At night, after having dinner with Gai, Kakashi returned alone to the Hatake estate.
Looking at the empty courtyard, a wave of loneliness washed over him. The solitude of this place weighed on him, a silent reminder of what had been lost.
Kakashi picked up the White Fang short sword, its once-pristine blade now dulled and its handle nearly broken. Under the moonlight, he swung it continuously.
Kenjutsu was primarily based on slashing techniques, but it also incorporated fundamental movements like thrusts, parries, counters, sweeps, and deflections. No matter how advanced a swordsman became, mastery of these basics was essential.
The moonlight reflected off the blade, casting a cold gleam. Kakashi kept moving, each swing more fluid than the last.
Where do I go from here in this dangerous world?
---
Elsewhere in Konoha, under the dim glow of his office, the Third Hokage, clad in his robes, listened to an Anbu's report.
"Oh? Kakashi collapsed from overtraining with Gai today?"
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
"I see. Dismissed."
With a quick flicker, the Anbu disappeared.
Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe, exhaling slowly. "Kakashi... the death of the Fourth Hokage still weighs heavily on you."
He gazed out the window, feeling the burden on his shoulders grow heavier.
Hiruzen had high hopes for Kakashi. Among his generation, only Kakashi possessed the intelligence and potential necessary to uphold Konoha's future. He had originally believed there was time—time for Kakashi to grow, time for the village to heal. But with Minato's untimely death, the weight of leadership had returned to Hiruzen's aging hands, forcing him to seek out a new successor.
Kakashi was gifted, a prodigy trained by the Fourth Hokage himself. He had the strength, wisdom, and composure necessary for leadership. Yet, his mindset remained his greatest weakness.
The loss of Sakumo had distanced Kakashi from his comrades. While Obito's influence had helped him reconnect, Rin's death had driven him into another spiral of guilt and depression.
And the shadow of Sakumo's fate still loomed over him.
Minato had assigned Kakashi to protect Kushina during her pregnancy, hoping that witnessing the miracle of life might dispel some of the darkness in his heart.
But Minato's death had rendered that plan meaningless.
Hiruzen sighed. "Kakashi, don't let me down."
---
At the Hatake estate, Kakashi remained unaware of the Hokage's thoughts. He had only one focus—growth.
Strength meant survival. Strength meant control over his own fate.
He had no idea how many times he had swung the sword, his arms moving on sheer muscle memory. The silver-haired shinobi's lone eye burned with determination, while his left eye—scarred and concealed—throbbed with a familiar heat.
Not enough! Not enough! he thought fiercely.
Suddenly, a searing pain erupted from his left eye. Kakashi gasped, dropping to one knee as his Sharingan flared involuntarily.
"Damn it!"
He hadn't expected his Sharingan to activate during training.
I need to seal this eye soon, he thought grimly. After the pain subsided, he sheathed the White Fang blade and returned to his room.
Sitting cross-legged on his bed, he focused on unraveling the mysteries of the Four Symbols Seal. Bit by bit, he dissected its intricate formulae, steadily peeling away its complexities.
For the next week, his schedule remained rigid—taijutsu training with Gai in the mornings, kenjutsu and fūinjutsu research at night. Each day, his body adapted more to its past capabilities, his blade techniques sharpened, and his understanding of the Four Symbols Seal deepened.
Kakashi's prodigious talent for ninjutsu shone through once again.
---
One morning, as Kakashi prepared to leave, an unexpected visitor arrived.
"Hatake Kakashi. The Hokage requests your presence."
The Anbu operative spoke coldly, his expression hidden behind an animal mask.
"Understood."
With that, the Anbu flickered away.
Kakashi sighed. Looks like today's training is canceled.
His training had become addicting—the steady growth, the tangible progress, the sense of control over his own destiny. His past self had been too burdened with missions, leaving little time for personal development. Though the experience had been invaluable, his strength had plateaued.
Now, he was making up for lost time.
Still, he wasn't surprised the Hokage had called for him. Given the state of the village, it was only a matter of time before he was put back into active duty.
Konoha was still reeling from the Nine-Tails' attack. Not only had Minato fallen, but countless shinobi had died or suffered serious injuries. The workload for missions had skyrocketed.
Kakashi had expected to be summoned immediately after the funeral. The fact that it had taken a full week was surprising.
Regardless, he was grateful for the time he had gotten.
After a short walk, Kakashi arrived at the Hokage's office.
"Lord Hokage," he greeted respectfully.
"Ah, Kakashi, come in." Hiruzen's voice was warm, but Kakashi detected the underlying weight in his tone.
"I wouldn't dare delay when summoned by the Hokage."
"I understand that you've been training diligently, but we are critically short on personnel. I must ask you to take on a mission." There was a note of apology in Hiruzen's voice.
"There's no need to apologize, Lord Hokage. This is my duty. What is the mission?"
Hiruzen handed him a scroll. "It's an A-rank mission. The details are in the scroll. You leave today."
"Understood." Kakashi accepted the mission and turned to leave.
Hiruzen watched him go, lost in thought.
---
Instead of returning home immediately, Kakashi made a detour to Gai's house. As expected, his friend was outside, mid-training. Seeing Kakashi approach, he grinned brightly.
"Kakashi! You're late today! Youth cannot afford to slack!"
"Sorry, Gai. The Hokage assigned me a mission, so I won't be able to train together for a while."
Gai's enthusiasm dimmed slightly. He had enjoyed these training sessions—not just for their effectiveness, but because they had been genuinely motivating. Training with Kakashi was different from training alone.
Even so, Gai smiled, his passion reigniting. "Ah, that's just like you, Kakashi! A mission directly from Lord Hokage must be a challenging one! I must push myself even harder! I'll start with a hundred laps around Konoha!"
Watching Gai dash off, Kakashi smiled faintly. Some friendships didn't need words. They simply were.