He sat casually in Akira's courtyard as if it were his own home, waiting leisurely for the owner to return.
A few minutes later, the courtyard gate creaked open.
Akira stood at the entrance, looking at the distinguished guest in his yard. His face was full of helplessness.
"Kakashi-sama… what are you playing at this time? What brings you here?"
In truth, even before entering the courtyard, he had already sensed the familiar fluctuation of chakra inside.
But after hesitating briefly at the gate, he ultimately pushed the door open.
Kakashi calmly poured himself a cup of hot tea and joked lightly,
"Oh? Back already? A bit earlier than I expected."
He took a sip and looked at Akira with a half-smile.
"But you sensed my presence the moment you reached the gate, didn't you? That level of perception… even among professional sensory-type ninja, it would be considered exceptional."
Setting the teacup down, Kakashi smacked his lips thoughtfully. A hint of surprise flashed in his eye.
"This tea is brewed well. Smooth, with a lingering sweetness."
He glanced around the courtyard and said with genuine admiration,
"I really didn't expect that a kid living alone could keep his house this clean and orderly. Impressive—truly impressive."
At this moment, Kakashi's favorability toward Akira had risen sharply.
At first it had been mere curiosity. Now, he genuinely wanted to get to know this boy better.
Akira dropped his schoolbag, sighed, and walked over to the table. Sitting down, he poured himself a cup of tea.
"Kakashi-sama, let's skip the small talk. Just say what you want."
Kakashi looked straight into his eyes and asked calmly,
"What do I want? Nothing much. I just want to confirm something."
"Can you really perform the Fireball Jutsu?"
That was a C-rank ninjutsu, requiring a large amount of chakra.
Even many ordinary genin found it difficult to perform.
Although it was slightly weaker than the Great Fireball Jutsu famously used by the Uchiha Clan, the chakra consumption was still enormous.
Far beyond what a six-year-old should possess.
In fact, many adult genin might not even have enough chakra to perform the jutsu once.
Kakashi was simply curious whether the boy before him had truly mastered such a ninjutsu.
Akira held his warm teacup and looked at Kakashi with a puzzled expression.
"May I ask why you're so concerned about whether I can spit out a fireball?"
Faced with the question, Kakashi thought for a moment before answering honestly.
"Because my intuition tells me… you might be a rare genius."
The words were blunt and straightforward.
Yet instead of feeling pleased, Akira frowned and became alert.
"And if I am a genius, what do you plan to do with me?"
"Capture me and slice me up for research? Or strap me to a laboratory table for terrifying human experiments?"
In his imagination, Kakashi had already transformed into something resembling Orochimaru.
Kakashi's mouth twitched, black lines appearing on his forehead.
"What kind of nonsense goes on in that little brain of yours all day?"
He rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"If you really are a genius, I'd treasure that talent. I want to teach you a few ninjutsu. Interested?"
Akira didn't look excited.
Instead, he stared sharply and calmly uttered two words.
"Conditions?"
Kakashi sighed in exasperation.
"Am I really that shady in your eyes?"
Akira remained unmoved.
"Conditions."
Left with no choice, Kakashi spoke seriously.
"There's only one."
"Never betray Konohagakure."
Akira froze for a moment, clearly surprised by how simple—and righteous—the condition was.
"That's all?"
Kakashi nodded solemnly, his lone eye fixed on Akira.
"Can you do that?"
Akira immediately grinned.
"Of course."
He agreed very readily.
After all, unless Konoha did something truly unforgivable to him, why would he betray it?
Besides—pretty words cost nothing. How things would actually turn out depended on the future.
Kakashi studied him for a long time before speaking again.
"I hope you remember that promise."
"But first, you must prove that you can truly perform Fireball Jutsu."
Akira stood up without hesitation.
He walked to the center of the courtyard and focused on a decorative rock beside the fish pond.
"Kakashi-sama, watch closely."
Before the words had even finished, his hands were already moving.
His fingers blurred so quickly they left only afterimages.
Even Kakashi's eye widened in shock.
Such fast hand seals…
That speed is already on par with mine.
Akira's hands became a phantom.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
WHOOSH—!
With a roaring gust, a massive orange fireball nearly four meters in diameter burst from his mouth.
A scorching heatwave swept across the courtyard.
The decorative rock more than a meter tall was struck directly—
BOOM!
It exploded instantly.
Fragments of stone scattered like shrapnel as dust billowed everywhere.
The nearby fish pond was also affected, the intense heat instantly evaporating large amounts of water and creating thick white steam.
After releasing the ninjutsu, Akira turned around, clapped his hands lightly, and smiled.
"Well? The power's decent, right?"
Kakashi stood frozen.
His visible eye was filled with disbelief.
"Unbelievable… you really mastered this jutsu."
"And its power is even stronger than an average Fireball."
He asked subconsciously,
"You really… learned this on your own?"
He nearly said stole it out of habit.
Akira didn't mind at all and even looked a little proud.
"Since you've verified it, can you keep your promise now and teach me the ninjutsu you know?"
Kakashi came back to his senses and nodded.
"No problem. But the techniques I teach are relatively high-level and classified. You absolutely must not teach them to anyone else."
Images of Kakashi's famous techniques flashed through Akira's mind, filling him with anticipation.
"Deal."
Then he added,
"But I also hope you'll keep my strength secret. Don't go telling everyone. I dislike trouble and prefer peace and quiet."
Kakashi had originally intended to recommend this promising talent to Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage.
But hearing that request, he thought for a moment and agreed.
"Fine."
"From today onward, whenever I'm not on a mission, I'll teach you one ninjutsu per day."
"Kakashi-sama one before moving to the next."
Akira blinked, looking suspicious.
"Wait… didn't you say earlier you'd only teach me a few?"
"Why did that suddenly become one every day? How many ninjutsu do you actually know?"
Kakashi narrowed his eye and smiled.
"A lot. Enough that even if you studied for several years, you might not finish learning them."
Akira chuckled, clearly unconvinced.
"I think you might be underestimating my learning ability."
Seeing the boy's confident attitude, Kakashi didn't get angry.
"You'll understand soon enough how terrifying my ninjutsu inventory is. If you truly manage to drain everything I know, you'll become a once-in-a-generation genius."
After all—
He was the famous "Copy Ninja Kakashi."
A man who had copied over a thousand techniques.
Why would he fear a kid learning them?
---
After chatting for more than ten minutes and finalizing the details, Kakashi stood up to leave.
"Come find me at Konoha's back mountain tomorrow after school."
Akira frowned.
"The back mountain? I heard there are wild beasts there. Sounds dangerous."
Kakashi looked at him with a teasing smile.
"What? Already scared?"
"Ninjutsu isn't something grown in a greenhouse. If you want to learn from me, you'll have to pass through that dangerous forest."
"If you don't even have that much courage, there's no point in me teaching you."
Akira's expression barely changed.
He simply asked calmly,
"What if I accidentally kill a few wild animals?"
Kakashi blinked.
"Of course that's fine. Why wouldn't it be?"
He couldn't understand why someone would even ask.
Hearing the confirmation, Akira immediately relaxed and smiled.
"That's good. I thought they belonged to the village and I'd have to pay compensation. My pockets are emptier than my face—I can't afford that."
Kakashi's mouth twitched.
"So that's what you were worried about… You think too much. No compensation needed."
"Why is money the only thing on your mind?"
Akira rolled his eyes.
"What else am I supposed to think about? Without money, do I eat dirt? I'm six years old and living off my parents' compensation funds."
"You big shots really have that 'let them eat cake' mindset."
Kakashi blinked.
"What cake? What does that mean?"
Clearly, he didn't understand the reference.
Akira waved it off lazily.
"Forget it. It means you don't understand how ordinary people live."
Kakashi scratched his nose awkwardly.
Kakashi truly couldn't understand that kind of money-obsessed mindset.
Akira rolled his eyes dramatically.
"What, should I eat dirt if I have no money? I'm only six years old—I'm surviving on my parents' compensation funds. If you really made me pay damages, I'd have to live on nothing but the northwest wind."
"Someone as important as you really has that 'Why don't they just eat meat porridge?' mentality."
Kakashi blinked.
"Meat porridge? What does that mean?"
Clearly, he had never heard that proverb from another world.
Akira waved his hand dismissively.
"Forget it. I just mean you're speaking without understanding how ordinary people live."
Now Kakashi understood and awkwardly scratched his nose.
"Alright, alright. But if you learn well, I can give you a scholarship as encouragement."
Kakashi began coaxing him like a wolf luring Little Red Riding Hood.
Akira's eyes lit up instantly.
"What kind of reward?"
Kakashi thought for a moment.
"How about this—every time you master a D-rank ninjutsu, I'll pay you the same reward as a D-rank mission."
Akira's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You… would be that generous?"
He knew Kakashi had been single for years and had accumulated considerable savings—essentially a hidden millionaire.
But according to rumor, this guy was famously stingy.
Feeling his personal integrity questioned, Kakashi puffed out his chest.
"Of course. I always keep my word."
But in his mind, his calculations were clicking rapidly.
Learning ninjutsu isn't easy.
Even a genius would need three or four days to master a D-rank jutsu. C-rank would take even longer.
And he doesn't have the Sharingan to copy techniques instantly.
This deal is guaranteed profit.
Akira seemed to see straight through his thoughts and said quietly,
"I just hope you won't cry over your wallet later."
Kakashi smiled confidently.
"Don't worry. I won't regret it. If you really manage to empty my arsenal, I'd be thrilled."
For a ninja, ninjutsu was their livelihood.
If Akira truly mastered everything he knew, his strength would start at least at elite jōnin level, perhaps even higher.
Spending some money to cultivate a future pillar of the village was nothing.
Even giving up one percent of his wealth would be worth it.
Why only one percent?
Because Kakashi was absurdly rich.
Hundreds of S-rank and A-rank mission rewards, plus years of Anbu stipends, had accumulated into a massive fortune.
That money alone could pay for Akira's training for several lifetimes.
Besides, Kakashi only knew a few A-rank techniques anyway. The truly expensive ones weren't many.
So he wasn't worried at all.
After settling the serious matters, Kakashi suddenly remembered something and smiled.
"By the way, I noticed you don't have a proper weapon yet."
He tossed something over.
"Take this. Standard Anbu dagger. Excellent quality. It's yours."
"Tomorrow evening—meet me at Konoha's back mountain. Let's see if you can survive crossing that forest."
"Later."
He stuffed the ancient-looking dagger into Akira's hand and vanished instantly using the Body Flicker Jutsu.
Akira stared at the blade in confusion.
"So generous? Now that's something you don't see every day."
But the next second, Kakashi's distant voice floated back from outside the courtyard.
"The cost of that dagger will be deducted slowly from your mission rewards!"
Akira's mouth twitched violently.
"I knew it! I praised you for nothing!"
Despite complaining, curiosity got the better of him and he drew the blade.
Clang—
A crisp metallic ring echoed.
The blade gleamed like autumn water, smooth as a mirror, clearly reflecting Akira's delicate face.
Cold light flickered along the razor edge.
"Now this is a good blade. Chakra-conductive metal mixed into the alloy. This definitely wasn't cheap."
Akira refused to believe it was just some ordinary standard weapon.
"Well… I guess I owe him another big favor."
"But the real problem is…"
"I don't even know how to use a sword."
He casually swung it twice, trying to get a feel for it.
And then—
Something strange happened.
A torrent of information flooded into his mind like a collapsing dam.
At the same time, the muscle memory in his body was instantly rewritten.
"…You've got to be kidding."
"I just waved it randomly and I've already mastered basic swordsmanship?"
Akira stared at his hands in disbelief.
The talent of this body was simply outrageous.
"No… more accurately, this isn't a particular sword style."
"It's like my body instinctively calculated the optimal trajectory for each swing based on my perception and physique."
"It's rough and unrefined—but still needs practice."
"But it's definitely a powerful weapon."
"I'll keep it for self-defense. It'll surely come in handy someday."
He sheathed the blade, washed up briefly, and went to bed early.
---
Meanwhile, Kakashi lay on the roof of his house, staring up at the star-filled sky.
"I hope you won't repeat my mistakes… Akira."
"You have the potential to surpass me."
From the moment he saw that massive Fireball, Kakashi had become certain.
This boy possessed limitless potential.
His physique was stronger than Kakashi's had been at the same age.
His comprehension might even surpass his own.
Most importantly—
Although the boy was a little pragmatic, he wasn't gloomy. Instead, he had an oddly optimistic outlook that seemed to see through the world.
"I won't allow a genius like this to walk the same path our generation did."
"I hope you grow quickly… and become someone like Minato."
Someone capable of carrying the entire weight of Konohagakure on his shoulders alone.
Kakashi could tell that when Akira promised not to betray Konoha, his attitude had been somewhat perfunctory.
But Kakashi didn't mind.
He believed that through his guidance, the boy would eventually become someone who truly protected the village.
The current Konoha desperately needed a leader like Minato again.
And in Kakashi's heart—
Akira was the seed of hope he had chosen.
---
The next day, the moment the dismissal bell rang at the Ninja Academy—
Akira wasted no time.
With the dagger strapped to his back, he headed straight toward Konoha's back mountain.
Standing at the forest entrance, he listened to the distant roars of wild beasts echoing through the woods.
The calls were primitive and savage.
Akira frowned slightly.
"With my current strength… as long as I don't do anything stupid, I should be able to pass through safely."
After a brief hesitation, he stepped forward without looking back.
Within minutes, the surroundings darkened.
The towering canopy blocked out the sky.
From the bushes on both sides of the path came increasingly violent roars.
A faint smell of blood lingered in the air.
Clearly, the beasts here were engaged in brutal hunts.
Akira's expression remained calm as water as he walked steadily along the forest trail.
After more than ten minutes, the once wide path became narrow and rugged, tangled with thorns.
Two kilometers deeper into the forest—
The roars of beasts were practically exploding in his ears.
"ROAR—!"
"HOWL—!"
The cries of savage animals echoed endlessly, shaking the leaves of the trees.
Akira could even hear their heavy breathing—the excitement of predators that had discovered prey.
"This is getting ridiculous…"
"Since when did Konoha's back mountain turn into a wildlife park?"
He reached back and slowly drew the dagger.
ROAR!
The moment the blade left its sheath—
A massive creature burst through the bushes with a violent crash.
It was a giant wild boar over two meters tall.
Its tusks were thicker and longer than ivory spears, gleaming with a chilling light.
Its black fur stood upright like steel needles.
Its eyes burned blood-red.
Like a runaway heavy tank—
It charged straight at the tiny boy, determined to smash him into pulp.