Dream Maker of the Hokage!

Sasuke stood in the shadow of a street corner, his expression tinged with hesitation.

Just as he found himself torn between staying and leaving, Naruto, not far away, suddenly turned his head as if sensing something.

"Hmph, so you did show up, Sas'ke."

Naruto stood on the little bridge near the village entrance, arms crossed, puffing his cheeks in annoyance.

He was still bitter about last night—because of Sasuke, he had been reduced to a mere bystander, robbed of the chance to reunite with his parents once again in the dream.

As Sasuke approached, face dark, Naruto couldn't help but throw a jab, voice laced with mockery.

"You talked real big before, huh? And yet, you were crying like a baby in that dream. Way worse than me."

Sasuke's face fell instantly.

"You idiot! Quit talking nonsense! What the hell do you understand?"

The dream had left him exposed—and Naruto had seen everything. For someone as proud as Sasuke, it was a deeply humiliating experience, and it made him lash out in anger.

Seeing Sasuke so flustered only made Naruto feel more triumphant.

"Nonsense? Hah! Kakashi-sensei and Sakura saw it too! And you—you damn thief! That dream was mine to begin with!"

"Thief?" Sasuke scowled, voice filled with indignation. "Like I could control any of that! And besides..."

He bit down on his words. The image of his parents alive and well still lingered in his mind, stirring something deep and painful.

"That dream… wasn't yours to claim."

The two glared at each other, neither willing to back down.

Tension crackled in the air as their faces inched closer—teeth clenched, eyes ablaze.

They were this close to butting heads—literally—when—

"Hey! What are you two doing?!"

Sakura's sharp voice cut through the stand-off like a blade.

She hurried over, wedging herself between them with a hand on each of their chests, forcefully shoving them apart.

"Calm down! It's barely morning—what the hell are you two doing? Planning to fight already?"

"Sakura, don't stop me!" Naruto barked as he was pushed back, still glaring at Sasuke.

"I have to teach this stubborn jerk a lesson today!"

"Who are you calling a jerk?" Sasuke snapped back from the other side of her.

"That's enough, both of you!" Sakura sighed, clearly exasperated. She kept one hand on each boy's shoulder, firmly holding them two arm-lengths apart.

She stared at them, breathing a little heavily.

"Naruto. Sasuke. Cool it… We're teammates."

But neither Naruto nor Sasuke would look at the other. Both turned away with defiant snorts.

Watching them sulk and sulk harder, Sakura could only sigh.

These two are seriously impossible…

Just then, a lazy voice floated over from behind.

"Well, you three seem pretty lively this morning."

Hearing the familiar voice, Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance—and simultaneously turned their backs on each other, both scoffing at the same time.

Sakura, seeing her chance, quietly dropped her hands and turned around.

"Kakashi-sensei!" she called, as if rescued by a guardian angel. "Finally! If you'd been any later, they might've started swinging!"

Kakashi strolled over, his usual laid-back demeanor softening a bit as he eyed the tension still lingering between the two boys.

"Alright, alright, enough with the drama. What happened?"

"Oh, you know…" Naruto grumbled, clearly wanting to be the first to snitch, "it's about last night's dream—"

But Sasuke shot him a withering glare, cutting him off instantly.

Sasuke had no intention of letting Naruto blab about what had happened in the dream.

Kakashi, sharp as ever, caught on immediately.

He scratched the back of his head, sighing lazily.

"A dream, huh? Then maybe don't take it too seriously. Come on, let's not waste energy on pointless fights—we've got a mission to focus on today."

Though still clearly annoyed, Naruto and Sasuke didn't argue further. With Kakashi stepping in, they could only grumble under their breaths.

Sakura finally exhaled in relief.

"Ahem."

Kakashi was just about to say more—maybe to patch things up between the boys—when suddenly—

Swish!

A black shadow appeared at their side in an instant, so fast it was nearly invisible.

The newcomer wore a dark, tight-fitting outfit with a gray vest and an animal-shaped mask—it was a member of the ANBU.

Kakashi's expression sharpened at once.

"What is it?"

The ANBU knelt respectfully.

"Kakashi-senpai. The Hokage wishes to see you."

"What?" Kakashi blinked, immediately sensing it must have something to do with the dream.

His gaze grew serious.

"Right now?"

"Yes. Lord Hokage is waiting in his office." The ANBU vanished the moment he finished speaking.

Kakashi paused for a beat, then turned to his team.

"Sorry, everyone. Looks like today's mission is canceled. Head back and rest up for now."

"Eh? Already?" Naruto whined, visibly disappointed. He'd been hoping for something exciting.

"Tch. Boring." Sasuke didn't argue, just let out a cold snort.

Sakura, while also a little let down, nodded in understanding.

Kakashi gave a small nod.

"Once this is sorted, I'll call you in again."

He glanced from Naruto to Sasuke, giving them a look.

"And you two—don't fight over petty things again, got it?"

Both boys turned away in unison, muttering under their breaths:

"…Got it."

Kakashi shook his head, exasperated.

"These brats…"

As Sasuke and Naruto walked off in opposite directions, Sakura hesitated. But in the end, she made her decision—she chased after Sasuke's retreating back.

Given everything, she was more worried about him going off alone.

Kakashi watched the trio part ways and sighed again.

"They really are a handful."

—

Soon after—

Kakashi stood before the large doors of the Hokage's office.

He straightened his vest, lifted a hand, and knocked. Knock knock.

"Come in," came the aged, commanding voice from within.

Pushing the door open, Kakashi stepped inside.

Behind the desk sat Hiruzen Sarutobi, hunched slightly forward, eyes fixed on the glistening crystal ball in front of him.

His signature pipe rested on the desk, smoke curling gently into the air, carrying the faint scent of tobacco throughout the room.

Kakashi recognized the crystal.

It was the medium used for the "Far-Seeing Jutsu," a tool the Hokage often used to observe various places throughout Konoha.

"Lord Hokage," Kakashi said as he approached and bowed respectfully.

Hiruzen looked up, a warm smile breaking across his wrinkled face.

"Kakashi. You're here."

Kakashi's eye sharpened, all business now.

"You summoned me… is this about that?"