In the evening, inside the hospital director's office...
"Kakashi, I heard your Wood Style experiment was a success?"
Tsunade, reviewing the work of her three students with a critical eye, looked up mid-document.
"Yes, Sister Tsunade. The first successful Wood Style subject has been taken in by the Third Hokage. He said he's going to personally mentor him."
"Oh? The old man's still sharp when it comes to snatching credit."
Tsunade's voice dripped with disdain.
She had never truly moved past the loss of thirty-two Senju clansmen in the earlier stages of the Wood Style experiment. The Senju, already hollowed out by war after war, were down to the elderly, the infirm, and her. If it hadn't been for Kakashi proposing a safer method, the clan might have been a relic by now—just names on a stone.
"Kakashi," she continued, folding her arms, "since the Wood Style experiment is complete, you're to return to the hospital for internship. Practical experience is non-negotiable if you want to be a real medical ninja."
"Ah—about that," Kakashi scratched his head, flashing a sheepish look. "I, uh, made arrangements with Lord Orochimaru. He's going to teach me the ropes in scientific research."
"Hm?" Tsunade turned toward him, brow raised, tone suddenly sharper. "And don't forget who your actual master is."
"Of course not! You're my real master, Sister Tsunade," Kakashi said quickly, flashing a grin. "I just want to borrow a few pages from Orochimaru-sama's notebook. You know—cross-reference it for medical purposes."
Ah yes, the art of not dying: mastering it one sensei at a time.
Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, then relented with a soft sigh.
"Hmph. That's more like it."
Kakashi let out the breath he'd been holding. Crisis averted—this time. With all the time they spent together, his bond with Tsunade had become more sibling-like. That also meant she was twice as strict with him, always worried he'd veer into a morally grey research project and forget which side he was on.
He didn't blame her. He was studying under Orochimaru, after all.
After class, Kakashi and Rin did what they always did—head out for late-night dango. Evening classes had become the norm, and so had post-study snacks. Rituals like this helped offset the more unhinged parts of their daily schedule, like harvesting DNA or dodging fireballs.
As for Obito? These days, he was laser-focused on training. Ever since he fully understood the political dumpster fire brewing within the Uchiha clan—and after enduring Kakashi's hellish two-year training regimen—he'd decided strength came before snacks.
So Kakashi and Rin always packed something to-go for him.
"Hey, Rin," Kakashi said casually, sitting back in the familiar booth at the cozy Sansemeiwanzi shop. The warm lights and quiet atmosphere always reminded him of the dessert shop near his school back in his old life—minus the constant threat of assassination.
"Have you gotten the hang of the Hundred Healings Mark yet? The one Tsunade taught you?"
"Not yet~" Rin mumbled, cheeks puffed as she chewed on the tricolor dango. "It's super hard. I think it'll take at least another six months…"
It wasn't a lack of talent. Far from it.
Trying to master an S-rank technique like the Hundred Healings Mark before the age of ten? Most people that age were still learning not to stab themselves with a kunai.
"I see. If you hit a wall, just ask me. I'll walk you through it."
Kakashi did a quick mental calculation. He needed Rin to finish the technique and also learn Mitotic Regeneration as soon as possible.
Because if fate decided to play rough again, this time he intended to be ready.
"Really?" Rin's face lit up like a lantern.
Kakashi learns things at light speed—if he helped, she might actually pull it off faster than Tsunade expected.
Kakashi smiled back, his eyes forming crescent moons behind the mask. "Don't get too excited. Eat slowly. Choking on dango would be a pretty embarrassing medical case."
He handed her a juice box.
"Mm-hmm." Rin nodded shyly, cheeks tinged pink as she met Kakashi's gentle gaze.
Their relationship had subtly changed ever since they started learning medicine together. She didn't quite know when, but it felt warmer—closer.
Kakashi had noticed too.
In this life, Rin wasn't just some teammate he'd lost.
She had been the first light in his otherwise dark reawakening. When he was afraid and confused in this second life, she had been there, grounding him.
And so, unlike the original timeline, he wasn't going to distance himself just because Obito liked her. Feelings didn't obey seniority or martyrdom.
Love wasn't earned by tragic backstory points.
Besides, even in the original story, once Obito discovered the Rinnegan's powers, he didn't even think to revive Rin. That spoke volumes. He didn't want her back—he wanted his version of her in a made-up world.
He wanted a fantasy. Kakashi wanted the real thing.
"Kakashi. Kakashi!"
Rin waved her hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"The boss packed up our order. Time to find Obito!"
"Oh, right."
At the Konoha training ground, a shirtless Obito in workout gear was upside-down on a tree branch, doing sit-ups using chakra to stay glued to the bark. Because gravity is for the weak.
"Obito!" Rin called out, waving cheerfully.
He flipped down smoothly, landing in front of them.
"These are the meatballs we packed for you," Rin said, holding them out. "Eat while they're hot!"
"Thanks!"
Wiping the sweat from his face, Obito plopped down and started inhaling dango like a man who hadn't eaten in weeks.
"I asked you to compress your Great Fireball to less than half its original volume. How's the training going?" Kakashi asked, patiently waiting for him to finish chewing.
Obito grinned. "It's done! Watch this."
He stood up, stepped back, and formed hand signs.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive, tightly compressed fireball exploded from his mouth, lighting up the entire training field like a second sun.
"Not bad. Next goal: compress it down to one-fourth."
"Huh?! It took me forever to get it to half!"
"Yeah," Kakashi said flatly, "but if you compress it to a quarter, the explosion heat will spike. The power should qualify as B-rank by then."
"Also," he added, "you'll be able to do the same thing with Phoenix Fire Technique. Less chakra, more boom. Economical destruction—it's trendy."
Obito blinked. "That's... actually pretty awesome."
He ran back to train without another word.
Kakashi turned to Rin.
"Rin, your control over water chakra is far better than most full-fledged Water Style users."
"Let me show you a defensive ninjutsu: Water Style: Water Barrier."
"Yin–Si–Zi–Si–Yin—Water Style: Water Barrier!"
A shimmering wall of water burst from the ground in front of him, shielding both of them.
"I'm focusing more on Wind and Lightning now. My Water Style's just passable. So you're on your own for the advanced stuff—experiment, adapt, evolve."
"Got it! I won't let you down."
Rin's eyes gleamed with determination. She had learned more from Kakashi's training than any textbook could teach.
With everyone's goals set, Kakashi returned to his own training—continuing his deep dive into the chaotic art of Lightning Chakra Form Change.
And as usual, the three of them trained together late into the night.
It wasn't easy.
But it had become their routine.
And in this war-torn world, where dreams were fragile and peace temporary, some routines were worth holding onto.