Unfortunately, the two who arrived on time were destined to waste their time and wait on an empty stomach at the training ground, just like in the original story. The appointed hour of five o’clock passed, and not only did their Jonin instructor, Hatake Kakashi, fail to show up, but their teammate Naruto Uzumaki was also absent. As time continued to slip away:
Six o’clock.
Seven o’clock.
Eight o’clock.
Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha, who had been waiting on empty stomachs at the second training ground, still hadn’t seen any sign of Naruto or Kakashi.
Outwardly, Sakura maintained her obedient, well-behaved appearance, but internally, she had been cursing for over an hour.
Not only did she vent her frustration at Kakashi for being late again, but she also directed her ire at Naruto.
“Being late yesterday was one thing, but why are you late again today? It was supposed to be five o’clock, and now it’s eight! And it’s not just Kakashi-sensei; why isn’t Naruto here either? Could something have happened? No, that’s impossible, right?”
Almost disoriented from hunger and fatigue, Sakura began to feel her sanity slipping.
Even Sasuke, who had been calmly resting against a tree with his eyes closed, grew increasingly impatient as the hours ticked by. By nine o’clock, with no sign of Naruto or Kakashi, his annoyance turned to confusion.
This defied logic.
They were supposed to meet at five in the morning.
Now it was nine.
A four-hour delay was inexplicable.
“Could it be that Naruto wasn’t joking yesterday?”
Only now did Sasuke and Sakura recall Naruto’s parting words the previous day.
Considering this possibility, both Sasuke and Sakura’s expressions shifted. Sasuke’s lip twitched slightly. He had woken up before four to wash and prepare his gear to be on time. If Naruto had been serious, this meant they had wasted four hours—possibly more—waiting here like fools.
This realization darkened Sasuke’s expression.
Wasting time was one thing, but being treated like a fool was unacceptable for someone as proud (or arrogant) as Sasuke Uchiha. He couldn’t vent his frustration and had to stay here, waiting for Kakashi and Naruto. This mix of emotions left Sasuke feeling stifled and irritable.
As time continued to pass, at around ten o’clock, Naruto finally appeared in their field of vision. Clad in his usual orange outfit (he couldn’t afford other clothes), he wore a gentle smile. Seeing Naruto, both Sasuke and Sakura felt a slight sense of relief, although they didn’t realize it. If no one had shown up, they would have seriously questioned everything.
Facing Sakura’s aggrieved expression and Sasuke’s slightly darkened face, Naruto raised his eyebrows and greeted them.
“Yo, Sasuke, Sakura, good morning!”
“It’s not morning anymore, Naruto! It’s already ten o’clock! You’re five hours late!” Sakura shouted, trying to control her frustration but failing. Her half-controlled, half-crazy expression was jarring. Seeing this, Naruto almost laughed but managed to hold it back, unsure how Sakura would react if he did.
“Huh? Five hours? You two actually arrived at five? No way.”
Naruto knew the answer but couldn’t resist asking. He had reminded them yesterday. They should have asked around the village if they didn’t believe him. Kakashi was a well-known figure in Konoha, especially for certain personality traits.
But seeing their reactions, it was clear they thought he was joking and came at five as instructed.
Naruto widened his eyes in mock surprise, looking at Sakura and Sasuke.
Both Sakura and Sasuke felt a wave of embarrassment. Sakura’s face turned awkward, and Sasuke’s already dark expression became even more so.
“Well, it’s not that… I mean…” Sakura began, trying to find the right words.
“Why did you say it was better to arrive late yesterday?” Sasuke interrupted, his voice cold and emotionless.
Naruto remained unfazed, used to Sasuke’s demeanor.
“Oh, that? Because Kakashi-sensei is quite famous in our village. In many ways, as a Jonin, he’s among the best. But in terms of personality, he’s also known for certain traits, especially being late. Many people in the village know this. Yesterday, I realized his tardiness was normal. For non-urgent matters like our meeting or today’s exercise, he can be early, late, or even rescheduled. Kakashi-sensei will always be late by at least a couple of hours. This isn’t a well-known fact, but if you pay attention, you’ll know. After all, Kakashi-sensei isn’t a first-time team leader.”
Naruto casually explained while setting down his backpack.
There was no deception in his words; Kakashi indeed had this kind of “fame” in the village, including but not limited to being late, reading “Icha Icha Paradise,” and having multiple unsuccessful teams leads before this.
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