Chapter 98 Graduation

Seeing a Ninja come in to hand over the task and the things here were almost finished, Hiruzen waved his hand, and the ANBU bowed slightly before disappearing with the Body Flicker Technique.

"Kakashi, you're here." Hiruzen rubbed his temples and said with a smile.

Kakashi, who was still wearing a mask, with one hand in his pocket, placed the mission report on the desk with the other, "A-Rank Mission, Blackwater Mountain's bandits, completed."

"Alright." Hiruzen picked up the report, and while he reviewed it, Kakashi glanced at the stack of documents the ANBU had left behind, and his tone became slightly less lazy.

"When I walked in, I thought I heard Hattori's name?" Kakashi asked. His impression of this junior had faded over the years, but occasionally at night, his mind would recall the moment when a meteor-like presence obliterated the walls of Otogakure during the secret mission.

After signing the report and setting it aside, Hiruzen responded, "Yes, that kid hasn't returned since he left three years ago. And now, he's still playing in the waters of the Land of the Moon. Sigh, it's really good to be young."

Kakashi crossed his arms and frowned in agreement, "He's indeed been quite idle."

Hiruzen looked at Kakashi, who was now criticizing others with such ease, strangely and coughed, "I mean, Kakashi, your recent behavior hasn't exactly been diligent either."

"You two are pretty much alike. If you teamed up, you'd make the laziest team ever." Hiruzen said leisurely.

The sudden jab made Kakashi's eye flashed with embarrassment. He Despite his lateness and habit of reading adult novels, he still felt a bit embarrassed being told by this boss. However, his mask concealed most of his expression, and maintaining his professional integrity, Kakashi retorted: "Hokage-sama, there must be some misunderstanding... I am still very serious about performing missions."

Hiruzen picked up the pipe on the table and shook his head with a smile. He was just saying it in passing. Compared to the state Kakashi was in a few years ago, as he felt that being in ANBU wasn't the best for him, Hiruzen believed Konoha needed the current Kakashi more.

"Hattori has no intention of coming back?" Kakashi asked casually.

Hiruzen lit his pipe, puffed out a smoke ring, and looked out the window at the bustling village, "I don't know, I've sent someone to ask him to return again." The white smoke mixed with the golden sunlight as if they were dissolving into each other, "Konoha still needs more pillars to continue developing."

Kakashi was silent, as it was not easy to answer the question at this time.

After more than ten seconds, Hiruzen, perhaps done with his old man's musings, smiled self-deprecatingly and changed the topic, "By the way, the Ninja Academy is about to have another graduation, right?"

Kakashi made an internal calculation, and he was also realized it. He then nodded and said: "Yes, a new batch of children will be graduating soon."

"Speaking of this." Hiruzen deliberately knocked on the table with his pipe, frowned and raised his voice, "I asked you to be a Jonin Instructor in the past few years, but why did you fail all the team's assessments? Those parents have been asking why their children, who had already graduated, had to return for more training."

"Uh..." This was one of Kakashi's more embarrassing track records. He firmly believed in his standards and slightly averted his gaze, "What else can happen? If they fail, they fail..."

Hiruzen, having understood the situation ever since the first batch was sent back, still needed to address the issue, "The assessment after the graduating students is just a formality. It was meant for the team members and the Jonin Instructor to get to know each other better. Those children have already earned our Konoha's forehead protector."

Kakashi scratched his face and said nothing.

"Anyway, don't be so strict with this year's students. It's not good for a Jonin who hasn't led a single team successfully. Imagine what people will say..."

When Kakashi came out of the Hokage's office, it was already fifteen minutes later. Hiruzen's round of persuasive criticism that quoted scriptures, coaxing and scaring made Kakashi looked even more slouched than usual.

Slowly walking out of the building, the sunlight shone on his face, and Kakashi couldn't help but squint his eye.

His eyes were still quite indifferent. Talking with Hiruzen was one thing, but how he would assess the new Genin Team was another. He would still adhere to his principles.

Since those transformative events—the loss of important people and the joy of saving others—Kakashi had firmly understood that those who didn't value their comrades above the mission were not worthy of being called Ninja.

…

" Hey, Sasuke, you jerk! If you've got guts, let's fight one-on-one!"

In a certain classroom of the Ninja Academy, an angry shout rang during the break.

"Not interested."

Sasuke, now twelve years old, leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, completely unbothered by the boy standing up and pointing at him from the desk in front, even though the finger was less than twenty centimeters from his nose.

The indifferent and slightly disdainful tone only made Naruto angrier, "Bastard, don't run away after school today! I'll definitely beat you black and blue!"

"You always say 'definitely today', but you lose every single time. Haven't you figured out your place yet?" At close range, Sasuke couldn't stand the spit splattering from Naruto's mouth, and he turned his head to the side, his hand propping up his head as he casually responded, not even looking at Naruto.

"You..." Naruto was furious but couldn't find any way to refute, which made him even more frustrated.

"That's enough, Naruto!" Sakura said unhappily, "You've been shouting since the class ended. Can you stop already?"

Hearing Sakura's voice, Naruto's face turned red as he looked at the girl who had grown into a graceful young lady with flowing pink hair. His tone and expression immediately softened.

"Ah, Sakura, I didn't mean to... I won't noise anymore. It's all Sasuke's fault..."

Hearing Naruto's words, Sakura's eyebrows twitched. Criticizing her crush Sasuke made her inner self boil with anger, and her forehead instantly darkened with a frown as she clenched her fist, 'You idiot, I'll kill you, dead last!'

However, on the surface, she still tried her best to maintain a less irritable tone, "There are just over three months left until the graduation exam. Naruto, you have never mastered the Transformation Technique or the Clone Technique. Look at the countdown on the blackboard— '100 days'. If you don't start working harder, how will you graduate?"

Sakura's words hit Naruto where it hurt. If he couldn't graduate, he wouldn't be able to become a Ninja. Naruto immediately deflated, his energetic demeanor fading as he mumbled a few words and sulked back to his seat.

Sasuke watched the blond-haired boy's dejected look with cold eyes and then turned his attention back to the scenery outside the window.

Sasuke's cool and deep demeanor captivated Sakura, who was secretly watching him with hearts in her eyes. However, she was quickly shoved aside by Ino, who had been observing from the side.

In the corner of the classroom, Hinata nervously clasped her hands together, with worry evident in her eyes, "Naruto-kun..."

Kiba suddenly popped up and tapped Hinata on the shoulder, while the Ninken Akamaru barking in sync.

"Woof!"

"What are you thinking about, Hinata?"

Hinata was startled, and her face immediately turned red with embarrassment, "No, it's nothing..."

Kiba scratched his head in confusion.

This boisterous class was full of unique individuals, and though their future paths were not yet visible, they were all heading towards graduation.

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