Kakashi-Five elements

Five days later, within the Hokage's office at the Hidden Leaf Village.

"Hokage-sama, this is the mission report regarding the recent Loulan incident."

Minato Namikaze bowed respectfully to the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and handed over the official document detailing the mission's outcome.

The report included a comprehensive explanation of the events surrounding the Loulan incident—its causes, the threat posed, and the resolution. It also highlighted the performances of Kakashi and the other team members during the mission.

However, the report omitted any mention of Naruto and Yamato.

This wasn't a matter of secrecy—it was simply that Minato had no memory of them being involved. Even though Naruto and Yamato had, in fact, played a crucial role in the events of Loulan, Minato's recollection had been wiped clean by the anomaly in time-space. As far as he knew, those two individuals had never even been there.

"Well done," the Third Hokage said, nodding as he flipped through the pages of the report. "You performed excellently, Minato. As always, you live up to my expectations."

He placed the report aside and took a moment to look at Minato with approval.

For some time now, Hiruzen had been torn between choosing either Minato or Orochimaru as his successor for the position of Hokage. Orochimaru had always been the most gifted of his disciples, and the one he had initially intended to pass the title to.

But since the end of the Second Great Ninja War, Orochimaru had changed.

The once passionate young shinobi had grown increasingly cold and distant. His attitude toward life had become indifferent, and he no longer showed the same connection with his comrades—or even with Hiruzen himself. The warmth that once defined their relationship had faded into something darker.

To Hiruzen, a Hokage had to be someone who would lead by example—someone who would put the village's well-being above their own joy. Orochimaru, however, no longer demonstrated the qualities aligned with the Will of Fire. He seemed to care little for the lives of the villagers or the bonds that made Konoha strong.

More and more, Orochimaru reminded Hiruzen of Danzo—his old friend whose methods were far too ruthless to ever be accepted as Hokage.

In contrast, Minato was a shining example of everything Hiruzen believed a Hokage should be. He was talented, humble, and capable. Even as a student at the Ninja Academy, Minato had shown strategic thinking and a broad perspective. He approached each mission and every relationship with compassion and a sense of duty.

He embodied the Will of Fire.

He respected his elders and valued his comrades. He listened attentively and always applied the principles Hiruzen had taught over the years. Hiruzen believed that if Minato were to become Hokage, the village would flourish—and Hiruzen himself could step into retirement, still able to support as an elder when needed.

Just as Hiruzen was lost in these thoughts, Minato softly called out, bringing him back to the present.

"Hokage-sama?"

"Hm?" Hiruzen blinked and chuckled. "Ah, forgive me. I tend to get distracted more easily these days."

He smiled warmly at Minato. "Was there something else you needed?"

Minato nodded. "Yes, Hokage-sama. Based on Kakashi Hatake's exceptional performance during the Loulan mission—and his sharp judgment and combat awareness—I would like to officially recommend him for promotion to Jōnin."

The request was made clearly and confidently.

In the Hidden Leaf Village, promotion from Chūnin to Jōnin wasn't something that happened frequently or easily. It required not only strong combat ability and major contributions to the village but also a formal recommendation from an established Jōnin. The village was cautious—power alone wasn't enough. A powerful shinobi with poor values or malicious intent could pose a serious threat if given command responsibilities.

That's why the recommendation process was crucial. It ensured that only those who were both capable and trustworthy could rise to the highest ranks of the shinobi system.

"Kakashi…" Hiruzen repeated, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

After a brief pause, he nodded. "Very well. Prepare a written letter of recommendation, and have Kakashi complete the application form. I'll personally oversee the approval process."

"Yes, sir!" Minato replied with visible relief and a hint of joy in his voice.

"You're dismissed, Minato. Good work."

With a respectful bow, Minato turned and left the Hokage's office. Once outside, he closed the door behind him and immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport straight to the Konoha training ground.

He knew Kakashi's habits well. If Kakashi wasn't out on a mission, there was only one place he would be—training.

---

Meanwhile, at the training ground, Kakashi was staring at the swirling blue Rasengan in his hand with a slightly defeated expression.

Since returning from Loulan, his system had given him a surprising notification—he had successfully copied the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken technique. At first, Kakashi was astonished. But given his knowledge of the original Naruto timeline, he quickly deduced how this had happened. Somehow, he had witnessed Naruto performing the move during their encounter in Loulan, even if he didn't remember it clearly.

This unexpected gain was a huge breakthrough!

For years, Kakashi had tried to find a way to merge his Chidori with the Rasengan, hoping to understand and recreate a hybrid attack that combined both power and elemental mastery.

The Wind Style: Rasenshuriken was the missing piece he needed.

That very night, he stayed up excitedly reviewing the concept in his mind. The next morning, he arrived at the training ground at dawn, eager to recreate the technique himself.

However, after several hours of attempts, he encountered a troubling realization.

Even if he poured all of his chakra into it, he still couldn't perform the Rasenshuriken. His body simply couldn't handle the enormous chakra demand.

The problem, as he analyzed it, lay in his lack of a proper chakra amplifier.

In the original timeline, even Naruto—after mastering Sage Mode—could only use the Rasenshuriken twice before exhausting his energy reserves. That was despite having massive chakra reserves and enhanced Sage strength.

Kakashi, by comparison, had more refined control but much less raw chakra to work with.

There was also another complication.

He currently had the Hundred Healings Mark, which he had been cultivating in secret. However, using it to boost his chakra output just for training wasn't an option—it was a life-saving measure, meant only for critical moments in battle.

As these thoughts ran through his mind, Kakashi sighed and let the Rasengan fizzle out in his palm.

Just then, Minato appeared beside him in a flash of yellow light.

"Morning, Kakashi."

Startled, Kakashi blinked and turned toward his teacher.

"Oh! Good morning, Sensei," he replied quickly, standing upright.

"I just spoke with the Hokage," Minato said with a proud smile. "I've officially recommended you for promotion to Jōnin. All you need to do is fill out the application form."

"Promoted… to Jōnin?" Kakashi echoed in surprise.

He hadn't expected that.

"What's the matter?" Minato asked, slightly puzzled by Kakashi's reaction. "You don't seem very happy about it."

"Ah—no, it's not that I'm unhappy," Kakashi replied. "It's just… I don't feel like I'm ready yet."

In truth, Kakashi didn't really care much about ranks or promotions. But something about this moment felt off. He couldn't shake the ominous feeling that something was about to go wrong.

In the original timeline, it was shortly after his promotion to Jōnin that tragedy struck—Obito's mission, Rin's death, and everything that followed.

"Don't worry," Minato said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You've done more than enough to qualify. Your skill, judgment, and maturity have exceeded expectations."

He smiled gently. "You're being humble, and that's a rare trait at your age. Most young shinobi would be thrilled at the chance to become a Jōnin—but you're more focused on self-improvement than titles. That's admirable."

Kakashi lowered his gaze slightly, still uncertain.

Minato understood.

This promotion wasn't just about formality. It was also his way of showing gratitude to Kakashi—for risking his life to save him during the Loulan mission. It was because of that brave act that Minato survived and was able to complete the mission.

Kakashi had even managed to learn Rasengan on his own without instruction.

Minato respected that immensely.

Of course, favoritism had no place in village affairs. Public matters were public. Personal gratitude was separate.

But in this case, Kakashi had earned it on all fronts.

This promotion wasn't just a reward—it was well-deserved recognition.

Minato was confident that Kakashi would rise to the occasion.