Hokage's Office – Late Morning
The warm scent of burning incense lingered in the air, mixing with the faint rustle of paper. Behind the wide wooden desk stacked with scrolls and mission reports, the Third Hokage sat with a heavy expression carved deep into the lines of his face.
Across from him, Kakashi Hatake stood at attention, posture relaxed but eyes sharp beneath the shadow of his hitai-ate.
"You understand your role, don't you, Kakashi?" the Hokage asked, voice low, but carrying the weight of authority.
Kakashi nodded. "Yes, Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen leaned forward slightly, lacing his fingers together as he continued, "You are to lead a team consisting of two jinchūriki… and an Uchiha."
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed slightly. "With all due respect… don't you think grouping the Uchiha and the jinchūriki together could be risky? the emotional volatility…"
The Hokage didn't answer immediately. Instead, he exhaled through his nose, looking past Kakashi at the open window behind him where the village rooftops stretched out under the sun.
"That's precisely why I chose you," he finally said. "I trust you, Kakashi. You're your father's son, yes, but you're also the student of the Fourth Hokage. You will not be swayed by politics, pride, or fear."
He paused before continuing, his gaze settling fully on Kakashi now.
"And more importantly… they're his sons."
Kakashi blinked, the slightest shift in his stance betraying his surprise—but only for a heartbeat. "I see."
The Hokage nodded, eyes shadowed by his hat. "Naruto's status as a jinchūriki is already a fragile secret… but Haruto's must be kept absolutely classified. Not even the children should know. Not yet."
He leaned back in his chair, the burden of his years weighing visibly on his shoulders.
"Haruto's power… it's unlike anything we've ever documented. He doesn't use hand signs. He doesn't even channel chakra in the traditional way. Objects, weapons, constructs—he manifests them from thin air, yet the chakra signature lingers like a residue afterward. It doesn't behave like any known ninjutsu."
"A bloodline limit?" Kakashi asked, thoughtful.
"Perhaps. Or something even rarer. I suspect this power awakened when the Nine-Tails was split and sealed into both twins. Haruto bears half the beast's power, and yet… his energy feels distinct from the fox. That boy is walking a very fine line."
Kakashi nodded slowly. "You believe it could corrupt him?"
"Power like his could bend the will of weaker men," Hiruzen said, his voice quiet. "And Haruto is strong—but he is still a child. A child carrying the burden of something divine. If we don't guide him… we risk seeing another tragedy."
A moment passed. The only sound was the rustle of the Hokage's robes as he turned his gaze once again to the window.
"Observe him. Guide him. Protect him if you must. But more than that… make sure he knows he is not alone."
"And Naruto?" Kakashi asked.
The Hokage smiled faintly, the expression tinged with sadness. "Keep an eye on him too. See if this power is shared… "
Kakashi bowed slightly, the edge of respect in his tone. "Yes, Lord Hokage."
"You may go."
With a puff of chakra and a quiet flicker of leaves, Kakashi vanished from sight.
Ninja Academy – Classroom
Iruka stood at the front of the class, clipboard in hand. The room was filled with chatter, excitement, and nervous energy as the students prepared for their next chapter. His voice cut through the noise like a kunai.
"From this day forward," Iruka began, "you are no longer mere students of ninjutsu… but full-fledged shinobi."
A hush settled.
"However, among the ranks of shinobi, you are still novices—the lowest of the low. Your greatest trials lie ahead. To start, you will be assigned to three-man cells. Each team will be led by a jōnin—a senior ninja who will guide and train you for your future missions."
The room broke into murmurs again as Iruka flipped through his clipboard.
He began reading off team names one by one, each announcement followed by a mix of cheers, groans, or mutters of surprise. Then—
"Team 7: Haruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sakura Haruno."
There was a beat of silence before the class erupted.
"What?! That's four people!"
"Haruto and Sasuke in the same group? That's so unfair!"
"Yeah, that team is totally stacked!"
Iruka raised a hand to silence the outbursts. "This team was selected due to an unusual number of graduates this year. One team had to take an extra member, and this decision came from higher up."
A half-truth. No one needed to know the real reason—not yet.
"But Iruka-sensei!" Naruto shot to his feet, slamming his palms on the desk. "Why the hell am I in a team with him?!" He jabbed a finger at Sasuke, who didn't even bother looking at him.
"Because you got the lowest score in the entire class," Iruka replied flatly. "We needed to balance the team. Sit down."
"HAHAHAHA!" Haruto doubled over in his chair, clutching his stomach with one arm. "Oh man, that's hilarious. You're officially the dead weight of the team, Naruto."
"What did you just say?!" Naruto grabbed Haruto by the collar, red in the face.
But Haruto just kept laughing, grinning like he was having the time of his life.
Sasuke scoffed, crossing his arms. "Just don't drag me down."
That only made things worse.
Naruto turned toward him, eyes blazing. "You wanna say that again, tough guy?!"
Haruto raised an eyebrow. "Should we tell them now or let them figure out that they're the same person yelling at a mirror?"
Sakura, who had just barely recovered from the cold stare Haruto gave her earlier, buried her face in her hands. "Why… why am I on this team?"
Iruka sighed heavily. "This is going to be a long year…"
Late Afternoon — Ninja Academy
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long golden shadows into the classroom. The silence was thick—almost oppressive. Only one team remained behind.
Team 7.
Naruto leaned out the window, his arms folded and cheek pressed against the glass, groaning loud enough to echo down the empty hall.
"Ughhh… Where is he?! Everyone else is already gone with their new sensei, and we're just sitting here!"
Haruto, sprawled out in his chair with his legs propped lazily on the desk, didn't even glance at his brother. "Just sit down already. Watching you bounce around is exhausting," he muttered, eyes fixed on the ceiling, voice flat with disinterest.
"You're not even trying to pretend you care, huh?!" Naruto snapped, clearly more frustrated by Haruto's calm than the actual waiting.
"I don't waste energy on things that don't matter," Haruto replied with a small smirk.
Sakura sighed, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "You two are hopeless... And seriously, Naruto—just give it a rest."
Naruto turned around dramatically. "No way! I'm pulling a prank on this guy when he walks in. That'll show him for being late!"
"I'm not getting blamed for this," Sakura said immediately, scooting her chair away. "If he asks, I'll tell him it was all your idea."
"Tch. Like a Jonin would fall for something so childish," Sasuke muttered from his seat, arms crossed. His dark eyes barely flicked toward Naruto.
Naruto ignored them all and grinned, setting up a simple trap—a chalkboard eraser balanced carefully above the sliding door.
Haruto raised an eyebrow but said nothing, watching with mild amusement.
Suddenly—
Click—Shhhk.
The door slid open.
Thump.
A dull thud echoed through the room as the eraser smacked squarely onto the head of a tall silver-haired man in a black mask and forehead protector slanted over one eye.
There was a long, awkward pause.
Then—
"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Two voices burst into laughter in sync—Naruto and Haruto, both holding their stomachs. Haruto's laughter was less wild, more refined, but just as amused.
Sakura jumped up. "I-I'm sorry, sensei! I tried to stop him, I really did!"
Sasuke groaned quietly, running a hand through his hair. "This guy… This is our Jonin?"
Kakashi casually brushed the eraser dust off his spiky silver hair and looked at the four students with a single exposed eye—tired, unimpressed, unreadable.
"…How should I put this…" he said in a slow drawl.
"…My first impression is: I don't like you."
The mood in the room plummeted.
Naruto froze, jaw dropped. "Huh?!"
Sakura looked like she might cry.
Sasuke just scoffed, but his expression darkened slightly.
And Haruto?
He simply smiled, tapping his fingers together as he studied the man before him. So this is Hatake Kakashi… The Copy Ninja. The one they say never wins, but never loses. A man who walks the line perfectly. Interesting.