Clean, clear, and bright, like black gemstones embedded in their sockets.
Kakashi gazed at his own eyes in the mirror.
They were identical.
If there was one difference, it was that Rin's eye seemed to carry a hint of joyful anticipation?
Perhaps it was an illusion.
How could a single eye carry an emotion like joyful anticipation?
"How do you feel?"
Shizune, who had already packed up her things, looked at Kakashi as he examined his eyes in the mirror, flashing him a beaming smile.
"It's just like my own eye," Kakashi replied truthfully.
"That's good to hear. Now I can rest easy."
"I'll be heading out."
Shizune was very busy.
As Tsunade's senior apprentice, she'd been thrown into the hospital by Tsunade on her very first day back in the village.
Every day, she rushed between various injured patients.
"When can I be discharged?"
After a few days of recuperation, Kakashi felt that while he wasn't fully recovered, he was about seventy to eighty percent better.
Rather than staying cooped up in the hospital room, it would be better to head home early.
"This..."
"Will you be okay on your own, Kakashi?"
Shizune, who was about to leave, stopped in her tracks upon hearing this and looked at the white-haired young man with some hesitation.
"No problem."
Kakashi nodded.
"In that case, you can be discharged at any time."
Shizune nodded.
Kakashi could have been discharged three days ago.
She'd considered his past experiences and his current grief over the loss of his teacher, fearing he might do something rash, so she hadn't brought up his discharge.
Now, Rin's eye had restored Kakashi's sight.
No matter what, Kakashi would never do anything irrational while bearing this eye.
"Thank you so much."
Kakashi spoke from the bottom of his heart.
Although it had only been a few short days, Kakashi truly disliked staying in the hospital.
"It seems you don't like it here."
"That's true—after all, this is a place filled with death and sorrow."
Perhaps Kakashi's expression was too obvious; Shizune smiled helplessly.
[Shizune's emotional fluctuation +1]
[Chakra +1%]
"That's not it; the hospital is a place of salvation."
"It is the first and only battleground where the living fight against death."
"And as a medical ninja, Shizune, you're also a hero fighting against the Shinigami."
Kakashi shook his head.
[Shizune's emotional fluctuation +1]
[Chakra +1%]
"Is that so? Then I'll take your kind words," Shizune smiled calmly, waved her hand, and left the ward.
But the prompt in Kakashi's mind indicated that Shizune was not as calm as she appeared.
After Shizune left, Kakashi efficiently completed the discharge procedures.
He left the ward alone, carrying his few belongings.
"Kakashi-kun, please take care of yourself~"
"So handsome!"
"Kakashi-kun, are you being discharged?"
On the way, a nurse enthusiastically greeted Kakashi, but after only a few words, she was pulled back by the irritable head nurse, who tugged her ear.
"There are so many injured patients, and you have time to be infatuated here?"
"I think you all feel your workload isn't heavy enough, don't you?!"
Kakashi, who was about to respond to the nurse, showed a hint of helplessness at this sight.
[Jiajiazi's emotional fluctuation +1]
[Chakra +1%]
That prompt appeared in his mind once again.
Alright, alright, I get it.
Kakashi glanced at the poor nurse and directly ignored the prompt that triggered the buff in his mind.
Leaving the hospital, Kakashi walked alone through the streets of Konoha.
Devastated.
Only that word could describe it.
Although the Nine-Tails' Tailed Beast Ball had been teleported away by the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, its path of destructive attacks had still demolished many buildings.
Before the Nine-Tails was teleported, the Konoha ninjas had been fighting for their lives against it.
This also resulted in a large number of casualties.
The post-war reconstruction work was in full swing.
There were workers and ninjas participating in the reconstruction everywhere.
"Who is that?"
"A new face I haven't seen before."
"It seems to be... Kakashi?"
"Is his true face under the mask really like that?"
"So handsome."
"Stop being infatuated—hurry up and get to work."
[…emotional fluctuation +1]
[Chakra +1]
Clearly, few people would care if you were handsome or not.
The way Sasuke was chased by the young girls of his generation, as seen in the original story, would only happen among children who were naive and hadn't experienced the hardships of life.
"Kakashi!"
A familiar voice, accompanied by a trail of dust, rushed toward Kakashi.
[Might Guy's emotional fluctuation +1]
[Chakra +1%]
Might Guy, you really know how to provide emotional value.
His voice arrived before he did.
Even before seeing Might Guy, he'd already provided Kakashi with ample emotional value.
"Might Guy."
His eyebrows curved into crescents, and he was about to turn around to greet Might Guy.
As soon as Kakashi turned, his body almost instinctively squatted down quickly.
The reason was simple: if he didn't squat, Kakashi's head would have been directly hit by the large bundle of long wooden planks Might Guy was carrying on his shoulder.
"Kakashi!"
"You're finally discharged!"
"As expected of my lifelong rival!"
"Let's have a duel!"
"This is youth!"
Might Guy, carrying a large bundle of wood with one hand, showed Kakashi his characteristic big white teeth and gave a thumbs-up.
"Sorry, Might Guy—next time."
Wiping away nonexistent cold sweat from his forehead, Kakashi looked at the bowl-cut hairstyle in front of him with some helplessness.
He had just been discharged; he had no energy to duel with Might Guy.
Moreover, it was only right that he go pay his respects to Minato Namikaze.
After being unconscious for ten days, Minato Namikaze had already been buried.
As his disciple, he should go pay his respects.
"What a pity—I originally wanted to have a duel between true men with you, Kakashi."
"To celebrate your discharge."
Listening to Might Guy's somewhat regretful words, Kakashi broke out in a cold sweat.
Your way of celebrating is a duel... But considering it was Might Guy, Kakashi felt relieved.
He didn't dislike the guy's personality.
"Well, next time."
"Next time, I'll treat you to a meal, Might Guy."
Kakashi spread his hands and said.
"If that's the case, then it's settled!"
"This is a promise between men—a promise of passionate youth!"
"Sing praises!"
"Strive!"
"My Konoha Mighty Blue Beast, Might Guy's youth!"
[Might Guy's emotional fluctuation +1]
[Chakra +1%]
Accompanied by Might Guy's roar, he was seen rushing toward the end of the road, carrying that large bundle of wood.
That was the construction site.
Clearly, while Might Guy was celebrating his youth, he was also doing what he could.
"This guy..."
Looking at that galloping figure, Kakashi smiled helplessly.
He hadn't even noticed that his Sharingan was gone.
Should he say, as expected of Might Guy?