When the memories of Earth awakened, he was only three years old and had already been subjected to death training by the Root organization.
He didn’t know who his parents were nor why he was chosen by the master of Root. At such a young age, Danzo had already placed the Curse Seal of Absolute Obedience on him.
Three years had passed, and he had killed countless other equally innocent children…
He had lost count. Compared to those who could drive a kunai into your heart with a smile, these peers at the Ninja Academy really were just kids…
“Ino is so pretty, she doesn’t look like a kid at all!”
Yukigetsu didn’t answer directly. Instead, he put his hands in his pockets, squinted his eyes, and deliberately glanced at the girl’s modest chest.
“Pervert!”
Ino took a step back, gritting her teeth in anger, looking as if she wanted to bite him. But in the end, she restrained herself, looking adorably cute.
“You better start refining your chakra soon, or you won’t pass the graduation exam. I heard this time it’s the Three Basic Techniques.”
Yukigetsu laughed, “Chakra, huh? I’ll take care of it when I get back.”
“Alright, I’ll be going then.”
Ino nodded, reassured by his confidence. She waved her delicate hand, her golden ponytail swaying, and walked away gracefully.
“Oh, by the way.”
Ino paused, turned her head to look at Yukigetsu, and said, “If you’re not confident, Shikamaru, Choji, and I can beat up Sasuke for you. The three of us together should be able to injure him quite a bit.”
“Have some faith in me, alright?”
Yukigetsu pinched the bridge of his nose and rolled his eyes. She could come up with such an idea too.
“Hmph, ungrateful.”
Ino huffed. In the Ninja Academy, she rarely helped anyone, yet this guy always acted so annoying. Thinking of this, she stormed off in a huff.
Watching Ino’s charming figure disappear, Yukigetsu smiled and muttered to himself, “I wonder who this girl will marry in the future… I remember watching Naruto in my past life, but my memories of the future are so fragmented like they’ve been shattered. I can’t recall the details at all.”
He sighed, shook his head, and left.
…
The continent is divided into five nations, each controlled by a village. These five villages either ally or oppose each other, maintaining the balance of power in the Shinobi world.
Among the five villages, Konoha stands out in both strength and reputation. In addition to the Third Hokage, known as the “Professor of Ninjutsu,” Konoha boasts numerous renowned elite Jonin, including the famous Hatake Kakashi.
In the evening, at the Hatake household.
As Yukigetsu opened the door and stepped inside, the bustling noise outside faded away. He smiled slightly at the familiar silence of the house.
This was his home, and Kakashi was his only family.
After changing into casual clothes and geta, he leisurely prepared dinner. Soon, a sumptuous meal filled the low table.
Perfect dishes and dipping sauces—a feast for the senses. Yukigetsu nodded in satisfaction, set the table for two, and sat quietly, closing his eyes to rest.
Time passed slowly with the ticking of the clock until he heard a faint sound from the doorway.
Creak.
“Yo, I’m back.”
A figure with a forehead protector covering his left eye, dead-fish eyes, half his face masked, and white hair sticking out stepped in.
It was none other than Konoha’s elite Jonin, Hatake Kakashi.
“Ah, you’re back, Mr. Fifty-Fifty,” Yukigetsu said calmly, barely lifting his eyelids.
Kakashi stumbled, nearly hitting the doorframe.
Yukigetsu’s lips curled slightly. He called him “Mr. Fifty-Fifty” because he remembered from his past life that Kakashi, as a popular character, was known for being able to fight anyone but never decisively won or lost, always ending up in a draw…
Kakashi sighed, feeling exasperated by the nickname Yukigetsu had given him. He realized that hoping for Yukigetsu to call him “big brother” was a long way off.
“Let’s eat,” Yukigetsu said nonchalantly.
Swish!
The moment Kakashi took off his mask, he used the Body Flicker Technique to appear at the table, chopsticks in hand, eager to eat.
Yukigetsu twitched, “You don’t have to be so impatient…”
Ignoring him, Kakashi picked up a piece of salmon, dipped it in Yukigetsu’s special wasabi sauce, and quickly stuffed it into his mouth. His eyes narrowed in pleasure as he savored the taste.
After a moment, he smiled, “Can you feel the happiness of the first bite of salmon?”
This guy forgot that it was I who taught him about the happiness of the first bite of salmon.
Yukigetsu’s face darkened as he rolled his eyes, counting on his fingers, “Since you took me in, I’ve had to cook, clean, and do laundry every day…”
“Come on, Mr. Fifty-Fifty, tell me, am I happy?” He looked at Kakashi with a sidelong glance.
Kakashi scratched his head, embarrassed, “Ha, ha, ha, those are small matters, small matters… By the way, Yukigetsu, why do you always wear a mask like me?”
Yukigetsu expected this, pursed his lips, and said, “Your topic shift is too clumsy. But speaking of the mask…”
He touched his face, full of narcissism, “I’m just too handsome. It’s really frustrating.”
Kakashi: “…”
They continued eating.
“Kakashi… why did you arrange an engagement with Sakura Haruno for me back then?” Yukigetsu asked, feeling frustrated.
Kakashi didn’t even look up, casually saying, “Isn’t she one of the beauties in your school? Act first to secure your position.”
Yukigetsu’s face darkened.
“Or do you prefer that girl from the Yamanaka clan?”
Kakashi rubbed his chin, thinking, “Speaking of which, I do have a better relationship with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Should I cancel the engagement and arrange for another one?”
Yukigetsu: “…”
Finally, it was time for their nightly routine.
“Rock, paper, scissors!”
Kakashi triumphantly displayed his scissors hand in front of Yukigetsu, “I win, so you wash the dishes.”
Yukigetsu remained expressionless, coldly pointing at Kakashi’s exposed Sharingan, “Is this really fair?”
Kakashi ignored him and walked away.
“Believe it or not, I’ll stab you thirty-six times with kunai, ensuring none of them hit vital points,” Yukigetsu threatened, exasperated.
“Tch.” Kakashi scoffed, clearly not believing him.
He doesn’t believe it. In my past life, I argued with someone about Naruto, and we, both being medical students, got drunk and ended up fighting with surgical knives.
We both proved our medical skills: I stabbed him thirty-six times without hitting vital points, and he returned a single strike, perfectly placed to pierce my heart, neither too deep nor too shallow, ensuring death with precision.
Yukigetsu shook his head, thinking his reincarnation was bizarre. He wondered when he could demonstrate his thirty-six non-lethal stabs to Kakashi.
He sighed, shook his head, and began cleaning up.
At that moment, he heard Kakashi’s soft voice, “Yukigetsu…”
“Hmm?”
Yukigetsu looked up, puzzled, only to see Kakashi’s back.
“…When will you call me ‘big brother’?”
Yukigetsu froze. When he looked up again, Kakashi had disappeared…
…
Under the silent starlight and flickering lights, the night in Konoha was serene and enchanting.
On the balcony, the gentle breeze rustled their clothes, bringing a refreshing coolness.
Yukigetsu stood quietly.
“Why did you adopt me six years ago?”
Facing Kakashi, who had appeared beside him without warning, Yukigetsu showed no surprise and asked calmly.
“I came from Danzo’s hand and was cursed by him. Aren’t you afraid I might harm you?”
Before Kakashi could respond, Yukigetsu turned his head, gazing at the myriad lights, and said, “This couldn’t have been your decision alone. It must have been the Third Hokage’s order. Can I assume that the Hokage and Danzo conspired to control me, knowing I had a body like the First Hokage, capable of automatic recovery?”
Yukigetsu turned to face Kakashi, his eyes sharp, “But I couldn’t extract chakra and didn’t awaken the Wood Release, so Danzo abandoned me. Were you then sent by the Hokage to monitor me?”
With this statement, the atmosphere between them instantly froze, as if an invisible wall had risen between them.
At that moment, familial bonds retreated before duty.
Kakashi remained silent, gazing at the night sky. After a long while, he sighed, “Six years. You’ve wanted to say this for a long time. It must have been hard to hold it in until now.”
Yukigetsu’s eyes narrowed, “I never brought it up because I didn’t want to lose you.”
“Why bring it up now?”
Kakashi seemed to ponder, “Is it because you don’t want to hide it anymore?”
Yukigetsu said calmly, “I never hid anything. I was just accumulating strength.”
Kakashi looked puzzled but didn’t press further. Instead, he explained, “You’ve always thought like a Hokage since you were a child. I believe you understand what kind of person the Third Hokage is.”
Yukigetsu’s lip twitched. Thinking like a Hokage… any kid from the Heavenly Empire could do that easily. When Kakashi reported this to the Third Hokage, he was amazed and said that Yukigetsu thought like a Hokage.
Yukigetsu set aside those trivial thoughts, nodded, and redirected his gaze to the distance, “I must be related to the Senju clan. The Hokage is a disciple of the First and Second Hokage; he wouldn’t harm me. Plus, with the Senju clan gone and the Uchiha clan in ruins, if a Senju prodigy appeared, the Third would be thrilled. What I’ve experienced must be Danzo’s conspiracy…”
“Do you hate Danzo?” Kakashi frowned.
Yukigetsu chuckled, “Hate? How could I not!”
“Since the age of three, when my memory awakened, I knew there was a person who could decide my life or death easily. If he ordered me to kill, I had to kill. If he ordered me to fight, I had to fight. The Root was a hell for children…”
“So, you pretended you couldn’t extract chakra and didn’t display any Kekkei Genkai to escape Root?” Kakashi took a step forward, pressing him.
Yukigetsu paused slightly, then turned to meet his gaze, eyes sharp.
Kakashi continued, “When I told the Third Hokage about your uniqueness, he told me something, asking me to share it with you when the time was right…”
Yukigetsu’s eyes flickered.
“The Curse Seal of Absolute Obedience that Danzo placed on you isn’t unbreakable!”
“What!”
The railing creaked under Yukigetsu’s grip, an unconscious reaction to his excitement.
Seeing his reaction, Kakashi smiled. It seemed this bondage had troubled the boy for a long time.
He explained, “The Curse Seal consists of a Parent Mark and Child Marks. Root members are given Child Marks, while Danzo has the Parent Mark. When the Third Hokage found out, he had no reason to keep you but insisted on changing the seal…”
Yukigetsu frowned, and then his eyes widened, “So I have the Parent Mark?”
Kakashi nodded, “Yes, it’s an equal seal. When two Parent Marks coexist, the stronger one controls the weaker.”
Yukigetsu took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. After a moment, he said solemnly, “I will remember the Third Hokage’s kindness.”
Kakashi smiled with satisfaction.
When he learned this good news, Yukigetsu felt a significant weight lifted, like a mountain removed from his shoulders. Knowing Kakashi wasn’t conspiring with the Hokage to control him also eased his mind.
“The Third Hokage helped you out of genuine concern for Konoha…”
Yukigetsu sighed and nodded.
He continued, “Actually, I didn’t deliberately fail to extract chakra. It’s just that over the years, every time I tried, it would be absorbed by an unknown place…”
Kakashi’s expression changed, his tone serious, “What’s going on?”
Yukigetsu shrugged, “I think it’s because of a Kekkei Genkai.”
“A Kekkei Genkai?” Kakashi’s brows furrowed deeper. Then, with concern, he asked, “Is it Wood Release?”
Yukigetsu watched Kakashi’s reaction closely but maintained a calm tone, “No, it’s likely some kind of soul-related Kekkei Genkai. And I have a feeling I’ll awaken it tonight.”
Kakashi visibly relaxed, “That’s good… It shouldn’t attract Danzo’s attention as long as it’s not Wood Release. Until you surpass Danzo, you need to learn to hide yourself.”
Seeing Kakashi’s genuine concern warmed Yukigetsu’s heart. His expression softened, and he nodded, “I know. By the way, there’s something I’ve always been curious about.”
He turned, enjoying the cool night breeze, his tone finally lightening.
“What is it?” Kakashi asked, puzzled.
“Why did you name me Yukigetsu?”
Kakashi tilted his head, thinking, “When I was thinking of a name, I suddenly saw a scene in my mind: snowflakes falling all around, a bright moon shining like frost. I subconsciously said ‘Yukigetsu,’ and the vision vanished. Maybe it was fate.” He shrugged.
Yukigetsu looked at him in disbelief and exasperation. “Shouldn’t I at least have a surname, like Hatake Yukigetsu?”
Kakashi awkwardly scratched the back of his head, “I did consider it, but every time I thought of calling you Hatake Yukigetsu, I felt a sense of unease, like something bad would happen. So…”
Yukigetsu: “…”
After this heart-to-heart, the bonds between them grew stronger, and their relationship closer.
After a while, Kakashi, suddenly mischievous, put an arm around Yukigetsu’s shoulder, “Speaking of which, you seem unhappy with Sakura Haruno. So, tell me, who do you like? I’ll arrange the engagement for you!”
Yukigetsu rolled his eyes, “As if anyone would do.”
“I really believe there’s no one among the young generation in Konoha I can’t handle. Just name her.” Kakashi patted his chest confidently.
Yukigetsu sifted through his fragmented memories. Despite the chaos, he could still deduce some things. The most suitable wife seemed to be…
A mischievous smile curved his lips, “What if I said… Hinata Hyuga?”
Kakashi’s hand froze mid-pat, and he looked at the sky, feigning nonchalance, “Ah, the weather is nice tonight.”
Yukigetsu smirked but didn’t expose him. He muttered, “I wonder if I have any connection with Lady Tsunade…”
This regenerative ability likely comes from the Senju clan. The Senju clan disappeared long ago, and the only one who might be related is Tsunade. However, the age difference is too vast. Could she be my grandmother? Then who is my father?
Kakashi glanced at him, asking, “You seem to be fixated on your lineage?”
Yukigetsu shook his head, “It’s not about lineage. It’s just… being alone for so long makes me long for a family…”
An orphan in both lives, he deeply yearned for family bonds.
Kakashi fell silent for a while before saying, “You know about my father, right?”
Yukigetsu nodded, puzzled, “The White Fang of Konoha.”
Kakashi continued wistfully, “After my father passed away, everyone saw only another genius in Konoha but didn’t realize I, like you, just wanted a family…”
He turned and walked inside, his figure appearing a bit lonely.
“And now?” Yukigetsu asked, following him.
“Now, I already have a family…”
The breeze ruffled Yukigetsu’s hair as he watched Kakashi disappear into the house. His expression shifted, and after a long while, he muttered, “Me too… big brother.”
Around the corner, Kakashi paused slightly before continuing with a lazy gait, a warm smile playing on his lips that he couldn’t hide.
Even though darkness sometimes hides the light, Konoha remains warm and captivating under the glow of fire. — Yukigetsu —
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