Under the cover of darkness, a slender young man stood before a mirror, his face filled with astonishment.

"What's going on? How did I become Kakashi?" muttered the young man, his shocked expression giving way to a flood of memories.

After a moment, a wave of memories rushed over him, and with a grunt, the young man collapsed.

As the moon rose high, the young man shook his heavy head, groggily pulling himself up to sit on the floor.

Surveying the distinctly Japanese-style bedroom around him, a bitter smile played at the corners of the young man's mouth.

Gazing out the window at the chaos beyond, the young man let out a sigh.

The chaos of the Nine-Tails!

The death of the Fourth Hokage!

And the losses of Obito and Rin...

This was the world of ninja, and he had become Kakashi Hatake, the tragic figure.

Having lost his father years ago, then his best friend Obito, and later killing another friend, Rin, and now losing his mentor, Minato, it was perhaps the immense emotional turmoil that allowed the soul from Earth to inhabit Kakashi's body.

Yet Kakashi's soul did not dissipate, but rather merged with the soul from Earth, causing the fainting spell that had just occurred.

Rubbing his silver-white hair, Kakashi stared blankly at his reflection in the mirror, letting out a sigh. He remembered the saying of time travelers: "Since I'm here, I might as well make the best of it."

It was midnight, the first night after the rampage of the Nine-Tails, and the entire village of Konoha was shrouded in silence, exhausted villagers and ninjas alike retreating to rest, save for essential guards.

Tomorrow would be the funeral for the deceased, including the youngest Hokage in Konoha's history, Kakashi's mentor, Minato Namikaze.

Perhaps influenced by the remnants of Kakashi's consciousness, the young man felt profoundly melancholic. Exhaling deeply, he rose from the floor and made his way to his bed, collapsing onto it with a bewildered look in his eyes.

Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja, known for his Sharingan. In the early stages, Kakashi's combat abilities were commendable, but as time went on, especially during the Great Ninja War, his role diminished. Apart from bantering with Obito, most of his actions became secondary to the main characters'.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

In the end, his most significant contribution came from the temporary gift of Obito's fully awakened Sharingan after his death.

Moreover, Kakashi had died once before, facing the Rinnegan wielder Nagato. If not for Naruto's persuasion and Nagato's use of the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique, Kakashi would have long been buried.

But Kakashi was hailed as a genius, achieving the rank of Jonin at the age of 12, breaking records in Konoha, surpassing even Itachi. How did he end up like this?

There was a sense that Kakashi's growth slowed significantly after Minato's death, unable to keep pace with the main characters in later stages.

When Minato died, Kakashi was barely thirteen, a period when ninja typically experienced rapid advancement. Just observe how Naruto and Sasuke grew from 13 to 16, reaching terrifying power levels, surpassing Jonin and even becoming the strongest beings among the living in the shinobi world.

It seemed that Kakashi's strength stagnated due to the deaths around him during his prime years, making it too late to strive for further progress. Though there were improvements, there was no significant leap.

With these thoughts in mind, Kakashi resolved to focus on survival. He wasn't starting from scratch; Kakashi retained his physical and ninjutsu abilities. Once he acclimatized to his body, he'd have the capital for combat – the strength of a Jonin!

At 14 years old, Kakashi was still a long way from the events of the main plot, with 12 years until Naruto's birth and 17 years until the final showdown.

17 years!

Kakashi clenched his fists, muttering to himself, "Seventeen years...though it seems far off, I must seize the opportunity."

Kakashi was well-rounded in terms of abilities: taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu, coupled with exceptional intellect. He was indeed an outstanding individual, drawing a legion of fans.

His most renowned ability was the Sharingan, earning him the moniker "Copy Ninja Kakashi."

Many believed that Kakashi's success and downfall were both tied to the Sharingan, and there was truth to it. While it granted him significant achievements, it also constrained his growth.

Despite his natural talent, Kakashi's potential might have been higher without the Sharingan's limitations.

Some argued that Kakashi had low chakra reserves, evident in his frequent exhaustion. However, this was partly due to the Sharingan's drain.

For non-Uchiha, like Kakashi, the Sharingan imposed significant limitations. It couldn't be deactivated, constantly draining chakra. Moreover, prolonged use could cause severe physical harm.

This was why Kakashi often collapsed after using the Sharingan extensively.

Had Kakashi not been shackled by the Sharingan, his chakra reserves were comparable to the Third Hokage's, according to official data.

Thus, Kakashi's chakra wasn't as scarce as often portrayed; rather, the Sharingan heavily taxed it.

To progress, Kakashi needed to overcome the Sharingan's constraints and increase his chakra reserves.

Kakashi gently touched his left eye, feeling a searing heat within, a malevolent force brewing. He sensed the Sharingan slowly depleting his chakra, albeit gradually.

Removing his mask, Kakashi revealed a gruesome scar slicing through his eyelid, his eye tinged crimson, the black Tomoe spinning slowly.

This was the Sharingan, dubbed the greatest asset of the Hokage. Yet, it was exclusive to the Uchiha clan; non-Uchiha users suffered numerous side effects. Kakashi's use exhausted him, while Danzo implanted multiple Sharingan, mutilating his body and requiring a plethora of enhancements to use them, rendering him monstrous.

The stronger the power, the heavier the toll – a timeless truth.