Sasuke accepted the possibility that some things were simply gone.
If the Indra chakra tied to this body had faded, then so be it. He felt no regret. In another life, nothing had ever been handed to him either. Every step forward had been earned through effort, not gifts.
Besides, power granted too freely often came with invisible chains.
Perhaps that was why, in the end, both Naruto and Sasuke had stood incomplete at the Valley of the End. One lacked yin, the other yang. Balance withheld until the last moment.
Now, after time spent studying medical ninjutsu, Sasuke had already awakened yang release on his own. That alone told him his instincts weren't wrong.
That afternoon, the three of them gathered at Ichiraku Ramen.
Steam curled upward from their bowls as Sasuke spoke first. "Let's hear it. What did you find out?"
Naruto stared blankly.
Sasuke shifted his gaze. "Sakura. You go."
"Alright." Sakura opened a small notebook, her expression focused. "First, Hatake Kakashi. He isn't ordinary. He graduated the Academy at five, became chūnin at six, and passed the jōnin exams at twelve. Even now, he's considered one of Konoha's elite jōnin. His strength is real. Tomorrow won't be easy."
She glanced at Naruto. "Anything to add?"
Naruto broke into a sweat, thought hard, then said, "I think… Sakura's right."
Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose and continued. "There's more. Officially, Kakashi has a reputation for being cold and mission-focused. But that doesn't line up with his behavior as an instructor."
She raised a finger. "I talked to students who failed under him in previous years. Based on what they said, I think the core of his test is teamwork."
"From a man who once valued missions above all else," Sakura added quietly, "to someone who now prioritizes comrades… that kind of change doesn't happen without reason."
Naruto nodded solemnly. "Yeah. Sakura's right."
Sasuke stayed silent.
Sakura pressed on. "There's also his nickname. 'Copy Ninja.' He's said to have copied over a thousand techniques using the Sharingan."
Her voice dipped as she glanced at Sasuke, then steadied. "He's known as Sharingan Kakashi across multiple countries. No clear weaknesses. Strong in ninjutsu and genjutsu alike."
"Sakura's right," Naruto repeated, impressed despite not fully understanding.
A voice cut in gently. "Talking about Kakashi?"
Ayame set their ramen down, smiling. "He's famous, you know. And pretty handsome, too."
"You know him?" Sakura asked.
"Of course. When I was little, the Fourth Hokage used to come here with his students. Kakashi was one of them."
Sakura and Naruto froze. "He was the Fourth's student?"
"Yes. There was a girl named Rin, and another boy from the Uchiha clan." Ayame frowned. "I'm blanking on the name."
She laughed it off. "Back then, Kakashi barely smiled. But he cared about his team. You could tell. After the Third War, the other two stopped coming. Probably casualties. Kakashi changed after that. When I saw him again a few years ago, he seemed… lighter."
Sakura bowed slightly. "Thank you."
After Ayame left, Sakura leaned in, eyes bright. "So his shift must be tied to the Fourth, Rin, and that Uchiha teammate. Sasuke, does that sound right?"
Before Sasuke could answer, Naruto spoke up. "I think Sakura's right."
Sasuke exhaled quietly. "Close enough."
Sakura clenched her fist. "Then let's plan for tomorrow."
They talked a while longer, refining their approach. As they parted, Sakura paused. "One more thing. Past students said Kakashi always shows up late. Eight o'clock means closer to eleven. So let's eat breakfast, stay sharp, and head to Training Ground Three around ten-thirty."
Sasuke nodded.
Preparation, at least, was going well.