"My name's Uzumaki Naruto," he said, half-grinning. "I've got a lot of hobbies, not many dislikes. My favorite's the desserts Hinata makes. My dream's simple—become Hokage. And most important of all… keep the promise I made."
The teasing in his tone faded as he spoke that last line. Naruto's usual goofiness was gone, replaced by a rare kind of warmth. It wasn't just determination—there was happiness in it, quiet and solid.
"Promise?" Kakashi's lazy eyes flickered. Six years of "watching over" Naruto, and somehow he still had no clue what kind of vow the kid carried. Even the Third Hokage, peering through his crystal orb, leaned closer in curiosity.
"You really want to dig into someone else's business, huh…" Naruto muttered, giving Kakashi a look that could curdle milk.
Kakashi's grin didn't falter. "Now, now, it's just a promise. If it's not too secret, maybe we could even help out."
Sakura leaned in, curiosity sparkling. Sasuke only half-turned his head, pretending not to care—but the way his ear twitched gave him away.
Naruto smiled faintly. "There's nothing to hide. Honestly, I want the whole world to know this promise. I want everyone to witness it."
He stood up a little straighter.
"I promised… I'd protect Hinata."
The memory hit him like sunlight. That one moment—the words, the look in her eyes—it was enough to crush every wall between them. For him and Hinata both, it meant more than any confession. It wasn't romance. It was a vow, one that anchored him to something bigger than himself. Every time he thought of it, strength filled him again.
Kakashi watched, silent. That easy grin faded as he caught a glimpse of something deeper behind Naruto's smile—an echo of Minato, of the same calm fire that once lit the Fourth Hokage's face.
Even the Third Hokage's hand trembled slightly on his staff. "You've grown, Naruto," he murmured to the empty room. "Minato, you can rest easy now."
Naruto's voice rang out. "Let everyone hear it! I'll protect Hinata, no matter what!"
Kakashi blinked, then sighed, half-smiling under his mask. "Alright, next."
Sasuke crossed his arms. "Uchiha Sasuke. I don't like much. I hate a lot. Especially people who waste my time. Dreams are for idiots, so I don't have one. I've only got one goal—to restore my clan's honor… and kill a certain man. My interest? Beating Naruto."
If Naruto's words were sunlight, Sasuke's were ice. Sakura, of course, heard only the parts she wanted to. Her cheeks flushed, eyes turning into pink stars.
"He's so cool~~"
Kakashi's visible eye twitched. "Girls your age… love really is more dangerous than jutsu."
Then came Sakura's turn. "I'm Haruno Sakura! The person I like—uh, I mean, my dream—um… and the thing I hate is Ino! Interests… well…" Her eyes drifted straight to Sasuke, completely abandoning the rest of her sentence.
Kakashi sweatdropped. "Right. Love before ninjutsu. Got it."
He straightened. "Anyway, tomorrow we start a mission. One only the four of us can complete."
Naruto's eyebrow lifted. "Mission?"
"Wild survival exercise," Kakashi said, voice suddenly cold. "You'll face me. A Jōnin."
Sakura blinked. "But we've done plenty of those at the academy!"
Kakashi chuckled. "You think being a ninja's a school picnic? No. This isn't practice—it's survival. Only nine out of twenty-seven candidates will pass. The rest… go back to class."
Sakura froze. Sasuke frowned. Naruto just smirked—he already knew.
Kakashi's eye narrowed. "We meet at Training Ground Three tomorrow, 3 AM. One last thing—don't eat breakfast. Or you'll regret it."
And then—he was gone. No smoke, no sound, just gone.
Sakura and Sasuke exchanged nervous looks. Naruto stretched, already turning away.
"Well, looks like it'll be fun," he said. "Try not to stress too much. Kakashi-sensei's a troll, but the 66% thing's real. Oh, and don't bother showing up early."
His grin flickered mischievously.
"The Art of Flying Thunder God."
And in an instant—he vanished.