The white-haired man with a short blade strapped to his back stepped into the classroom.
It was as if he naturally drew all attention to himself—at the very instant he crossed the threshold, every gaze in the room locked onto him.
Anyone who recognized him went wide-eyed in disbelief.
Kyusei was no exception.
He stared at the man in shock.
This is Hatake Sakumo!
The same man who, together with Namikaze Minato, had once given him a merciless double beatdown!
Under this man's radiance, even the so-called Legendary Sannin seemed to fade into the background.
Sakumo's gaze settled on the red-haired boy staring at him so intently. He smiled—calm, approachable, almost gentle.
"Team Thirteen. Uzumaki Kyusei. Come with me."
…Huh?!
Kyusei's mind blanked out for a moment.
My instructor is the White Fang of Konoha?!
And Team Thirteen only had one person—him?!
Still half-dazed, Kyusei stood up and followed Hatake Sakumo out of the classroom, all the way to a rooftop.
What was Sarutobi Hiruzen thinking?
Assigning Hatake Sakumo as his teacher—this wasn't a small decision.
If Sakumo was his instructor, then future missions definitely wouldn't be limited to Konoha's borders. He'd be going out on real missions.
Did the Third Hokage really not worry about him escaping?
Or about people with ulterior motives targeting him?
…Then again, with the White Fang at his side, even if the Third Raikage showed up in person, they'd probably still make it out alive.
And if the Nine-Tails ever went berserk again, Sakumo could suppress it faster than anyone.
Kyusei looked at the man standing on the rooftop.
He had to admit—Hatake Sakumo was very masculine.
His pale hair was tied into a wolf-tail ponytail. Sharp features, thick brows, clear eyes—no trace of softness, only a powerful, straightforward presence. Combined with his slightly bronze-toned skin, he looked like the kind of man who could walk down the street and turn the heads of plenty of married women.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Sakumo asked with a chuckle.
"We've met before, haven't we?"
"Yeah, yeah," Kyusei muttered instinctively.
"First meeting and you beat the crap out of me."
"Heh. That really couldn't be helped," Sakumo replied, not offended in the slightest. Instead, he even looked a little apologetic.
Kyusei was genuinely surprised.
Back then, during the Nine-Tails incident, Sakumo had simply done his duty as a Konoha shinobi. There was no need for him to feel sorry at all.
"I assume you can guess why I'm your instructor," Sakumo said, sitting down on a nearby step. He patted the space beside him, signaling Kyusei to sit.
"Yeah, I know," Kyusei said casually as he sat down.
"Because of Kurama."
"…Kurama?" Sakumo blinked.
"You mean the Nine-Tails?"
"Yep. That's what I call him," Kyusei replied.
"He's a total tsundere."
Have you considered that I'm just choosing not to bother with you?
Kurama grumbled unhappily from within the seal.
"I see…" Sakumo murmured, clearly intrigued.
From the moment Sarutobi Hiruzen had asked him to become Kyusei's teacher, Sakumo had felt pressure unlike any other mission.
This wasn't just about teaching a child—it was about holding Konoha's lifeline in his hands.
Before coming here, he'd done extensive research: Kyusei's habits, personality, past behavior.
Reports from Tsunade, Jiraiya, Mitarashi Shishō, academy teachers, even classmates—all described the same thing:
A lawless little brat.
But just a few exchanges in, Sakumo had already overturned that impression.
A child who gave the strongest tailed beast a nickname like Kurama—how bad could he really be?
"He's a bit hot-tempered," Kyusei continued, gazing at the sky.
"But he's been pretty well-behaved lately. I can even sit on his head and he doesn't complain."
Kurama: That's because I can't be bothered to argue with you.
"Is that so?" Sakumo asked.
"Then… can you already control his power?"
That surprised him. None of the intelligence reports had mentioned Kyusei's level of control over the Nine-Tails.
Kyusei shook his head.
He raised one hand, and before Sakumo's calm eyes, visible orange-red chakra gathered in Kyusei's palm.
As the tailed-beast chakra increased, that sinister, oppressive energy spread across his body.
Sakumo remained seated beside him, quietly watching as the boy manipulated this dangerous power.
Soon, Kyusei was fully shrouded in tailed-beast chakra, three translucent tails forming behind him. Even fox-like chakra ears appeared atop his head.
"This is about the most stable state I can maintain with Kurama right now," Kyusei said.
Despite the chakra cloak, his eyes remained their usual grayish-brown.
Sakumo smiled and praised him sincerely.
"Impressive. Three tails, and you're completely unaffected."
This wasn't empty flattery.
Being on good terms with a tailed beast didn't automatically grant control over its chakra. Compatibility, talent, and endless adjustment were all required.
For a twelve-year-old to stably reach three tails—this was exceptional.
From a distance, Sarutobi Hiruzen quietly observed the scene. Seeing the three tails gently swaying behind Kyusei, he smiled in satisfaction.
It seemed his choice had been the right one.
Hatake Sakumo was powerful, upright, and gentle—perfectly suited to Kyusei's temperament.
He would be the best possible teacher for this child.
"Alright," Sakumo said, rubbing his chin.
"Let's start with the usual teacher–student routine."
"An introduction. What you like, what you're good at, what your dreams are—just to get to know each other."
"I'll go first and set an example."
Kyusei dispersed the tailed-beast chakra and rested his chin on his hand.
"Sounds good, sensei."
He found it surprisingly comfortable being around Sakumo.
A man who rarely got angry.
A gentle personality that could accommodate his companions.
Strength that could serve as the strongest shield.
Hatake Sakumo…
A truly perfect shinobi.
To Read advanced Chapters, head over to P@treon
patreon.com/DarkVerse146