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Kakashi looked up at Iruka before lazily closing his orange book, Icha Icha Paradise, as if he had just snapped out of a daydream.
"Ah, it's here!"
In the audience, many students whispered among themselves, some suspecting that this was a fake Hatake Kakashi. Compared to the rumors of the legendary Copy Ninja, this laid-back figure seemed almost unreliable.
"Then, when you hear your name called, head to the rooftop as fast as you can," Kakashi announced.
As soon as he spoke, several students, eager to join Kakashi's squad, sharpened their focus.
"Uchiha Sasuke!"
Sasuke-kun?!
Pick me, pick me, you old white-haired pervert!
When she heard Uchiha Sasuke's name, Haruno Sakura remained outwardly calm, but inside she was screaming with excitement.
However, her joy quickly turned to disappointment. She wasn't called. Kakashi's eye drifted lazily over the students and then landed on someone else.
"Uzumaki Naruto."
"Eh? Me? You're pairing me with Sasuke?!" Naruto Uzumaki protested loudly, immediately drawing attention.
His outburst triggered glares from almost every girl in the class—especially those who secretly admired Uchiha Sasuke.
"It's Naruto..."
Hyuga Hanabi, sitting quietly nearby, suddenly lost interest. She understood the standard team structure: a three-person squad under a jonin sensei.
Since Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto were already named, that left only one spot in Kakashi's team.
Hanabi glanced sideways at Ye Dou, who sat next to her. In her heart, she preferred to be on the same team as him rather than chase after Kakashi's fame. Kakashi's squad no longer seemed quite so appealing.
It was her sister, Hinata, whose heart now beat nervously, hoping to be the third name called.
But it was not to be. Kakashi's single visible eye shifted once again, this time toward the back row, settling on a calm figure.
"Iori Ye Dou."
"Eh?"
"What?"
"This...!"
The entire Class A gasped in shock, eyes darting between Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Ye Dou.
Even Nara Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, yawning lazily. He hadn't expected these three to be grouped together—two notorious troublemakers and the last Uchiha. It sounded like a dangerous combination.
The students whispered among themselves, imagining the chaos this team could unleash.
"Don't keep me waiting," Kakashi added briefly before—poof—disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
It had been a Shadow Clone all along. Even for something as important as team assignments, Kakashi hadn't bothered to appear in person.
For a moment, the students of Class A felt even more uneasy about this unusual new team.
"Ye Dou..."
Hyuga Hanabi looked worried too. In her mind, the trio of Naruto, Sasuke, and Ye Dou only spelled trouble—fighting, arguing, and chaos seemed inevitable.
"I'll go first," Ye Dou said softly to Hanabi.
Without waiting, he stood up and leapt straight out the window, choosing the fastest, most unconventional route to the rooftop.
---
[Rooftop – Ninja Academy]
Atop the building, Kakashi leaned casually against the fence, still absorbed in Icha Icha Paradise, waiting.
"Their speed isn't bad. Now, who will arrive first?" he mused.
Ever since his Shadow Clone dispelled, Kakashi had been observing carefully, curious about the children's reactions.
"Jumping straight from the window? That's definitely something Gai's student would do." Kakashi thought, spotting Ye Dou landing deftly on the rooftop fence.
He wasn't surprised. Ye Dou, despite his calm demeanor, clearly had a bold streak—unconcerned with conventions, much like Might Guy.
"He's restless and unbound by rules, just like Gai. Interesting."
Kakashi quietly evaluated Ye Dou's character. He hadn't wanted the responsibility of leading a genin team in the first place. It was only at the insistence of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, that he had accepted.
Still, now that he had agreed, he would carry out his duty to properly guide the next generation of Konoha shinobi.
A moment later, Sasuke Uchiha appeared.
Unlike Ye Dou, Sasuke had taken the front entrance, walking up the stairs methodically. It was a deliberate choice.
He understood that this was part of Kakashi's assessment. Without fully knowing Kakashi's character, Sasuke had decided to stick to the formal route—avoiding any actions that could leave a bad impression.
Even back in the classroom, though he pretended to ignore the chatter, Sasuke had listened carefully. He knew Kakashi was not an easy person to deal with.
As Sasuke stepped onto the rooftop, his gaze immediately flickered—not toward Kakashi—but toward Ye Dou, who was already standing coolly on the fence.
Sasuke instinctively frowned.
"As expected of Itachi's younger brother," Kakashi observed. "Cautious, thoughtful... but still a bit green."
In contrast, Ye Dou, despite his seemingly reckless entrance, remained composed, showing a calm maturity beyond his years.
"Unfazed by wins or losses, success or failure... This one's dangerous," Kakashi noted silently.
A sudden loud voice broke the tension.
"Wait for me, you two sneaky jerks!"
Naruto's voice echoed even before he reached the rooftop. Moments later, he scrambled up breathlessly.
"As expected, completely different from Minato-sensei," Kakashi sighed inwardly.
Both Ye Dou and Sasuke had shown qualities of potential. Naruto, however... was a loud, impulsive ball of chaos. After arriving, he didn't even greet his teacher—instead immediately picking a fight with the other two.
Kakashi rubbed his temple, feeling a headache coming on.
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