Training Ground Nine was quiet that morning—mist clinging to the edges of tree trunks, dew hanging like glass on blades of grass. Ayanokoji arrived alone, as usual.
But this time, Kakashi was already there, waiting.
He wasn't reading.
"Early?" Ayanokoji asked.
"I make exceptions," Kakashi replied, his eye curving with amusement. "Especially when I'm working with someone who doesn't waste time."
Ayanokoji stood opposite him, arms behind his back. "Then let's not waste any today either."
Kakashi chuckled. "Fair enough."
---
### Elemental Affinity Testing
That day's lesson wasn't physical.
Kakashi knelt beside a wooden stump and pulled out a crisp, rectangular slip of paper.
"This," he said, holding it up, "is chakra paper. It reacts to your chakra and reveals your elemental nature."
"I've read about it," Ayanokoji said.
"Of course you have," Kakashi muttered. "Go ahead. Push your chakra into it slowly."
Ayanokoji took the paper, and for the first time in years, he hesitated.
Not out of fear—but out of anticipation.
He fed a thin, controlled stream of chakra into the slip.
The reaction was immediate.
The paper **crinkled**, then **split in two**, **dampened**, and the two halves **crumbled into dust** before his eyes.
Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly.
"…Four?"
Ayanokoji nodded, as calm as ever. "Wind, Lightning, Water, and Earth."
"That's… not supposed to happen," Kakashi muttered. "Most people are lucky to have two by adulthood."
"I was tested in the White Room," Ayanokoji said. "But they only confirmed wind and lightning. I developed the others over time."
Kakashi stared at him for a long moment, then finally exhaled. "I knew you were sharp. But you're not just smart. You're gifted."
"I'm neither," Ayanokoji said. "I was conditioned."
Kakashi gave him a sideways look. "You're too young to talk like an old war veteran."
"And yet, you understand exactly what I mean."
They stood in silence for a few moments—two weapons shaped by systems, though one had begun to rust and read romance novels, while the other was still being sharpened.
---
### Afternoon Break — Ramen Stand by the River
Kakashi treated Ayanokoji to a quiet meal at a small stand, away from Ichiraku, where students rarely went.
"I figured you don't like crowds," Kakashi said, setting down a steaming bowl.
"I don't like being watched," Ayanokoji corrected.
Kakashi didn't argue.
As they ate, Kakashi offered him another orange book—*Icha Icha Tactics*, its cover slightly worn.
"This one's a masterpiece," Kakashi said with reverence. "He introduces a kunoichi with psychological trauma and uses a battle spa scene as therapy. Genius."
Ayanokoji flipped through it between bites. "He builds character conflict around desires and denial. Every 'lewd' moment is a metaphor."
Kakashi beamed. "Exactly!"
For the first time, Ayanokoji relaxed. Just a bit.
---
### Evening – A Lesson Beneath the Trees
"Elemental mastery isn't just about power," Kakashi said. He stood in a clearing with Ayanokoji, who now had strips of cloth tied to his arms and ankles, fluttering in the wind.
"It's about control, patience, adaptation. Nature is violent, yes—but it's also still. Observe before you act."
Ayanokoji knelt, placed his palms on the ground, and drew in breath.
Wind: a subtle breeze curled around him.
Lightning: his fingers tingled with static.
Water: the nearby puddle rippled in harmony.
Earth: the ground beneath him seemed to respond to his presence.
Kakashi narrowed his eye.
"This is like watching someone play shogi against nature… and win."
Ayanokoji opened his eyes. "Each element has a language. You don't shout to command it. You listen first."
Kakashi nodded slowly. "Shikaku would be proud."
"…He's not."
Kakashi didn't respond to that. He simply walked forward and tossed a kunai at Ayanokoji, fast and sudden.
The boy leaned slightly—barely an inch—and it missed by a hair.
"You weren't supposed to dodge that," Kakashi said.
"I knew you wouldn't aim to kill."
"Smartass," Kakashi muttered.
---
### That Night – Under Moonlight
Kakashi walked him home. As they neared the compound, he asked, "Do you ever want to take a break?"
"From what?"
"From being better than everyone."
Ayanokoji stopped.
"No one is better. Only more efficient."
Kakashi shook his head. "You need friends."
"I need results."
"Someday," Kakashi said quietly, "you'll find something worth protecting. And it won't be efficiency that saves it."
They stood in silence.
Then Ayanokoji gave a slight nod. "Perhaps. Someday."
---