Getting caught using a Shadow Clone to attend class in her place had its downsides—but also some unexpected benefits.
The downside? Rin had now fallen onto the Hokage faction's radar. From now on, she'd need to be far more cautious in her actions.
The upside? She could now display her abilities openly and gain access to more resources.
Like a dedicated chūnin instructor, for example.
But when Rin saw who the Third Hokage had assigned as her mentor, she couldn't help but complain inwardly.
Seriously? Him?
The morning mist still lingered over Training Ground Three. Rin stood silently, eyes on the wooden posts marked with varying depths of blade scars. Her fingers brushed lightly over the hilt of the short blade at her waist.
From the distance came the rustle of grass—and then, like a ghost stepping out from between the shadows, a white-haired boy with a masked face emerged beneath the trees.
"Hatake Kakashi."
His voice carried a metallic chill, his eyes indifferent.
"The Hokage ordered me to teach you taijutsu."
This was the third year after the suicide of Kakashi's father, Sakumo Hatake. Although the ten-year-old boy hadn't yet experienced the tragedy at Kannabi Bridge, his eyes already held a maturity far beyond his age—a lifeless, heavy gaze.
"Let's begin."
Without another word, Kakashi suddenly flung three shuriken—cutting off all her escape routes.
It wasn't a greeting. It wasn't an instruction.
It was an ambush.
Caught off guard, Rin ducked and rolled, but her training uniform was still slashed in three places. Before she could even regain her footing, a kunai was pressed against her throat.
"Too slow."
"Is this a lesson or an assassination?" Rin batted away the blade, drew her own short sword, and struck back.
Kakashi's pupils contracted. Rin's blade traced a strange, unpredictable arc that completely closed off the space around him. The sharp clang of metal echoed like rain in the clearing as their figures crossed and blurred in the morning light.
When Rin's blade swept toward his knee for the third time, Kakashi finally took a half-step back.
He stared at the redness forming on Rin's hand from the impact.
"Your sword style is a mess."
"Sounds like you know a lot about that," Rin shot back, shaking out her numb wrist.
Kakashi's mask twitched—perhaps in a silent scoff.
Suddenly, he spun, kicking up dust into the air. As Rin narrowed her eyes against the grit, he lunged forward. But just as his kunai was about to graze her collar, he froze—
Rin's foot was pressed lightly against the tendon of his lower leg.
She gave a smug chuckle and released the pressure.
Kakashi quickly withdrew his blade, and the two leapt apart.
"Not bad," he muttered coolly, though a glimmer of surprise flickered in his eyes.
He hadn't expected such skill from a petite girl—especially not in close combat. While it was true he was holding back, for someone her age, she was impressive.
Rin flexed her fingers and locked her eyes on him again.
"Again!"
Kakashi didn't hesitate. The battle resumed with blades flashing and footsteps thundering. The atmosphere grew more and more intense.
As time passed, Rin began adjusting to Kakashi's rhythm, searching for moments to strike back.
Suddenly, she spotted an opening. She lunged forward, her blade flashing like lightning toward Kakashi's shoulder. He dodged, and she spun, kicking at his waist.
Kakashi staggered but barely evaded the blow. Regaining his balance, he looked at her with a new level of seriousness.
"Your taijutsu is good. In that case… I'll stop holding back."
"Bring it on!"
The setting sun cast long shadows behind the wooden posts. Rin's blade embedded itself deep into a tree trunk, while Kakashi's kunai narrowly missed her temple and instead sheared off a lock of hair.
The two of them stood breathless across the scarred training ground, sweat dripping onto the dirt, darkening it with every drop.
"We'll stop here today."
Kakashi began picking up his scattered kunai.
Rin collapsed at the base of a tree, too drained to speak. She watched as the white-haired boy pulled out a roll of bandages from his pouch.
Only when Kakashi tossed a jar of ointment at her did she realize blood was dripping from a cut on her left arm.
"The Hokage said training's every Wednesday. Don't come tomorrow."
He spoke flatly, not even glancing back as he wiped his kunai clean.
"Okay."
The Third Hokage had said so from the start, and Rin didn't mind. Today's session had already been intense enough. Though she had held back her
'Sange no Mai' and 'Gutsuei Shunpo' techniques, her control during combat had slipped—bits of Uchiha swordplay had crept into her movements. Hopefully Kakashi hadn't noticed.
After Rin disappeared around the corner, Kakashi formed a hand seal.
The birds on the treetops scattered in a rush of wings.
A masked ninja in ANBU gear dropped down in front of him.
"Kakashi. Here's the training report the Hokage requested."
Rin had no idea they were being watched the entire time.
The ink on the scroll was still drying—full of detailed records documenting how she countered Kakashi's moves again and again. Kakashi stared off in the direction Rin had gone without saying a word.
---
The Hokage's office lights remained on deep into the night.
The Third Hokage was busy as always, but still made time to check in—especially when it came to Kakashi. He was Sakumo's son after all, and one of Konoha's brightest talents.
Sarutobi stared into the crystal ball, smoke from his pipe curling like tendrils over the scrolls. When he saw Rin biting a bandage to wrap her own arm, the lines around his eyes twitched faintly. He then looked toward Kakashi in the image.
"Just like Sakumo…" he murmured, fingers brushing the flame motif on his pipe.
"It's a shame, really. Sakumo… you weren't suited to be Hokage, yet your reputation was too great… Ah—"
Three knocks sounded on the door.
Kakashi entered, bringing the scent of dew with him.
Sarutobi waved a hand, dismissing the image in the crystal ball, and replaced it with a warm, grandfatherly smile.
"Thank you, Kakashi. How's the girl?"
"Good taijutsu aptitude," Kakashi reported, as if reading from a mission brief.
"But her sword style is chaotic. Likely hasn't received formal training."
He paused.
"Still, some of her techniques resemble Uchiha swordplay."
Sarutobi's pipe froze mid-air.
A crow cried out beyond the window. An ANBU operative silently placed a new intel scroll on the corner of the desk. The edge of the scroll revealed a name—
Uchiha Shisui.
The truth was, Rin was still too naïve. In Konoha, if the Hokage wanted to investigate something, there was no way he wouldn't find out.
She often spoke of the hardships of her past life, but at least it had been safe. That safety had bred a certain immaturity.
"Continue monitoring."
Sarutobi packed fresh tobacco into his pipe.
"Next week, take her on a C-rank mission."
Kakashi's dull eyes flickered.
"She's still a student."
"Which is why it's only C-rank. Her safety will be your responsibility."
Sarutobi smiled deeper.
"Also, there will be new graduates next month. I plan to form a new team..."
He paused deliberately.
"And I want Minato to be their jōnin leader."
After Kakashi left, Sarutobi unrolled the latest ANBU report.
Beneath the entry "Suspected Kekkei Genkai Awakening" was a sketched petal split in half by a blade. Sarutobi circled the word "Uchiha" in red and scrawled beside it:
"High Priority Surveillance."
---
That night, moonlight fell softly across the family photo on Rin's nightstand. Her short blade, now carefully hidden in the deepest compartment of her wardrobe, reflected none of the light.
In the photo, Kenichi was holding a three-year-old Rin, the Forest of Death lush and green behind them.
"Well, nothing ever goes exactly how you want," she murmured.
"We'll see how it plays out."
---
The next day, Rin made a rare appearance at the Ninja Academy in person—she figured she could use the rest.
At the same time, in the Hokage's office, Namikaze Minato unfurled a freshly written team list in front of the Third Hokage.
When he saw "Kakashi" and "Uchiha Obito" listed side by side, his brows furrowed slightly.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
Sarutobi blew a perfect smoke ring.
"Konoha doesn't only need sharp blades…"
"It also needs a sheath that can hold them."
---