Naruto: Konoha’s Trickster, Starting as the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki

A few days later, in the Hokage Building...

"Damn you, Minato—oh wait, I mean, Lord Hokage."

"The mission's done. These are the documents signed by the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure. Funny how that worked out."

"Right now, aside from Iwagakure, all the other major villages have their Fourth Kage in office."

"So tell me, Lord Hokage, should we invite the other Kage for a little sparring session?"

Kazuyama looked at Minato Namikaze, who sat behind his desk wearing the Hokage's hat, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips.

Minato could only shake his head helplessly.

"Don't mess around. Now's not the time for that—even though I'd actually enjoy a spar or two with the other Kage."

"But you're not exactly lacking in experience yourself, Kazuyama."

"You've fought Rasa from Sunagakure and A from Kumogakure."

Ever since spending more time around Kazuyama, Minato wasn't as straight-laced as he used to be. And now, as Hokage, his instincts were sharper than ever.

So when Kazuyama threw out a jab, Minato returned the favor just as smoothly.

"Well, well, look at you. Thinking quicker than before, huh?"

"Anyway, I'm off to rest. Don't even think about sending me to Kirigakure again. It's damp, sticky, and absolutely miserable."

Kazuyama waved lazily and turned to leave—

Only for Minato to stop him.

"Kazuyama, wait. You're still a registered ANBU operative. I want you to rejoin ANBU."

"What?"

Kazuyama leapt back like he'd been stung, immediately putting distance between them and eyeing Minato with deep suspicion.

He was just about to enjoy his well-earned break, and now this guy wanted to pull him back into the grind?

Not happening. Absolutely not. He was a proud slacker—no way was he signing up for full-time duty again!

"Sure, I'm technically ANBU. But right now, I'm focused on teaching at the Ninja Academy."

"I'm following in Principal Hatake's footsteps—training the next generation."

"So, no. I'm not going back to ANBU. That's final."

Minato rubbed his forehead, exasperated. He understood how much weight Kazuyama carried. Both of them were among the village's top-tier fighters, and that meant the burden often fell on their shoulders.

Now that the war was over, things were still unstable. This was the kind of time where they had to stay sharp.

"Kazuyama, I get where you're coming from, but right now, we can't afford that luxury."

"The war may be over, but a turbulent period is coming."

"We need the village ready for anything."

Kazuyama gave him a blank look, then said flatly,

"Still not doing it. You know me—ANBU life isn't for me."

"I'd rather stay at the Academy and put my energy to better use there."

"Alright, if there's nothing else, I'm heading out. I just got back—I need a few days off."

Minato watched his friend walk away and chuckled, shaking his head.

He knew Kazuyama well. When things were calm, you couldn't drag him into anything.

But the moment things went south, Kazuyama would be right there beside him.

...

Instead of heading home, Kazuyama made his way toward the Hatake residence.

He needed Kakashi to come with him for something.

"Hey, Kakashi, you home?"

"Huh? Kazuyama-sensei? What are you doing here?"

After returning from a mission, it was always "everyone home to their families," and right now Sakumo Hatake was still at the Academy. That left Kakashi alone at home, just about to start training when his teacher suddenly showed up.

"Kakashi, how about some special training?"

"Special training? For real?"

Kakashi was completely focused on getting stronger these days. He trained hard nearly every single day, determined to become a top-tier ninja. Of course, he also aspired to follow in Kazuyama's footsteps, so hearing the words "special training" out of nowhere lit him up with excitement.

"Yeah, but once we go, you might not be able to come back for a while."

"And I've arranged a pretty solid sparring partner for you."

Kazuyama kept his face serious, but inside he was already bursting with joy.

Kakashi's eyes lit up even more. "Who is it?"

Kazuyama gave a sly smile. "You'll see when we get there. Got anything you need to pack? If not, we're leaving now."

Kakashi moved instantly. He didn't have much—just a bit of money and his short sword.

The speed at which he packed made Kazuyama pause for a second. He always brought way too much when he traveled, and here Kakashi was, ready in seconds without even a second thought.

"Sensei, I'm good to go."

"Let's head out, then."

Kazuyama nodded in a bit of a daze, then placed his hand on Kakashi's shoulder. The next second, Flying Thunder God Technique activated.

The two vanished from the spot.

...

After several jumps, Kakashi finally had time to take in his surroundings. The sharp cold air hit him, making him shiver.

The unfamiliar room and the freezing atmosphere caught him off guard.

"Sensei, where are we?"

"The Land of Frost."

The Land of Frost? That snowbound country on the far side of the Land of Fire?

Why would they come all the way here?

While Kakashi was still dazed, Kazuyama had already changed into thick winter clothes and tossed a set of warm gear his way.

"Suit up, then come with me."

Kakashi quickly put on the clothes and followed Kazuyama outside.

"Whew, is it always this cold in the Land of Frost?"

"But it's kind of a cool experience."

At the end of the day, Kakashi was still a kid. Talented or not, he was just a very capable little kid.

Kazuyama smiled as he watched him.

Thanks to his presence, Sakumo Hatake hadn't taken his own life. And with such an outstanding teacher guiding him, Kakashi's path had already deviated completely from the one in the original timeline.

Now, it was time to give the boy a different kind of experience.

Kazuyama could tell Kakashi and Rin were close—but there weren't any romantic sparks from Kakashi's side.

That had bugged Kazuyama for quite a while. The kid was just a total blockhead.

No wonder he ended up single and brooding in the original story. Tch.

There was no way a great teacher like him was going to let his student grow old alone. Not happening!

Childhood crushes needed to be nurtured early. Even if it was a bit late, it was still fixable! And his fix? Heh...

Kakashi-san, you've got a storm coming.

Who says only childhood friends make the best couples? Rivals can turn into lovers too!