Naruto: I am the Hokage

Creak.

The door opened.

Inside the classroom, the three of them held their breath, all eyes fixed on the doorway.

But.

After a long moment, no one entered.

What kind of person is this?

Too much of a prankster.

Kyohiko couldn't help but complain inwardly.

Then—

A figure stepped in.

"Have you been waiting long?"

White hair, a prominent "oil" character on his forehead, and a familiar outfit...

Kurenai's eyes widened.

Kakashi was stunned, unable to believe it.

Kyohiko was also shocked.

Why was it Jiraiya?

He was one of the Sannin, and Kyohiko had never heard of Jiraiya leading Kakashi's team before.

But.

He quickly realized.

Life is unpredictable.

While it might be a bit presumptuous, perhaps his little butterfly wings had flapped and changed everything.

He took a deep breath, unable to hide his excitement.

"Are... are you Lord Jiraiya?"

Kyohiko knew.

He couldn't act too calm—

The man before them was Jiraiya, one of the Sannin. Many ninjas in the village idolized them. As a civilian ninja, he should show awe and excitement upon meeting such a figure.

Jiraiya laughed. "Hahaha, for now, you're under my command. Let's go somewhere more spacious to chat."

"Yes!"

...

On the rooftop of the academy building.

Jiraiya sat on the edge, while the three stood obediently in front of him.

His eyes swept over them.

"You probably all know me, so I won't introduce myself. Let's get to know each other. What do you like? What do you dislike?"

"Hatake Kakashi, chunin, skilled in swordsmanship and lightning release. I don't have any likes. I dislike people who break the rules."

Kakashi was cold and direct.

Kurenai was nervous, fidgeting with her clothes. "Lord Jiraiya, I'm Yuhi Kurenai. I specialize in genjutsu. I like wasabi octopus and dislike cake."

"Ryoho Kyohiko. I'm currently more skilled in taijutsu. I like training and getting stronger. I dislike... war."

Kyohiko said.

This was the result of careful consideration.

Liking training and disliking war.

These answers fit his background well, avoiding any discrepancies with his past that might raise suspicions.

Over the past year, he had preferred to train alone, partly for this reason.

Jiraiya paused slightly.

"Good, I understand."

His smile faded, and his expression turned serious. "Now that we've introduced ourselves, let me make something clear. The Hokage believes you have potential, which is why I'm leading you. But..."

Jiraiya scanned them.

"I don't think you have what it takes to be my subordinates. Tomorrow morning, meet me at Training Ground 7. I'll test your abilities. If you can't pass..."

He said coldly, "You'll be sent back to the academy. As for you, Kakashi, you're a chunin, so you can join another team. But if you think these two are too weak to be your teammates, you can leave now."

Kakashi glanced at the other two.

Kyohiko and Kurenai remained silent.

However.

Their reasons were different.

Kyohiko had a hunch that this question was part of the test. Jiraiya might have taken on the team mainly for Kakashi, but why things had changed...

He wasn't sure.

Kurenai, on the other hand, was worried.

Kakashi was, after all, a chunin...

Hatake Kakashi didn't answer immediately. He studied them for a moment, then said, "I don't think they have what it takes to pass the test."

Jiraiya's expression didn't change.

"Are you quitting?"

"No, I want to try."

Kakashi replied.

Jiraiya nodded. "Alright. What about you two? If you quit, the village will assign you another sensei. My test will be harder, but you might pass with someone else."

"I'm in."

Kyohiko didn't hesitate.

Being a student of one of the Sannin was no ordinary opportunity.

Kurenai also had no reason to back down.

"Good. Then you have the rest of the afternoon to prepare. Oh, and don't eat breakfast tomorrow morning, or else, hehehe!"

Jiraiya vanished in an instant.

On the rooftop, only the three remained.

Kyohiko spoke up. "Let's go check out Training Ground 7 together. We can train and get familiar with each other's abilities."

"The test is a mission. If you're not strong enough, I won't hesitate to leave you behind."

Kakashi snorted.

Then, he used the Body Flicker Technique and disappeared.

Kurenai frowned. "Why is he like this..."

"He's heading to the training ground. Let's follow."

Kyohiko said, then vanished as well.

Kurenai hurried after him.

Ahead, Kakashi glanced back and saw the two catching up. He observed them closely.

Ryoho Kyohiko...

His speed is impressive. His Body Flicker Technique seems well-trained. His strength might be decent.

But the other one... not so much.

Still, she's good at genjutsu, so she has her uses.

Kakashi continued running.

He didn't notice—

In the shadows, Jiraiya was following them.

"That silver-haired kid really doesn't care about his teammates. On the other hand, that boy, even though he could go faster, is keeping pace with Kurenai to stay with her."

Jiraiya grew more and more impressed with Kyohiko.

This kid isn't just smart; he's also considerate and looks out for his teammates.

With the right guidance, he could be another Minato.

But if guided wrongly...

His heart sank as he thought of another teammate.

Sigh!

Who knows what Orochimaru is up to these days.

Ever since Nawaki died and Tsunade left, Orochimaru has become more and more strange.

"Still, this situation isn't just about looking out for your teammates."

...

"Kurenai, the training ground area is dangerous. I'll go ahead and stop him. We'll go in together."

"Stop him?"

Kurenai was confused.

Then, she saw Kyohiko vanish before her eyes.

When she looked again, he was already chasing after Kakashi. In just a few blinks, Kyohiko was right behind him.

Kakashi was shocked.

He was confident in his speed, believing only someone like Might Guy, who trained as hard as he did, could match him.

As for Ryoho Kyohiko.

They had only been classmates for a year, and he hadn't left much of an impression.

But.

That speed just now...

His Body Flicker Technique is this strong?

Kakashi decided to test him, pushing his Body Flicker Technique to the limit, going even faster than before.

But.

In the next moment, Kyohiko was ahead of him, a hand on his shoulder.

Incredible!

Kakashi's eyes widened.

Even at full speed, he couldn't outrun Kyohiko—

Unless he used his Lightning Release Chakra Mode to enhance his speed, but he hadn't fully mastered that technique yet, and using it recklessly could harm him.

"Kakashi, the Forest of Death is dangerous. Let's go in together."

Kyohiko paused.

"Even though you're a chunin, the Hokage said that team missions are never about one person. You have to consider your teammates."

Kakashi fell silent.

Was he slowing down earlier just to accommodate Kurenai?

He stopped and studied Kyohiko carefully.

Ryoho Kyohiko.

To think there was someone like this in his class...

"I'm sorry!"

Kurenai finally caught up, her forehead damp with sweat, droplets forming at her temples and falling.

Kyohiko said, "It's fine. We're a team. We should stick together."

Kakashi didn't respond but jumped down.

"Let's go. If we wait too long, it'll get dark in the forest, and it'll be hard to spot traps."