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Extra Chapter: On Every 50 powerstones
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Creak.
The door opened.
Inside the classroom, the three of them held their breath, their eyes fixed on the entrance.
But...
For a long moment, no one stepped inside.
What kind of person does this?
This is just mean.
Kyohiko couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
Then—
A figure finally walked in.
"Have the three of you been waiting long?"
White hair, the character for "oil" emblazoned on his forehead—an unmistakable appearance.
His attire…
All too familiar.
Kurenai's eyes widened.
Kakashi was stunned, momentarily unable to believe what he was seeing.
Kyohiko was equally shocked.
Why is it Jiraiya?
This was one of the Legendary Sannin. He had never heard of Kakashi being assigned to Jiraiya's team before.
But soon, realization dawned on him.
The world is unpredictable.
Though it might be a bit presumptuous to think so, perhaps his own presence—like the flapping of a butterfly's wings—had altered everything.
He took a deep breath, unable to hide the excitement in his voice.
"Y-You… Are you Lord Jiraiya?"
Kyohiko knew he couldn't act too calm—
The man before him was one of the Sannin, a figure many Konoha shinobi idolized. As an ordinary civilian-born ninja, he should react with awe and excitement.
Jiraiya laughed. "Hahaha! For now, you're under my command. Come on, let's head somewhere more spacious to talk."
"Yes!"
---
Rooftop, Academy Building.
Jiraiya sat on the edge, while the three stood obediently in front of him.
His gaze swept over them.
"You probably all know me, so I'll skip the introduction. How about you introduce yourselves? Likes, dislikes, that sort of thing."
"Hatake Kakashi, chūnin. Skilled in kenjutsu and Lightning Release. No particular likes. Dislikes people who break the rules."
Kakashi's tone was cold and direct.
Kurenai, nervous, fiddled with the hem of her clothes and stammered, "L-Lord Jiraiya, I'm Yuuhi Kurenai. I specialize in genjutsu. I like wasabi octopus… and I hate cake."
"Yoshimine Kyohiko. Currently more proficient in taijutsu. Likes training and getting stronger. Dislikes… war."
Kyohiko's answer was carefully considered.
Likes training, dislikes war.
These responses aligned with his background, avoiding any contradictions with his past behavior that might arouse suspicion. Over the past year, he had preferred training alone—partly for this very reason.
Jiraiya's movements paused slightly.
"Good, I get the picture."
His smile faded, replaced by a stern expression. "Now that we've introduced ourselves, let me make something clear. The Hokage believes you have potential, which is why I've been assigned to guide you. But…"
His eyes swept over them.
"I don't think you have what it takes to be my subordinates. Tomorrow morning, report to Training Ground 7. I'll be conducting a comprehensive assessment of your abilities. If you fail…"
His voice turned icy.
"You'll be sent back to the Academy. As for you—" He looked at Kakashi. "You're a chūnin, so you can join another squad. But if you think these two fresh graduates aren't capable enough to be your teammates, you're free to leave right now."
Kakashi glanced at the other two.
Kyohiko and Kurenai remained silent.
However, their reasons were different.
Kyohiko had a hunch—this was part of the test itself. Jiraiya's involvement was likely because of Kakashi. But why things had changed so drastically…
He wasn't sure.
Kurenai, meanwhile, was simply worried.
Kakashi was a chūnin, after all…
Hatake Kakashi didn't answer immediately. He studied them for a long moment before speaking.
"I don't believe they have the ability to pass the assessment."
Jiraiya's expression didn't change.
"So you're withdrawing?"
"No. I want to try."
Kakashi's response was firm.
Jiraiya nodded. "Fine. What about you two? If you back out now, the village will assign you another sensei. My test won't be easy. You might have better luck with someone else."
"I'll take it."
Kyohiko didn't hesitate.
Being a student of the Sannin was no ordinary opportunity.
Kurenai had no reason to back down either.
"Good. Then you have the rest of the day to prepare. Oh, and one more thing—" Jiraiya grinned. "Don't eat breakfast tomorrow. Otherwise… hehehe!"
With that, he vanished in an instant.
Only the three of them remained on the rooftop.
Kyohiko broke the silence. "Let's head to Training Ground 7 and scout it out. We can train together and get familiar with each other's abilities."
"This assessment is a mission. If you can't keep up, I won't hesitate to leave you behind."
Kakashi scoffed, then disappeared in a shunshin.
Kurenai frowned. "What's his problem…"
"He went toward the training ground. Let's follow."
Kyohiko vanished as well.
Kurenai hurried after them.
Ahead, Kakashi glanced back, watching as the two caught up. His eyes narrowed slightly.
'Yoshimine Kyohiko… His speed was impressive. His shunshin was well-trained—his skills might actually be decent. But the other one… She was struggling. Still, if she specialized in genjutsu, she could be useful.'
Kakashi continued forward.
What he didn't notice—
Jiraiya was watching from the shadows.
"That silver-haired brat doesn't even consider his teammates. Meanwhile, that kid—" His gaze lingered on Kyohiko. "—could move faster, but he's matching Kurenai's pace to stay with her."
The more he observed, the more Kyohiko impressed him.
This kid isn't just smart—he's attentive, considerate of his teammates.
With the right guidance, he might become another Minato.
But if mishandled…
His expression darkened as another teammate's face flashed in his mind.
Sigh.
Who knew what Orochimaru was up to these days?
Ever since Nawaki's death, Tsunade had left, and Orochimaru had grown increasingly… strange.
"Still, teamwork alone won't be enough to pass this."
---
TRAINING GROUND 7 – OUTSKIRTS.
"Kurenai, the training grounds can be dangerous. I'll stop him, and then we'll go in together."
"Stop him?"
Before Kurenai could process his words, Kyohiko was already gone.
In the next instant, he was closing in on Kakashi. Within moments, he was right behind him.
Kakashi was startled.
He prided himself on being the fastest of his peers—only Might Guy, with his relentless training, could match him.
As for Yoshimine Kyohiko…
They had only been classmates for a year. Kakashi barely remembered him.
Yet—
That speed…
His shunshin is this strong?
Kakashi pushed himself further, accelerating beyond his previous pace.
But then—
Kyohiko overtook him, a hand landing on his shoulder.
Incredible!
Kakashi's pupils contracted.
Even at full speed, he couldn't outpace him—
Unless he used Lightning Release to stimulate his muscles. But that technique was still unstable; misusing it could injure him.
"Kakashi, the Forest of Death is dangerous. Let's go in together."
A brief pause.
"You may be a chūnin, but the Hokage has said it before—a team isn't about individual strength. You have to consider your teammates."
Kakashi fell silent.
So he was holding back earlier… for Kurenai's sake?
He stopped and studied Kyohiko carefully.
Yoshimine Kyohiko.
To think there was someone like this in his class…
"S-Sorry!"
Kurenai finally caught up, panting, sweat beading on her forehead and trickling down her temples.
Kyohiko smiled. "It's fine. We're a team—we stick together."
Kakashi didn't respond. Instead, he leaped down.
"Let's go. Any later, and the forest will be too dark to spot traps."