2nd gacha & Approval

As Kakashi entered his home, he felt a mixture of relief and anticipation. The past two months of relentless training had pushed him to his limits and beyond. He had channeled his grief and anger into perfecting the Jin template, honing his ninjutsu and taijutsu skills to levels that exceeded his expectations. While the gacha system had been a helpful tool, it was his dedication and hard work that had truly shaped his progress.

In the quiet of his room, Kakashi took a moment to reflect on the potential outcomes of his request for early graduation. He knew that the Hokage's decision would be significant; he couldn't assume the future would unfold like the plot of an anime. The path he had chosen was fraught with challenges, but it was the only way he saw to forge his own future.

With a deep breath, he approached the gacha interface. He had accumulated enough points over the last few weeks, and now it was time to put them to use. The system flickered to life before him, displaying the options:

Gacha Points: 61

Gacha Mode:

Random: 1 card for 4 points

Specific:

Naruto: 1 card for 6 points

After thinking for a few seconds, he decided to go for the specific mode, wanting to test it out.

As he made his selection, his points vanished, leaving him with just one remaining.

When ten cards appeared, he began to examine them:

Kunai x23

Great Fireball Technique

ANBU Dog Mask

100,000 ryō

Kiri

Hiruzen Sarutobi Statuette

Broken Kunai x3

Kunai x65

Naruto Uzumaki Card

Sarada Glasses

"Okay, let's review this," he thought. The kunai were useful, and the jutsu was solid, though he didn't have enough chakra to support it yet. The mask was good, and the money would definitely come in handy.

For his second template, Kiri was a medical ninja from the Land of Water. He held the rank of Chunin and was proficient in the Mystical Palm Technique, which was invaluable because Kakashi didn't want to rely on others if he sustained an injury. The other items he had weren't particularly useful. The card and glasses from the Boruto universe reminded him of an uncertain future.

Although Kiri was a Chunin, his experience was far more valuable to Kakashi. With Jin, he could counter Genin opponents, but a Chunin could easily defeat him. He wasn't arrogant enough to believe he had a 50-50 chance against them; they were much faster and possessed more resources.

Now, with the Kiri template, he could upgrade to Chunin. While it might not seem like much, it was certainly better than nothing.

As he assessed the situation, the assimilation rate displayed 19%, despite his being at the peak of Genin.

Time for some training.

Stepping into the backyard to practice shuriken throwing, he suddenly sensed a presence behind him. Acting on instinct, he leaped forward, turning around with a kunai in hand, only to find an ANBU member standing there, their face concealed by a mask.

"Hatake Kakashi," the ANBU agent said, "Hokage-sama has reviewed your request for early graduation. You are to report to his office immediately." With that, he vanished. Kakashi caught a glimpse of him leaping toward a tree, but that was all; keeping track of him was beyond his current abilities.

It seemed Sarutobi had made his decision. Without wasting any time, Kakashi left the house and made his way toward the office.

After jumping and running, he finally reached the building. At the door, he saw some ninjas standing guard. As he approached, one of them, a man with a scar on the left side of his face, asked, "What do you want?"

Kakashi responded clearly, without any hint of arrogance, "Hokage-sama has summoned me."

"Okay, enter," he replied, allowing Kakashi to pass. Perhaps he was already informed.

Upon entering the building, Kakashi found various people coming and going. This building housed many departmental offices, as the Hokage needed urgent information. Most of the offices were located here, with the Hokage's office at the top.

Finally reaching the top floor, he knocked on the first door, which had a tag indicating it was the Hokage's office.

"Enter," he heard, recognizing Sarutobi's voice. As he stepped inside, he found the Hokage sitting alone, his head bowed over documents on the table.

"Hokage-sama," Kakashi greeted, bowing respectfully to show his deference.

Hiruzen looked up, his gaze steady and calculating. "Kakashi, I've considered your request for early graduation. You've made quite an impression with your training and performance. However, this is not a decision I make lightly."

Kakashi met Hiruzen's gaze directly, his voice unwavering. "I understand, Hokage-sama. I am ready to prove myself and to take on the responsibilities that come with early graduation."

Hiruzen sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You have demonstrated exceptional skill and commitment. Still, it's important for you to understand that graduating early means entering a world of significant responsibility and danger sooner than most. Are you prepared for that?"

Kakashi nodded firmly. "I am."

After a moment of silence, Hiruzen reached for a headband. "Okay, you can graduate early and join Team 5. Report tomorrow at 9 in the morning."

It looked like he had already prepared everything. "Yes, Hokage-sama," Kakashi replied, wondering who would be the team leader.

Next, Hiruzen spoke about how Sakumo was a great ninja, delivering his usual dose of the Will of Fire. Nearly half an hour passed before Kakashi was finally allowed to leave.

***************

Author's pov

Who should be his leader?

Some team idea?