Asuma’s wish was destined to fail.
Only three days had passed.
On the third evening, Guy was working at the Uchiha Forge when Kurenai suddenly came running.
She was even more frantic than last time.
“Guy!
School assembly!” Guy stopped and looked at her.
“Another assembly?” Kurenai nodded, her face pale.
“Something huge has happened.” Inside the classroom.
More people had gathered than last time.
No one spoke.
Even breathing was kept low.
Iruka stood at the podium.
His face was even grimmer than before.
He scanned the children below.
Six, seven years old.
The oldest was eight.
He was silent for a long time.
Then he spoke.
“Early this morning.” He paused.
“The Hidden Cloud Village from the Land of Lightning attacked our garrison at the border of the Land of Rice Fields.” The classroom fell into dead silence.
“Three squads stationed there.
Twelve people.
All fell in battle.” Someone gasped.
Someone covered their mouth.
Someone’s face went white as paper.
Iruka’s voice continued.
“At the same time, our border garrison near the Land of Earth was also attacked.” “Sixteen people.
No survivors.” He pressed his hands on the podium.
Hard.
His knuckles were white.
“When people die, there’s no room for negotiation anymore.” “The Cloud Village has declared war on the Land of Fire.” “The Stone Village has also declared war on the Land of Fire.” “The Sand Village hasn’t moved yet, but they’ve already massed three thousand troops at the border.” He looked at the children below.
“War.” “It has already begun.” The classroom was so quiet you could hear heartbeats.
Obito opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
But nothing came out.
Rin lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Kurenai grabbed Guy’s sleeve, gripping it tight.
No one spoke.
Iruka took a deep breath.
“Next…” He wrote on the blackboard: [Graduation date — brought forward.] Someone asked quietly: “Brought forward to when?” Iruka turned around.
Looking at them.
“Your class had already had the six-year system shortened to three years because of the war.” “Now.” He paused.
“It’s being shortened by half again.” Obito’s head snapped up.
“Half?!
That means—” “One and a half years.” Iruka said.
“You’ve already been here for over half a year.
You have less than a year left.” The classroom erupted.
“A year?!” “We’re only seven!” “Less than a year to graduate?
That means we’re going straight to the battlefield?!” Iruka didn’t speak.
He just watched them.
Wait for the noise to die down.
Then he spoke.
“Yes.” “In less than a year, you will graduate.” “After graduation, you will be directly assigned to the combat roster.” “If you’re lucky, you’ll stay in the village for garrison duty.” “If you’re not lucky…” He didn’t finish.
But everyone knew what that meant.
The front lines.
The battlefield.
A place where people died.
Obito’s face went pale.
Kurenai’s grip on Guy’s sleeve tightened until her knuckles were white.
Rin kept her head down, tears welling in her eyes.
Ebisu’s sunglasses slid all the way off and fell to the ground.
He didn’t pick them up.
Guy sat in the back row, by the window.
He didn’t speak.
He didn’t move.
But his hands were clenched into fists.
One year.
Less than one year.
These kids— Kurenai, Obito, Rin, Ebisu, Asuma—they would all be sent to the battlefield.
None of them died, though.
But!
Guy’s gaze fell on some classmates whose names he didn’t even know.
These kids didn’t appear in the later story.
Some of them would die.
Some of them would die in places he couldn’t see, just like in the original story.
Konoha’s most golden generation wasn’t just those fourteen people.
The truth was that only fourteen of them survived.
No—even fewer!
Guy took a deep breath.
He opened the system panel.
[Muscle-Tendon Change Classic: 832 (Refined Mastery)] [Vajra Leg: 1000 (Transcendent)] [Vajra Finger: 1000 (Transcendent)] [Broken Precept Blade: 316 (Comprehensive Mastery)] [Golden Bell Shield: 3 (Beginner)] Not enough.
Still not enough.
He had to become stronger.
Strong enough to protect everyone.
After school.
When everyone had left.
Guy walked alone toward the back hill.
Halfway there, an Anbu suddenly appeared in front of him.
“Might Guy?” Guy stopped.
“Yes.” The Anbu handed him a letter.
“From Hatake Kakashi.” Guy took it.
The Anbu vanished.
Guy opened the letter.
Reading it by moonlight.
The letter was short.
[Guy: I was promoted to chunin.
It was an emergency promotion—I killed a lot of people, so they made an exception.
A seven-year-old chunin.
The Third said Konoha has never had one before.
But I’m not proud of it.
On the battlefield, chunin and genin are no different.
People still die.
A few days ago, a squad next to us was annihilated.
People I knew.
Gone.
I don’t want that to happen to you.
So—get stronger.
I’ll be waiting for you on the battlefield.
Kakashi] Guy looked at the letter.
Looked at that last line.
“I’ll be waiting for you on the battlefield.” He folded the letter carefully.
Tucked it into his pocket.
He looked up.
The moon was bright.
Shining on his face.
He suddenly remembered the Kakashi from the original story.
The genius who became a chunin at seven.
The genius who lost Obito at Kannabi Bridge.
The genius who went cold after Rin died.
This time— That wouldn’t happen.
He turned and continued walking toward the back hill.
He’d only taken two steps— “Guy!” A familiar booming voice exploded from behind him.
Guy turned around.
Under the moonlight.
A green figure stood there.
Thick eyebrows, big eyes.
Faded green jumpsuit.
Might Duy.
He ran over, stopped in front of Guy.
His eyes burned with intensity.
“Guy!” “Dad’s been thinking about this for a long time, and I’ve decided to tell you!” Guy’s heart stirred.
At this moment…
could it be…
Duy took a deep breath.
Then he gave a thumbs-up.
Teeth gleaming.
“Son.
Dad is going to teach you a forbidden technique!” End of Chapter 23