Hokage finally found me a team. But I quickly realized it wouldn't be easy.
The other two genin weren't exactly welcoming. They called me "the prodigy" behind my back — jealous because I was the youngest genin and already labeled a genius. One was a civilian kid, whose name was Taro, and the other was Kenji, from a small clan that had lost a close friend just a week ago. They blamed the leadership for immediately finding a replacement.
For the last two months, we had been on missions together — mostly D and C rank — and I'd trained hard alongside them. I was almost mastering Minato's space-time technique: Hiraishin no Jutsu. The sealing jutsu was still tricky for me, though. I struggled a bit with the hand signs and still relied on ink seals more than I wanted to.
A lot had changed during that time. I'd learned many kenjutsu techniques with Sakumo's help. My uncle had taught me advanced genjutsu, and I was getting stronger every day.
Despite the rough start, I knew I had to prove myself —
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Lately, things had been getting boring. Most missions were easy, and training felt repetitive. One afternoon, Kakashi and I were practicing taijutsu in the training grounds when suddenly someone came
Watching him move, I thought to myself, This guy is … Wait, isn't this Might Guy? "YOUTH! YOUTH! YOUTH!" a booming voice yelled, making the birds scatter.
I turned and saw a young man with a bright green jumpsuit and a big bowl haircut running toward me with energy that could shake the whole forest. His eyes sparkled with excitement and determination.
"Hey! You there!" he called out, stopping right in front of me and bowing deeply. "I am Might Guy! And I will be your rival!"
I blinked, caught off guard. "Rival? Me?"
Guy grinned widely, flashing his perfect teeth. "Yes! A true rival pushes you to become stronger! So from this day forward, Izuna, we shall compete and train together to reach the peak of shinobi power!"
He jumped up and struck a powerful pose, fists clenched tight, chest puffed out. "Never give up! That is the way of youth!"
I smiled, feeling a strange excitement bubble inside me. "Alright, Guy. Let's see if you can keep up."
He laughed loudly, "That's the spirit! Together, we will light up the world with our energy! YOUTH!"
The sun was slowly warming the open training field where the three of us stood — Kakashi, Might Guy, and I — ready to get to work.
"Come on, no time to waste!" Guy said, bouncing on the spot like he had endless energy.
Kakashi just shrugged calmly. "You have no limits, do you?"
"Limits? I don't know the meaning of that word!" Guy shot back with a big grin. "Youth, youth, youth!"
We started with basics — running, jumping, swinging arms and legs. Kakashi was calm and precise, I tried to be fast and focused, and Guy was like fire — constantly moving, shouting encouragements.
After about half an hour, we dropped down onto the grass to rest.
Guy took a deep breath and looked at us with excitement in his eyes. "You know, you two are my biggest rivals — I won't let you off easy!"
Kakashi laughed behind his mask and said, "Looks like I'll have to work even harder."
I just nodded and added, "Challenge accepted."
Guy raised his fists and shouted, "That's the spirit of a true shinobi! Youth!"
Then we all burst out laughing and jumped right back into training.
Inside the Hokage's Office
Hiruzen sat quietly in his office, the candlelight casting flickering shadows on the walls. In front of him, on a wooden table, lay a crystal orb emitting a soft, gentle glow. Slowly, he raised his hands and focused his attention on the orb.
Inside it, vivid images of Konoha village appeared — people walking the streets, children running, and shinobi patrolling.
His eyes closed briefly as he shifted his focus to two young figures who stood out — Izuna and Kakashi.
"Hm… so many talented shinobi in this village," he muttered softly to himself. "And these two… Izuna and Kakashi. Interesting."
He paused for a moment, watching the young men training together, their bodies swift and agile, their eyes shining with determination and strength.
Then his thoughts drifted back to painful memories — friends he had lost, like Minato's premature death, and dark secrets that threatened to tear the village apart, like the conflict with Danzo and his Root.
"I remember… how I once believed I could protect everything," he whispered. "But conflicts, betrayals, and power… all bring hard choices."
But now, as he watched Izuna and Kakashi, he felt a faint hope.
"Maybe these young ones will be the ones to bring peace. With strength and wisdom… They are on the path to becoming the guardians of this village."
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In the dark underground lair, Danzo stood silently, his eyes cold and calculating as he observed the latest reports from his Root operatives. Nearby, Orochimaru was deep in his twisted experiments, the faint hum of strange machinery filling the air.
Danzo's lips curled into a cruel smile.
"Soon… once Orochimaru finishes his work, I will be the strongest. I will rule Konoha… no, the entire world!" he laughed darkly, the sound echoing off the cold stone walls. "Hahahahaha!"
Far away, Izuna felt a strange chill crawl down his spine. His instincts screamed that something was very wrong.
"I can't shake this feeling… something bad is coming…" he thought, his Sharingan flickering nervously.
"It must be that idiot Danzo… I'll have to kill him one day," Izuna muttered under his breath, his eyes burning with quiet fury