Chapter 7: A Genius, an Idiot, and a Girl—The Weirdest Team Combo
The day after the Ninja Academy graduation exam.
Might Guy didn't show up at all. He already knew he'd be joining his father, Might Duy's, team. No surprise there.
For the past two hours, students had been leaving one group after another, escorted by their assigned jonin. Now, most of the classroom was empty.
The Third Great Ninja War had reached its middle phase. Konoha had finally driven out the enemy forces that had invaded the Land of Fire, and now, with a more stable frontline, they were preparing to strike back.
Things were starting to look up—but only slightly. The reality was that Konoha couldn't afford to relax. Victory wouldn't come from playing defense alone. They had to take the fight to the enemy. But even defending had stretched Konoha's manpower thin. Now that they were switching to offense, the demand for soldiers was becoming unbearable.
Which was why these freshly graduated students would be sent straight to the battlefield—likely without even the time to acclimate.
The only silver lining? Because of the ongoing war, the Academy's training had been more practical than it was during Naruto's peaceful era. At the very least, basics like tree climbing and water walking—chakra control techniques—were mandatory parts of the curriculum.
Still, none of that changed the fact that these rookies weren't exactly battlefield assets. They might help fill a numerical gap, but in terms of raw strength, they wouldn't shift the tide—at least not right away. What Konoha was doing was cruel but necessary: a brutal sifting process. The average would be eliminated early on. The gifted would rise fast.
As for Hagoromo? He wasn't thrilled about the idea of heading to the frontlines, but he didn't hate it either. This second life of his was basically a freebie, so for now, he just went with the flow.
But if he did go to the battlefield, he'd basically be cannon fodder… unless he made use of certain "other abilities" he still had hidden up his sleeve.
This, too, was one of the reasons he didn't have many friends. Besides a few delusional fangirls and weirdos like Guy and Obito, most people found him hard to approach—too secretive, too unreadable. He didn't exactly radiate trustworthiness.
Groups of students continued to be called out and led away by their jonin instructors. Hagoromo kept glancing at the classroom door, curious about who his team leader would be. If possible, he hoped for someone strong—someone he could actually learn some solid ninjutsu from. A team leader's skill level could make or break a student's future. The same student, under different teachers, could walk completely different paths. That's how crucial this choice was.
Then the door opened—and in walked a striking blond man with a warm, gentle smile on his face. Beside him was a silver-haired kid with a mask covering the lower half of his face, looking smug as hell.
Yep. That was him. The one and only Yellow Flash—Minato Namikaze. One of Konoha's rising stars.
And next to him? Obviously, Kakashi Hatake.
Hagoromo's eyes swept over Kakashi first. At this point in time, Kakashi was still riding high on the legacy of his father, the White Fang. He was young, arrogant, and full of himself—like he thought he was some kind of Saiyan protagonist.
Hagoromo scoffed a little to himself. What, you think you're Saiki Kusuo or Goku? Please. You're just Kakashi Hatake.
…Alright, maybe there was a hint of jealousy in that reaction.
Geniuses like Kakashi, who graduated early from the Academy, were rare exceptions. Most people—Hagoromo included—took the standard three-year track. Not that he couldn't have graduated early too, if he wanted to. He just chose not to.
To be fair, Kakashi had earned his arrogance. It wasn't just his family name—he was genuinely strong. Graduated at five, became a Chunin at six, and now, at just nine years old, he was already as powerful as a Tokubetsu Jonin.
Hagoromo's gaze returned to Minato. This man would someday become the Fourth Hokage. Honestly? Orochimaru losing out to Minato wasn't an injustice at all. Sure, Orochimaru had overwhelming strength, but Minato? He was the perfect choice. A civilian-born ninja with dazzling skills, clear thinking, a strong will, and a kind heart. He embodied the "Will of Fire" better than anyone.
Jiraiya once said, "Compared to the Fourth Hokage, everyone else pales." It wasn't just praise for his student—it was the truth. All of Konoha saw Minato that way.
Minato was probably the biggest Konoha figure Hagoromo had ever seen—excluding the Third Hokage, of course. The old man popped into the Academy all the time, like a friendly neighborhood grandpa. Honestly, the students didn't even respect him that much. He lacked presence.
If it were possible, Hagoromo would've loved to become Minato's student. But even with only a vague memory of the original Naruto timeline, he knew who was in Minato's team—and he wasn't one of them.
What he didn't know yet was that he'd soon be working with Minato in a… rather unconventional way.
Had Minato walked down the main street of Konoha, he would've turned every head. But in the Academy, most students only heard of the Yellow Flash—they didn't actually know what he looked like. So when he walked into the classroom, nobody realized their idol had just entered.
Not that it mattered. At this point, there were barely ten people left in the room.
"Uchiha Obito. Nohara Rin," Minato called out calmly.
Sure enough, he was here to collect his team.
"Hey—wait a second! Isn't that Kakashi?" Obito yelled as soon as he caught a glimpse of a certain tuft of white hair. It clearly wasn't Hagoromo's, so the moment he confirmed the identity, he erupted with emotion.
So Obito hadn't recognized Minato at all—but he had recognized Kakashi, who he hadn't seen in three years. That kind of unforgettable bromance? Yeah… classic lifelong rival energy.
The moment Kakashi's name was spoken, every remaining student in the classroom turned their heads.
"Obito, Rin, you know Kakashi?" Minato asked with a smile. "Well, save the conversation for later. We're heading out."
He cut them off just in time—before Kakashi could drop some snarky line and rile Obito up again.