Chapter 7: That's My Dearest Friend, My Brother-in-Arms!
"Ten… nine… eight…"
At six in the morning, Kitagawa Gen silently counted down.
"Three… two… one!"
Just before the alarm could scream, he slammed it off with precision. If he weren't still under mission restrictions, he'd have smashed that noisy thing that had been tormenting him for years.
After quickly getting dressed, he looked at himself in the mirror with satisfaction.
Good looks are a combat asset. Whether I'll get a taste of a beautiful kunoichi one day might just depend on this face.
Once everything was in place, Gen headed out. While Kakashi had said there was no need to be early, he already knew where to find him.
"Eh? Naruto?"
To his surprise, he spotted Naruto clumsily climbing out of a second-story window.
"Out this early?" Gen asked.
"Tch, I've got to work hard!" Naruto huffed and clenched his fist. "I'm gonna graduate, then become Hokage! Believe—AHHH!"
Before he could finish his grand speech, his foot slipped, and—under Gen's stunned gaze—he tumbled straight down from the window.
"Ugh… ow…"
Watching Naruto groan on the ground, Gen couldn't help but marvel. Ninja might be a squishy profession, but clearly, some people were built differently.
Some get taken out by a kunai, others get their hearts ripped out, and this guy? He just doesn't die.
"You should focus on enjoying the journey," Gen shrugged and turned to leave. "Oh, and water my plants while I'm gone, will you? Try not to kill them this time."
"You jerk! I will become Hokage!" Naruto shouted from behind him.
Gen didn't respond—his face carried a faint trace of regret.
Too bad… still no mission.
To obtain the chakra of Indra and Asura, Gen knew he'd need to rely on the system. But he wasn't too worried.
Plenty of time.
---
Konoha Cemetery.
In front of the memorial stone for Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara.
"Good morning, Kakashi-sensei!"
Gen greeted with a bright smile. Kakashi looked genuinely surprised.
"…You knew I'd be here? Never mind, let me guess—Guy told you."
Gen simply shrugged and grinned.
Ever since getting on Guy's good side, things had been a lot smoother. Kakashi just filled in the blanks himself.
"So, what's our game plan?" Gen asked.
"It's ready," Kakashi replied, pulling out several scrolls from his ninja pouch. "Five C-rank missions, one B-rank. They're all along the same route—we'll handle them in one go."
He glanced at Gen. "Honestly, you could probably handle higher-level missions. But your experience is lacking. So we'll ease into it. I'll be training you along the way. Be prepared."
Kakashi had debated assigning tougher missions but ultimately decided against it. He wasn't here to babysit—this was about training and growth. And though Gen was impressive, he was still technically a genin fresh out of school.
"No problem!" Gen agreed readily. "Where are we headed first?"
Kakashi hesitated. "…Toward the Land of Waves. But don't get any funny ideas."
"Oh?" Gen raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
All that money... and we're just walking past it? Tch. Well, maybe in three years, I'll get another shot.
"Alright then, let's move out."
After a final glance at the gravestone, Kakashi turned, and the two of them departed. Leaving the village was easy—just a quick form and a little face-card courtesy, thanks to Kakashi's rep.
This era belonged to Kakashi's generation. His name alone was smoother than any paper pass.
Gen occasionally wondered—
If only I'd been born in their time. With what I've got, I'd be running things by now.
Of course, that assumed he didn't die on the battlefield or get recruited by Danzo…
---
"Ninja life is easier now," Kakashi said casually as they walked. "At least it's not full-scale war anymore. But danger still lurks. The competition between nations never stopped—it just changed form."
"There are mercenary groups, rogue ninja… All of them are dangerous."
"I understand, Kakashi-sensei," Gen nodded. He already knew some of this. Especially about groups like Akatsuki, where Kakashi's "best bud" Uchiha Obito was hiding out.
Speaking of which…
"Those two back there… they were your teammates, right?"
"…Yeah."
Kakashi paused before nodding. "Guy never told you?"
"Not much. Just that your 'Copy Ninja' title came from them," Gen said. "He also said they were heroes of Konoha, just like you."
"I'm no hero," Kakashi murmured. "They are. I'm just someone benefiting from their sacrifice."
The air hung still for a moment before he changed the subject.
"…I heard you're close with Naruto?"
"Mm. We're neighbors," Gen said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "At first, I was wary—y'know, with all the rumors. But after spending some time with him, I realized… he's kind of dumb, yeah, but he's a good guy. Plus, the guy's got plenty of government stipends, so…"
"You're in it for his allowance?" Kakashi looked half-amused, half-annoyed. But he soon shook his head and said more seriously:
"Never mind. Naruto's got a unique situation. Don't listen to the rumors. He's not a bad kid. In fact, I think he treasures your friendship more than you realize."
He glanced at Gen with his lone visible eye.
"Friends are important. Especially for ninja like us…"
"I understand, Kakashi-sensei."
Gen nodded seriously. Naruto was a genuine friend—no matter the reason they met, that fact wouldn't change.
But just then, his system pinged with a new alert:
[You've received Kakashi's Exclusive Side Quest]
"That's My Dearest Friend, My Brother-in-Arms!"
Objective: Help Kakashi find and reclaim his friend, Uchiha Obito.
Note: Exclusive quests will not interfere with standard quests.
Accept? [Yes/No]
Gen stared blankly at the notification. Meanwhile, Kakashi's lone eye curved into a crescent moon.
"As long as you understand. Now focus—things won't be easy from here on out."