Kakashi's duty as a Teacher

"If you don't mind me asking, may I kindly inquire about your identity?" Kakashi hesitated before posing the question.

Kizaru sighed, further adding to Kakashi's embarrassment. Truth be told, Kizaru knew that Kakashi would only find him vaguely familiar from their brief encounter, and he just wanted to playfully tease Kakashi for a moment.

"I'm Kizaru Akimitsu. We crossed paths at the old man's bookstore two months ago. Remember?" Kizaru returned to his carefree expression while gazing at Kakashi.

Kakashi clenched his fist and brought it down, mimicking a hammer hitting his left palm as realization struck him. "Ah! It's you! Yes, now I remember. You're the one who almost sca... cough, cough." He quickly caught himself before inadvertently revealing what he believed to be an embarrassing moment for Kizaru.

Kizaru looked at him, unfazed by the potential exposure of his scamming Kakashi out of 500 Ryo. It was Kakashi who felt embarrassed under Kizaru's scrutinizing gaze, sheepishly scratching the back of his head.

"What did he almost do, sensei?" Naruto asked curiously, sensing something unusual in Kakashi's statement.

Kakashi, feeling flustered, hastily covered Naruto's mouth while laughing awkwardly.

"So you two really know each other, huh?" Sasuke mused thoughtfully, studying Kizaru and Kakashi with a contemplative look.

"By the way, it's quite fascinating to see someone like you, who is the same age as my students, already surpassing them in strength." After his initial embarrassment, Kakashi's voice was filled with amazement as he spoke.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, who had been listening with curiosity, all widened their eyes in shock.

"What!? He's the same age as us!? Don't mess with us, Kakashi-sensei! He's obviously much taller and stronger than us, he's clearly older!" Naruto exclaimed in disbelief, scanning Kizaru from head to toe. Naruto even had to crane his neck to look up at Kizaru's face, as he was nearly as tall as Kakashi.

Sasuke, who had an ongoing rivalry with Naruto, nodded in agreement. He couldn't accept that someone their age could potentially surpass him. It wounded his pride as an Uchiha, considering their bloodline superior to others.

Kakashi noticed their change in expressions and their evident disbelief. He saw this as an opportunity to keep his disciples' overconfidence and pride in check by presenting an example of someone their age who was significantly more accomplished. It would ignite their desire and competitiveness to become stronger and more powerful.

Kakashi sighed and shook his head. "As much as you may find it hard to believe, it is indeed the truth."

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura all turned their shocked gazes and expressions toward Kizaru.

"How did you know?" Sasuke, still struggling to accept the fact, questioned. His disbelief stemmed not from Kizaru's apparent age but rather from the fact that Kizaru surpassed him in power despite being the same age.

"How did I know?" Kakashi suddenly fell silent. After all, it was only the bookstore owner who claimed that Kizaru was younger, and he hadn't provided any concrete evidence to support the claim. Yet Kakashi maintained his composure. After all, there was no reason for the bookstore owner to lie, right? Moreover, Kakashi genuinely believed that Kizaru appeared younger based on his features and facial characteristics, which were subtly indicative of youth if observed closely.

Sometimes, despite a person's developed physique and height, their face may still retain cute features that provide clear evidence of their younger age.

"You don't need to know how I know," Kakashi responded to Sasuke, who was dissatisfied with Kakashi's answer.

"Hey, hey. Arguing about someone's age is impolite, especially in their presence," Kizaru interrupted. They had almost forgotten that he was there. Sakura and Tazuna stood by helplessly, completely ignored by the self-centered Naruto and Sasuke.

"Apologies for that," Kakashi nodded politely. Now that he knew Kizaru's background, he lowered his guard and appeared relaxed, at least on the surface. Secretly, he still remained cautious. After all, Kizaru was still an unknown individual to him, apart from their encounter at the bookstore.

"I still don't believe he's the same age as us," Sasuke snorted, and Naruto secretly agreed.

"Even if he isn't the same age as you guys, did you notice that Kizaru isn't wearing a Ninja Forehead Protector?" Kakashi found it challenging to teach this group of arrogant brats.

Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna all suddenly noticed that Kizaru was not wearing a Ninja Forehead Protector.

Naruto nodded in surprise. He had overlooked this detail due to Kizaru's unique clothing style, and the others had also disregarded it completely.

"Kizaru is different from the three of you, unlike you, he didn't attend the ninja academy. This means he's not a ninja. Even if he's a few years older than you, you can't ignore the fact that you were subdued by an ordinary civilian," Kakashi explained and emphasized, hoping his students would take this as a valuable lesson.

Sasuke, who had heard everything, clenched his fists. His desire to become stronger and more powerful grew even stronger than before.

Naruto felt the same, and even Sakura was affected and motivated by the aura emanating from Naruto and Sasuke.

They observed Kizaru's dumbfounded and paralyzed expression. Kizaru was actually restraining himself from throwing punches and kicks at these people who viewed him as a lesson material. It especially bothered him that Kakashi disregarded the fact that Kizaru might have surpassed him in taijutsu, using Kizaru as an example and teaching material for his students. Kakashi was truly engrossed in his teaching world.

However, Naruto and Sasuke perceived Kizaru's dumbfounded and paralyzed face as an expression of indifference, showcasing Kizaru's proud character.

"Hey, aren't you forgetting your mission to assist me and guard me on my way to the Wave Country?" Tazuna suddenly interrupted, a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Kakashi, who was busy giving lessons to Naruto and Sasuke, suddenly remembered Tazuna's presence, along with Sakura awkwardly laughing beside him.

Sakura, in particular, appeared haggard with disheveled hair, despite not exerting as much physical effort as Naruto and Sasuke. She seemed to be mentally exhausted.