Chapter 623

Chapter 623: Memories of the Melancholic Past

Hokage Building.

After returning to the Hokage Building, Elder Hiruzen sat in his office and thought about the situation that got stranger the more he thought about it…

The part that confused him most was the strength that Hyuga Kuroto showed today, it was higher than the former Hokage’s previous assumptions. Sarutobi Hiruzen assumed Hyuga Kuroto to be an elite Jonin level, however, Hyuga Kuroto clearly surpasses that level…

After thinking about it for a while, Elder Hiruzen called Hatake Kakashi to his office.

As Kakashi entered the new office of the former Hokage, he took off his new Anbu mask and asked Elder Hiruzen, “Sandaime-sama, is there a mission for me?”

Unlike Kuroto, Shisui, as well as several other captains of the Anbu, Kakashi is still part of the Anbu department… The reason he wasn’t excommunicated from the Anbu is that he has learned the Flying Thunder God Technique similar to Konoha’s Yellow Flash, and as such, he was highly valued by Danzo.

Sandaime Hokage shook his head, and said, “No, there is no mission… I just wanted to ask a few questions…” then, he pondered for a moment, and asked, “You and Hyuga Kuroto are from the same generation, even the short time you stayed in the academy, the two of you were in the same year and class, at the same time, the two of you were part of the team – 11 for quite a few years… Tell me our opinions of him.”

“Kuroto?” Kakashi mumbled, then said, “Kuroto… he is very responsible and trustworthy… I don’t know much about him during our time at the academy as I didn’t have much contact with him, but when we were part of Team-11, we got along very well. Although he didn’t speak much, it can be said that he was the brains of team-11… And with him around, almost all of our missions would go extremely smoothly and unhindered without anything unexpected happening…”

Sandaime nodded with a thoughtful expression, then asked again, “And what his strength? How strong is he in our opinion?”

Kakashi didn’t even need to think about it and immediately replied, “Extremely strong… I have never been able to defeat him when we were in team-11, in fact, even now, after I have mastered, I don’t really think that defeating him is possible… basically, we are on the same level, probably…”

“Is that so?” When the former Hokage heard such an answer from Kakashi, his brows tightened in an unexpected expression…

The disciple of Konoha’s Yellow Flash and son of Konoha’s White Fang, Kakashi’s talent and strength are unquestionable… he became Chunin at six, and Jonin at twelve, and recently Kakashi has also learned the Flying Thunder God Technique, and only needs to become better at it and integrate its use in his fighting style.

So, it can be said that among the young generation of Shinobis, Kakashi should be the second most talented and strongest, the first rank obviously goes to Uchiha Shisui who has reached the Super Kage level at such a young age, but Kakashi should be the second rank… And Kakashi is also the candidate Sarutobi has been planning to train for the position of Konoha’s next Hokage…

However, just today Hiruzen realized that that’s not the case… Hyuga Kuroto who is the disciple of Orochimaru is equally, if not stronger than the current Kakashi…

‘Well, I suppose, making him the Principal of the Ninja Academy was really a very good decision… let’s see how he performs there…’ thought the former Hokage with a thoughtful expression on his face.

…

On Kuroto’s side.

Unaware of Sandaime Hokage’s thoughts, and his discussion with Kakashi, Kuroto was on his way to the Ninja Academy, accompanying him is his lover and fiancé, Hyuga Yui.

Yui lifted Kuroto’s hand, and after putting it over her shoulders, she asked lightly, “Say Kuroto-kun, when did you become so strong?”

Kuroto tightened his grip over her shoulder and replied with a smile, “I have always been extremely strong, it’s just that I don’t show it openly… Think about it, if I didn’t have the necessary strength, how could I have become the leader of the most elite Anbu team?”

Yui nodded lightly, “I suppose that’s true… To become the captain of Team-Ro, you must have had the necessary qualifications… but it was still very surprising to see your strength today, you are much stronger than I had expected.”

Kuroto explained, “The casualty rate of Anbu is so high, the fact I can survive for so long without getting injured, it’s definitely not just luck…”

“Yes… you are right.” Yui nodded, then said, “That’s why I feel relieved now that you have left the Anbu department.”

Kuroto shook his head, and said helplessly, “Well, now I am the Principal of the Ninja Academy, so, you don’t have to worry about my life being in danger… We can live a stable life now…”

“Mm-hmm.” Yui nodded then put her head on Kuroto’s shoulder as the two slowly walked through the streets of Konoha and made their way towards Konoha’s Ninja Academy.

It didn’t take the two very long to arrive at the newly built Ninja Academy. From the look of the new building, it can be seen that the village had spent quite heavily while rebuilding the Ninja Academy.

The new Ninja Academy is several times bigger compared to the previous size, its position is the same, near the center of the village, near the center of the Village, and considering that the children attending the academy are the future of Konoha, it is heavily secured from all sides.

While walking on the playground of the academy, Yui covered her mouth and chuckled, “I never imagined that one day you will become the Principal of the Ninja Academy.”

Kuroto looked at the new campus and said with a nostalgic expression, “To be honest, I hadn’t expected it either… so, I was also quite surprised when Sandaime-sama assigned me the position of the Principal of the Ninja Academy.”

Yui smiled… regardless of whether they had expected it or not, the fact that Kuroto got this position is very good news.

At this time, as if she remembered something, her expression became nostalgic and melancholic and she spoke, “Kuroto-kun, do you remember our academy days?”

“Sort of…” Kuroto replied vaguely…

Yui said, “Do you remember that practical test in our first year? We had to catch the enemy spy who had infiltrated the village… Kakashi-san became the enemy spy while the rest of our class tried to catch him… at that time you also tried to catch Kakashi-san?”

Kuroto was embarrassed upon being reminded of those days, and pretended to not remember them, “Uh, did something like that happen? I don’t remember it at all…”

Yui giggled upon seeing Kuroto’s embarrassment, then said, “Even if you don’t remember it, I do, quite clearly in fact, most of our class was killed (defeated) by Kakashi-san alone… at the end, only you, Asuma-san, Guy-san, and Obito-san were left… The four of you tried to work together and catch Kakashi-san, meanwhile, I, Rin, Kurenai, and Shizune were cheering for the four of you… but, even when the four of you worked together, Kakashi-san still defeated you all…

And not long after that… Kakashi-san took the graduation test… then a few years later we all also graduated, and since then…… everything changed…”

As she said so, several painful memories were evoked… death of several friends in the third great shinobi war…

Kuroto obviously understood this, he lightly squeezed her hand to take her out of those depressing thoughts, and said, “We were all Shinobi, and we were all prepared to die the moment we became part of the war. Casualties are inevitable, people will die one day this is an unchangeable fact… don’t let it bother you.”

Yui retracted her thoughts and nodded, “Hmmm… death is inevitable… everyone will pass away at some point in their life.”

As Yui muttered Kuroto also looked at the faint moon in the day sky…

Of course, death is inevitable, but at the same time, it is not inevitable if one manages to escape the cycle of life and death…

The woman sealed on the moon is the direct proof of this conjecture, she who ate the fruit of the God Tree escaped the bounds of this Karmic cycle.

If Kuroto succeeds in his Project Godhood, then he too will escape the cycle of life and death…

But that is a dream far away… and Kuroto will have to work for it.

Kuroto and Yui silently walked and after passing through the playground, they left the school and proceeded in the direction of the Konoha Hospital, Kuroto dropped Yui at the hospital, then he quickly came back to the Ninja Academy.