"Captain?"
Hearing that voice, Natsuhiko subconsciously revealed a gentle smile and turned around to greet the speaker.
He had already recognized who it was. Even if he hadn't, he would still have maintained such courtesy—this had long since become a habit over the years.
However, the moment he turned around, his body stiffened slightly.
He suddenly remembered—
He was clearly on vacation right now.
So why was Kakashi still calling him "Captain"?
Natsuhiko felt a bit confused.
Uchiha Sora, who had been watching him train the whole time, was equally puzzled.
She immediately recognized who had arrived.
Hatake Kakashi.
Sora and Natsuhiko had been in the same class, and back then they had even shared a desk.
Kakashi had been the star of the class—a true genius.
There was probably no one who didn't know him.
Natsuhiko's class back then had actually been quite large.
In fact, every class in Konoha tended to have many students—
It was just that very few would go on to leave their names in Konoha's history.
In Natsuhiko's memory, during the original storyline era, Iruka's class had been lively as well.
Aside from the famous "Konoha 11," there had been many other unnamed students.
In truth, those students had also graduated and been assigned to teams.
They simply hadn't received the same treatment as the Konoha 11.
Natsuhiko had long noticed something—
Konoha essentially followed an elite selection system.
While still in the Ninja Academy, students were evaluated through various tests to determine their talent.
Of course, family background was also taken into consideration—
For example, whether they came from a major clan.
Once the village leadership identified those worth nurturing, those selected would face another round of testing—
An additional evaluation from their assigned jōnin instructor.
However, that test wasn't about strength.
Children from powerful clans who had already caught the attention of the higher-ups were far stronger than average graduates.
They already met the standards of genin.
So what was being assessed was their character and personality.
Only those who passed would become the village's valued "seeds," cultivated as key prospects.
If nothing unexpected happened, these children would grow into Konoha's future core forces.
The higher-ups might even select some for special grooming, preparing them to inherit positions of authority within the village.
As for those who were ordinary—
Or those born as civilian ninja—
Their situation was far harsher.
It wasn't that they had no opportunities.
They would still be assigned instructors.
But jōnin were scarce resources.
And these instructors would not give them the same detailed guidance provided to the carefully cultivated elites.
Their role was simply to help newly graduated genin adapt to the life of a ninja and understand various procedures.
At the same time, they would observe whether there were any overlooked talents.
If such a "hidden gem" was found, it would be reported upward for further cultivation.
If not, they would no longer pay special attention.
It could be said that 99% of civilian ninja were filtered out at this stage.
Especially during wartime.
When battles were most intense, civilian ninja might not even receive the chance to be evaluated before being sent straight to the battlefield.
In Natsuhiko's memory, his class had contained over fifty students.
Yet out of those fifty-plus people, he could only remember the names of a few.
As for what happened to the rest—
He didn't know.
Perhaps they died.
Or perhaps they simply never became famous, fading into obscurity beneath the brilliance of people like Naruto and the others.
Aside from Uchiha Sora's future—which he could roughly guess.
"Captain?"
Uchiha Sora looked at Kakashi in confusion.
She was extremely surprised by his appearance, as she had heard bits and pieces about what had happened to him.
After going through something so terrible, Kakashi must be in deep pain.
It was said that the current Kakashi was like solid ice—cold to an unbelievable degree.
No one could get close to him, not even his former friends.
But now, Sora found it strange.
Kakashi didn't seem as cold as rumored.
And just now—
He had called Natsuhiko "Captain"?
Wasn't Kakashi a genius?
He had graduated at five or six years old and gone straight to the battlefield, becoming a jōnin at an incredibly young age.
Someone that proud—
Why would he do that?
And even if Kakashi were to call someone "Captain," shouldn't it be the leader of his old team—
The current Fourth Hokage?
What exactly was going on?
Kakashi himself seemed to realize the situation was a bit awkward.
He clearly hadn't expected this either, and for a moment he fell silent.
"Kakashi, good morning."
Natsuhiko spoke with a faintly helpless smile.
"This is the first time I've seen you at a training ground. That's rare."
"Cap—Natsuhiko, morning."
Kakashi still seemed somewhat unaccustomed to calling him by name, but he quickly explained why he had come.
"It's the Hokage. He wants to see you."
"The Hokage?"
Natsuhiko paused.
Sora froze as well.
The Hokage wanted to see Natsuhiko?
Her expression grew even stranger.
She truly couldn't understand what was happening anymore.
Could it be—
That Natsuhiko wasn't just some ordinary ninja?
That he had achieved remarkable merit on the battlefield—
To the point where even a genius like Kakashi acknowledged him?
While Sora's mind ran wild with speculation, Natsuhiko's lips slowly curved into a faint smile.
It seemed that the things he had done—
Especially what he had said to Kakashi—
Had indeed produced significant results.
Although he didn't yet know what the Fourth Hokage would say or do upon meeting him, Natsuhiko was certain it wouldn't be a bad thing.
With that thought, he nodded seriously.
"I understand. Shall we go now?"
Kakashi immediately shook his head.
"No. Sensei said… in two days."
"In two days?"
Natsuhiko thought for a moment and quickly understood Minato's intention.
Two days later would be after his vacation ended.
As Hokage, Minato obviously wouldn't deprive his subordinates of their leave—especially since Anbu vacations were particularly precious.
After realizing this, Natsuhiko calmed his slightly impatient thoughts.
He had just encountered Root last night.
If he rushed to see the Hokage now, it could create unnecessary complications.
Natsuhiko quietly reflected on himself.
He suspected he had truly been dazzled by the Flying Thunder God technique.
The power he currently possessed was already respectable among ordinary ninja.
But when it came to top-tier strength, he was still lacking.
Especially with his shortcomings in chakra reserves—
He desperately wanted a superior technique, one that could also ensure his survival.
And clearly—
Flying Thunder God was the most suitable technique for him at this stage.
That his mindset had shifted slightly…
Was only natural.