Twenty years had passed.
Time moved quietly in the Hidden Leaf, seasons changing, names fading, new legends rising where old ones once stood. The village had grown, not just in size but in memory, carrying stories that some chose to forget, and others never learned at all.
Morning sunlight washed over Konoha, warm and steady.
The marketplace slowly came alive as vendors raised wooden shutters and arranged fresh goods along the streets. Children rushed past with laughter that echoed between rooftops, while shinobi moved through the crowd like shadows hidden in plain sight.
Above it all stood the Hokage Monument.
Stone faces watched over the village, familiar ones carved deep into the mountain, and beside them... a newer face added to the line, still sharp against the rock as if time had not yet worn it down. The wind brushed over the carved stone, carrying the quiet weight of years gone by.
Life continued.
Near the heart of the village, the Konoha Academy stood unchanged walls catching the early light, windows open to let the morning air drift through empty halls. The sound of distant chatter echoed faintly as students gathered, waiting for another day to begin.
Inside one classroom, only three desks were occupied.
Naruto leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head, staring at the ceiling with exaggerated boredom. "Man... why does it take so long to assign a sensei?"
Sakura sighed softly from the desk beside him. "Maybe if you actually listened during orientation, you'd know."
Near the window, Sasuke sat quietly, gaze turned toward the village outside as if searching for something beyond the glass. His expression gave nothing away.
The room felt calm.
Normal.
Naruto tapped his desk impatiently. "I just hope we get someone strong, y'know? Not some boring old guy."
Sakura rolled her eyes again. "You say that now."
Outside, the wind stirred gently through the trees, brushing against the academy walls.
The classroom door remained closed.
Three young genin waited, unaware that the world around them looked familiar... yet not quite the same as it once had been.
Naruto suddenly sat up straight, a mischievous spark lighting his eyes.
"I've got an idea," he whispered, glancing toward the closed classroom door.
Sakura immediately recognised that look. "...Naruto, no."
Too late.
He jumped from his chair and hurried to the front of the room, pulling a small eraser from the board tray. Carefully, with far more focus than he ever showed during lessons, he balanced it on the top edge of the sliding door.
"There," he said proudly, stepping back to admire his work. "Perfect prank."
Sakura crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. "You know that's not going to work, right? Whoever our sensei is... they're a jōnin. They won't fall for something that obvious."
Naruto grinned anyway. "Hey, you never know! Maybe they're super serious or something."
Near the window, Sasuke didn't move. He watched quietly, dark eyes following Naruto's movements with calm detachment, as if the entire situation didn't concern him at all.
The classroom settled into a tense kind of waiting.
Naruto leaned against a desk, trying to look casual but glancing at the door every few seconds.
Sakura sighed again, shaking her head. "If this backfires, I'm not helping you."
Sasuke finally spoke, voice low and steady. "...It's childish."
Naruto scoffed. "Relax, teme. It's just a little fun."
Outside, footsteps echoed faintly in the hallway.
The eraser trembled slightly atop the doorframe.
Three young genin turned their attention toward the entrance, unaware that this small prank, familiar and harmless, felt like an echo of a past that didn't quite exist the way it should.
Footsteps stopped outside the classroom.
The handle slid.
The door opened—
thump.
The eraser dropped perfectly onto the man's head, leaving a faint trail of chalk dust across dark fabric.
For a heartbeat, silence hung in the air.
Then Naruto burst out laughing. "Ha! I knew it! He totally fell for it!"
Sakura covered her mouth, trying and failing to hide her own laugh. Even Sasuke, usually unreadable, let the smallest smile tug at the corner of his lips.
The man at the doorway sighed, brushing chalk from his shoulder. His visible eye curved slightly, calm rather than annoyed.
"...Sorry I'm late," he said softly. "I got lost on the path of life."
Naruto leaned forward eagerly. "See? I told you it would work—"
A quiet laugh sounded from behind the jonin.
"Not you," he said without turning, voice warm but distant, as if answering someone unseen rather than the students before him.
The moment lingered strangely — like an echo of something none of them quite understood.
He stepped fully into the room, gaze moving across the three genin.
"Meet me on the roof," he said simply, already turning back toward the hallway.
The chalk dust settled slowly to the floor as the door slid closed again.
Naruto blinked. "...Wait, that's it?"
Sakura grabbed her bag. "Come on, Naruto! Don't keep our sensei waiting."
Sasuke rose quietly, eyes narrowing just a little, not in suspicion, but in thought, before following them out.
Outside, the wind brushed lightly against the academy walls, carrying a faint sense that something about this meeting felt familiar... and yet completely new.
The rooftop door slid open, and three young genin stepped into the morning light.
A soft breeze moved across the academy roof, carrying the distant sounds of the village below. Two figures were already waiting there, standing near the railing. One stood slightly forward, posture relaxed yet steady, while the other remained just behind, watching the students with a quiet warmth.
Naruto folded his arms. "Alright... what's this about?"
The taller male figure stepped down from the railing, facing them. His voice was calm but carried an easy confidence.
"Okay," he said, "let's start with introductions. Your name, what you like or dislike... and your goal."
Naruto pointed at himself immediately. "But you already know me, nii-san—"
The man's expression shifted slightly. "Sensei," he corrected gently. "From now on, it's sensei to you, Naruto. So... start."
Naruto huffed but didn't argue further, glancing at Sakura and Sasuke as if daring them to go first.
Sakura raised a hand instead. "How about you start, sensei?"
The man nodded once.
"Alright. My name is Obito Uchiha," he said. His gaze moved briefly across the village before returning to the team. "Things I like... protecting people important to me. Things I dislike... watching others give up. And my goal..." He paused for a moment, voice softening just slightly. "...is to become Hokage. And... to find someone."
A second presence moved beside him.
The girl standing next to Obito placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, smiling warmly at the genin.
"And my name is Rin Nohara," she added softly. "I like helping others and seeing my teammates safe. I don't like unnecessary fighting... and my goal is to make sure everyone comes home smiling."
Naruto scratched the back of his head, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Alright, alright... I'll go first."
He stepped forward with a confident grin, planting his feet wide like he was already standing on a battlefield.
"My name is Naruto Uzumaki!" he announced loudly. "What do I like? Ramen — especially from Ichiraku and hanging out with friends. His voice softened for just a moment before he quickly brightened again. "What I dislike is waiting too long for food... and people who think they're better than everyone else." He pointed a thumb toward himself proudly. "And my goal is to become Hokage! I'm gonna be the greatest ninja this village has ever seen, believe it!"
The wind caught his jacket as he stepped back, arms crossed with a satisfied nod.
Sakura sighed quietly, though a small smile crept onto her face despite herself. She took a step forward, brushing her hair behind her ear as she glanced briefly toward Sasuke before facing the two jōnin again.
"My name is Sakura Haruno," she began, voice steady but carrying a hint of nervous excitement. "What I like..." She paused, eyes flicking sideways toward Sasuke again, cheeks warming slightly. "...well, I like training hard and becoming stronger. I also like spending time with my friends." Her gaze shifted briefly to Naruto before returning forward. "What I dislike is being underestimated... and loud, reckless behaviour." She cleared her throat, regaining composure. "My goal is to become a capable kunoichi who can stand on her own, someone people can rely on."
She stepped back, folding her hands together as if relieved to be finished.
All eyes turned toward Sasuke.
He didn't move at first.
The breeze brushed through the rooftop, stirring the quiet tension that seemed to follow him wherever he went. Finally, he pushed himself off the railing where he had been leaning, dark eyes focused and distant.
He remained silent, arms crossed, gaze distant.
"...And you?" Obito asked, tilting his head slightly.
Sasuke didn't respond.
Naruto huffed. "Tch, he's always like this—"
Obito raised a hand gently, stopping him. "Come on," he said calmly, voice firm but not harsh. "Everyone talks here. Even if it's short."
A moment passed.
Sasuke exhaled quietly, eyes narrowing just a little.
"...My name is Sasuke Uchiha," he said at last. His tone stayed flat, unreadable. "Things I like... training." He paused briefly. "...and tomatoes."
Naruto blinked. "Tomatoes?"
Sasuke ignored him completely.
"What I dislike," he continued, "is failing."
The air on the rooftop seemed still for a second.
"And my goal for the future..." His gaze dropped slightly, shadow crossing his expression. "...is to kill someone."
Silence followed the words, carried away slowly by the breeze.
Obito let out a quiet sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well... that's honest, at least."
Rin's smile softened, though concern flickered briefly in her eyes.
Obito straightened, clapping his hands lightly once. "Alright, introductions are done." His voice shifted into something more focused. "Meet me tomorrow morning at the training grounds."
Naruto perked up instantly. "Training already?"
"And don't eat anything before you come," Obito added casually, turning toward the stairs.
Naruto's face fell. "What?! No food?!"
Sakura groaned. "This already sounds terrible..."
Sasuke said nothing, only watching as the two jōnin began to walk away, the morning sun stretching their shadows across the rooftop long, familiar, and yet somehow different from the stories anyone thought they knew.
The rooftop door closed softly behind the three genin, their footsteps fading down the stairwell until only the wind remained.
Obito leaned against the railing, watching the village stretch out below them. Rin stepped beside him, hands resting lightly behind her back as she followed his gaze.
"They're lively," she said with a small smile.
Obito huffed quietly. "Yeah...
For a moment, they stood in comfortable silence, the morning breeze tugging gently at their clothes.
Rin's expression softened. "Do you think they'll be alright? As a team, I mean."
Obito nodded slowly. "They'll be fine," he said, though his voice carried a hint of thoughtfulness. "...But I think Sasuke hates me."
Rin let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "No. He doesn't hate you." She stepped closer, her tone gentle. "He just doesn't understand you yet."
Obito's eye drifted toward the horizon. "...Yeah," he admitted quietly. "I know why."
The words hung between them, unspoken memories brushing the edges of the present.
Rin noticed the shift in his expression and gently nudged the conversation forward. "Tomorrow will bring back a lot of memories, won't it?"
Obito's lips curved into a faint smile.
"...Yeah," he said softly.
For a moment, he seemed far away, gaze unfocused as if looking through the village instead of at it — lost somewhere in a past only he could see.
"...You already know me, sensei," he said quietly, almost as if introductions felt unnecessary.
Minato's expression softened, though his tone stayed gentle and firm. "Even so," he replied, "say it in your own words. A team should hear who you are from you.
For a moment, Kakashi said nothing. The breeze lifted a few strands of his hair, and his eyes drifted toward the sky before returning to the group.
"...Hatake Kakashi," he began at last. "There are many things I don't like... and very few things I do." His voice remained even, almost detached. "Dreams for the future aren't something I talk about openly."
Obito frowned slightly, clearly wanting to argue, but Rin stayed quiet, watching him with gentle patience.
Kakashi continued, tone calm but distant. "What matters to me is becoming stronger. Everything else..." He paused briefly, choosing his words carefully. "...is secondary."
Minato gave a small sigh, the corners of his eyes softening. "Try again."
"....."
"....."
"...My name is Hatake Kakashi," he began, voice calm and steady."I don't like sweets and fried food, and... I don't like it when my comrades get hurt, especially if it's my fault," he continued. "My hobby is reading. And my dream... is for children not to know war."
The memory faded with the sound of Naruto's voice pulling him back to the present.
He blinked, the training field returning to focus on different faces, a different time, but the same sky above.
Rin stepped beside him quietly. "You went somewhere far away just now," she said with a soft smile.
Obito let out a small breath.
"...Yeah," he admitted.