noveltune Chapter 399 A New Beginning
Chapter 399 A New Beginning
It was another bright and sunny morning. Konoha Village, Training Ground 7.
The grass on the training field was covered with a layer of glistening dewdrops, and the air was filled with the fresh fragrance of earth.
The distant village awakens in the morning light.
The towering wooden building, with its layered plants at the top, resembles a suspended sky garden. The waterfall-like water shimmers in the sunlight, a symbol of the ecological cycle of the leaf.
The light rail train, like a winding silver dragon, with its crisp bells, shuttles along the wide Hokage Avenue, taking villagers to their respective posts or to the bustling market.
That is Konoha, a place where peace and prosperity intertwine, the place where they live every day, yet it is showing new vitality every day.
At the top of a tree, three distinct figures stood side by side.
"Hey, do we really have to do it this early?"
The silver-haired boy yawned widely, his black mask covering most of his face, revealing only a pair of sleepy eyes. His voice, hoarse with morning grumpiness, lazily leaked from under the mask.
He had one hand in his pocket, his body slightly hunched, looking like he might fall off the tree at any moment.
"I just finished compiling Dad's new season of 'Postpartum Care Tips for Sows' last night... Hah—" He tried to open his eyes wide, but his double eyelids seemed to be glued shut, always wanting to close.
"Kakashi, why are you always so unmotivated?!"
The black-haired boy standing next to him wore orange goggles and stood ramrod straight. He was like a fully wound-up machine, brimming with energy.
He pointed at Kakashi, his tone filled with confusion and a hint of excitement.
"This is the time for the team to assemble; it represents our enthusiasm for a new day! It also represents our determination to carry on the will of our predecessors!"
"We must always leave the best impression on our teacher! We're men who are destined to become Hokage! How can we back down from something so small!"
Obito Uchiha practically roared it out. He clenched his fists, facing the rising sun, and behind his goggles, his bright black eyes burned with a flame called dream.
"Well, idiots wouldn't understand."
Kakashi's voice carried his usual casualness, with a hint of laziness.
"Dreams are great, but being too driven will drain your energy."
The boy rubbed the back of his neck and sighed.
"Besides, didn't you sneak out and stay out late yesterday too? Don't think I didn't see it."
Kakashi's voice was languid, yet carried an undeniable certainty.
He simply stood there quietly, but his all-seeing sharpness made Obito's body stiffen slightly.
"What nonsense are you spouting!"
Obito's face flushed red instantly, and he hurriedly waved his hands, at a loss for what to do.
"I... I was helping my father with some... traditional Uchiha affairs! Yes! Traditional affairs!"
He tried to explain, but his voice lacked conviction.
"Besides, I stay up late... because my yearning for Naruto is too strong..."
"And you're the idiot!"
Just as the two boys were about to start their usual bickering, a cute girl with short brown hair and two purple marks on her face smiled gently.
She reached out and gently touched Obito's arm.
The voice was soft, as if it possessed some kind of magic, instantly calming the boy down.
"Alright, alright, Obito, Kakashi."
Lin's voice carried a hint of helplessness, yet also a perfectly balanced gentleness.
She tilted her head slightly and pointed to the sun that had just risen above the horizon in the east.
"Minato-sensei is coming soon. If he sees you like this, he'll scold you."
Lin's lips curved into a beautiful smile as she gazed into the distance.
"Look, the sun is out, isn't it beautiful?"
The girl's fingertips pointed to the rising sun, where golden rays were spreading across the sky.
Her profile, bathed in the golden morning light, appeared soft.
Obito and Kakashi paused in their movements.
They all looked in the direction Lin was pointing.
The rising sun dyed the clouds a brilliant orange-red.
Golden light gradually pierced through the morning mist, outlining the clear silhouette of Konoha Village in the distance.
The village is peaceful and vibrant.
The towering wooden building gleamed in the sunlight.
The light rail train, like a silver ribbon, smoothly shuttles along Naruto Avenue, emitting a crisp bell sound.
Wisps of smoke, carrying the aroma of food, filled the air.
It was a Konoha they knew well, yet it was getting better every day.
Obito's breathing became rapid, and his chest heaved with excitement.
As he gazed at the city in the sky, every building that rose from the ground and every busy street fueled his burning desire for the Hokage.
He vowed to protect it all and make it better.
"See, Kakashi!"
Obito turned to face Kakashi, his face filled with barely suppressed excitement.
His finger pointed to the village in the distance. "Rin thinks it's beautiful! This is the Konoha we should protect! I must become Hokage and ensure this peace continues forever!"
Kakashi merely glanced at the distance before looking away.
"Um."
His voice was calm, as if he were just giving a perfunctory answer, but a glint of light flashed in his eyes.
My father said there are many ways to protect the village.
That city in the sky, that light rail, those everyday things he once took for granted, were all given a deeper meaning at this moment.
Kakashi looked at Obito.
A pure flame burned in Obito's eyes—a yearning for the Hokage position and a steadfast commitment to peace.
Seeing that her two companions had quieted down, Lin's smile widened even more.
They are—Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha, and Rin Nohara.
"blow--"
Just then, a golden light appeared on the tree trunk behind them without warning.
The brilliance was only a fleeting burst, then vanished as if it had never existed.
A figure appeared on the tree trunk where there had been nothing before.
A gentle yet magnetic voice rang in their ears.
"morning."
The sound wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's eardrums.
Kakashi, Obito, and Rin suddenly turned around.
A young man wearing a Jonin vest and with brilliant blond hair was smiling at them.
The sunlight shone down from behind him, giving him a dazzling golden glow.