Naruto: Hidden Hokage

"Take a break."

Sakumo Hatake sheathed his tanto and stepped back.

Kakashi Hatake flopped onto the ground, panting heavily and completely unbothered about maintaining appearances.

Every sparring session with his father felt like navigating a battlefield of nightmares.

Even as a genius among geniuses, Kakashi was still no match for the renowned Konoha's White Fang, a figure feared across the ninja world.

"Is that one of your classmates?" Sakumo asked, glancing at Yorin, who was running laps nearby.

"Yeah," Kakashi replied between breaths. "His name's Yorin. His Genjutsu talent is decent."

"Just Genjutsu?" Sakumo raised an eyebrow.

"Did you notice something?" Kakashi asked, startled.

He knew his father had an uncanny ability to see through people, a skill that had rarely been wrong.

"His stamina's impressive," Sakumo said thoughtfully. "And he carries himself with the same quiet confidence you do."

"He beat Asuma recently; it's no surprise he's confident," Kakashi said nonchalantly.

"Ah, that explains it," Sakumo chuckled. "Still, he might become a worthy rival for you someday."

"He won't," Kakashi retorted immediately.

He wasn't like Asuma Sarutobi—there was no way he'd fall for something like Genjutsu so easily.

Sakumo didn't press further, knowing full well the pride that came with being a young prodigy.

To Kakashi, his classmates were no match, and Sakumo couldn't blame him. At this stage, Kakashi was indeed in a league of his own.

As Yorin finally came to a halt, wiping sweat from his brow, he mentally calculated his time. Thanks to Sturdy Physique, he had pushed himself for an extra thirty minutes compared to before.

Meanwhile, the father-and-son duo had left without him noticing.

Yorin didn't linger long at the training ground either, heading home to rest after his exercise.

The week passed in a blur of routine.

For seven days straight, Yorin focused on two things: running laps at the Fourth Training Ground and practicing Ninja Tool Throwing in the small grove near his house.

On Sunday morning, Yorin rose early, jogging back to the training ground with quiet determination.

After warming up, he began his run, keeping a steady pace.

Soon after, the familiar duo of Kakashi and Sakumo arrived. Both had grown used to Yorin's presence, and the three naturally carried on with their respective training.

"Hmm?" Sakumo raised an eyebrow, noticing a subtle change in Yorin's rhythm.

The boy had sped up, increasing his pace by roughly ten percent.

Was he sprinting? No, his breathing remained steady and controlled.

Sakumo's sharp eyes gleamed.

It wasn't just a burst of effort—this was a breakthrough.

"Kakashi," Sakumo said, intrigued. "I might've been right—he could become a true rival for you."

Yorin's current speed now matched that of a typical Genin.

But what truly stood out wasn't his speed itself—it was the rapid rate of improvement.

"The term's almost over. I'll defeat Yorin during the finals and apply for early graduation," Kakashi declared, the competitive spark in his eyes reignited by his father's words.

"I look forward to it," Sakumo replied, smiling. "I'll make sure to attend your match."

"You won't be disappointed," Kakashi said confidently, gripping his tanto as they began their training session.

An hour later, Yorin slowed to a stop, exhaling deeply.

[E-Rank Talent: Swift Strides (Acquired)]

Condition: Reach the maximum speed of a standard Genin.

Effect: Increases foot strength by 10%.

He had just confirmed the effect of the new talent. While "foot strength" mainly referred to speed, it also provided a subtle boost to power.

Though the improvement was modest, every bit of growth was significant for someone like Yorin.

Feeling satisfied, he turned his focus to the other tasks he was working on.

E-Rank Talent: Academic Prodigy: Achieve first place in the upcoming theoretical exam.

E-Rank Talent: Seven Ninja Tools: So far, he had mastered four: shuriken, kunai, senbon, and the fūma shuriken.

D-Rank Talent: Medical Ninja: This remained the most challenging due to its sheer complexity.

The medical books alone were enough to make Yorin's head spin. But he refused to give up—Tsunade's mentorship was a goal worth chasing.

After finishing his training, Yorin headed home. As he opened the door, the sight of Kurenai greeted him.

Click.

The cabinet beside him suddenly shifted.

Genjutsu: Release!

Yorin disrupted his chakra flow, instantly dispelling the illusion.

"How?" Kurenai asked, stunned.

"Ambushes won't work on me," Yorin said, ruffling her hair.

"How did you see through it?" Kurenai asked, ignoring the gesture in favor of understanding her mistake.

"Your illusion lacked detail," Yorin explained casually.

Creating convincing Genjutsu was similar to crafting a detailed video game—anything less than seamless could shatter the immersion.

"Now, I need a shower," Yorin said, slipping off his shoes. "I'll help you with Genjutsu afterward."

"Fine," Kurenai muttered, already pondering how to refine her technique.

Fresh from the bath, Yorin sighed in contentment, the heat soothing his muscles.

"You smell nice," Kurenai remarked offhandedly, sniffing the air.

Yorin nearly stumbled.

"Blow dryer," he said, pointing.

"Why don't you get it yourself?" Kurenai asked, crossing her arms.

If this kept up, forget being a big sister figure—she'd end up as his assistant!

"It's the price for your Genjutsu lessons," Yorin teased, grinning.

"…"

Kurenai huffed, reluctantly fetching the dryer before shoving it into his hands.

"Don't expect me to dry your hair!" she declared.

"I never asked," Yorin said, chuckling as he turned it on.

"Argh!" Kurenai glared at him, her ruby-red eyes shining with annoyance.

Once his hair was dry, Yorin grabbed a lollipop from his pocket.

"Here," he said, offering it to her.

Kurenai eyed the candy but remembered his earlier antics and turned her head away.

"I don't want it!"

"Really?" Yorin peeled the wrapper and moved to eat it himself.

"Hey!" Kurenai yelped, snatching it midair.

"Let's go," Yorin said, leading her outside. "I'll teach you some new tricks."

Kurenai followed, her steps lighter as a small smile graced her lips.