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Kakashi swapped his shoes while glancing back at Sasuke, raising an eyebrow involuntarily.
"You've been here before?"
"Ah, Itachi and Shisui came here to play before, so Sasuke came once too~" Hatake Kuroshi got up and took the boxes from the three kids' hands, placing them aside. Hatake Kuroshi casually glanced inside; they contained some personal items. Looks like Kakashi wants to start living between two homes again. Well, they used to live like that anyway; Hatake Kuroshi didn't mind.
"?"
However, it seemed that right after he finished speaking, Kakashi's movements suddenly became hesitant. Kakashi's face broke out in sweat. He had just asked casually. Hatake Kuroshi's answer was practically dancing on Sasuke's minefield. Don't say such things in front of a child whose clan was massacred! Isn't that just reopening old wounds!? Kakashi remembered Sasuke's dream declaration: to kill a certain man. That man most likely meant Itachi.
Kakashi shifted his gaze towards Sasuke beside him. But Sasuke showed no intention of responding, just pursing his lips with his usual sullen expression.
"Well, hurry inside. It's crowded with so many people in the entranceway." Kakashi took off the kids' shoes and quickly pushed Hatake Kuroshi back inside.
Sasuke almost replied naturally just now; after all, his memories hadn't been altered. But he forcefully swallowed the words back. Itachi was a missing-nin now; it was better to say less about him.
"You actually came here before..." Compared to Itachi and Shisui, whom Naruto barely remembered, Naruto naturally didn't care much. But regarding Sasuke having been here before, Naruto pouted somewhat unhappily. He had such a good relationship with Kuroshi-nii before, yet he had never come here! Why does Sasuke always get ahead of him in everything? Damn it!
"Is this kind of thing really worth arguing about first or second, you big idiot?" Sasuke couldn't help raising an eyebrow, retorting. Although they were teammates and secretly rivals, coming to someone else's house wasn't something worth competing over.
"Tch." Naruto pursed his lips and made a face at Sasuke.
The three kids were here to help Kakashi deliver things, so they also ate dinner at the Hatake house. At the dinner table, Naruto boastfully recounted his adventures in the Land of Waves to Hatake Kuroshi – Haku, Zabuza, and other matters. Sasuke and Sakura occasionally chimed in with supplementary remarks to prevent Naruto from exaggerating too much.
"Mm-hm... impressive." The entire affair was orchestrated single-handedly by Hatake Kuroshi; he knew the whole story better than anyone. Towards Naruto's excited state, he employed level-ten deflection skills.
Is this the highest realm of teaching? Kakashi watched from the side for a while before realizing Hatake Kuroshi was completely spacing out. Then, an expression of 'learned something' appeared on his face.
After dinner, Sakura was sent home by Kakashi; after all, returning too late might worry her family. As for Naruto and Sasuke, these two lacking the 'family' equipment, naturally stayed overnight at the Hatake house.
"They'll probably have some downtime recently, just simple D-rank missions."
"But the Jonin and Lord Hokage are already starting preparations for the Chunin Exams."
"I plan to recommend the three of them to participate." Naruto and Sasuke slept messily on the tatami mats. Kakashi unfolded blankets and covered the two children.
"So, regarding the written exam content, I'll have to trouble you. Cheating techniques are fine too."
Hatake Kuroshi rested his cheek on his hand, tilting his head up slightly, a question mark appearing above it.
"Cheating—Kakashi, your professional ethics are highly questionable~"
"It's all the same. Just make sure they don't turn in blank papers. You're definitely good at this sort of thing, right?" The more one is a teacher, the more familiar they are with these little tricks.
...
Meanwhile, Land of Water, Kirigakure.
Mangetsu Hozuki and Shisui were rummaging through various documents on the desk.
"You guys really act on whims. Actually writing directly to the Hokage to participate in the Chunin Exams." Relations were extremely tense just two years ago. Now, establishing diplomatic ties just like that, writing a letter and wanting to run over to their country. Hard to say if it's being too bold or something else.
Juzo Biwa stood beside the Mizukage's chair, looking down at the Genin profiles, pulling out one that looked suspicious. Shisui leaned over curiously.
"I think it's a good opportunity. We've already developed through tourism."
"Kirigakure has always been self-isolated, acting as a lone wolf. If we don't take the initiative, generally no country will proactively establish ties."
"We have to take this step ourselves." The youth seated in the chair had already lost the childishness of a few years ago. Whether speech patterns or handling affairs, he was approaching a reliable Mizukage.
Mangetsu Hozuki turned his head slightly, smiled, revealing a row of white shark teeth.
"Stop acting like an adult here! Why did you put your own profile into the stack for ninjas participating in the Chunin Exams!?"
"...Sorry."
"Indeed, Mangetsu, you haven't participated in the Chunin Exams either." Shisui thoughtfully rubbed his chin. They had assisted Mangetsu Hozuki for several years; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they watched him grow up. But everyone had almost tacitly ignored the fact that he was a recently graduated Genin. Of course, this couldn't be absolute either. Mangetsu Hozuki, a Genin from the Bloody Mist era, would likely be at least Chunin level now.
"So there's no problem with me going!" Mangetsu Hozuki snatched his profile back, preparing to put it into the folder again.
"The Mizukage participating in the Chunin Exams? I should just beat the water out of your brain!" Juzo Biwa now regretted it, deeply regretted it. If he hadn't been persuaded by Mangetsu Hozuki back then, handing over the Executioner's Blade to clear his missing-nin title just to survive... he wouldn't be colleagues with such a bunch of people.
"Hahahaha! That's definitely not allowed. But you can go find Kuroshi-kun in your capacity as Mizukage."
"You actually just want to go visit him, right?" Shisui smiled, casually taking the profile from Mangetsu Hozuki's hand and tossing it into the trash bin.
Mangetsu Hozuki's intentions were easy to guess. Whether establishing ties or trying every means to get to Konoha, all objectives pointed towards Hatake Kuroshi.
"Ah, so the Mizukage can go too? Then it doesn't matter." Mangetsu Hozuki's previously whining tone instantly retracted. He straightened up and flipped through the documents under his hand again.
"Speaking of which, Haku should be back, right? Since the timing is about right, he can also participate in the Chunin Exams."
"Just going through the motions should be fine. Something like this shouldn't be difficult for him."
"He has such a powerful secret technique. If possible, it's better to promote him to Jonin quickly and assign him to ANBU."
...
While Kirigakure had frequent contact with Hatake Kuroshi, there was little news from Sunagakure's side. Anyway, the circle of small countries bordering the Land of Fire would all get involved during the Chunin Exams. Then it wouldn't just be about establishing ties; they simply wanted to probe each other's strength.
The scope of the Chunin Exams was actually quite broad. Although involving Genin from various countries, there were still considerable gaps in age and experience among them. Like all exams with failing grades, quite a few people would fail and retake. Anyway, it happened twice a year; participation was the main thing.
Initially, Hatake Kuroshi patiently taught Naruto and Sasuke some basic problems. But they were out doing various trivial missions during the day. Although leisurely and boring, it wasted a lot of time, leaving them with little energy for studying upon return. Naruto always slumped lifelessly on the desk. Sasuke, while secretly stifling yawns, tried hard to focus on the book. Every night when leaving the Hatake house, the two looked like they had died and come back.
"Although Kuroshi-sensei explains things clearly, and it's interesting, when I look at it myself, I just want to sleep."
"...I don't like studying this stuff."
Neither Sasuke nor Naruto seemed like studious material. Hatake Kuroshi quickly gave up guiding the two in conventional studies. Tailoring education to aptitude is the choice of a smart teacher. Hatake Kuroshi had already started taking detours, having the two find hard-to-detect cheating methods.
"Is it that difficult? I became a Chunin when I was six years younger than Naruto." Kakashi frowned tightly, staring at Sasuke and Naruto leaving like zombies.
"That was wartime. Everyone was busy sending kids to the battlefield. Who cared about this stuff? Your results were inflated." Hatake Kuroshi unhesitatingly pointed out the difference in eras. During the Third War, who cared if you could calculate length and time? Knowing roughly enough, being able to kill people on the battlefield already made you a very good ninja.
"You used me for advertising, calling me a genius. Now you say my results are inflated? Are you really my brother?" Kakashi glanced disdainfully at Hatake Kuroshi.
"Have some awareness as a tool, okay? Genius when needed, inflated when not." After all, good or bad, Kakashi achieved it himself; it had no direct relation to Hatake Kuroshi. Hatake Kuroshi made a cheeky face at Kakashi.
"Well, but I am helping you now, right? Hurry up and thank me~"
"But you seem a bit strange recently. Before, you'd usually just read H-books and stuff while they were out on missions."
"Why have you completely disappeared these past few days?"
Kakashi coughed awkwardly upon hearing 'H-books'. Being seen by a few kids didn't matter much, but being told this by his own brother always felt strangely embarrassing.
"Well, things have been busy lately... The Chunin Exams are coming up, I have meetings too."
"Besides, when do you even go watching? Hearing you pop up unnoticed like that is quite terrifying." Kakashi tapped the metal plate on his glove, taking a deep breath.
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