At the entrance of the Konoha Forest, Kakashi lay lazily on a thick tree branch, eyes half-lidded as he stared at the clouds.
Huh. Those two clouds kinda look like Tsunade's—
"Kakashi, why are we here?" Rin called out from below the tree, sounding a little flustered. "It's the first day of school, and we're already skipping classes! If Sensei finds out, we'll be in big trouble!"
She had just stepped onto the academy grounds when Kakashi had suddenly grabbed her hand and bolted for the forest like a bandit on a grocery run.
Handholding!
Wait—does this count as handholding?
As she stared at Kakashi's back, Rin's heart pounded and her cheeks flushed bright pink. The two were barely a body's length apart, but to her, it felt like the beginning of a drama.
She finally snapped out of her daze when Kakashi jumped down beside her, brushing twigs from his uniform with casual flair.
"Don't worry," he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets like a street vendor about to sell fake miracle potions. "I used a Shadow Clone transformed into you. Unless Obito stares really hard—which he won't—no one will notice."
Before Rin could even process that logic pretzel, Kakashi added, "The person we're waiting for is here. Whatever happens, follow my lead. Don't say a word."
From the path leading out of the village, Tsunade appeared, looking as impressive—and mildly hungover—as ever. Behind her walked a quiet girl dressed in black and gray. Soft-spoken eyes, reserved presence.
Shizune. Has to be.
"Sister Tsunade!" Kakashi stepped forward quickly, posture straightening with exaggerated formality.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "On time. That's rare for a kid."
"Actually, wait a second, Sister Tsunade," Kakashi said, raising a finger like a lawyer about to present Exhibit B. "I've brought someone with me—my teammate. She's got a real knack for medical ninjutsu. Could you give her a chance too?"
He gently nudged Rin forward. She blinked, startled.
"Huh?!"
Tsunade's brow twitched. "What do you think I am, brat? A substitute teacher on discount day?"
She turned, clearly ready to walk off. But her gaze caught on the envelope Kakashi held out in both hands.
Thick. Heavy. And disturbingly familiar.
"Sister Tsunade," Kakashi said solemnly, "this is our apprenticeship gift. Eight million ryō. Not a fortune, but it's from the heart."
"Just one chance. Even if we fail, you keep the gift. Please."
Tsunade paused. A long silence. Then—
"Ahem."
She didn't even look at the envelope before it vanished like a magic trick. Shizune stepped up and offered her most persuasive sad-puppy look.
"Tsunade-sama… maybe you could give them a shot? That way I won't have to train alone... It gets lonely."
Tsunade stared at her, then sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. Since Shizune's asking, I'll give you one shot. Come on."
She turned and walked deeper into the forest, stashing the envelope so naturally it could've been part of her body.
Kakashi let out a small whistle.
What a queen. Sleight of hand, emotional manipulation, and legalized bribery all in one move.
No wonder she never has any money.
Behind him, Rin tugged his sleeve in panic.
"Eight million ryō?!" she whispered. "That's our entire savings! We could've lived for years on that!"
"Relax," Kakashi muttered, "she's the greatest medical ninja alive. You're not just buying a class—you're buying survival odds."
He looked sideways at her. "Think about it. If the three of us end up on the battlefield someday, and you've mastered healing, there's a better chance that idiot Obito walks away with all his limbs."
"But…"
"Look, this might be your one shot at changing your fate. The money's a loan—pay me back when you grow up. Or don't. Not like I can take it with me when I'm dead."
Rin blinked. "That's... really dark."
"Welcome to the ninja world," Kakashi said, tone casual, but his eyes unreadable.
As they walked deeper into the forest, the dense canopy above blocked much of the sunlight. Rustling leaves whispered like irritated librarians, mildly offended by their presence.
Eventually, a sunlit clearing opened up before them, bright and serene. Tsunade stopped and turned to face them.
"This place is quiet enough."
"Now," she said, her voice firm, "I'll teach you the Healing Technique."
"It's a basic medical ninjutsu—restores both internal and external injuries. It's the first thing any real medic learns."
"You'll have one hour to master it."
"If you succeed, you pass the first test."
"Understood?"
"Yes!" Kakashi responded instantly, straightening his back.
"Y-Yes…!" Rin echoed, less confident.
Kakashi gently reached out and took her hand again, steadying her.
No pressure, Rin. I'll carry this part. You just stay calm.
He knew the truth: the Healing Technique might be "basic," but as a B-Rank ninjutsu, it wasn't something a fresh student could just casually master.
He'd be fine—his chakra control was already exceptional.
Rin… was a gamble. But in the original timeline, she did perform an eye transplant on the battlefield as a young teen. That kind of poise doesn't come from nothing.
Sure enough, a moment later, green light bloomed softly from Kakashi's palms.
Shizune gasped, covering her mouth. "He already mastered it?!"
Rin looked on with admiration, fists clenched, fire lit in her chest.
He's amazing… I have to catch up.
Tsunade's expression shifted. Without a word, she created a shadow clone and sent it deeper into the forest—likely preparing the next phase.
Half an hour passed.
Finally, Rin's hands glowed green. Unstable at first, then steadier.
She'd done it.
Tsunade crossed her arms, watching silently.
Kakashi exhaled through his nose, watching the soft green glow on Rin's hands.
Good. She pulled through.
Phase one—complete.