“No need to test it. I think I’ve already learned it.”
Kakashi’s dead-fish eye instantly widened into a perfect circle.
“You learned it already?!”
Haruto didn’t even bother responding to Kakashi’s shock.
His hands had already blurred into a flurry of afterimages as he rapidly completed the seals.
Chakra compressed violently within his throat.
Then he shouted:
“Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!”
A scorching blast of hot air erupted outward.
The very atmosphere seemed to ignite.
Accompanied by a thunderous roar, a gigantic fireball over six meters in diameter shot forward.
The crimson flames carried astonishing heat.
In the blink of an eye, they crossed dozens of meters and slammed directly into the waterfall opposite them.
BOOM!
The impact sent countless sprays of water exploding into the air.
Fire and rushing water collided fiercely.
The two forces remained locked in a deadlock for a full three seconds before the relentless torrent finally extinguished the flames.
The cool pool instantly became shrouded in dense clouds of boiling steam.
Kakashi stood frozen in place, staring at the still-smoking waterfall.
His throat felt dry.
“This is ridiculous…”
Haruto slowly calmed his breathing and casually wiped away a nonexistent speck of dust from the corner of his mouth.
“Not bad, I guess.”
Looking at the destructive power before him—which was actually stronger than his own demonstration—Kakashi had no choice but to admit it.
“The power is undeniable.”
He turned toward the six-year-old standing beside him.
His expression was complicated.
“You’re a monster.”
“I demonstrated it once.”
“Once.”
“And you perfectly replicated it.”
“That’s honestly terrifying.”
Haruto remained calm on the surface.
Internally, however, he wasn’t surprised at all.
After all, Uchiha Itachi could learn techniques after seeing them once.
If he couldn’t do the same, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?
His talent was absolutely no worse than that so-called genius.
Looking at the still-dazed Kakashi, Haruto revealed an innocent smile.
“Kakashi-sensei, does that mean today’s lesson is over?”
Kakashi finally snapped back to reality.
With a helpless smile, he nodded.
“According to my original plan, it should’ve taken you at least a week to master this technique.”
“I didn’t expect your progress to be this absurd.”
Originally, Kakashi had included tree-climbing and water-walking training in that estimate.
Altogether, that would’ve taken about a week.
Even so, he had expected a genius like Haruto to spend at least two days learning the Great Fireball Jutsu itself.
Instead, the kid mastered it in a single attempt.
Haruto blinked.
Taking advantage of the situation, he asked,
“Since it’s not dark yet, are you teaching anything else?”
Kakashi shook his head.
“That’s enough for today.”
“Trying to learn too much at once isn’t a good thing.”
“Spend some time familiarizing yourself with the technique.”
“I’m leaving the village tomorrow for a mission.”
“I’ll probably be gone for about a week.”
After a pause, he seemed to remember something.
“If you want to train taijutsu while I’m away, I can arrange another instructor for you.”
“He’ll be in Konoha the entire time.”
A green figure instantly appeared in Haruto’s mind.
“The one who treated you to ramen the other day?”
Kakashi nodded.
“That’s right.”
“He may look like that, but he’s a Jōnin.”
“When it comes to taijutsu, very few people in the village can match him.”
Haruto was unwilling from the bottom of his heart.
He had zero interest in studying taijutsu under Might Guy.
As for the Eight Gates?
Even less.
In his opinion, a forbidden technique that burned one’s life force for temporary power had terrible cost-effectiveness.
Sure, with his unusual physique, opening the Eight Gates might not kill him.
But why bother?
His body already had limitless potential.
As long as he trained steadily, becoming stronger was only a matter of time.
There was no need to take a self-destructive shortcut.
So Haruto politely smiled and declined.
“I’ll pass.”
“I think my taijutsu foundation is already decent enough.”
“I don’t want to divide my attention.”
Honestly speaking, Guy’s normal taijutsu level wasn’t much different from Kakashi’s.
If he wasn’t learning the Eight Gates, there was no reason to seek out Guy specifically just to get beaten up.
Kakashi clearly hadn’t expected rejection.
“You sure?”
“Miss this chance and it might not come again.”
“Don’t regret it later.”
Haruto’s gaze remained firm.
“Don’t worry.”
“I won’t.”
Kakashi sighed regretfully.
“He really is a taijutsu master.”
“You should at least get to know him.”
Haruto simply smiled politely without responding.
His attitude was gentle, but his refusal was absolute.
Looking at his calm, unshakable expression, Kakashi understood that the boy had a mind of his own.
Forcing the issue would be pointless.
Changing the subject, he pointed toward the waterfall.
“Still, your chakra reserves are surprising.”
“The Great Fireball Jutsu is notorious for consuming chakra.”
“The version you just used probably required more chakra than an average Genin possesses in total.”
Haruto smiled modestly.
“My physique is a little unusual.”
“I guess my chakra reserves are slightly larger than normal.”
Kakashi glanced at the sky.
Darkness was gradually settling over the forest.
Patting his stomach, he said,
“Alright.”
“It’s getting late.”
“Let’s head down the mountain and find something to eat.”
Haruto hesitated.
“But I—”
Instinctively, he wanted to decline.
He had never enjoyed eating in noisy restaurants.
Cooking for himself was much more comfortable.
Unfortunately, Kakashi slapped a hand onto his shoulder before he could finish.
“Enough with the ‘but.'”
“Your teacher is treating tonight!”
The moment he heard someone else was paying, all hesitation vanished from Haruto’s face.
“In that case, I won’t refuse your generosity, Sensei.”
“I’m a poor student, after all.”
“I can’t afford restaurants.”
Kakashi burst out laughing at the brutally honest response.
Then he suddenly smacked his forehead.
“Oh right.”
“I almost forgot your reward.”
Haruto blinked.
Kakashi reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out his iconic frog wallet.
After counting out three ten-thousand-ryō notes, he handed them over.
“Here.”
“A bonus for today’s outstanding performance.”
Haruto stared at the money.
This time, he was genuinely surprised.
He had assumed Kakashi’s promise was just a motivational tactic.
Seeing him frozen in place, Kakashi simply stuffed the money into his pocket.
“Don’t think it’s too little.”
“You earned it.”
Haruto frowned slightly.
“I thought you were joking.”
Kakashi shook his head.
For once, he abandoned his usual lazy demeanor.
“Ninjas are good at deception.”
“But I’m not going to lie to my own student.”
“The speed at which you mastered the Great Fireball exceeded all my expectations.”
“Consider this an investment in the future.”
Hearing that, Haruto accepted the money without further protest.
Thirty thousand ryō.
Not bad at all.
His mood instantly improved.
“Then how can I let my teacher pay for dinner?”
“Come on.”
“I’ll treat you to barbecue.”
Kakashi’s eye lit up.
“Oh?”
“Then I won’t hold back.”
“You’d better prepare to bleed heavily.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had proper barbecue.”
Haruto merely smiled.
His opinion of Kakashi rose another notch.
The future Sixth Hokage really wasn’t bad.
And it wasn’t just because of the thirty thousand ryō.
He could clearly feel that Kakashi was genuinely trying to nurture him.
In a dangerous world like this, having Kakashi as a mentor was unquestionably a wise choice.
This man would remain one of Konoha’s pillars for years to come.
Building a good relationship with him had only benefits.
The two of them leisurely descended from the mountain and headed straight for a barbecue restaurant.
They ate until the moon hung high overhead before finally parting ways.
The next morning, Haruto headed to the Ninja Academy as usual.
While walking, he could clearly feel his chakra circulating more vigorously than before.
Looks like mastering the Great Fireball Jutsu caused another increase in chakra.
Combined with the growth of my spiritual energy…
My reserves should now be firmly at the upper Chūnin level.
After reaching that conclusion, he stepped into the academy in a noticeably lighter mood.
The classroom remained as noisy as ever.
Haruto walked directly to his usual corner seat and sat down.
Like a drop of water disappearing into the sea, he attracted no attention whatsoever.
He was a complete background character in class.
He never initiated conversations.
When others spoke to him, his responses were lukewarm at best.
Whenever class ended, he simply rested his head on his desk and slept.
He had absolutely no interest in joining the other children and playing ninja games.
The moment the bell rang, he expertly lowered his head onto the desk and closed his eyes.
Then a faint fragrance drifted over.
His senses immediately detected someone approaching cautiously.
His eyes snapped open.
He straightened instinctively, alert.
Only after seeing who it was did he relax.
Hinata stood there with her head lowered.
Her fingers nervously twisted together.
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Y-Haruto…”
“A-Are you feeling okay?”
“I brought some medicine from home.”
“And… yesterday…”
“I’m really… really sorry.”
Haruto raised his head and looked at the little girl who seemed ready to bury her face in her chest from embarrassment.
The answer had already become obvious from that single question.
Since he had been found out, Kakashi decided not to hide it any longer.
He openly admitted that he was currently serving in the ANBU.
Haruto’s expression remained calm.
With a faint smile, he asked whether Kakashi truly enjoyed a life spent constantly walking along the edge of death.
Kakashi fell silent.
A trace of exhaustion flickered within his dead-fish eye.
How could anyone genuinely enjoy such a life?
Seeing him remain quiet, Haruto smiled faintly.
“I looked into it.”
“The atmosphere in the ANBU doesn’t really suit me.”
After pondering for a moment, Kakashi finally nodded.
“If you’re not interested in the ANBU, then when the time comes, I’ll find a suitable elite Jōnin to become your instructor.”
This time, even Haruto was caught off guard.
He looked at the silver-haired man in surprise.
He hadn’t expected someone as cautious as Kakashi to make such a serious promise.
Ever since failing to fulfill the promise he once made to Obito, Kakashi rarely made guarantees to anyone.
Noticing the surprise in Haruto’s eyes, Kakashi smiled self-deprecatingly.
“With talent like yours, it would be a waste not to have a top-tier Jōnin guiding you.”
Even Kakashi himself found it strange.
He hadn’t expected to care so much about this child.
Haruto quickly recovered.
With a playful grin, he teased,
“So this is what using connections feels like?”
The joke instantly lightened the mood.
Even Kakashi laughed.
Silently acknowledging the special treatment.
The two chatted beneath the night sky for over an hour.
Only when the moon reached its highest point did Kakashi finally leave.
Haruto returned home and went to bed.
However, not long after Kakashi departed, a green figure appeared in the shadows near the intersection.
Might Guy.
It was obvious he had been waiting there for quite some time.
For once, the passionate taijutsu master looked unusually serious.
He directly questioned whether Kakashi had been hiding something lately.
After all, Kakashi had rejected his challenges countless times in a row.
That was extremely unusual.
With both hands in his pockets, Kakashi calmly replied,
“You’ve been following me this whole time.”
“Surely you’ve figured it out already.”
Then he added one of his usual barbs.
“Your stalking skills are terrible, by the way.”
Surprisingly, Guy didn’t argue.
Instead, he stared directly into Kakashi’s eyes.
“Is that kid really worth this much effort?”
Kakashi let out a long sigh and looked up at the stars.
His voice carried a trace of weariness.
“He reminds me too much of myself.”
“And I refuse to let Konoha produce another tragic Kakashi.”
The weight behind those words was enormous.
Guy instantly understood.
For once, even the Blue Beast of Konoha fell silent.
Under the cold moonlight, the two elite ninja stood together while ordinary villagers passed by without realizing what kind of conversation was taking place nearby.
Guy frowned.
Years had passed.
Yet Kakashi was still trapped by the shadows of his past.
He wanted to say that none of it had been Kakashi’s fault.
Kakashi simply shrugged.
He had no interest in revisiting old wounds.
Instead, he mentioned that he had recommended Guy to Haruto as a taijutsu instructor.
Only to be rejected outright.
Guy froze.
Then his eyes widened dramatically.
“What?!”
“Someone rejected the chance to devote himself to the sweat of youth?!”
Truthfully, if Kakashi had sincerely asked, Guy would’ve gladly accepted Haruto as a student.
Watching his friend’s dramatic reaction, Kakashi secretly felt relieved.
Thank goodness Haruto had refused.
Otherwise, the image of him eventually turning into another green-spandex-wearing bowl-cut enthusiast was simply too horrifying to imagine.
He wanted the kid to be optimistic.
Just not that optimistic.
Leaning against a cold stone wall, Kakashi’s voice became firm.
“One day, Haruto will surpass me.”
“He’ll become someone on the level of the Fourth Hokage.”
The full moon shone brightly overhead.
Beneath his mask, Kakashi smiled faintly.
It was as though he could already see that future.
Guy, however, frowned even harder.
He couldn’t understand why Kakashi had such absurd expectations for a six-year-old child.
Surpassing the Copy Ninja.
Standing alongside the Yellow Flash.
Those were terrifying evaluations.
Without turning around, Kakashi stared at the stars and replied firmly:
“He will.”
Guy demanded a reason.
Kakashi chuckled.
“Intuition.”
Naturally, that answer failed to satisfy Guy.
Refusing to let the matter go, he continued pressing.
Kakashi finally revealed the truth.
“He’s six years old.”
“I’ve taught him three techniques.”
“Some C-rank. Some B-rank.”
“Every single time, he mastered them perfectly after one explanation.”
“And that’s not all.”
“His concentration is unbelievable.”
“He listens to boring theory lessons like they’re the most interesting thing in the world.”
“Even you couldn’t do that.”
Guy’s face immediately turned red.
He recalled pestering Kakashi to teach him ninjutsu in their youth.
Only to fall asleep halfway through every lecture.
Ignoring his embarrassment, Kakashi continued.
“The worst part is that his techniques are even stronger than mine after he learns them.”
“There is only one conclusion.”
“He’s a genuine genius.”
Hearing that description, Guy finally understood.
His eyes immediately burst with fighting spirit.
He desperately wanted to meet this legendary prodigy.
Perhaps such a talent should inherit his taijutsu legacy.
Before he could finish speaking, Kakashi raised a hand and interrupted him.
“Forget it.”
“He’s not interested in taijutsu.”
“And his taijutsu foundation is already excellent.”
“There’s no need to waste huge amounts of time specializing in it.”
After all, taijutsu was a path that demanded an entire lifetime of dedication.
That wasn’t merely Haruto’s choice.
It was also Kakashi’s judgment as his guide.
Unfortunately, telling Guy something was impossible only made him more determined.
In Guy’s eyes, someone who had reached such a level through self-study alone was a natural-born taijutsu prodigy.
Letting that talent go to waste would be a crime.
Excitedly clenching his fists, Guy declared that Haruto simply hadn’t witnessed the true essence of taijutsu yet.
Once the boy saw his power, he would definitely change his mind.
Kakashi glanced sideways at his old friend and laughed.
His eyes clearly said:
You’re dreaming.
Guy had already entered his own world.
He swore that he would drag Haruto into the pit of taijutsu no matter what.
After all, his Eight Gates needed a successor.
The moment he mentioned the Eight Gates, his entire body trembled with excitement.
Kakashi could only sigh helplessly.
He knew a little about the Eight Gates himself.
Precisely because of that, he understood how terrifying the training requirements were.
If Haruto truly went down that road, he wouldn’t have time for anything else.
Once again, Kakashi firmly objected.
Haruto’s future path wasn’t taijutsu.
And he definitely wasn’t going to learn a self-destructive forbidden technique like the Eight Gates.