Reborn into Naruto World with Tenseigan

Early the next morning, as the first rays of light pierced through the night, Sasuke dressed meticulously and arrived at the predetermined training ground where he and Kakashi had agreed to meet.

However, Sasuke found himself waiting for quite a while before Kakashi finally appeared, yawning casually. Observing Kakashi’s nonchalant demeanor, Sasuke remarked coldly, “Kakashi-sensei, you’re late again!”

Apologizing, Kakashi sighed, “Sorry-sorry… I just got lost on the road of life.”

Perplexed, Sasuke inquired, “The Road of Life?”

Kakashi grinned, “Nothing you have to worry about.”

Sasuke eyed Kakashi with suspicion and couldn’t resist asking, “Kakashi-sensei, do you engage in extra training after our sessions? I’ve noticed signs of fatigue in you lately.”

“Hmm?” Kakashi blinked in surprise, but he smiled and replied, “Impossible. Training you alone is mentally draining enough. I don’t have the time or energy for additional personal training after that.”

Despite Kakashi’s denial, the reality tells a different story. Sasuke’s intuition is spot-on; Kakashi has indeed been putting in extra effort, not allowing the peaceful atmosphere of the past seven months to lower his guard.

Over this period, Kakashi has toiled tirelessly day and night. In the early morning, he dedicates himself to assisting Sasuke with training. During the day, he takes on the responsibilities of the Hokage’s Hand, managing a plethora of duties and tedious tasks that Kuroto, the Hokage, prefers delegating. These responsibilities often end up on Kakashi’s shoulders or those of Elder Hiruzen. Evenings are not a respite; Kakashi ensures he keeps himself sharp by focusing on his personal training. The strain of this demanding life is starting to manifest on Kakashi’s face in the form of dark circles, perhaps explaining why Sasuke has keenly observed signs of fatigue.

“Hmph,” Sasuke snorted lightly, choosing not to linger on the issue. Whether Kakashi trains after their sessions is inconsequential to him. He shifted the focus, adopting a serious expression as he inquired, “Kakashi-sensei, what are you going to teach me today?”

“Teach you, huh?” Kakashi mumbled, meeting Sasuke’s expectant gaze. Internally, he couldn’t help but complain, ‘Do I even have anything left to teach you?’

With the exception of the ‘Flying Raijin’ and the ‘Eight Inner Gates,’ Kakashi had imparted nearly all his other Jutsu knowledge to Sasuke. While Kakashi possessed a diverse array of Jutsu spanning various Chakra natures, teaching these to Sasuke seemed futile. They would contribute little to enhancing his strength, offering only a few additional techniques that he might rarely use in his lifetime.

Contemplating this, Kakashi couldn’t conceal his incredulity as he once again regarded Sasuke. In a mere seven months, Sasuke had elevated himself to Konoha’s top tactician—albeit in name only, considering formidable figures like Kuroto and Itachi within the village. It dawned on Kakashi that the title he once held, that of the man who mastered a thousand Jutsu, now appeared almost absurd in the face of Sasuke’s swift progress.

As Kakashi grasped this realization, he found himself viewing Sasuke in a new and appreciative light. He couldn’t deny that, in the span of seven months, Sasuke had undergone significant transformation from their initial interactions at the training ground.

Foremost among the changes was Sasuke’s evident maturation. The once-present childishness and innocence had dissipated, replaced by a more grown-up demeanor. Sasuke now resembled a fledgling bird, having ventured beyond the shelter of parental care, and was using his newfound strength to unfurl his wings and soar to greater heights.

For a shinobi, undergoing such a transformation is undeniably positive. However, the rapidity of Sasuke’s change gave Kakashi pause. In the short span of seven months, Sasuke’s temperament had undergone such a drastic shift that Kakashi found himself uncertain whether this transformation boded well for both Sasuke and the village.

Compounding the concern was Kakashi’s awareness of the burgeoning hatred within Sasuke’s heart. The animosity and anger directed towards the Amatsukami had been steadily eroding Sasuke’s mental state, rendering him increasingly gloomy and edgy with each passing day. Kakashi even took note of the rarity of Sasuke’s smiles, realizing that the once-frequent expressions of joy seemed to have dwindled as if Sasuke had lost the capacity for laughter.

Simultaneously, Sasuke’s visual prowess was experiencing a swift ascent. Despite Kakashi having lost the Mangekyō Sharingan, for some inexplicable reason, he possessed the ability to perceive others’ visual Prowess, and this faculty allowed him to keenly observe Sasuke’s rapidly enhancing visual prowess over the past seven months.

Kakashi, more than anyone, was attuned to Sasuke’s evolution. Chuckling to himself, he contemplated, ‘Perhaps this is what they call a true genius.’ The realization led Kakashi to acknowledge that, in comparison to Sasuke, his own perceived ‘genius’ status appeared rather insignificant.

Observing Kakashi’s prolonged silence, Sasuke grew impatient and prodded him, “Kakashi-sensei, what are you going to teach me?”

Snapping back to attention, Kakashi offered a light smile and replied, “It seems there’s nothing to teach today. How about you take a rest for the next two days? Use the time to review everything I’ve imparted over the past seven months and condition your mind. After all, in two days, there’s a Graduation Ceremony at the Ninja Academy.”

The ‘Flying Raijin’ and the ‘Eight Inner Gates’ weren’t techniques easily passed on. Especially the ‘Flying Raijin.’ Even if Kuroto, the Hokage, deemed it acceptable to teach Sasuke such an advanced technique, Kakashi understood that obtaining the Elders’ approval was crucial. Sasuke’s identity and background added sensitivity to the matter, and Kakashi couldn’t be certain if the Elders, given their prejudice and vigilance against the Uchiha Clan, would permit imparting such powerful jutsu to Sasuke at this stage.

Teaching the ‘Eight Inner Gates’ posed its own set of challenges. Firstly, Kakashi needed Might Guy’s permission, as the technique had been passed down from Guy to Kakashi. Moreover, it was a forbidden jutsu with potential harm to the body if not used cautiously. Given the escalating hatred in Sasuke’s mind, Kakashi hesitated to introduce him to this technique. Additionally, mastering the ‘Eight Inner Gates’ was a time-consuming process, not something achievable in a mere one or two days; it demanded years of dedicated effort to unlock each gate safely.

As Kakashi broached the topic of the upcoming Graduation Exam, Sasuke’s expression darkened. “Kakashi-sensei, do you really think I care about that stupid exam?” he retorted.

Kakashi offered a helpless smile. With Sasuke’s formidable strength, passing the Graduation Exam would indeed be a trivial matter.

Sasuke declared, “Since you have nothing more to teach me today, then I will train on my own.” With that, he decided to take charge of his own training regimen.

“Sasuke-kun, don’t underestimate your fellow trainees. All of them have made remarkable progress in the past seven months, especially Uzumaki Naruto, who has been under, Kur–Cough, Hokage-sama’s training. That boy has grown incredibly strong, much like you. If you take him lightly, you might find yourself defeated by him,” Kakashi cautioned Sasuke.

Simultaneously, he couldn’t help but reflect on his own youth. Kakashi recalled how he hadn’t paid much attention to his fellow trainees back then. Driven by his father’s reputation and constantly seeking stronger shinobi, he had overlooked those in his class who were at the bottom of the barrel.

Now, among those seemingly miscellaneous individuals from his youth, one is causing chaos throughout the Shinobi World and proving to be a formidable challenge for numerous Shinobi Villages. Another has risen to become Kakashi’s superior, the leader of Konohagakure, the Hokage. The last one, to Kakashi’s chagrin, is a constant challenger. Just yesterday, Kakashi found himself defeated in a race around Konoha.

Reflecting on these developments, Kakashi couldn’t help but acknowledge that he hadn’t been able to surpass any of those who were once considered at the bottom of the barrel. With a somber expression, he thought to himself, ‘Otou-san, it seems I am no genius but a disappointment.’ The weight of this realization left Kakashi with a sense of melancholy about the trajectory of his own journey.

Sasuke regarded Kakashi with a frown, silently pondering, ‘What’s going on with Kakashi-sensei today?’ Shaking his head, he dismissed Kakashi’s caution about Naruto, stating, “Naruto? He would never be able to match me!”

With that declaration, Sasuke chose to disregard Kakashi and proceeded towards the Uchiha District. From Sasuke’s perspective, Naruto was more of a friend in need of protection than a true rival who could contend with him. This sentiment extended to Neji as well; Sasuke didn’t take Neji seriously. In Sasuke’s mind, these individuals were not on the same level when it came to strength or rivalry.

As Sasuke contemplated the idea of a true rival and enemy, a distinct figure emerged in his thoughts — none other than Kimimaro of Otogakure, who had humiliated him nearly five years ago. Recalling the battle from that time, Sasuke acknowledged the gap that existed between himself and Kimimaro. Moreover, he recognized that Kimimaro hadn’t sought to humiliate him back then, just unintentionally revealed a form of contempt through his puzzled expression, which proved even more challenging for Sasuke to let go. To him, the difficulty lay not in the humiliation but in the perceived contempt. The memory of Kimimaro’s confused look lingered vividly in Sasuke’s mind as if silently questioning, “Why is the world-famous Uchiha so weak?”

Each recollection of Kimimaro’s expression fueled Sasuke’s anger. “Hmph, I brought disgrace upon the Clan’s name back then, and I must ensure that I restore the honor of the Uchiha Clan! Kimimaro, the next time we meet, I will make you understand the true strength of the Uchiha Clan!” The resolve to redeem the Uchiha name and prove their strength burned fiercely within Sasuke, intensifying his determination to surpass his past shortcomings.