The next morning.
Boom boom boom~
Kakashi knocked on Minato's door.
After reviewing yesterday's training session, he realized his greatest weakness: nerve reaction speed. In high-speed combat, whether using the Flying Thunder God Technique or Chidori, instantaneous reflexes were absolutely crucial.
Of course, there were other ways to compensate. He could use the Lightning Release Armor and Hundred Healings Technique to enhance his endurance and forcibly trade blows with the enemy.
But this method had a fatal flaw—chakra consumption would skyrocket, making it hard to maintain during prolonged combat.
Even worse, excessive use of the Hundred Healings Technique, a Forbidden Jutsu that rapidly promotes cell division, would drastically shorten his lifespan. That wasn't a price he was willing to pay—not if he wanted to see the future after surviving a decisive battle.
No, there was only one real solution: improve his reflexes and reaction speed to avoid damage altogether.
Squeak~
The door opened. Kushina appeared in loose-fitting pajamas, her fiery red hair a little messy from sleep.
"Oh, Kakashi!"
The moment she saw who it was, her eyes lit up. She rushed forward and pulled him into a tight hug.
"Um… Sister Kushina… I can't… breathe…"
Kakashi's muffled voice came from somewhere within her embrace, his head completely buried between two soft forces of nature.
"Ah! Sorry!" Kushina quickly released him, laughing awkwardly. "Thank you for saving Minato, Kakashi."
"Eh, it's nothing. Isn't it normal for a student to help his teacher?" Kakashi scratched his head sheepishly.
"Come in, come in! Oh, by the way, Minato's working on developing a new powerful ninjutsu. He said he'd teach it to you as thanks!"
She pulled Kakashi into the house energetically.
"Minato! Minato! Look who's here!" she called out.
A familiar, slightly lazy voice answered from the bedroom. "Oh, Kakashi? Come on in, take a seat."
Moments later, Minato walked out wearing matching couple pajamas, his golden hair slightly tousled. He looked a bit worn out.
Kakashi glanced at Kushina, who was bursting with energy, and Minato, who looked like he hadn't slept a wink. He immediately sensed something.
"Uh… Am I here at a bad time? I can come back this afternoon if—"
"Impossible," Kushina cut in, rolling her eyes at Minato. "Sit down, I'll go make some food!"
"Wait—"
"Don't!!"
Minato and Kakashi shouted at the same time, stopping her in her tracks.
They looked at each other and laughed awkwardly.
"Well… I'll cook, then," Minato said quickly. "We can talk while we eat."
"I'll help, Sensei. I've picked up a bit of cooking too."
With that, Kakashi followed Minato into the kitchen, as if fleeing from embarrassment. Kushina just shrugged and returned to her room to change.
---
In the kitchen, Minato handed Kakashi an apron.
"So, Kakashi, you came to see me this early. Something on your mind?"
"Yes, Sensei." Kakashi tied the apron on with practiced ease. "I want to ask for training methods to improve my reaction speed."
"Ah, that's easy," Minato replied with a smile. "After breakfast, we'll head to the training ground. I'll coach you personally."
He glanced at Kakashi's chopping technique and raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you're good with a knife. Do you cook often at home?"
"Yes," Kakashi said, dicing vegetables with fluid precision. "When I have free time, I like to prepare a few side dishes."
With their teamwork, a variety of delicious home-cooked dishes were soon ready and placed on the dining table.
"Whoa, that smells amazing!" Kushina walked in, sniffing the air like a fox picking up prey. She approached the table with excitement.
"This shredded green pepper with potatoes and the scrambled eggs with tomatoes—Kakashi made both. Give them a try," Minato said proudly, handing her a pair of chopsticks and a bowl.
"Hehe, don't mind if I do!"
Kushina dug in, savoring each bite.
"Not bad, Kakashi! Home-cooked food really shows your skill. You're just as good as Minato!"
"Hehe," Kakashi chuckled shyly.
Their breakfast was warm, simple, and filled with cheerful banter—an unusually peaceful start to a ninja's day.
---
Later, at Konoha's Seventh Training Ground—
Minato stood in the clearing, forming hand seals.
With a poof, several shadow clones appeared and scattered throughout the area, laying traps.
"Put this on," he said, handing Kakashi a strange green eyepatch shaped like a frog.
"…Sensei, are you serious?"
"No complaining," Minato replied, chuckling.
Kakashi sighed but put it on anyway. "So, what's the plan?"
"Human vision has limits," Minato began, walking slowly around him. "When movement is detected by the eyes, the image is transmitted to the brain, then interpreted and analyzed. Even though this process is nearly instantaneous, for top-level shinobi, that split second is everything."
He paused for emphasis.
"Also, there are many ways to deceive the eyes—optical illusions, genjutsu, clone techniques."
"So to train your instincts, we must first deprive your vision. Without your eyes, your other senses will become sharper. You'll learn to sense danger through the air itself—what we call the sixth sense."
"…So you're gonna throw kunai at me blindfolded?"
"Exactly."
Kakashi was silent for a moment. "…Sounds about right."
Minato grinned. "Let's begin."
What followed was a month of brutal and relentless training. Kakashi was pelted with kunai, narrowly avoiding vital areas each time—though not always successfully.
Bruised and battered daily, Kakashi didn't let it discourage him. In fact, to maximize results, he began wearing his blindfold even outside training, trying to live as if he were visually impaired.
One day, Rin saw him walking through the village like that and panicked, thinking he had gone blind. Kakashi had to explain, embarrassed, that it was just part of training. Afterward, he switched the frog eyepatch to a simple black cloth for dignity's sake.
---
One Month Later—
At the training ground, Minato once again threw a flurry of kunai.
This time, Kakashi didn't flinch. Despite being blindfolded, he could sense the disturbance in the air and precisely track the weapons' trajectory.
His instincts had finally kicked in.
From that day forward, no matter how many kunai Minato threw or how fast they came, Kakashi could dodge them effortlessly.
---
Two Months Later—
Inside the dense forest surrounding the Seventh Training Ground—
Swish!
A figure darted through the underbrush at breakneck speed, weaving between trees and dodging hidden weapons from impossible angles.
Blindfolded, Kakashi ran as though he had perfect vision. His movement was fluid, each motion deliberate.
Suddenly, a volley of kunai shot toward him from the left, right, and behind.
Ahead, a massive tree blocked his path.
Two months ago, he would've slammed right into it while trying to dodge. But now?
He didn't even pause.
With expert timing, he stepped onto the tree trunk, running up its surface before leaping off the top.
CRACK!
Just as he took to the air, a trap triggered above him—six sharpened wooden stakes came crashing down.
Kakashi's ears twitched.
He twisted his body midair, evading the stakes with a swift roll, then landed lightly on a branch and propelled himself forward.
It was as if the trap hadn't even phased him.
He continued his path, dodging more kunai, his black blindfold flapping in the wind.
Finally, he landed at the edge of the training ground and pulled off the cloth.
Minato appeared beside him, nodding with satisfaction.
"Well done. You've met my expectations."
He patted Kakashi's shoulder.
"You've got the same drive and discipline I had back then... Maybe even more."
"Thank you, Minato-sensei," Kakashi said, panting lightly. "I won't let it go to waste."
Minato smiled. With this pace, one day... you might even surpass your father.