Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash! - Obito Uchiha
Ah Naruto, the leaf's most hyperactive knucklehead ninja. When Kakashi first coined the term it was meant jokingly as a term of endearment for his antics, it was only later he realised just how true it was. What he lacked in critical thinking and careful preparation, he made up for with his spontaneity, quickly devising strategies on the spot and integrating them into his plans seamlessly. The blonde was a bundle of cheerful optimism and as selfless as they came, if you were his friend and needed help then he'd move mountains for you if necessary. Minato would be proud.
Kakashi always had the ominous feeling that he would die before seeing Naruto accomplish his lifelong dream of becoming Hokage, but he never thought that Naruto would be the one to die first.
Sakura, sweet Sakura. In anbu, the capability of reading people and quickly forming an accurate profile of them can be the difference between life and death. Sakura is one of the few that Kakashi was wrong about, he severely underestimated her. As harsh as it sounds, his first impression of her was that she was a talentless fangirl that didn't have the aptitude or attitude to excel as a shinobi. Even after discovering her perfect chakra control, his prediction was for her to stay as an average Chunin throughout the majority of her career as a kunoichi.
Of the three teams he failed prior to teaching team 7, each individual but one ultimately landed at the ballpark Kakashi expected of them. The outlier? He died an early death as a genin.
Sakura was one of the few Shinobi that Kakashi judged incorrectly, she greatly surpassed his expectations. She not only managed to convince Tsunade to accept her as an apprentice, but she diligently threw everything she had into her studies, remaining steadfast at every hurdle.
She let her guard down. Pleading with the enemy that they wouldn't come after him again, and then turning her back on him whilst trying to desperately heal Naruto who was on the brink of death. A fatal and foolish mistake. Kakashi taught her better than that. The chances of saving Naruto, even without interruption, were slim to none. He was weak from his battle with Naruto and had Sakura been pragmatic and realistic she could have finished the job.
Kakashi always saw Sasuke as a kindred spirit. Kakashi now knew that he was wrong.
Kakashi didn't deserve to live. Despite what others say he let his precious students down. Despite vowing to protect them he failed. He failed them. He wasn't there when he was truly needed. After their death, he went straight to the hokage, asking, no, demanding, that she let him hunt their killer. After her adamant refusal, that was the day he became a missing-nin.
Sasuke was the disgusting vermin that killed them, he'd track him down and avenge them even at the cost of his life. He would use every tactic in the book for this one, even the unsavory ones he learned at his time in anbu. He would forcefully extract information from even civilians if necessary. Kakashi just knew one thing: Sasuke better hope that he obtained the power he sought from Orochimaru, otherwise he'd die a very painful death. Why? Because he's worse than trash.
Rating may be changed to M in the future, if it is changed then I'll notify you at the start of the chapter that leads to its change.
