Early the next morning, Hatake Kakashi appeared outside Hatake Kusuo's window like a phantom.
Kusuo was a little surprised to see Kakashi so punctual.
In the original story, Kakashi was famously late when he first met Naruto and the others. Yet here he was, showing up bright and early. Clearly, he took this school opening seriously, or at least Kusuo's education.
"Let's go."
When Kusuo woke, Kakashi simply said that and vanished on the spot.
Once Kusuo had washed up and dressed, a striking boy appeared—clad in red robes, hair tied in a ponytail, and a sword in hand.
On the way to the academy, Kakashi walked leisurely down the street, hands resting behind his head.
Unexpectedly, Kusuo's outfit attracted quite a few stares.
It couldn't be helped.
Who wouldn't sneak a few glances at such a beautiful boy?
That's right, beautiful. Handsome to an almost unreal degree.
Feeling the gazes of passersby, Kusuo remained completely calm. A warm, confident smile stayed on his face the entire time.
"Daddy, he's so handsome!"
A little girl tugged at her father's sleeve, shyly hiding behind him as she pointed at Kusuo.
"Uh…"
The father was also stunned for a moment, but seeing Kakashi beside Kusuo, he wisely said nothing.
The Hatake clan, even if somewhat fallen, was still a great family. And with Kakashi, strong and well-known, standing right there, it was best not to speak rashly.
For an ordinary civilian, his daughter's innocent admiration was destined to remain just that—a dream.
They arrived at the ninja academy without incident.
A large crowd had already gathered. With a quick glance, Kusuo recognized several familiar faces.
That serious-looking middle-aged man had to be Uchiha Fugaku, head of the Uchiha clan.
Beside him, Sasuke stood with his chin held high, radiating arrogance as if looking down on everyone else.
In the crowd, the most eye-catching of all was Naruto.
Though no family had come to see him off, he was as lively as ever, chattering non-stop and dashing all over the academy grounds.
Nearby, the shy heiress of the Hyuga clan stood quietly to one side, along with the heirs of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and other major families.
Kusuo's arrival became an immediate new focus.
A boy so perfectly handsome, with a gentle, warm smile—he stole the attention of all the young girls at first sight.
"Kakashi? The Hatake kid?"
Fugaku gave a glance, then looked twice because of Kakashi, but that was all.
The other clan heads reacted the same way.
"So handsome!"
"He looks even better than Sasuke! I really want to know his name!"
Sakura, near Naruto, clutched her hands to her chest, heart-shaped sparkles in her eyes as she stared at Kusuo.
Ino was no different.
The two cute girls expressed their admiration at the same time, exchanged a glance, and sparks flew between them.
"Hey, hey!"
Naruto, seeing his goddesses swooning over another boy, scratched his head in frustration.
But Sakura didn't even look at him.
That only made Naruto more agitated.
Unable to hold back, he ran right up to Kusuo and shouted,
"Hey! You got the guts to fight me? Whoever loses is a pig and can't go near Sakura ever again!"
Ignoring Kakashi, Naruto yelled loudly at Kusuo.
Kakashi rubbed his nose, watching with amusement as he deliberately stepped aside to see how this would play out.
Kusuo looked at Naruto, surprised that he'd been challenged right after arriving.
Well then.
It seemed he'd stolen Sasuke's spotlight.
Glancing at Sasuke, he saw that the boy was glaring at him unhappily.
"We're going to be classmates. No need to fight."
Kusuo shrugged and declined.
But to Naruto, that sounded like cowardice, so he shouted even louder.
"What?! You're just a scaredy-cat! If you're scared, you shouldn't even be here! Bleh!"
He stuck out his tongue and made a face at Kusuo.
Sigh.
"Why does there have to be such a clueless idiot?"
Kusuo raised a brow, silently complaining in his heart, but outwardly his smile remained as gentle as ever.
"If you insist, I'll go easy on you."
That kind of confident, unflustered tone drew the attention of several adults. To stand so calm under provocation showed impressive character.
Some clan heads nodded approvingly.
"Hmph! Big talker! Take this!"
Naruto wiped his nose and charged, fists swinging.
Of course, Kusuo wasn't serious.
This kind of kids' scuffle didn't even warrant drawing his blade. He simply raised a foot and [kicked Naruto lightly], sending him tumbling to the ground.
He'd gauged Naruto's toughness, knowing it wouldn't hurt him.
But the speed of that kick caught everyone's attention.
It had been too fast to see clearly.
"Interesting."
Hiashi Hyuga pointed Kusuo out to his daughter Hinata and said,
"Daughter, you should get to know him. Learn from each other. Remember, the future of the Hyuga clan will rest on your shoulders."
Hinata nodded, eyes wide with curiosity as she peeked at Kusuo from behind her father.
"You! That didn't count! I wasn't ready!"
Naruto scrambled up, brushed the dirt from his face, and prepared to charge again, determination burning in his eyes.
But before he could move, a figure appeared behind him like a ghost.
A hand rested lightly on his shoulder as a soft voice said,
"There's no need. This fight is over."
Naruto froze.
Everyone froze.
The seasoned clan heads showed expressions of shock, while the other kids and their parents stared in disbelief, jaws dropping.
Astounded.
Everyone was astounded.
"No way! How can a kid who hasn't even started school move that fast?"
"This brat…"
A flicker of red passed through Fugaku's eyes. He had activated his Sharingan and seen Kusuo's movement clearly.
Hiashi's forehead veins bulged, proof that he'd activated his Byakugan.
"I didn't expect a simple entrance ceremony to reveal such an interesting child."
Hiashi nodded slightly at Kusuo and said no more.
On the Uchiha side, Sasuke glared at Kusuo, his heart burning with envy as he watched his father praise another boy in a way he'd never been praised himself.
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100 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter