next morning, and by the time he got up, the sun was already high in the sky.
However, he didn’t care about any of that.
After washing up, he prepared instant ramen, poured himself some milk, set out some bread, and got ready to eat a hearty breakfast.
Looking at the “hearty” breakfast on the table, Naruto couldn’t help rubbing his hands together eagerly.
“Although it can’t compare to Ichiraku Ramen, it’s already pretty good.”
Naruto had just reached out to grab the bread when he was interrupted by a knock at the door.
Although he was somewhat annoyed, he still went to open it.
The moment he opened the door, the Third Hokage and Kakashi were standing outside.
The Third Hokage stood in the center of the doorway and smiled warmly at Naruto when he opened the door.
Kakashi stood behind him, and this time, he was not wearing his ANBU mask.
[Strange. Why does the old man Third Hokage have time to come looking for me? Today isn’t the day he gives me my living allowance either. And Kakashi isn’t wearing his mask.]
Naruto was suspicious in his heart, but his face did not reveal the slightest hint of it.
Instead, he put on a happy expression.
“Ah! Lord Hoka… Grandpa, why did you come today? And Big Brother Kakashi came too! Please come in, please come in!”
After letting the two of them into the house, Naruto returned to the table and continued eating his breakfast.
After all, his stomach was still hungry.
He couldn’t possibly skip breakfast just to entertain them, especially since the instant ramen had already been prepared.
As soon as Naruto sat down, he began taking huge bites of his bread.
The Third Hokage smoked his pipe and sat across from Naruto with a warm smile, his expression extremely kind.
“Little Naruto, having breakfast?”
“Mm, yeah. Have you eaten? If not, I’ll give you some bread.”
As he spoke, Naruto handed the Third Hokage the bread he had already taken a bite out of, while his other hand picked up the milk and took a huge gulp.