Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!-Chapter 324: Kakashi Enrolls

Time flies.

In the blink of an eye, three years had passed. Today marked the day the Konoha Ninja Academy began recruiting new students. A fresh batch of hopefuls was about to embark on their journey to become Konoha ninjas.

As the principal, Kawakaze wouldn't miss this occasion for anything. Despite waking up early, he was still running slightly behind. By the time he arrived at the Academy, the area outside was already bustling with activity. Parents filled the space, their voices mingling with the excited chatter of children. Staff members moved about busily, assisting with the arrangements.

"Uncle, where do we go to register?"

Standing beside Kawakaze was Kakashi, just over five years old and barely tall enough to reach Kawakaze's waist.

"Let's go inside and sort it out," Kawakaze replied, habitually ruffling Kakashi's silver hair.

For Kawakaze, registering a student was a simple task. As the principal, all it took was a word for someone to handle it. This wasn't a matter of showing favoritism—Kakashi had more than earned such treatment. Even now, he far exceeded the level of a typical Genin. It was unlikely he would remain at the Academy for long. After all, in the original timeline, he had graduated at the age of five.

"Okay," Kakashi nodded obediently. With Nayuki and Sakumo absent, he naturally relied on Kawakaze for guidance.

"Kakashi, I'm over here!"

A clear, youthful voice called out as they walked further into the Academy grounds. Turning toward the source, they spotted Kurenai Yūhi waving.

"Kurenai!" Kakashi called back, his previously stoic expression breaking into a smile. Without hesitation, he left Kawakaze's side and ran toward her.

Kawakaze chuckled and shook his head. It seemed even he couldn't win against the future daughter-in-law. With a resigned smile, he had no choice but to follow them.

As soon as Kakashi reached Kurenai, the two began talking animatedly.

"Your braids look really nice today," Kakashi remarked, his tone unusually warm.

He had picked up Kawakaze's knack for sweet-talking—something Sakumo lacked entirely.

"No, they're just tied in a random way by my mom," Kurenai said, tugging shyly at the end of her braid.

"They look nice even if they're tied in a random way," Kakashi responded without hesitation. "Auntie has such deft hands."

Kawakaze had perfected the art of flattery, often using it on his wife, and Kakashi had picked it up flawlessly.

"What a sweet thing to say." Kurenai's mother, beamed with delight, her face lighting up as she affectionately patted Kakashi's head.

"Shinku isn't here today?" Kawakaze asked casually, addressing her. The two were on familiar terms and felt no need to stand on ceremony.

"He had something to take care of, so I'm here to bring Kurenai to school," She replied with a warm smile. Her gaze drifted toward Kakashi, softening further.

Her expression was one of approval and fondness, as if a mother-in-law was looking at her ideal son-in-law. The more she observed him, the more satisfied she seemed. Kakashi had everything—a good family background, a pleasant demeanor, and striking looks. He was a perfect match for her daughter.

"In that case, let's handle it together," Kawakaze offered. "One registration or two, it doesn't matter to me."

"Then I'll trouble you," She replied graciously, wasting no unnecessary words. She knew having the principal's help would make the registration process much easier.

"It's no trouble at all," Kawakaze waved her off, brushing aside the formality. For him, such tasks were trivial.

"Stop chatting and go register already," She suddenly interrupted Kakashi and Kurenai's lively conversation.

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"Okay," the two children answered in unison, holding hands as they followed Kawakaze and her toward the registration area.

Before they'd gone far, two green-clad figures—one large and one small—rushed to catch up with them.

"Guy is here too," Kakashi muttered, instinctively covering his head as he spotted them. His reaction was immediate, a mix of exasperation and dread.

It was Might Guy—the Green Beast, bursting with energy and fearless in the face of any fight!

"Kakashi, Kurenai,"

"What a coincidence," Guy greeted them with his characteristic broad smile as he approached.

"Hello, Guy," Kurenai responded politely. She didn't mind Guy's presence, as the three of them often spent time together.

"Coincidence my ass. We were bound to meet today when signing up," Kakashi muttered, clearly less enthusiastic. The budding mix of friendship and rivalry between him and Guy was already evident.

"Really? Hahaha~" Guy laughed, completely unfazed. "From now on, at the Academy, we can duel every day!" His excitement was palpable, and the thought of sparring with Kakashi daily seemed to fuel his energy even more.

"Who would want to duel with you every single day?" Kakashi shot back, rolling his eyes. Guy's endless enthusiasm for sparring never seemed to fade, but Kakashi had long since had enough of it.

"Hee hee~" Kurenai stifled a giggle behind her hand. She was accustomed to the way Kakashi and Guy interacted, their banter a familiar dynamic.

While the children chatted among themselves, their parents struck up a conversation nearby.

"I was just telling Guy how odd it was not seeing any familiar faces," Duy said as he approached Kawakaze and Kurenai's mother. "And then I saw you right away."

As the father of two, Duy had become more composed over the years. In public, aside from his eccentric attire, his demeanor and actions were indistinguishable from those of any ordinary parent.

"This just shows the children have a connection," Kurenai's mother replied warmly. She valued the friendship shared by their children, seeing Kakashi as her future son-in-law and Guy as her daughter's trusted friend.

"Hey, isn't that the Third's youngest son?" Kawakaze asked, his sharp eyes catching sight of Hiruzen approaching the Academy, holding a small child in his arms.

If he wasn't mistaken, that child had to be Asuma Sarutobi. Hiruzen, who had stepped down as Hokage years ago, no longer carried the commanding presence of the village leader. Instead, he looked more like a kindly old neighbor.

"Yes, that's him," Kurenai's mother confirmed, glancing in the same direction. She had seen Asuma a few times before. "That child is the same age as Kurenai."

"It's a blessing for Lord Third to have a child at his age."

Since Hiruzen had abdicated, the Sarutobi Clan had lost much of its former prestige. Despite his efforts to make amends for past mistakes, criticism still followed him. As a result, Hiruzen rarely appeared in public these days.

This was actually the first time Duy had seen Asuma.

"He is doing well as he is!" Kawakaze remarked sincerely. In the original story, tragedy had struck nearly everyone in the Sarutobi family.

The eldest son and daughter-in-law were absent from any accounts, Hiruzen's wife perished in the Nine-Tails Attack, and Hiruzen himself met his end through the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. Even Asuma's life was cut short by Hidan. Ultimately, only Konohamaru, the family's last descendant, carried on the lineage.

In this light, perhaps Hiruzen's quieter life now wasn't so bad.

"It's pretty good. Konoha is becoming more and more prosperous," Kurenai's mother commented. However, her tone was laced with sarcasm, as she still harbored strong opinions about Hiruzen's misuse of power during his tenure.

Nonetheless, her words carried a truth. Konoha had indeed grown stronger under Tsunade's leadership. Over the past three years, significant progress had been made both economically and in the strength of its ninja. Kawakaze's reforms to the Ninja Academy were also beginning to bear fruit, producing a steady stream of talented ninjas for the village. Ei Onoda, the current head of the Academy, couldn't hide his satisfaction these days. The notion that the Academy only trained expendable fighters was no longer uttered.

"Okay, let's not talk about this," Kawakaze interjected, signaling his disinterest in prolonging the conversation. "Let's go in."

The past was the past, and Kawakaze saw no need to dwell on it. Hiruzen had given his prime years to the village, and he wasn't one to pile on criticism when someone was already down.

"Hm," Duy and Kurenai's mother agreed, walking alongside Kawakaze while the three children trailed behind them. Together, the six of them entered the Academy gates.

Parents continued to arrive, escorting their children through the bustling entrance. Among the crowd, a little girl with short brown hair and two purple streaks on her cheeks stood out for her cuteness.

Not far from her, a little boy wearing goggles lingered alone. Watching the other children arrive with their families, he seemed a bit forlorn.

But the moment his eyes landed on the little girl, they lit up. It was as if a beam of light had pierced through the shadows.

In the midst of the commotion, a bond of fate quietly began to form.