17 Chapter 17

Hidden Leaf Village.

After noticing the exhausted state of his students, Hizashi gave them the break they deserved and made his way to the Mission Assignment Hall.

'Hmm... Yeah, it would be for the best.'

But his steps came to an abrupt halt as a quick thought ran into his mind.

So, he changed his destination as the Hokage Office came into his vision.

Generally, after you complete your mission, you'll have to submit the success or failure report of the mission in the assignment hall.

But remembering the abnormality they encountered during their mission, Hizashi left that idea aside and directly went to see the Hokage.

Knock!!

He appeared with a flash in front of the door to the Hokage office, and while holding a scroll in his hand, knocked.

"Hm? Enter!"

"Excuse me, Lord Third."

Hizashi pushed open the door and strode in, after getting permission to do so.

"Oh, I see, you have returned from your mission, Hizashi."

Hiruzen, who was sitting on his seat took a glance at the visitor amidst bundles of unfinished paper works and asked the moment he came inside.

He recalled that Hizashi was out on an escort mission with a team of Genin under his command, he put the papers back in their place and focused on him.

"Hmm... I'm already aware of the success of your team on the mission. The envoy from the Land of Tea came not long ago."

The envoy was sent regarding the increment in the remuneration of the mission and also taking the other request into the account.

He was aware of Hizashi's battle prowess and capabilities, so it didn't bother him regarding something trivial.

"Hm? Is there something you have in mind?"

But looking at Hizashi's thoughtful expression, Hiruzen couldn't help but ask, as he set aside his work. He didn't know why but it seemed that he had something rather important to report.

"Ah. R-right, Yeah. Um, excuse me for that Lord Third. The mission went well. And all the specific details are on it."

Hizashi, as if being pulled out of his thoughts handed him the scroll, who opened and examined it.

He still had that thoughtful look on his stern face.

When Hiruzen went through the contents, pretty much everything was normal at the beginning as the majority of the details consisted of the events that occurred during the mission.

"Huh?"

However, a light frown started to form on Hiruzen's wrinkled face as he continued to read the contents of the scroll.

"Uh? This!"

"Mm....."

"This... It's such a surprise that you came across such an enemy, huh?"

He was talking about the rogue Ninja, Gari of the explosion style.

And soon, done with the details, Hiruzen's face was full of confusion, and wanted to reconfirm the details from Hizashi.

"Yes. Lord Third... But somehow we managed to overcome that. I know it's hard to believe but it did happen."

"I see."

Hiruzen nodded his head.

Even after hearing the same thing as written in the scroll, he still couldn't believe that a six-year-old child did that.

'From taking down several Chunin and a few Jonin to eventually defeating an S-rank Ninja. And not to mention the three Chakra natures...'

The way Hizashi described his battle prowess, Izuna appeared to be one of the extraordinary prodigies.

'Geniuses like him sure are rare.'

Quitely thinking about the astounding feats performed by Izuna, Hiruzen's gaze remained that of a leader as the corner of his lips turned into a wide smile.

Only after a long while passed by did he open his mouth.

"Hahaha, it seems that my guess was right on spot."

"Pardon me?"

From the moment his eyes met Izuna's, which reflected something that belied his age, he knew that a new wave was soon going to emerge.

Indeed, his gut feeling and farsightedness proved to be right.

At first, Hizashi didn't know what he meant but recalling that he was the one who took Izuna's early graduation exam, he simply nodded his head.

"When the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and once again, tree leaves shall bud new."

Hiruzen glanced past the village out of the window next to him and took a look from between the hole of a leaf in his hand.

"As a Jonin of the village, you're considered one of the strongest. I could have given the task to instruct Izuna to someone else other than you. Yet, can you guess why I sent him over to you?

"I... I don't know."

Hiruzen, considered the strongest Shinobi in the village, who also held the title of God of Shinobi other than the First, had a kind smile on his face.

"You see... As a Leaf Shinobi, there is something else Izuna Uchiha needs to have, alongside just physical strength. The Will of Fire."

Hiruzen was aware of the burning Will of Fire inside of Hizashi. In that sense, he was one of the perfect ones for the job.

He then continued, while glancing at the rock faces engraved on the mountain.

"Hizashi Hyuga... For now, continue to instruct him along with his teammates. I understand that he is strong if not the strongest among his peers, but strength alone isn't enough."

Hizashi quietly listened to the man standing before him, the God of Shinobi.

"Hmm. I understand your concern Lord Third, but I don't think there is anything for you to worry about that..."

He had a smile on his face, recalling how Izuna's demeanor and strength influenced those around him.

He was talking about none other than Kakashi Hatake.

__________________

In one of the Clan residences of the village.

Since its foundation, Konoha became the residing place of various clans, who wanted nothing more than safe heaven.

Of these clans, one such clan became influential with the emergence of a powerful Shinobi. The Hatake Clan.

And the well-known Shinobi was none other than the White Fang of the Leaf.

Clink!

Clank!

The sound of utensils clinking together reverberated as a kid around six years old neatly washed them.

Soon after being done with the washing, he began preparing food.

Kakashi was tired after returning from his long mission, and after having a quick bath, prepared food.

Well, he was beaten up and even if he was a Ninja, his young body couldn't handle the long journey of more than three days.

"Huh? Who could it be, at this time?"

Suddenly he heard footsteps from the outside, as he paused his work and went outside.

"Oh? It's you, dad."

"Hmm... Kakashi? Weren't you on a mission?"

The newcomer was none other than Sakumo, who asked a question of his own, seeing his son with a kitchen knife as from what he knew, Kakashi should be away from home.

(A/N: Now before any of you say or ask something, do let the story progress a little bit and everything will be clear. So don't come to any conclusion yet.)

"I, uh, yes... I just returned. But what about you, weren't you too out on your mission?"

"Hmm. I too finished up my work."

"All right, I'm preparing some food, want some?"

"Hahaha, why not? Let me help you too..."

Kakashi nodded his head before inwardly smiling, seeing his only family.

The father-son duo continued their sweet talk as they prepared their food. The Kakashi's special salt-broiled saury.

'He seems a little out of it...'

Was it his parental intuition or the thoughtful look on his face, behind his son's mask?

"Hmm. Are you all right, son? If something is troubling you, or you want to share, I'm all ears."

Whatever it was, it couldn't be hidden from him and as a parent, it bothered him.

So, he simply asked before tilting his head.

"Huh?"

Kakashi was putting the dishes in the washbasin and was startled as he met his questionable gaze.

"Oh, I, uh, yes. There is something I need from you dad... Teach me how to become stronger!"

The corner of Sakumo's lips arched up.

"Oh? So that's how it is, huh? Very well, say no more and meet me at the training ground in an hour."

Kakashi nodded his head.

'Hahaha, it seems that he met his match. And now that I think about it it's been so long since I tested him.'

Sakumo quietly thought to himself, glancing past his son's shoulder. He saw his younger self in his son.

Sakumo was thinking this; regardless of his son's age, he was a skilled Genin even among his peers. Meaning, that there was someone even better than him, who could make his son behave like this.

A genius like his son that displayed something, which made his son feel unmatched, appeared just now.

But who could have pushed passed Kakashi?

Although he didn't know, he did care about that.

Meanwhile, Izuna, the root of this influence was having a pleasant rest in his room.

Unknowingly or knowingly, it was unclear how it happened, but his actions slowly began changing the course of the destiny of those around him.