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Chapter 4 - Hatake Kakashi

"I will."

Minato nodded, his eyes dimming. He had long noticed his disciple's abnormality—Sakumo-senpai's suicide, Obito and Rin's sacrifices... these blows were simply too heavy for Kakashi.

Thinking of this, Minato felt a surge of self-reproach: as a teacher, he had failed to protect his disciples.

"Kakashi?"

Menma perked up his ears. He only knew a part of the Hokage story, but he had heard of this iconic white-haired jōnin.

"Is that the lazy, masked, outwardly reserved but inwardly passionate handsome guy? He's actually Dad's disciple? Wait... doesn't that mean he's the future teacher of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura?"

Just as Menma was lost in thought, Minato had already changed his coat and was ready to go out.

"Going out again?"

Kushina asked, puzzled.

"I'm going to invite Kakashi over for dinner."

Minato smiled and turned to leave.

Amidst his mother's gentle rocking and the lullaby she hummed, Menma's eyelids grew heavier and heavier, until he finally fell into a deep sleep.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but Menma groggily opened his eyes to see a handsome face wearing a black mask. The silver-haired youth was holding him reluctantly, yet dared not complain, which Menma found amusing.

"So this is young Kakashi..."

Menma curiously observed the future "Copy Ninja."

Noticing the baby in his arms had woken up, a trace of panic flashed in Kakashi's eyes—

He had no experience with babies! Fortunately, Menma just quietly looked at him, showing no signs of crying, which made Kakashi breathe a sigh of relief.

"Menma..."

He whispered, carrying Menma to the crib. After carefully comparing him with the sleeping Naruto, he muttered softly, "Menma doesn't have whiskers on his face, but Naruto does..."

"Ding! A genius from a sect family has been detected! No one is allowed to hide their true face in front of the future sect master! Mission: Remove the genius's mask. Reward: Innate Lightning Spirit Root."

Just as Menma was curiously observing the silver-haired youth, the system prompt suddenly rang in his mind, causing his mouth to twitch uncontrollably.

"I already have wind and fire chakra attributes. As long as I take off Kakashi's mask, I'll get the lightning attribute..."

Menma calculated inwardly, his gaze involuntarily falling on Kakashi's iconic black mask.

Looking at his chubby little arms and legs, Menma was a bit troubled: "Direct action definitely won't work... But Kakashi wouldn't always be on guard against a baby, right?"

Thinking of this, Menma suddenly giggled at Kakashi. That innocent and pure laughter instantly made the usually calm Kakashi flustered.

The silver-haired youth stared blankly at the baby in his arms. When he saw those chubby little hands reaching out to him, he inexplicably leaned his face closer.

"Here's my chance!"

Menma was ecstatic. His small hand "accidentally" caressed Kakashi's cheek, his fingertips cleverly hooking the edge of the mask.

"Got it!"

The moment the mask was pulled off, Menma's heart pounded with tension, almost stopping.

However, before he could clearly see Kakashi's true face, the other party put the mask back on with lightning speed.

Although he couldn't get a good look, the system prompt had already sounded: "Ding! Mission complete. Reward: Innate Lightning Spirit Root!"

"Now I have three spirit roots... No, three chakra attributes."

Menma was still feeling the newly awakened lightning chakra attribute within him when Kushina's gentle voice came from the kitchen: "Kakashi, come and eat!"

"Yes!"

Kakashi instinctively stood at attention and responded, carefully placing Menma back in the crib. He almost fled to the dining table, sitting upright and proper.

Menma watched Kakashi's unusual behavior, puzzled: "Strange, Mom is so gentle, why is he so scared?"

Before he could figure it out, he felt a gaze fixed on him from beside him.

Turning his head, Naruto's large, bright blue eyes were curiously examining him. The little guy stretched out his chubby little hand, babbling in baby talk.

"What do you want?"

Menma helplessly held his brother's outstretched hand.

"Waaah—"

Feeling his brother's coldness, Naruto's little mouth pouted, and he instantly burst into tears.

Menma was dizzy from the sudden crying and quickly forced a brilliant smile to cheer him up. Sure enough, Naruto immediately stopped crying and smiled, his giggles as clear as silver bells.

"Having a child is truly exhausting..."

Menma sighed faintly in his heart, resignedly continuing to play the role of a good older brother.

Time, like sand, quietly slipped through his fingers.

In the blink of an eye, it was Konoha Year 54, three springs after the Nine-Tails Attack.

During these three years, although there were occasional frictions between Konoha, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure, a superficial peace was maintained under the deterrence of "Yellow Flash" Minato Namikaze and "Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki" Kushina Uzumaki.

"Big brother! Avenge me!"

Accompanied by a loud "bang," the front door was violently kicked open.

Little Naruto, with a bruised and swollen face, rushed into the house like a whirlwind, heading straight for his older brother who was reading by the window.

"Careful!"

Menma lightly scolded without raising his head, his finger gently turning a page of the book, "If Mom finds out you kicked the door, you'll get another beating."

In these three years, he finally understood where Kakashi's fear of his mother came from.

The title "Red-Hot Habanero" was no empty name—

Whenever that red hair moved without a breeze, even his father, the Hokage, would wisely keep his distance.

He remembered that time when the two brothers and Kakashi were caught peeking at "Icha Icha Paradise"; Kushina's punches kept Kakashi in bed for half a month, and Kakashi still shuddered at the memory.

Putting down the book, Menma finally examined his brother's injuries carefully.

Little Naruto's golden hair was disheveled, and there were obvious bruises under his bright blue eyes, making him look like a bullied little beast.

"Who did you fight with this time?"

Menma helplessly put down his book.

"That scoundrel Uchiha Sasuke!"

Naruto waved his small fists, angrily complaining, "He couldn't beat me, so he called his older brother!"

"His older brother got involved?"

Menma frowned. The precocious Uchiha Itachi, in his impression, shouldn't be so thoughtless.

"Not exactly..."

Naruto pouted, "Big brother Itachi didn't even bother with us."

"Then your injuries..."

Menma narrowed his eyes suspiciously. With Naruto and Sasuke's strength, they should have been evenly matched.

"And Hyuga Neji helped him!"

Naruto added, feeling wronged.

Menma almost laughed out loud.

The Hyuga and Uchiha clans were always at odds, and he hadn't expected them to be forced to team up against his brother. Catching sight of two sneaky little figures outside the door, a knowing smile played on his lips.

"Choji, Shikamaru, stop hiding."

Menma called towards the door, "I see both of you."

The two little guys sheepishly appeared.

Choji Akimichi's chubby cheeks were swollen, but he still didn't forget to stuff potato chips into his mouth; Shikamaru Nara, on the other hand, covered his bruised left eye with a frustrated expression, clearly having participated in this "fierce battle."

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