"Are you serious?"
Late at night, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, returned home weary from a long day of work.
Hakken and Itachi had already left.
Guard duty for the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki was carried out during the day; there was no need to keep watch by the window at night. Kakashi, however, remained hidden outside, dutifully standing guard over his sensei's wife.
But the moment Minato stepped through the door, Kushina's words stopped him in his tracks.
"Why would I lie? With your sensory skills, you should've picked up on it yourself."
Kushina shot him an annoyed look. Given the nature of the Nine-Tails' chakra, even the slightest fluctuation should have caught Minato's attention—he should have rushed back home immediately.
Yet this infuriating man hadn't.
"I'm sorry, Kushina. I thought you'd managed to suppress the Nine-Tails yourself," Minato admitted, guilt spreading across his face. "I wanted to come back right away using the Flying Thunder God Technique, but… I was swamped with work."
It wasn't that he didn't care, or that he didn't want to come home.
But once the Nine-Tails' chakra had stabilized and faded, he'd gotten caught up in paperwork and couldn't pull away.
Of course, if the chakra had continued to leak, he would have returned immediately to check on her.
Still—what Kushina had just told him left him speechless.
The Nine-Tails had quieted down today… because of something his student said?
Could that really be true?
This was the Nine-Tails they were talking about—the strongest of the Tailed Beasts, overflowing with hatred and malice.
And it trembled from a single word?
Kushina wouldn't lie about something like that. Which meant… Hakken Yoru possessed the ability to suppress a Tailed Beast.
A secret, perhaps?
Minato's expression softened with mixed emotion.
But to him, this was a blessing.
He was even thankful that he'd assigned Hakken to Kushina's protection squad.
That ANBU mission had originally been arranged to divert the village elders' attention away from Hakken—a convenient task that could also temper his personality.
Yet even through such a routine assignment, his exceptional nature still shone through.
"Don't tell anyone about this," Minato said quietly, resting his hand gently on Kushina's stomach, where new life was growing.
"And… what do you think of Hakken?"
Keeping this a secret was absolutely necessary.
If word got out that a child held power capable of instilling fear in the Nine-Tails, the higher-ups would become even more wary of him.
And when that time came, not even Minato might be able to protect him.
"Hmm… how should I put it?"
Kushina tapped her chin thoughtfully. "He trains like a lunatic, but he's surprisingly reliable. Looks unapproachable at first, but once you get to know him, he's actually really warm."
The Uzumaki clan's sensory abilities went beyond sensing chakra—they could also glimpse a person's true nature.
And in Hakken, Kushina could sense only these things.
"I see."
Minato nodded gently, his expression softening.
He had half expected Kushina to label Hakken as some kind of rebellious troublemaker.
Seems I'm still not much of a teacher after all.
...
Warm sunlight once again bathed the earth. Spring was fading, and the soft breeze of early summer brushed against their cheeks with a gentle warmth.
It was the kind of season that made even an expectant mother want to take a walk outside.
But what puzzled Hakken was why Kushina had brought everyone to Training Ground Seven.
Before them stood an old wooden post. The moment Kakashi saw it, a dull pain struck his heart, and he turned his head away.
Beneath that mask was a grief that had never truly faded.
Familiar scenes flashed relentlessly through his mind—echoes of laughter, bright voices that once filled this place.
Why here?
Kakashi shook his head hard, as if to shake off the memories.
"Feeling nostalgic?"
An arm rested casually on his shoulder. A familiar gourd appeared in front of him. When he turned, he saw his junior—Hakken—watching him with a knowing look.
He understood him completely. Even now, he knew exactly what Kakashi needed.
Kakashi took the gourd, sat down under a tree, and tilted his head back for a long sip. The harsh burn of the baijiu hit his throat, but even that couldn't numb his mind.
"Easy there. You'll need to coordinate with me when we attack later."
Snatching the gourd back, Hakken patted Kakashi's shoulder.
Coordinate... an attack?
What was that supposed to mean?
Kakashi blinked, confused.
"Uh... Sensei's wife—cough, I mean, what exactly are we doing here?"
Even though the title was already second nature, Itachi still felt awkward every time he called her that.
"You'll find out soon enough," Kushina said lightly, unbothered. She was simply out for some fresh air—plus, it was a good chance to see how her husband trained his students.
Time passed quietly until a golden flash of light appeared, and a familiar figure landed before them.
"Sorry about that. I didn't expect the morning meeting to drag on this long."
Minato scratched his head in embarrassment. He was the one who'd told his wife to bring the three of them here early—yet he'd ended up being the one to show up late.
Watching this scene, Hakken couldn't help but think that Kakashi's habit of being late in the future might have come straight from his sensei.
"Well then, you three."
Minato's expression turned serious as he looked at them.
"No need to say much about Kakashi, but Hakken, Itachi—"
"As your teacher, I don't yet have a clear grasp of your true strength."
"If the new Team Minato were to take on missions without that understanding, it could lead to chaos."
"So today, as your sensei, I'm going to do my job properly—and get to know you both."
Jingle, jingle.
A pair of bells dangled from his hand.
"Show me everything you've got—and take these from me."
Such a familiar scene.
Such a familiar test.
Only the people standing there now… were no longer Obito and Rin.
Kakashi let out a long sigh. His heart twisted with a complicated mix of emotions—grief, nostalgia, maybe even something else.
But…
With different people this time—what kind of outcome would it be?
Somewhere deep down, he realized he was actually looking forward to finding out.