A quiet evening in the western forests of Konoha.
The flickering campfire cast a warm glow, pushing back the night's chill. The aroma of grilled meat drifted through the air, making stomachs growl in anticipation.
Satoru moved swiftly through the towering trees, heading toward the usual meeting spot. As he landed, he found his three students already gathered, preparing for dinner.
Obito and Kakashi stood on either side of a large pot, which was filled with freshly grilled meat. Their faces were smudged with soot from the fire, but Obito's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Meanwhile, Gai was proudly standing beside an enormous bowl of ramen.
Satoru's eyes lit up like a starving wolf.
"Is that… ramen?"
Gai thumped his chest and grinned. "Yes, sensei! I specially ordered this from Ichiraku Ramen today. The owner said this recipe is legendary—one taste, and you'll never forget it!"
Satoru's hands trembled as he rubbed his stomach. He swallowed hard.
"Excellent, truly excellent! Gai, I award you ten out of ten points for your impeccable food choices!"
Obito folded his arms and sighed. "Here we go again… Every time sensei sees food, he turns into a wild animal."
Kakashi stared at the massive ramen bowl, silently wondering if this amount would actually be enough to satisfy their gluttonous teacher. Most likely, it wouldn't. And, of course, the money for the ramen had come from Kakashi's pocket—again. He reassured himself that once sensei's promotion came through next month, funds would be more stable. Not that he cared much about money anyway.
Just as the trio was about to joke around some more—
The surrounding leaves rustled.
A heavy *thud* echoed through the clearing.
The sound of movement was completely different from a ninja's steps. Not light, not swift—this was heavy, deliberate, and unrefined, like a massive chunk of steel hitting the ground.
Obito, Kakashi, and Gai instantly snapped to alert mode.
They instinctively spread out, moving like well-trained shinobi. Kakashi gripped his kunai tightly, sharp eyes locked onto the direction of the sound. All three of them quietly channeled chakra, preparing for battle.
From the shadows, Eren Yeager emerged.
He towered over them, a stark contrast to the ninja of this world. His deep green eyes were void of life, empty—like someone who had lost all meaning.
His long, unkempt hair, scruffy beard, and gaunt face only added to his ghostly presence.
The sheer hopelessness radiating from Eren hit the three kids like a wave of cold air.
Eren scanned the scene before him—a bunch of children, a massive pot of ramen, and a lazy-looking man standing by the fire.
After a brief pause, he slowly walked toward a nearby tree.
He said nothing. He asked nothing.
He simply sat down, leaned his head back against the bark, and closed his eyes.
Satoru chuckled softly, glancing at Eren.
The three kids, on the other hand, gawked in utter confusion.
Obito mumbled, "Who… who is this guy, sensei? Did he get lost or something?"
### A Fateful Encounter
Satoru cleared his throat and spoke up.
"Relax, relax, you guys."
He raised a hand to calm them, then slowly introduced the newcomer.
"Everyone, this is Eren Yeager. He's… an old acquaintance of mine from a mission far outside the village. His homeland was… wiped out during a raid by rogue ninjas."
The kids fell silent.
A shinobi with no home? No family left?
Obito and Gai's eyes welled up with emotion.
Obito grabbed Eren's hand, his voice full of determination.
"Don't worry! I swear I'll never let something like that happen to anyone else!"
"When I become Hokage, I'll make sure every family is safe and happy under the rule of Obito, the Great!"
Satoru sighed deeply, an invisible ellipsis hanging over his head.
(*This kid… does he not realize who's actually responsible for making Naruto an orphan…?*)
He glanced up at the sky, feeling a strange sense of irony.
Eren didn't react. His empty gaze remained unchanged. But… for a brief moment, he felt a faint warmth from Obito's small hand.
After a pause, he slowly pulled his hand back and stuffed it into his pocket, saying nothing.
### A Strange Evaluation
After the emotional moment, the three kids began scrutinizing Eren's appearance.
Kakashi: "There's something… different about him."
Obito: "Yeah, he doesn't feel like he's from here…"
Gai: "He doesn't even look like a normal person, does he?"
Three pairs of curious eyes fixed on Eren.
In the world of Naruto, no one had features like his.
Eren, with his Germanic traits—long hair, sorrowful green eyes, tall and lean build—stood out completely. Even his aura was unlike anything they had encountered before.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes.
Though Eren hadn't shown any aggressive intent, Kakashi's instincts as a ninja told him that this man was dangerous.
### Preparing for the Night
Satoru clapped his hands together, breaking the tension.
"Alright, enough staring. Eren will be staying with me for now. Tomorrow, I'll report to the Hokage."
Then he turned to Eren.
"Eren, you can just observe tonight's training."
Eren didn't object. He simply gave a small nod.
Satoru then turned back to his students, his grin widening with mischief.
"Tonight, we're having a sparring match!"
The three kids' eyes lit up with excitement.
He pointed at two of them.
"Obito and Gai, you two will fight!"
"The winner will face Kakashi tomorrow!"
Obito immediately fired up.
"Heh! Kakashi, don't even dream about it! An idiot like you is no match for me!"
Kakashi lazily glanced at him. "Why don't you beat Gai first before talking big?"
Obito's eyes burned with determination, while Gai's youthful passion ignited into a full-blown inferno.
The entire forest seemed to shake as the two clashed.
Eren silently watched, the flickering flames reflecting in his green eyes… as if, just for a moment, a tiny spark of life had returned.
---
(End of Chapter)