The time was 10:20 a.m.
Kitahara Hitoshi, Sasuke, and Naruto remained in the classroom, waiting for the arrival of their new instructor, the Jōnin of the Seventh Class—Hatake Kakashi.
The door creaked open.
Kakashi stepped in, and the three genin turned their eyes toward him. Kitahara Hitoshi, Sasuke, and Naruto all saw the man who would be their team leader.
Tall, slender, and aloof, Kakashi's silver-white hair stood out even in a ninja village full of oddities.
His left eye, uncovered, was sharp and observant, though it lacked a certain urgency. His right eye, however, was concealed behind the hitai-ate, worn at a diagonal angle over his face.
Most of his features were hidden beneath a mask, lending him an air of detached mystery.
Still—
"Why are you covering your face? Did you get hurt or something?" Naruto asked, squinting suspiciously.
"That's not necessarily the case. I'd guess he's probably handsome under there," Kitahara Hitoshi chimed in.
"Maybe even the most handsome ninja in the village," he added with a smirk.
"What?!" Naruto flinched in disbelief.
After all, Naruto had just gone through an emotional meltdown about being called an ugly kid. Now the idea of a good-looking adult ninja made him feel even more insecure.
"But... isn't Uchiha Sasuke not here yet?" Kakashi asked, ignoring their comments.
He seemed unfazed by their curiosity. Truth be told, Kakashi had long stopped caring about appearances—even his own. He hadn't seen his real face in a mirror in ages, and he'd sooner wear a mask into the bathhouse than show it to anyone.
"Oh..." Naruto scratched his head lazily. "That guy's still brushing his teeth."
"..." Kakashi sighed inwardly.
Of course. The handsome Uchiha. Even as a child, Sasuke was already a prodigy, though Kakashi couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him. That accidental first kiss Naruto had stolen from Sasuke—utterly unintended—was still legendary.
If it had been Kakashi and... say, Guy... in a similar situation, Kakashi might've self-destructed from sheer horror.
Thankfully—
"I'm here," Sasuke finally walked in, face stiff and obviously irritated.
He said nothing.
Kakashi cleared his throat.
"I'm Hatake Kakashi, Elite Jōnin of Konoha. I specialize in taijutsu... but my chakra reserves aren't very large."
"Raikiri can only be used four times a day."
"As your guide Jōnin, you can call me Kakashi-sensei. Or just Kakashi, I don't mind."
He glanced at them all. "And one more thing."
"Don't judge me based on looks or impressions. I've completed thirty-three S-rank missions, two hundred and thirty-three A-rank missions, and three hundred and forty-four B-rank missions."
"If you meet my standards, then you're qualified to evaluate me."
His words silenced Sasuke, who had been on the verge of asking something snarky. The sheer weight of Kakashi's credentials hit harder than a fire release to the chest.
As the top student of the Academy and the pride of the Uchiha, Sasuke knew what those numbers meant.
Iruka had once explained it in class: S-rank missions were typically assigned only during war or national-level emergencies. They were often life-and-death operations, not suitable for young or unseasoned shinobi.
The fact that Kakashi had completed dozens of them proved one thing—he wasn't just strong. He was dangerous.
Even Kitahara Hitoshi's expression shifted.
His brow twitched faintly in something between concern and regret.
What was it?
Was it disgust at Kakashi's record?
Or envy?
No. Neither.
In truth, Kitahara Hitoshi was regretting something else.
He had come to Konoha hoping for a laid-back, peaceful life. Missions every now and then. A few strolls under the sun. A rabbit on his shoulder. Maybe even a garden.
But Kakashi... Kakashi was a workhorse. A mission addict.
C-rank and B-rank missions usually lasted about a week. A-rank missions ran two to three weeks. S-rank missions could drag on for months.
And judging by Kakashi's mission count—at just 28 years old—he'd spent the last twenty years almost entirely in the field.
That made him... a terrifying, overworked machine.
This teacher was not going to let them slack off.
Kitahara didn't mind being teamed with Sasuke and Naruto. That much was fine.
But if working with Kakashi meant being constantly exhausted and pushed to the edge?
That was not part of the plan.
Kakashi, meanwhile, continued as if he didn't notice their reactions.
"Originally, we were supposed to do a formal assessment."
"But I decided to change that."
"I'd like to understand each of you first."
"Report your personal information. Introduce yourselves. It's important if I'm going to guide you effectively."
Here Kakashi showed his trademark sharpness. What most didn't know was that even if genin teams were assigned to him, if they failed the bell test, they'd be rejected and returned to the Academy to await reassignment.
If a student failed the test three years in a row, they'd lose the opportunity to become a ninja altogether.
But this time?
That wasn't an option.
Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato. The village elders had silently agreed—Kakashi had to keep an eye on the boy. He was more than just the container of the Nine Tails. He was Konoha's future.
Sasuke, on the other hand, was the last survivor of the Uchiha clan after the massacre.
He was a ticking time bomb of hate.
The Third Hokage had given a silent order: guide the boy, keep his darkness in check.
As for Kitahara Hitoshi...
Even the higher-ups were afraid to interfere.
The boy had stunned the Nine Tails with a glance. He had suppressed Naruto's inner beast effortlessly and restored control in seconds.
Whether his true strength rivaled the Senju or descended from something else entirely, no one dared guess.
Even if Tobirama Senju were still around, he would've chosen Hitoshi to stay close to Naruto.
There was no test to give.
All three had been pre-approved.
They were untouchable.
"..." Kitahara Hitoshi exhaled.
Even though he didn't feel very energetic about it, he followed protocol.
"Kitahara Hitoshi. War orphan. Currently living with one rabbit. The goal is... for my rabbit to be gentle to me."
"..." Naruto blinked. "What? We're introducing ourselves like that?"
He grinned, raising a hand enthusiastically.
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Orphan! My goal is to become Hokage—greater than any Hokage ever!"
"..." Sasuke narrowed his eyes, then followed.
"Uchiha Sasuke. Orphan. My goal is to grow stronger, surpass everyone, and kill a certain man—Uchiha Itachi."
"..." Kakashi's gaze lingered on all three.
He didn't show it, but internally he was wincing.
What kind of squad was this?
He was leading three orphans, each burdened by tragedy, expectations, and overwhelming potential.
And he, Hatake Kakashi, was an orphan too.
This team was going to be a handful.