Chapter 3: I'm Gonna Become Hokage!
Renji stood out with his blue hair woven into pigtails, his round, fair face framed by two small fangs that peeked over his lower lip when he smiled. A closer look revealed his heterochromatic eyes—one silver-gray, the other grayish-blue, sharp and catlike.
So cute! Sakura thought, stealing a glance.
Uzumaki Naruto flashed his signature grin, all warmth and zero caution. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto! This is Sakura! That show-off over there is Uchiha Sasuke! Welcome to the team!"
True to form, Naruto welcomed the stranger without a hint of suspicion.
"I'm Renji. It's a pleasure to join you," Renji said, his voice soft but calculated as his gaze swept over the trio.
Naruto, predictably, was an open book—boisterous, trusting, and genuine. Sakura's gentle smile hid a flicker of wariness in her eyes, sizing him up. Sasuke, as Naruto had called him out, sat with his hands clasped, propping up his forehead, radiating disinterest. He barely acknowledged the scene unfolding before him.
"Oh, wow!" a voice called from above. "Looks like you're all getting along!"
Renji looked up. A white-haired figure with a masked face and listless, dead-fish eyes stepped into view—Hatake Kakashi. His gaze swept over the four genin, lingering on Renji.
This must be the kid the Hokage mentioned, Kakashi thought. From ROOT, huh? Probably Danzo's spy.
With Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and Sasuke, the last Uchiha, on this team, Kakashi couldn't dismiss the possibility. Danzo's influence was never subtle.
"Hmm, after taking a look," Kakashi said in a lazy, just-woken-up tone, "my first impression is that you're all… pretty annoying."
Naruto's jaw dropped. "…"
Sakura blinked, stunned. "…"
Even Sasuke, ever the cool prodigy, looked slightly rattled, his brow twitching.
Renji, unfazed, kept his cute, angelic smile. If he could handle Danzo's chilling presence, Kakashi's half-hearted jab was nothing. Still, he noted the Jonin's appearance—slouched, carefree, and nothing like the stern, wrinkled Danzo.
No way this kid came from that old fossil, Kakashi thought, eyeing Renji's fair, youthful face.
Kakashi led them out of the classroom to a random rooftop, where he sprawled lazily, gazing at the sky with zero motivation. "Alright, introduce yourselves first."
"What should we say?" Sakura asked, propping her cheek with her hand, puzzled.
"You know, what you like, dislike, your dreams, hobbies. That sort of thing," Kakashi said, spreading his hands. He paused, then added dryly, "Not that I'm particularly interested."
A vein pulsed on Naruto's forehead. This guy's our sensei? So irresponsible!
Naruto shot up his hand. "I think Sensei should go first!"
"Me?" Kakashi pointed to himself, feigning surprise. "Name's Kakashi Hatake. Hobbies? Got plenty. Dreams? Hmm… plenty of those too. Things I dislike? Oh, lots of those as well."
"…"
The team stared, realizing they'd learned nothing but his name.
Kakashi's eye curved slightly, amused. He pointed at Renji, perhaps deliberately. "You. Start."
Naruto and Sakura turned to Renji, curiosity piqued. They knew almost nothing about him—only his name and that he'd been added to their team despite never attending the Academy. ROOT's kid, Kakashi thought again, Danzo's eyes and ears.
Renji smiled, his mismatched eyes gleaming. "My name's Renji. I like performing, drawing, and dolls. Things I dislike? Too many to list—it'd take all day. As for my dream…"
He paused. A dream? He hadn't thought about it. Dropped into this world, brainwashed and threatened by Danzo, his only goal was survival—and maybe indulging his hobbies.
"I don't have a dream," he admitted truthfully.
Naruto's eyes widened, scandalized. "What?! No dream?!" He grabbed Renji's shoulders, shaking him. "You can't be a lazy bum like Kakashi-sensei with no dreams, dattebayo!"
Kakashi's eye twitched. "…"
Renji blinked, unfazed, his smile gentle. "Then what's your dream, Naruto?"
At the mention of his dream, Naruto's eyes blazed with passion. He let go of Renji, clenched his fists, and stood tall, voice ringing with conviction. "I'm gonna become Hokage, dattebayo! That's my dream!"
Sakura and Sasuke didn't react, used to Naruto's loud declarations after years in the same class. Kakashi's gaze softened briefly, a flicker of nostalgia crossing his mind. Those words… someone else said them long ago.
Renji met Naruto's fiery gaze, his tone earnest. "Then my dream is to help Naruto become Hokage."
Total lie, he thought. His real dream? To become the greatest performer in the world. But this was step one: gain their trust. Lay the groundwork for his act.
Naruto froze, stunned. Sakura's jaw dropped, surprised by the sincerity. Taking someone else's dream as your own? Even Sasuke glanced at Renji, his expression unreadable.
Idiot, Sasuke thought. A dead-last like Naruto will never be Hokage. This guy's just as foolish.
Kakashi's eye lingered on Renji, his thoughts guarded. Clever kid.
"Wah!" Naruto's voice cracked with emotion. "Renji, that's so… moving!" He lunged, hugging Renji tightly, rubbing his cheek against Renji's with teary eyes. "How can you pick a dream so easily?!"
This was the first person to believe in his Hokage dream. We're fated best friends! Naruto decided, heart soaring.
Renji, trapped in the hug, kept his smile. Too easy. Disguise came naturally to him, and Mahito's talent for manipulation made it effortless. "No, no, I should thank you for helping me find my dream."
"Wah, Renji, you're the best!" Naruto wailed, squeezing tighter. "I, Uzumaki Naruto, love ramen and Renji the most! And I hate waiting three minutes for ramen to cook!"
Kakashi sighed, pulling his gaze from the overly affectionate duo. "Next."
Sakura glanced at Sasuke, who sat brooding, then raised her hand. "I'm Sakura Haruno. What I like most is…" Her cheeks flushed, eyes darting to Sasuke, her words trailing off into a shy mumble.
Naruto leaned toward Renji, whispering loudly, "I don't get what's so great about that arrogant Sasuke…"
Renji suppressed a laugh. He's handsome, obviously. But aloud, he said seriously, "Sasuke's very handsome, but Naruto, you've got a different kind of charm—sunny and cheerful."
Naruto's face turned beet red, his eyes darting nervously. "R-Really? I'm that handsome?!" He struck a "cool" pose, fist propped on his forehead, grinning like an idiot.
Renji barely held back a chuckle, shifting his gaze.
Sakura, regaining her composure, continued, "My dream is…" She hesitated, then blurted, "to be with someone I care about!" Her eyes flicked to Sasuke again before she added firmly, "And I dislike… Naruto!"
Naruto froze, petrified, as if struck by lightning.
Renji clapped earnestly. "The moment I saw Sakura, I knew she was beautiful. Diligent, hardworking Sakura will definitely make her dream come true."
Sakura's cheeks flushed deeper, her earlier wariness melting. "T-Thank you," she mumbled, her voice barely audible, like a mosquito's hum. Renji's encouragement smoothed over the awkwardness, making her feel seen.
Kakashi sighed inwardly. Two down already? This kid's good.
All eyes turned to Sasuke, the last to speak.
"I'm Uchiha Sasuke," he said, voice low and clipped, his hand still propping his chin. "I hate a lot of things. I don't like anything. It's not just a dream—it's an ambition. I'll restore my clan and kill a certain man."
Renji's toes curled in embarrassment at the edgy delivery, but he kept his face neutral. I speak for myself, he thought, half-mocking Sasuke's tone in his head.
The air grew heavy, Sasuke's words casting a shadow over the group. Kakashi's gaze lingered on him, then drifted to the blue sky, his thoughts unreadable. Exactly what I expected.
Renji, ever the performer, seized the moment. "I've heard of Uchiha Sasuke's reputation, even without attending the Academy. Top student, a genius. I believe only Sasuke can achieve his ambition."
Sasuke didn't respond, but a flicker of satisfaction crossed his face. Who didn't love sincere praise?
Kakashi clicked his tongue softly. This kid's too mature for his age. The other three were open books—Naruto's enthusiasm, Sakura's infatuation, Sasuke's brooding ambition—but Renji? He was a puzzle, his charming smile hiding something deeper.
"Alright," Kakashi said, his tone dripping with insincerity. "You four have… colorful personalities. Very interesting." He stood, stretching lazily. "Starting tomorrow, we'll begin missions."
"Yes!" Naruto pumped his fist, his excitement a stark contrast to Kakashi's apathy. "What kind of mission?!"
"Let's start with a mission only the five of us can handle," Kakashi said, his eye glinting with mischief.
Naruto leaned forward, vibrating with anticipation. "What? What is it?!"
Renji already knew the answer, his lips curving slightly. Here it comes.
"Survival Exercise," Kakashi said, his voice deceptively casual.