Chapter 24: Ambitions and a Harem Dream
Kakashi led his new team to a quiet rooftop, the morning sun warming the concrete. He leaned against the railing, eyeing the three boys who would now be his responsibility.
"Let's start with introductions," he said, his voice lazy. "Tell me your name, likes, dislikes, and dreams for the future. I'll start. My name is Hatake Kakashi. Things I like and dislike... don't feel like sharing. My dreams... are none of your business."
The three genin stared blankly. They had learned precisely nothing about their new sensei.
Uzumaki Naruto, never one for patience, shot his hand into the air. "My turn! My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I like instant ramen from Ichiraku's! I hate the three minutes you have to wait for it to cook! And my dream..." He jumped onto the railing, pointing a determined finger at the stone faces of the Hokage Monument. "...is to become Hokage! I'll be the greatest Hokage ever, and the whole village will have to acknowledge my existence!"
Kamikawa Hiraoka listened, a genuine smile touching his lips. You'll do it, Naruto. Against all odds, you will.
Kakashi merely nodded. "Next."
Uchiha Sasuke didn't move from his spot, his hands shoved in his pockets. "Uchiha Sasuke. I don't have many 'likes.' What I hate... is a longer list." His voice was cold, flat. He looked past his teammates, his gaze distant and dark. "And I don't have a dream. I have an ambition. To restore my clan to its former glory. And to kill a certain man."
There it is, Hiraoka thought. The Avenger's speech. So much edge you could cut yourself on it. He knew the tragic irony that awaited Sasuke—the brother who would let himself be killed rather than fight back in earnest.
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed slightly, a flicker of understanding and pity in his gaze. "I see. And you?" he said, turning to the last member.
Hiraoka stretched languidly, looking up at the scattered clouds. "Kamikawa Hiraoka. As for what I like... well, it's less of a 'what' and more of a 'who.' I like women. A variety of women. I'm a firm believer in diversifying my portfolio, you see." He ignored the deadpan looks from his teammates and sensei.
"My dislike?" he continued, gesturing vaguely at Naruto and Sasuke. "Is being stuck on a team with no female members. It's a tragic waste of my talents and a bleak outlook for my daily morale."
Kakashi's eyebrow twitched. Naruto looked confused. Sasuke just looked disgusted.
"And my dream," Hiraoka declared, striking a theatrical pose, "is to establish a legendary harem, a sanctuary of beauty and companionship that will be the envy of the entire shinobi world!"
A profound silence fell over the rooftop, broken only by the distant sounds of the village.
Ahem." Kakashi cleared his throat, forcefully steering the conversation back on track. "Right. Well. Tomorrow, we will be conducting a survival exercise. It is your first official mission."
He went on to explain the basic premise. "This is not a simple test. The failure rate for this exercise is high. Those who fail are sent back to the academy. Consider it your true final exam."
He produced two small silver bells, letting them jingle temptingly. "Your objective is to take these bells from me before noon. There are only two bells... which means at least one of you will fail. They will be tied up to that log," he pointed, "and watch the rest of us eat lunch. Oh, and one more thing: come on an empty stomach. You'll just throw it up otherwise."
"Meet at Training Ground 7 at 0500 hours. Bring your ninja tools. Dismissed." With a final, inscrutable look, Kakashi vanished in a swirl of leaves.
The next morning, Hiraoka arrived at the training ground well-rested and, contrary to instructions, having eaten a light breakfast. Only a fool would face a jounin on an empty stomach, he reasoned.
He found Naruto and Sasuke already there, the former pacing impatiently and the latter leaning stoically against a tree. As expected, there was no sign of Kakashi.
An hour past the designated meeting time, their sensei finally strolled into the clearing. "Sorry I'm late," he said without a hint of remorse. "A black cat crossed my path, and you know how it is..."
Hiraoka didn't bother to hide his eye-roll. The worst excuse in the shinobi handbook.
Kakashi got straight to the point, holding up the two bells. "The rules are simple. Get a bell before noon. Those who fail get no lunch and get sent back to the academy. Use any means necessary. You can even come at me with the intent to kill." His lone eye curved into a smile. "Begin!"
In an instant, both Hiraoka and Sasuke disappeared into the foliage, leaving Naruto standing alone in the clearing.
"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Naruto yelled, charging directly at Kakashi with a wild battle cry. "Let's fight fair and square!"
From his hiding spot in the trees, Sasuke facepalmed. Idiot.
Hiraoka, however, was focused on Kakashi. Their sensei had completely ignored Naruto's frontal assault and was now leaning against a tree, completely absorbed in a small orange book.
Icha Icha Paradise, Hiraoka noted with interest. I've heard the legends. I'll have to get my hands on a copy one day. For now, he pushed the thought aside. The test had begun. It was time to see just how wide the gap was between a genin and a legendary jounin.
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What do you guys think of the MC so far? And do you think the Rinnegan is better or the Tenseigan?
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