[Name: Kitagawa Gen]
[Age: 13]
[Bloodline: None (possibly a line of commoners)]
[Chakra Reserves: B (average Chūnin level)]
[Chakra Attributes: Wind, Fire, Earth]
[Skills: Body Flicker Technique, Earth Release, Kakashi's Kenjutsu, Throwing Techniques (Ninjutsu scales with chakra level)]
[Items: Newbie Gift Pack, self-cleaning clothing that never needs changing]
"Kakashi's kenjutsu? Not bad."
As he walked out of the hospital, Kitagawa Gen glanced at his status panel—but his attention was mostly on the Newbie Gift Pack.
Thirteen years!
I've waited thirteen whole years for my starter pack—that's got to be some kind of world record!
"Gen."
Just as he was about to hurry home to finally open his long-awaited gift pack, he suddenly heard someone calling from behind.
Turning around, he saw that it was Guy running over.
"Guy-sensei, what brings you here?"
Kitagawa Gen immediately snapped out of his thoughts and greeted him with a smile.
Over the years, in his efforts to study taijutsu, he had accidentally run into Guy. And thanks to his understanding of Guy's personality, they'd gotten close quickly.
Everything he'd told Kakashi was true. In fact, many of the techniques he used had been whitewashed through Guy.
That's why he wasn't worried at all about Kakashi asking Guy for confirmation.
"I heard something happened to your team."
Guy looked Kitagawa Gen up and down, visibly anxious as he asked, "What happened? Why did you guys end up in the hospital? That Kakashi guy…"
"I'm fine, Guy-sensei."
Kitagawa Gen shook his head and smiled as he continued, "It wasn't Kakashi-sensei's fault. We messed up ourselves."
He didn't have the nerve to admit there was infighting within the team—especially since he had a major part in it.
To complete the mission 'Become Kakashi's Only Student', he naturally had to plan carefully.
He remembered that in one of Kakashi's student teams before Team 7, there was a mention of a dynamic similar to the one he just instigated. The system likely assigned him this mission because of that.
So, once the team assignments were finalized, he made an effort to 'get close' to his two teammates, leaving clues in their subconscious with a genjutsu obtained from a side mission. While this jutsu wasn't very useful, it was perfect for instigating the situation during Kakashi's evaluation to end the way he wanted.
Sure enough, they ended up turning their blades on each other.
Of course, if they had stolen the bells and been immediately disqualified, Kitagawa Gen had backup plans.
He would've just needed to tweak the speech he gave Kakashi at the end.
"I should also thank you, Guy-sensei. Without your guidance, I would've never earned Kakashi-sensei's approval."
Gen gave Guy a slight bow. After all, this man had been a true lifesaver.
In fact, Gen believed Guy might have done even more than he realized.
Coming from a civilian background, having lost both parents at a young age and raised by his grandfather—only to become an orphan again—Gen's situation wasn't ideal.
Under normal circumstances, he would still have been assigned a squad leader, but whether it would've been a jōnin was another matter.
After all, jōnin usually led teams of clan heirs or elite prospects. Guys like him—ordinary and expendable—didn't usually qualify...
Ordinary squad leaders were mostly there to help new genin adapt to the ninja lifestyle and learn the workflow. Their relationship was more like superior and subordinate.
So, suddenly being placed under Kakashi's leadership? No matter what the reason was, Gen chose to believe someone had intervened on his behalf.
"Good to hear you're okay—wait, hold on a second."
Guy paused mid-sentence, suddenly catching on.
"Are you saying… you passed Kakashi's test?"
"Mhm."
Gen nodded. In the next moment, Guy clapped a hand on his shoulder and gave him a big thumbs-up, his blindingly white teeth gleaming in the light.
"Nice! I was worried about you, you know! It's a shame my application didn't go through—lucky Kakashi! Alright, to celebrate your success, let's run ten laps around Konoha!"
[New side quest acquired: I Can Run Faster Than Guy!]
[Defeat Guy in a lap race. Accept?]
"..."
Gen grimaced and rejected it instantly—he really didn't want to waste time on this right now.
"Guy-sensei, I just finished the test, and Kakashi-sensei told me to get some rest and prepare for tomorrow, so…"
"Oh, is that so?"
Guy stroked his chin, then nodded and grinned again.
"You're right. You need your rest. In that case, I'll do it for you—twenty laps! This is youth!"
And with that, he flipped into a handstand and vanished from Gen's sight like a gust of green smoke.
Watching Guy leave, Gen finally breathed a sigh of relief, then darted off toward his home.
The fact that he'd held out this long without opening his Newbie Gift Pack was already a testament to his self-control.
Right now, all he wanted was to see what exactly this long-awaited starter pack held.
"If it's not something good… I swear I'll throw myself at the system and take it down with me!"
He flung open the door, slammed it shut with a kick, and muttered quickly in his heart—
"Open Newbie Gift Pack!"
In an instant, his vision blurred and his whole body shuddered.
His breathing grew rapid, and a second later, everything went black as he collapsed onto the bed.
Inside his mind, a cold, emotionless voice echoed:
[Newbie Gift Pack opened]
[Reward acquired: Ōtsutsuki bloodline (unawakened)]
[Host is advised to develop it carefully]
"..."
...
"I really didn't expect something like this to happen."
Inside the Hokage's Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen listened to Kakashi's report, his entire demeanor somewhat numb.
He truly hadn't expected this—on Kakashi's first day stepping down from the Anbu to serve as a jōnin instructor, something like this had occurred.
This could only be seen as a failure of education!
And for someone so young to dare attack their own comrade... Hiruzen didn't even want to imagine what they might become when they grew up.
Damn it—what's happened to the education at the Ninja Academy?
"Alright, don't blame yourself too much. No one could've foreseen this. It's not your fault."
Still mulling over how to strike hard at the education system, Hiruzen lit his pipe and gave a helpless smile as he noticed Kakashi still hanging his head.
"What you did was not wrong. Clearly, this behavior stems from a lack of proper guidance at school. Sending them back to re-learn the basics isn't a bad thing. But... there's still one child you plan to keep?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Kakashi nodded. Recalling the words that had struck him so deeply, he answered without thinking.
"He's a child who values his comrades and wants to protect the village. Even though something like this happened, I don't think he should be punished for it."
"Is that so..."
With his pipe in his mouth, Hiruzen nodded silently.
He wasn't exactly unfamiliar with Kitagawa Gen. After all, he often gave speeches at the academy to promote the 'Will of Fire', and he'd made it a point to stay informed on the current students.
Kitagawa Gen was considered a rather outstanding child—though that wasn't the main reason.
What mattered more was that the boy seemed to get along decently with Naruto. Unlike most others, he didn't show the same hostility or disgust toward him.
Although, from observation, it did seem like he was more interested in scamming Naruto for his stipend...
But the boy's background was clean as a blank sheet of paper. Even Guy had spoken to him about the boy and had expressed interest in training him personally.
Hiruzen had remembered all this. That's why he arranged for the boy to join Kakashi's team in the first place—to see how things would turn out.
He also hoped that Kakashi, having left the Anbu, could start a new chapter in his life. Even though this incident was unexpected... so far, things looked promising.
'Looks like this kid really does carry the Will of Fire.'
Thinking this, Hiruzen let out a small chuckle.
"Then let's go with your plan. You can fill in the remaining teammates later—just like we did in your day, Kakashi."
"Yes, sir!"
Kakashi nodded earnestly, finally letting out a breath of relief.
"I'll give it everything I've got."
"No need to be so tense. You're not in the Anbu anymore."
Pipe in his mouth, Hiruzen smiled and shook his head.
"Go on. Take a break, clear your mind. Just don't bring those Anbu habits with you."
"I understand, Hokage-sama."
Kakashi nodded. The fact that the boy had said that line—it meant something to him.
Maybe... this was a good beginning.