Chapter 450

"Even if he were to end up in a miserable state, Hiruzen Sarutobi would still have to protect him; otherwise, if something were to happen to Kakashi, Sakumo Hatake's former subordinates would absolutely not let Hiruzen Sarutobi off!"

"So even though Kakashi was hated by everyone, he still entered the direct line of the Hokage, Minato Namikaze's squad."

"And what is even luckier for him is that he has a group of friends who will never shun him."

"Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara, Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi—these people, no matter how much Kakashi was hated, were always willing to stay by his side and help him get through one difficult hurdle after another."

"Itachi, what about you?"

"You and Kakashi have the same problem; Kakashi, this young genius, graduated in a year, and although he encountered all sorts of messy problems, the point is that he had his suicidal father protecting him from above and various friends accompanying him from below."

"But do you have friends?"

"I know your personality is gentle, and even if you look down on others, you won't show it directly on the surface."

"But, likewise."

"After you enter a ninja squad, you won't have any real friends either."

"No one is stupid!"

"Your exterior may be soft, but the pride in your bones cannot be hidden."

"Adults who truly enter ninja squads are not willing to deal with a guy like you."

"The only friends you are likely to make in this life are these little brats in the Ninja Academy right now whom you look down upon."

"You play with them, go crazy with them, do bad things with them..."

"But after this group of people fully matures, they will stay by your side for a lifetime, and when things happen, they will come to help you carry the burden together; even if your thinking is too deep, they might not be able to help you."

"But, they will accompany you!"

"And with the company of this group of friends, you won't go down a dead end, and you won't walk into a blind alley just because you can't figure out a problem!"

"So, do you understand?"

"Itachi!"

"You don't lack strength, nor do you lack intelligence; you only have this one shortcoming."

"Ordinary people can skip grades and graduate early to become ninjas."

"But, you cannot!"

"These six years in the Ninja Academy are your only chance to make up for your shortcomings."

"This is the only time in your life you can make friends."

"So don't give up; stay in the Ninja Academy for the full six years."

"Unless the higher-ups force you to graduate, absolutely do not think about graduating early, no matter how hard it is to endure."