Ninja Academy — the day after the graduation exam.
Might Guy didn't come to school at all today.
He already knew in advance that he would be assigned directly to his father, Might Duy's, team.
Starting two hours earlier, instructors had been coming in one after another to call students away. By now, most of the classroom had already emptied out.
The Third Shinobi World War had entered its middle phase. Konoha had finally driven the invading forces of the other nations out of the Land of Fire. While stabilizing its defensive lines, the village had begun probing for opportunities to counterattack.
Although the situation showed signs of improvement, Konoha's outlook was still far from optimistic.
To win a war, one had to defeat the enemy on the battlefield. That required offense, not endless defense. Yet even while merely holding defensive positions, Konoha's manpower was already stretched thin. Shifting to an offensive posture meant squeezing its forces to the absolute limit.
That was why these newly graduated Academy students were being sent to the front lines—some of them without even the chance to properly adjust before facing real combat.
Fortunately, because this was wartime, the Ninja Academy's curriculum was far more practical and targeted than during the peaceful era Naruto would later grow up in. At the very least, fundamental chakra control exercises—such as tree-walking and water-walking—were standard Academy courses rather than advanced jutsus.
Even so, these fresh graduates would make little difference in the overall shape of the war.
Once deployed, they could slightly alleviate the manpower shortage, but in the short term they contributed almost nothing to actual combat strength. What Konoha was doing was essentially a cruel process of natural selection: average students would be eliminated quickly by war, while a small number of true geniuses would rise rapidly to prominence.
As for Hagoromo, he felt neither resistance nor enthusiasm toward going to the front lines.
This second life had been a free gift, but even now, his mindset was simply to go with the flow.
If he went to the battlefield as an ordinary ninja, he would be nothing more than cannon fodder.
Fortunately, he had other cards to play.
This was also one of the reasons Hagoromo didn't have many friends. Aside from a few airheaded fangirls—and people like Guy and Obito, who were idiots by nature—most students found him hard to trust. He always seemed mysterious, distant, and difficult to read.
Groups of students continued leaving the classroom one after another with their assigned leaders. From time to time, Hagoromo glanced toward the door, curious about who his own squad leader would be.
If possible, he hoped it would be someone strong.
A capable sensei meant better instruction—and, in a sense, a shinobi's future was often determined by the quality of their squad leader. Students of similar talent could end up with completely different destinies under different teachers.
The importance of a team leader couldn't be clearer.
Then he saw them.
A handsome blond ninja with a constant gentle smile stepped into the classroom, accompanied by a white-haired, masked young ninja who looked unbearably smug.
That's right—
This was none other than the famous Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, one of Konoha's true heavyweights.
And the one beside him was, of course, Hatake Kakashi.
Hagoromo's gaze passed over Kakashi first.
Yes—this was Hatake Kakashi, still carrying the title "son of the White Fang." Arrogant, aloof, and brimming with self-confidence despite his young age.
Hagoromo twitched his lips.
What, do you think you're Saiki Kusuo or Kakarot?
You're just Hatake Kakashi.
…Alright. There might have been a tiny bit of jealousy in that reaction.
A prodigy like Kakashi—someone who graduated from the Academy early—was an extreme rarity. The vast majority of students, like KamiKamishiro Hagoromo, stayed in the Academy for three full years.
Of course, if Hagoromo had wanted to, he could have graduated early as well.
He just chose not to.
Kakashi's arrogance was well-earned—not because of his father's reputation, but because of his own strength.
At this point in time, Kakashi had graduated from the Academy at five years old, been promoted to Chūnin just one year later, and now—at only nine years of age—already possessed strength comparable to a Special Jōnin.
Hagoromo's gaze then shifted to Minato Namikaze.
The future Fourth Hokage.
Honestly speaking, Orochimaru losing to Minato wasn't unjust at all. Orochimaru was powerful, yes—but cold and twisted. Minato, on the other hand, was the perfect Hokage candidate: born a civilian, masterful in ninjutsu, sharp-minded, resolute yet gentle.
He embodied the Will of Fire in its purest form.
The Third Hokage's choice had never been wrong.
When Jiraiya once said, "Compared to the Fourth Hokage, anyone else would pale in comparison. He is the ninja with the greatest overall qualities in history," it wasn't blind praise of his own student.
It was simply the truth.
And it reflected Konoha's collective understanding of Minato Namikaze.
This was probably the most important figure Hagoromo had ever personally seen in Konoha—excluding the Third Hokage, of course. Hiruzen often wandered into the Academy like a friendly neighborhood grandfather, approachable to a fault.
As a result, most Academy students didn't really hold him in much awe.
If possible, Hagoromo would have loved to become Minato's student.
But he knew it was impossible.
Even without remembering the Naruto plot in detail, he knew exactly who the members of Minato's team were.
What he didn't know was that in the future, he would come to interact with Minato in a rather… unconventional way.
If Minato were walking down the street, he'd attract a hundred percent turn rate.
But inside the Ninja Academy, students only knew the name "Yellow Flash." They had no idea what he actually looked like. As a result, none of them realized that their idol had just stepped into the classroom.
Besides, fewer than ten students remained anyway.
"Uchiha Obito. Nohara Rin."
As expected, the moment Minato entered, he called out Obito and Rin by name.
"Hey—wait a second! Isn't that Kakashi?! Why are you here?!"
The instant Obito saw a tuft of white hair appear in front of him, he checked carefully. When he confirmed it wasn't Hagoromo's, he immediately realized who it belonged to and started shouting.
Amazingly, Obito failed to recognize Minato Namikaze—but instantly recognized Hatake Kakashi, whom he hadn't seen in three years.
That kind of unforgettable bond carved into each other's minds…
Was this the legendary bromance for life?
At the mention of Kakashi's name, everyone in the classroom turned their attention toward them.
"Obito, Rin—you know Kakashi?" Minato said gently. "If you have something to say, let's talk after we leave this place."
He quickly cut in before Kakashi could provoke Obito again—this guy who had a skull but no brain.