"In the days I'm away, I've arranged for someone else to help guide your training."
Might Guy finally stopped laughing, his broad grin still gleaming as he looked down at Naruto.
"Huh? Another master?" Naruto's eyes widened with curiosity.
"Yes," Guy nodded firmly. "He's not only my best friend, but also my lifelong rival. His name is Kakashi Hatake the youngest jonin in the history of the Hidden Leaf Village."
"Whoa! That's amazing!" Naruto exclaimed, his admiration unfiltered and sincere.
Guy's voice softened, tinged with both pride and responsibility. "Naruto, I've told you before I'm not skilled with ninjutsu. That's a matter of my own talent. But you are different. I specialize in taijutsu, but that doesn't mean you should walk only my path. If you can master ninjutsu as well, your future will be even brighter."
He paused, his eyes gleaming with conviction. "And Kakashi is a true master of ninjutsu. They call him the Copy Ninja, for he has mastered over a thousand jutsu. If he lays your foundation in ninjutsu, nothing could be better."
Naruto's throat tightened as warmth spread through him. Guy wasn't just training him in taijutsu he was thinking of his entire future, planning a path that balanced his strengths and weaknesses.
This is what a real teacher is… Naruto thought, eyes glistening.
The next morning, Guy led Naruto to a quiet street, stopping before a modest house. The sun had barely risen, painting the rooftops gold.
Today, Guy was scheduled to escort a noble out of the village. Still, he explained that the noble would not be awake until noon at the earliest, meaning their departure wouldn't be until the afternoon. That left him time for one more duty.
"Kakashi! Kakashi!" Guy's booming voice rang out, loud and forceful enough that the door rattled slightly. Even through the walls, it was impossible not to hear.
A few moments later, the door creaked open. Kakashi appeared, one hand lazily scratching his silver hair, his single visible eye half-lidded in its usual dead-fish expression. But when his gaze flickered to Naruto standing beside Guy, a subtle ripple passed beneath that mask of indifference.
"What is it, Guy? Why are you here so early?" His voice was calm, muffled by his mask, betraying nothing.
"Simple," Guy said without hesitation. "I'm heading out on a mission that'll keep me away for half a month. I'm entrusting my disciple to you. Teach him some ninjutsu while I'm gone."
Guy's words were as direct as his personality no circles, no hidden meaning.
Teach Naruto? Kakashi's expression didn't change, but deep inside, he was applauding his rival. Well done, Guy. After all these years, you've finally done something right.
Kakashi had long wanted to spend time with Naruto. But his fame as a ninja made him a constant target of observation. Konoha was crawling with spies from other villages, monitoring the movements of every high-profile shinobi. If Kakashi had suddenly begun interacting closely with Naruto, the boy would have immediately drawn unwanted suspicion.
Naruto's parentage was one of the village's most tightly guarded secrets. But secrets rarely stayed hidden when prying eyes were searching. Even the smallest chance of discovery was unacceptable. Kakashi couldn't risk exposing the son of his late teacher to danger.
But now? Naruto was Guy's official student. Guy was Kakashi's rival and friend. Entrusting a disciple to a friend during a mission was natural, even expected. To outside observers, Naruto's connection to Kakashi would appear incidental, not suspicious.
"Fine," Kakashi said after a beat, his voice casual, but his heart steady with resolve. "I'll do it."
"Excellent!" Guy beamed, clapping a hand on Naruto's head. "Then I'll go prepare. Naruto, listen well to Kakashi. Train hard in ninjutsu, but don't neglect your physical conditioning either."
"I know, Guy-sensei. I'll train hard and wait for your return!" Naruto said earnestly, his eyes shining with trust.
With a laugh, Guy strode away, leaving the boy in Kakashi's care.
Kakashi's gaze lingered on Naruto. For years, he had only protected the boy from the shadows, unseen and distant. But now, for the first time, he could stand before him openly.
"Come inside," Kakashi said, stepping aside.
Naruto quickly bowed in thanks and stepped through the doorway. Kakashi shut the door firmly behind them.
The jonin slouched onto his couch, his posture deceptively lazy. From behind his mask, a smile tugged faintly at his lips as he studied Naruto, who sat stiffly on the edge of a chair. He really does resemble his father…
"Relax," Kakashi said. "You're Guy's student, and Guy is my friend. Since he asked me to teach you, I'll do my part."
"Thank you, Kakashi-senpai!" Naruto replied, bowing deeply.
For a fleeting moment, Kakashi's usually empty heart stirred. It wasn't just duty it was the weight of inheritance, of bonds passed from teacher to student, from one generation to the next.
"Well then, let's begin. How much do you know about ninjutsu?" Kakashi asked.
Naruto scratched his head sheepishly. "Not much… I've mostly been doing physical training with Guy-sensei."
Kakashi had expected that. Guy's strength lay in taijutsu, not ninjutsu. Teaching Naruto about chakra and elemental releases wasn't within his abilities. Still, Kakashi couldn't help but sigh inwardly. So Guy hasn't even given him the basics…
"Alright. Then we'll start from the very beginning. To understand ninjutsu, you must first understand chakra."
Naruto's eyes sharpened with determination as he sat up straighter.
"Human beings have about 130 trillion cells. The physical energy in chakra is drawn from every single one of them. When this energy combines perfectly with your mental energy, the result is chakra."
Kakashi's tone shifted to something almost like a lecture, calm but precise. "Chakra is the foundation of all ninja techniques. It powers ninjutsu and genjutsu, and even enhances taijutsu. With chakra control, taijutsu itself can evolve into something greater what we call ninja taijutsu, a fusion of body and technique with explosive strength."
Naruto raised a hand. "Wait, if Guy-sensei has chakra, then why did he say he's no good with ninjutsu?"
"Of course Guy has chakra," Kakashi explained patiently. "But chakra isn't just raw energy it depends on how your spiritual and physical energies combine. Guy's body is strong, so his physical energy is immense. But his elemental affinities are weak. The ninjutsu he produces would be less effective than simply striking with his fists or kicks. That's why he relies on taijutsu."
"Elemental affinities?" Naruto frowned, the concept new to him.
"That's our next topic." Kakashi held up five fingers. "Most ninjas have natural affinities with one or more of the five elements: Wind, Fire, Lightning, Earth, and Water."
"Most?" Naruto immediately caught onto the wording.
Kakashi's visible eye curved slightly in amusement. "Good ear. Besides the five, there are also Yin and Yang releases. Yin represents spiritual energy, and Yang represents physical energy. Everyone has both, but mastering them is far harder than mastering the basic five elements. Unless you inherit a clan's secret techniques, you won't encounter Yin-Yang jutsu easily. For now, you don't need to worry about them."
"I see." Naruto nodded gravely, absorbing every word.
Kakashi leaned back, his gaze softening. Watching the boy's earnest expression, he thought again of his teacher Minato Namikaze. He had promised himself, long ago, that he would protect his sensei's legacy. Now, perhaps, it was finally time to do more than just protect.
It was time to guide.