Kakashi arrived at Training Ground Three before the kids did.
It was early—mist still clung to the grass, dew glittering like tiny glass needles. Birds chirped lazily. The morning was calm.
Too calm.
Kakashi leaned against a wooden post, hands tucked in pants pockets, eye half-lidded.
He wasn't waiting for them.
Not really.
He was replaying it.
That moment yesterday.
That impossible moment.
Naruto, cornered by a clone.
Two fingers poised.
A strike Kakashi had practiced since childhood—fast, humiliating, painfully precise.
Naruto should've eaten it.
He wasn't fast enough.
He wasn't skilled enough.
But—
Kakashi's fingers hovered near his mask as he thought.
Naruto moved.
Not like a trained fighter. Not like Sasuke, whose movements were clean and calculated. Not like Sakura, whose Academy stance was textbook.
No.
Naruto had reacted like prey sensing death.
A full-body instinct.
A twitch of survival so sharp Kakashi almost missed the clone entirely.
"Impossible instinct," he murmured.
No technique.
No footwork.
Just—movement.
And… something else.
When Naruto dodged, Kakashi had sensed the boy's chakra flare, then dip sharply. Too sharply. Like someone set off a firecracker inside a swimming pool of chakra.
Messy.
Untrained.
Violent.
But definitely abnormal.
He'd felt similar wild chakra before—on the night of the Nine-Tails attack. Not the same pressure… but the same chaos.
Kakashi closed his visible eye slowly.
"…You're hiding something, Naruto."
It didn't feel dangerous.
Not yet.
But it was something.
A jounin didn't ignore "something."
He sighed and pulled out his orange book.
Better to keep an eye on the brat.
---
Naruto arrived first.
Technically.
He ran into the clearing screaming.
"WE'RE GONNA DO BETTER TODAY, DATTEBAYO—GAAAACK—"
He tripped over a rock, rolled twice, crashed into a tree, and popped to his feet like nothing happened.
"Perfect landing!"
Kakashi didn't look up from his book.
"Mm. Very graceful."
Naruto stomped over. "YOU COULD'VE HELPED!"
"You didn't ask."
"I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO!"
Kakashi flipped a page.
Naruto's chakra number floated in front of his eyes:
10000
Full tank. No stress.
Naruto felt light, springy, ready for anything.
He grinned at Kakashi.
Today felt like a win.
Except—in the back of his mind, a tiny voice whispered:
Don't freeze time today. Don't cheat. Not until you know how it really works.
Naruto patted his stomach. "No spoiled milk this time."
Kakashi's visible eye curved in amusement. "Good."
---
Sakura arrived next, brushing her hair unnecessarily even though it was perfect. She shot Naruto a glare.
"Don't embarrass me today."
Naruto puffed his chest. "I NEVER embarrass people! I'm super cool!"
Sakura: "…That sentence embarrasses me."
Then Sasuke arrived—quiet, collected, already analyzing the field like he planned to memorize every tree.
Naruto glared.
Sasuke glared.
Sakura sighed.
Kakashi waited until they were all standing in a neat, annoyed line.
Then—
Fwish!
He snapped the bell belt off his hip and tossed it onto a stump.
Sakura blinked. "Wait, aren't we done with the bell test…?"
Kakashi shut his book.
"I want all three of you to try again."
"WHAAAT?!" Naruto exploded. "WE PASSED! YOU SAID SO!"
Kakashi shrugged. "Yes, you passed the teamwork test. But if you want real missions… I need to know exactly how far each of you can go."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "You want to measure our strength."
"Correct," Kakashi mused. "And your instincts."
Naruto froze.
Instincts.
Kakashi's eye flicked toward him for half a second—too quick for Sakura or Sasuke to notice, but Naruto felt the stare burn into him.
He knows.
Or he suspects.
Stupid Everything Stop Thingy…!
Naruto folded his arms, pretending he wasn't panicking.
The number stayed steady.
10000.
---
Kakashi lifted his hand.
"No time limit. Solo combat. Your goal is simple: touch one bell. You do not need to take it—just touch it. I want to see how each of you fights alone."
Naruto's stomach dropped.
Alone?
That meant—
He couldn't rely on Sasuke's distractions.
He couldn't rely on Sakura's plans.
He couldn't rely on luck.
And worst of all—
Kakashi was watching him very carefully.
Naruto grinned anyway.
"Pfft! Easy! I'll go first! Just watch, teme!"
Sasuke "hn"'d.
Sakura whispered, "Don't get buried again…"
Naruto ignored both of them.
He stepped into the field.
The number glowed bright.
10000 → 9500
(He summoned a dozen clones without thinking)
"LET'S GO!"
All twelve Narutos charged Kakashi.
Kakashi flipped a page.
"Predictable."
Thwack-POOF!
Kicks.
Sweeps.
Palm strikes.
Headbutts.
One by one the clones vanished in clouds of smoke.
Naruto stumbled forward through the leftover haze, swinging wildly.
Kakashi sidestepped lazily, catching Naruto's arm.
"You're louder than yesterday."
Naruto grinned. "BETTER LOUD THAN BORING—!"
Kakashi twisted, flipped, and sent Naruto spinning into the air.
Naruto landed on his back, gasping.
His chakra was still high—barely scratched.
9500
He scrambled up.
Kakashi waited, hands in his pockets.
"Try again," he said quietly.
Naruto froze.
Something in Kakashi's tone was different.
Yesterday had been a test.
Today was analysis.
Naruto swallowed.
If he used the freeze…
Kakashi might feel it.
He already suspected something.
Naruto clenched his fists.
No freezing. No shortcuts.
"Fine," he muttered. "But I'm not giving up."
He charged again—
Stopped at the last second—
And dropped to the ground, sweeping Kakashi's legs with his heel.
Kakashi actually had to move.
A tiny bit.
He hopped over the sweep, surprised for a blink.
"Better."
Naruto grinned wildly.
For ten minutes, he tried everything:
Shadow Clones.
Feints.
Diversions.
Low kicks.
High punches.
KunaI throws.
Even dirt in Kakashi's face.
Nothing worked.
And yet—
Kakashi was… smiling.
A real one, hidden behind the mask but unmistakable.
"You're improving," Kakashi said eventually. "Your instincts are sharper. You're learning from every exchange. But—"
Naruto lunged in frustration—
Kakashi vanished—
Naruto blinked—
A hand tapped his forehead.
"You still think too big and move too slow."
Naruto froze.
Kakashi hadn't hit him.
Not once.
Not even lightly.
Just a tap.
But that tap felt heavier than any punch.
Naruto's shoulders slumped.
"Damn it…"
The chakra number hovered.
8700
Low for Naruto, but not dangerous.
Kakashi stepped back.
"Sakura," he said. "You're next."
Naruto stumbled toward the trees, collapsing into the grass. His heart pounded, but he wasn't upset for long.
Sakura did okay.
Sasuke did great.
Kakashi commented on all of them like a bored teacher.
But sometimes—
His gaze drifted to Naruto.
Not suspicious.
Not hostile.
Just… thoughtful.
And Naruto hated that look.
When the test ended, Kakashi dismissed them.
"Come back tomorrow. D-rank mission in the morning."
Sakura waved. Sasuke walked off with his hands in his pockets.
Naruto turned to leave too—
"Naruto."
He froze.
Kakashi stood there, one hand in his pocket, looking down at him.
Naruto swallowed. "Y-yeah?"
Kakashi's single eye studied him for a long, quiet moment.
Then:
"You have dangerous instincts."
Naruto's heart stopped.
Kakashi continued, voice soft but unreadable.
"That dodge yesterday… it wasn't training. It wasn't skill. It was pure survival. Something in you moves when death is close."
Naruto's throat tightened.
Kakashi leaned in slightly.
"Tell me something," he said. "When you're in danger… do you feel something? A pull? A surge? Something strange?"
Naruto's mind spun.
He couldn't tell him.
He couldn't.
If Kakashi knew he could freeze the world—even for a few seconds—they'd lock him up. Experiment on him. Fear him more than they already did.
Naruto forced a grin, scratching the back of his head loudly.
"Hehehe… nope! Just adrenaline! I'm super awesome at not dying!"
Kakashi stared at him.
Too long.
Too quiet.
Naruto felt sweat drip down his neck.
Finally—
Kakashi straightened.
"…I see."
He walked away, cheerful tone back in his voice.
"Don't be late tomorrow! Or do, I don't mind being early for once."
Naruto stood frozen.
Watching.
Waiting.
Only when Kakashi disappeared did his breath escape in a shaky puff.
The chakra number flickered.
9000 → 9300
He hadn't used it.
But fear made his chakra twitch anyway.
Naruto looked at his hands.
"Dangerous instincts…" he whispered.
He didn't know if that was good or terrifying.
But one thing was clear:
Kakashi almost caught him today.
And Naruto had to be more careful.
Much more careful.
He tightened his headband, wiped his forehead, and forced a smile looking at the ghostly number floating in front of him.
9300 → 9400 → 9500
Full or not, it was still his secret.
His burden.
His weapon.
And no one—not even Kakashi—was going to find out.
Naruto walked away from Training Ground Three with his thoughts swirling harder than a Rasengan—not like he knew what that was yet.
Kakashi had stared at him too closely today.
Asked too many questions.
Gotten too close.
Naruto clenched his fists.
"No way I'm letting him figure out my secret… dattebayo."
He needed a distraction.
A prank.
Something big enough to shake Kakashi out of Naruto's head.
Then—
A spark lit behind Naruto's eyes.
"…What DOES he look like under that mask…?"
His grin spread slowly.
Dangerously.
Beautifully stupid.
"Oh, this is PERFECT—TEME! SAKURA-CHAN! WAIT UP!"
Sasuke, already halfway down the road, turned with a scowl.
Sakura stopped mid-step.
"What now?" she sighed.
Naruto planted his fists on his hips dramatically.
"We're gonna find out what's under Kakashi-sensei's mask!"
Sakura blinked. Sasuke frowned.
Neither immediately said no.
Naruto leaned in.
"Come on, don't you wanna know? What if he's got giant fangs? Or no mouth? Or maybe—"
Sakura's eyes sparkled before she could stop them.
"…He is kind of mysterious."
Naruto jabbed a finger at Sasuke next.
"And YOU! You can't tell me you're not curious!"
Sasuke scoffed. "I don't care."
…But he didn't walk away either.
Which meant he cared.
Which meant Naruto already won.
"Operation Unmask Kakashi is a GO!"
Sakura facepalmed. Sasuke clicked his tongue.
Naruto pumped his fist like a champion.
---
The three of them followed Kakashi—badly.
Naruto stomped loudly. Sakura hissed for him to be quiet. Sasuke kept vanishing into the trees like an edgy housecat.
Kakashi, of course, noticed instantly.
Behind his orange book, he smiled.
(But Naruto didn't see that.)
They finally saw him sit at a bench near the river, book open, mask on.
Naruto whispered:
"Okay… THIS is when we strike!"
Sakura whispered back:
"What exactly is the plan?!"
Naruto grinned proudly.
"I… uh… didn't think that far."
Sakura smacked him.
Sasuke muttered, "Idiot."
Then—
Kakashi shifted his mask slightly to scratch his cheek.
All three genin gasped silently.
"That's it!" Naruto whispered. "When he moves his mask again, we jump!"
Sakura and Sasuke exchanged reluctant glances.
"…Fine," Sakura whispered.
"Hn."
They crouched behind bushes like the world's worst spies.
Kakashi reached up, fingertips brushing his mask—
"NOW!" Naruto yelled.
They leapt.
Sakura grabbed his arm.
Sasuke went for the shoulder.
Naruto aimed straight for the mask.
Kakashi tilted his head, barely moving.
WHAM—
All three genin crashed into each other and fell in a miserable heap at his feet.
Kakashi closed his book calmly.
"You three fail at stealth."
Naruto struggled upright, face red. "WE WERE SO CLOSE!"
Kakashi chuckled softly and tugged his mask down—
Three centimeters.
Enough to reveal…
A second mask underneath.
All three kids screamed:
"WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!"
Kakashi's visible eye crinkled with pure joy.
"If you want to see what's under the mask," he said, "you'll need better teamwork."
He patted Naruto's head and walked away.
Naruto clenched his fists.
"STUPID SCARECROW! I won't give up!"
Sakura smacked Naruto on the back of the head.
"Idiot! We almost had him and YOU ruined it!"
Naruto whipped around, rubbing his head.
"OW—Hey! Even if we DID grab it, he had a SECOND mask underneath! That's cheating!"
Sasuke clicked his tongue and turned away.
"Hn. What a waste of time."
He walked off toward the village, hands in his pockets.
Naruto didn't follow.
Instead, he stared at Kakashi's shrinking figure.
His frustration simmered into something sharper… bolder… outright reckless.
Teamwork had failed.
Time for Plan B.
Naruto waited until Sakura and Sasuke were completely gone. When the street finally emptied, he slipped into the trees and followed Kakashi quietly.
Kakashi stopped at a peaceful stretch of riverbank, leaning lazily on the railing, orange book open. The wind brushed his hair. The water flowed gently beneath him.
Naruto's pulse kicked up.
Perfect.
No witnesses.
No chakra sensors.
No danger.
He crouched low and whispered only to himself:
"Just a few seconds… that's all I need…"
He took one controlled breath.
Then it happened.
Not a word.
Not a gesture.
Just a sharpened intention — and the world shattered into stillness.
Time froze.
Sound vanished.
Wind halted mid-gust.
A falling leaf froze an inch from Kakashi's shoulder.
A dragonfly hung still above the water.
The river stopped mid-ripple.
Kakashi himself was locked exactly as he was — fingers mid-page-turn, eye relaxed.
Naruto felt the chakra drain hit immediately:
9500 → 8500
(one second)
"Okay—fast," Naruto hissed, already moving.
He darted behind Kakashi and grabbed the edge of the second mask.
Two seconds.
8500 → 7500
He tugged the mask down swiftly — only enough to see.
Naruto's breath caught.
"WHAT—YOU—HOW—?!"
Even though sound didn't exist here, he slapped his hands over his mouth instinctively.
Kakashi's face was… normal.
Completely normal.
Unreasonably handsome for someone who slept like a sloth and read dirty books.
"OH COME ON," Naruto mouthed silently. "WHY IS IT ALWAYS THE WEIRD GUYS?!"
His chakra dipped again.
Three seconds.
7500 → 6500
He panicked and quickly tugged the mask back into place.
Naruto stumbled backward, chest tightening.
Naruto didn't hesitate.
Before the frozen moment broke, he sprinted away from Kakashi, feet barely tapping the ground.
Ten meters.
Fifteen.
Twenty.
He skidded to a stop behind a bend in the path, hands behind his head, posture casual — as if he'd been there the whole time.
Naruto didn't command anything.
The moment his focus broke —
when panic faded and his instincts released control —
the world restarted by itself.
Time snapped back.
The river rushed forward.
Wind blew.
A leaf fell.
A dragonfly zipped away.
Kakashi casually finished turning his page, completely unaware anything had happened
No reaction.
No tension.
No suspicion.
Naruto was already 20 meters behind him, walking with his hands behind his head and the smuggest grin in the entire Elemental Nations.
"Hehehe… only I know now," he whispered proudly. "Sakura and Sasuke can keep guessing FOREVER."
His chakra number ticked upwards again as the strain faded:
6500 → 6800 → 7000
All the fear Kakashi had stirred in him earlier evaporated.
Naruto felt lighter.