Naruto:Reborn into Naruto world with five wishes[Hashirama template]

I was genuinely excited to meet the Hokage face-to-face for the first time. Kakashi, on the other hand, had his usual calm, unreadable demeanor.

We followed the instructor silently through the bustling corridors of the academy, stepping out into the village streets and heading straight for the Hokage Tower. As we approached, I could already sense several powerful chakra signatures surrounding the building. Jounin-level... ANBU. They were keeping guard, masked and hidden, watching us closely from the shadows.

Eventually, we reached the doors to the Hokage's office. Our instructor knocked once. A voice from inside told us to enter. The door creaked open, and there he was—Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, sitting at his desk surrounded by stacks of paperwork. His face looked tired, worn down by the responsibilities of running a village, but his eyes still held a certain warmth.

We stepped inside and bowed respectfully.

The Hokage looked up and gave a gentle smile. With a slight nod, he dismissed our instructor, who bowed again and quietly exited the room.

The moment we entered, I felt it—a subtle tug at my chakra, like a presence scanning me. He was sensing our chakra levels. I had anticipated that and masked mine carefully using natural energy. From his perspective, I would seem like a high-level chunin. Kakashi, of course, genuinely was already at that level.

Hiruzen chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. "Kakashi, Ren… you both should be proud. You've done something truly exceptional—graduating the academy within a single year. I don't remember the last time I saw such talent in one generation. Let's hope the two of you bring great prosperity to Konoha… ha ha ha."

I stepped forward with a grin. "Lord Third, doesn't such an achievement deserve a reward?"

He blinked in surprise, then gave a forced smile. "Yes, yes. Of course. You may each choose a jutsu from the village's storage archives."

I shook my head gently. "Actually, I had something else in mind."

That caught his attention. His brows lifted, curious. "Oh? Speak then."

"I'd like to choose my own jonin-sensei, rather than have one assigned."

His eyes narrowed slightly, studying me. For a moment, he seemed thoughtful. Perhaps he assumed that since I came from the Senju clan, I already had access to more than enough jutsu. Eventually, he nodded. "Very well. You've earned that right. Who do you wish to train under?"

Before I could respond, Kakashi stepped forward as well. "I'd like to make the same request, Lord Hokage."

That surprised him, but he quickly regained composure. "Very well. Kakashi, who is your choice?"

"Minato Namikaze," Kakashi answered without hesitation.

The Hokage folded his hands, considering. "Hmm… Minato currently has two students under him. But they're close to being promoted to chunin. I will inform him. If he agrees, he'll reach out to you."

I already knew what that meant. In the current timeline, Minato's original two genin would soon leave to become chunin. Kakashi would later be teamed with Obito and Rin—after they graduated next year. So for now, he'd train under Minato alone.

Then the Hokage turned toward me. "And you, Ren?"

I gave a small smile. "Lady Tsunade."

Now that surprised him.

"I expected you to choose Minato as well," he said, genuinely intrigued. "But Tsunade… she's not active right now. She's been immersed in her experiments for months."

"No worries," I replied calmly. "I'll speak to her myself. If she agrees, I'd like to be assigned under her."

He paused for a moment, then nodded slowly. "If Tsunade agrees, I won't object. She currently only has one apprentice—Shizune. If she takes you in, she'll officially be your jonin-sensei."

After that, the Hokage gave us a lecture—classic Will of Fire talk, how we were the future of the village, and that he believed in our potential. His words were kind, filled with hope for Konoha. It was hard not to respect him in that moment, even if I already knew how certain future events would play out.

Finally, he dismissed us, telling us we could meet our chosen teachers the next day and, if all went well, begin our missions under their guidance.

Once we exited the building, Kakashi turned toward me. "Let's meet again sometime. If you ever need to find me, I'll be training."

I nodded. "Likewise. You'll find me at the Senju compound. If I'm not there, just leave a message."

We clasped hands briefly—an unspoken sign of respect—and went our separate ways.

Kakashi to continue his path.

And me… to speak with Tsunade about becoming my mentor.