Naruto: All depends on the Nine-tails Fox

"It's getting a bit too late! It's almost dark now. What kind of person is this?"

"Do you think our Jonin instructor ran into some trouble?"

"Well, considering we're still in the village, it shouldn't be the case."

"Could he have gotten lost or something?"

Naruto, who was half-leaning on a desk chatting with Sasuke and Hinata, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. His gaze shifted toward the door.

Has he already noticed me? What incredible sensory abilities, thought Kakashi, standing just outside. Having spent little time in the village recently, he had been caught in a chat with Guy at the Memorial Stone, staying a bit longer than expected before using the Body Flicker Technique to rush over. He was surprised that the moment he landed, Naruto's eyes were already on him.

As Kakashi slid open the door, he scanned the classroom. It was nearly empty except for three students: Uchiha Sasuke, who was staring coldly at him; Hyuga Hinata, who politely bowed in greeting; and Uzumaki Naruto, who was scrutinizing him with a furrowed brow as if deep in thought.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm late," Kakashi said casually. "But you all seem more patient than I expected. Let's find another place to chat, shall we?"

With that, Kakashi took the lead and walked out. Hinata noticed Naruto's puzzled expression and asked curiously, "Naruto-kun, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. This teacher looks kind of familiar... I feel like I've seen him somewhere before," Naruto muttered, racking his brain but failing to recall where he might have encountered this white-haired Jonin. With such a distinct appearance, he was sure he would have remembered.

"Let's go," Sasuke said, already standing up to follow.

The group made their way to an open rooftop area.

"We're going to be a team from now on, carrying out missions together," Kakashi began. "So let's start with some simple introductions. Your name, likes, dislikes, maybe even your dreams. Anything you'd like to share."

"Is there a point to this?" Sasuke interjected.

"As teammates, it's important to know some basic information about each other," Kakashi explained. "These seemingly simple details can sometimes help uncover disguises or transformation jutsus. Even if you think you already know each other well, there might be things you don't actually know, especially since I'm just meeting you for the first time."

"I'll go first!" Naruto enthusiastically jumped in. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I love Ichiraku Ramen, especially when I eat it with friends. What I hate... is turning into a stone. Yeah, I really hate that!"

"As for my dream, I want to become a Hokage who surpasses everyone, so that people can truly understand each other!"

"Wow, that's quite a dream," Kakashi nodded, though he silently wondered what Naruto meant by 'turning into a stone.'

"Next up, the girl," Kakashi prompted, looking at Hinata.

"Ah, yes! I'm Hyuga Hinata," she started nervously, glancing shyly at Naruto, her expression softening. "I admire the spirit of never giving up. I dislike cold or expired food, and my dream is to always stand by someone's side and support them."

Hearing this, Naruto looked at her with a bright smile, making Hinata blush and turn away, clearly flustered.

They really remind me of Minato-sensei and Kushina-sama... though their personalities are quite different, Kakashi thought to himself.

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke said next, his tone cold. "There aren't many things I like... If I had to choose, it would be getting stronger. I hate lies and deception. I don't have a dream; I have a goal. After I defeat a certain person, I'm going to kill a man and take his head as an offering to my clan."

He glanced briefly at Naruto, who simply returned his look with a radiant smile. Sasuke inwardly scoffed, calling him a fool, before turning back to Kakashi. "Now it's your turn to introduce yourself."

Taking note of Hinata and Sasuke's behavior, Kakashi confirmed his suspicions about their personalities. "I'm Hatake Kakashi. I don't have many likes or dislikes, and as for a dream... I don't really have one at the moment."

"Hey, that's not fair!" Naruto protested. "We learned nothing about you except your name!"

"Well, I am a Jonin of the Leaf, so even simple information about me can be considered classified," Kakashi said, rubbing his chin as he made up a flimsy excuse. "Consider this your first lesson: protect your own information; don't reveal it so easily."

The group exchanged exasperated looks. Clearly, Kakashi was the one who had asked them to share.

"Just kidding, don't take it seriously," Kakashi chuckled, waving his hand. "This was just a chance for us to get acquainted. Now I have a sense of each of your personalities."

Standing up, Kakashi turned and waved them off. "Alright, you're dismissed for now. Tomorrow morning at 5 a.m., meet me at the rightmost training field near the village gate. Before we start our missions, I have a second lesson to teach you."

"A lesson?" Hinata asked, surprised. "Aren't we supposed to go on missions right away?"

"Oh, you're probably thinking of the so-called 'mission,' which is actually just a test conducted by the supervising Jonin to evaluate their new Genin," Kakashi said knowingly. "But for the three of you, it's unnecessary."

He gave them a look of confidence. "I already have a rough idea of your abilities, and it's clear you understand the importance of teamwork. So instead of a basic exercise, you need my lesson more."

This piqued the curiosity of both Sasuke and Naruto.

"As for what the lesson is about, you'll find out tomorrow. Here's a hint," Kakashi pulled a kunai from his pouch, twirling it skillfully in his hand before speaking seriously. "Bring all the ninja tools, equipment, and supplies you can think of. If you don't give it your all, this lesson might just cost you... your lives."

The three of them felt a shiver run down their spines.

Oh? The Nine-Tails chuckled inside Naruto's mind. Minato, it seems your former student Kakashi has realized Naruto's current weakness.

Well, Kakashi is an excellent student of mine. I trust he'll guide Naruto well, Minato's voice responded with a smile. But I also believe Naruto will give him quite the surprise.

Or perhaps more of a shock, the Nine-Tails mused, sensing Naruto's wavering spirit and eagerly anticipating what tomorrow would bring.

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Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 159+ at patreon.com/Esei01.