Naruto Uzumaki stared at the object in his hands.
It felt heavy, sinking slightly in his grip. When he unfolded it, it revealed a metallic sheen.
Squinting at this piece of "equipment," he asked with uncertainty, "Boss... isn't this... underwear? I mean, it's made of iron, but the shape is definitely underwear!"
Musashi nodded solemnly. "That's right, Naruto. Morphologically speaking, these are indeed briefs."
Naruto: "..."
Musashi continued, "But it's not just that."
"You know, as a ninja, you will inevitably face dangerous missions."
"Facing cunning enemies and powerful Taijutsu or Ninjutsu, a qualified ninja must prioritize self-protection."
"Don't look down on this equipment just because it looks simple. It uses the latest lightweight alloy materials."
"Not only does it offer excellent protection, but it's also lightweight, ergonomically designed, and silent—no metal friction noise."
"Wearing it won't hinder your movement, and it provides you with comprehensive protection for your most vital areas."
"What do you think, Naruto?"
Listening to Musashi's explanation, Naruto's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
The shiny equipment before him suddenly seemed much more appealing.
"Boss! Thank you so much! But how come I've never seen this in the ninja tool shop? Is it a new arrival?"
"Something like that," Musashi mumbled vaguely.
It's a new arrival at the adult novelty store.
Watching Naruto carefully examine the 'new gear' in his hands, Musashi felt the scene was a bit too hard on the eyes.
"Alright, go back now. Get some rest early so you have the energy to handle the assessment tomorrow."
"Okay, Boss, I'm heading back!" Naruto left in high spirits.
Watching his retreating figure, Musashi sighed softly in his heart.
Recently, Kakashi Hatake's depressed and withdrawn personality still hadn't improved.
Even though he and Might Guy tried their best to influence him, they hadn't been able to bring about much change.
Since leaving the Anbu, their chances to meet had become even fewer.
As a comrade of the village and Guy's good friend, it was only right to prepare some small "surprises" in life for him.
Surely, once he realized Musashi's good intentions, he would be deeply moved.
---
Meanwhile.
At the Hatake Residence.
Kakashi Hatake hadn't slept yet either. He stared at the ceiling, motionless.
He was also thinking about the team placement assessment tomorrow.
After retiring from the Anbu, Hiruzen Sarutobi had assigned him to be a Jonin instructor.
But for a long time now, he hadn't passed a single team.
Every student had been stamped with "Fail" and sent back to the Academy.
This time, however, was different.
During the day, Hiruzen Sarutobi had personally taken him to observe the students' homes.
Sakura Haruno, a civilian ninja, wasn't much to speak of.
But the other two were anything but ordinary.
Sasuke Uchiha, the last survivor of the Uchiha clan.
Bearing the Uchiha name, his importance to the village was worlds apart from a civilian ninja.
Especially considering what happened a few years ago.
If everything went smoothly, fine. But if he led Sasuke astray, it would cause a massive uproar in the village.
The other one, Naruto Uzumaki.
The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
As a direct subordinate of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and given his Anbu service record, Kakashi's loyalty wasn't in question.
But Naruto wasn't just a Jinchuriki.
He was also the orphaned son of his teacher, Minato.
"If his performance tomorrow doesn't meet my standards, what should I do?"
Kakashi asked himself.
Images of Obito and his teacher flashed before his eyes.
If he sent Naruto back to the Academy, would his teacher blame him from the afterlife for being too heartless?
If he reluctantly passed him...
He remembered what Obito had told him.
Those who break the rules are scum.
But those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum!
A moment later, his gaze turned cold and determined again.
"Unless they meet my requirements, it doesn't matter who they are!"
"Cherishing comrades... that is the Ninja Way I believe in."
---
It felt like suddenly slipping in the sky, with nothing but emptiness and vastness below—tension and thrill accompanied by a strong heart palpitation.
The sudden accident sent the mind sliding into an abyss, the brain crashing, capable only of displaying a string of question marks like corrupted code.
A thunderous noise exploded in the mind. From then on, no other sound or image existed in the world, save for the face frozen before hawk-sharp eyes.
In the classroom, a boy squatting on the desk and a boy sitting in his chair stared into each other's eyes.
Smooch.
A distinctive sound.
In the classroom where you could hear a pin drop, it was exceptionally clear.
The newly graduated boys and girls stared dumbfounded at the scene before them. Most of their brains had stopped processing.
KACHA!
The sound of a camera shutter snapped everyone out of their daze.
It also woke up the parties involved.
"Blargh!~"
"Cough, cough! Blargh~"
Naruto and Sasuke separated, both retching violently.
For a moment, neither had any desire to speak.
"Ka... Karin! Why do you have a camera?!" Ino Yamanaka pointed at the camera in Karin's hands, stunned.
Karin shook the camera in her hand.
"Oh, you mean this?"
"Big Brother gave it to me this morning. He said graduating from the Academy is a memorable day, so I should bring a camera to record some daily life moments worth remembering."
As she spoke, she looked at the camera and nodded with satisfaction. "I didn't think much of it at first, but suddenly, I realize he made a very good point."
Ino Yamanaka: "..."