Morning sunlight bathed Training Ground Three in a warm glow as a gentle breeze stirred the leaves overhead.
Naruto arrived without his usual shouting or exaggerated entrance, quietly taking his place a short distance from his teammates.
For a brief moment, he simply watched them.
Sakura Haruno stood with her arms folded, her emerald eyes fixed on Sasuke with barely concealed admiration.
Every so often, she’d glance toward Naruto’s empty spot with an annoyed sigh, already preparing a lecture for when he inevitably showed up late.
Naruto couldn’t help but smile.
She was still the same stubborn girl who wore her heart on her sleeve, blissfully unaware of the incredible kunoichi she would one day become.
His gaze shifted to Sasuke Uchiha.
The last surviving Uchiha leaned against a wooden post with his hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable.
To everyone else, he looked calm and composed.
Naruto saw something entirely different.
He saw the unbearable loneliness hidden beneath those obsidian eyes.
The crushing burden of revenge.
The brother who had walked beside him through war, hatred, redemption, and finally peace.
“You can stop staring,” Kurama remarked dryly.
Naruto blinked.
“Is it that obvious?”
“To me? Always.”
Naruto smiled faintly.
“I never realized how young we looked.”
Kurama snorted.
“You were children. Children forced into a world that expected adults.”
Before Naruto could answer, Sakura finally noticed him.
“Naruto!” she shouted, marching over with an irritated expression.
“For once you’re actually early?”
Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
“I figured I’d try something different.”
Sakura stared at him suspiciously.
“…You’re planning something.”
“Nope.”
“…Definitely planning something.”
Naruto simply laughed.
Even Sasuke opened one eye, giving Naruto a brief glance before returning to his thoughts.
It wasn’t much, but Naruto noticed it immediately.
His oldest rival had already sensed something was different.
Nearly an hour passed.
Sakura’s patience evaporated first.
“What kind of jonin keeps his students waiting this long?”
“Someone testing us,” Naruto answered absentmindedly.
Both Sakura and Sasuke looked toward him.
“What?”
Naruto blinked before realizing what he had said.
“I mean… maybe. Ninjas are supposed to observe everything, right?”
Sasuke studied him for several seconds.
“…Hn.”
Kurama chuckled inside Naruto’s mind.
“Careful.”
“I know.”
Another half hour slipped by.
Finally, a swirl of leaves drifted through the clearing.
“Yo.”
Perched casually atop one of the training posts stood a silver-haired jonin with one hand tucked into his pocket and the other holding a small orange book.
Kakashi Hatake.
Naruto’s chest tightened.
His teacher.
His captain.
The man who had carried guilt for decades while never allowing it to stop him from protecting others.
Kakashi looked exactly as Naruto remembered.
Lazy.
Calm.
Unreadable.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” Kakashi said cheerfully.
“A black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way around.”
Sakura’s eye twitched.
“He’s lying,” she muttered.
Naruto almost laughed.
Some things truly never changed.
Kakashi hopped down from the post and lazily looked over the three genin standing before him.
“Well then… my first impression…”
His visible eye curved into a smile.
“…you’re all pretty unique.”
Naruto had heard those exact words decades ago.
Back then, he had desperately shouted about becoming Hokage.
Back then, Sasuke had spoken only of revenge.
Back then, Sakura had spent more time looking at Sasuke than introducing herself.
History stood before him, waiting to repeat itself.
Not this time.
Kakashi gestured toward three wooden stumps arranged nearby.
“Let’s start with introductions.”
The three genin took their seats.
“Likes, dislikes, dreams, hobbies… anything you’d like to share.”
He pointed toward himself first.
“My name is Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and dislike… I don’t really feel like telling you. My dreams for the future…” He closed his book.
“…Never really thought about it.”
Sakura whispered.
“That told us absolutely nothing.”
Naruto smiled knowingly.
Some mysteries deserved to remain mysteries.
Kakashi pointed toward Naruto.
“You first.”
Naruto stood.
Every memory of his previous life urged him to simply tell the truth.
That he had achieved his dream.
That he had become Hokage.
That he had saved the world.
Instead, he smiled.
“My name is Naruto Uzumaki.”
He paused.
“I like ramen… but there are people I like even more.”
Kurama raised an eyebrow.
“Smooth.”
Naruto ignored him.
“I dislike seeing people eat alone.”
Kakashi’s eye shifted ever so slightly.
“My hobby…” Naruto continued.
“…is making promises.”
Sakura looked confused.
Sasuke watched silently.
“And my dream…”
Naruto’s blue eyes sparkled with unwavering conviction.
“…is to build a future where nobody has to carry their pain by themselves.”
Silence settled over the training ground.
Sakura frowned.
“That’s… surprisingly deep.”
Even Sasuke glanced at Naruto again, his expression betraying the slightest hint of curiosity.
Kakashi remained perfectly still.
Outwardly, nothing had changed.
Inwardly, however, the Copy Ninja found himself wondering a single question.
Who exactly is this boy?
Naruto quietly sat back down.
Kurama laughed.
“You’ve already started changing the future.”
Naruto’s eyes remained fixed on Kakashi.
“No.”
His smile never wavered.
“I’m just giving it a better beginning.”