The following contains spoilers for Chapter 4 of Naruto: Konoha's Story -- The Steam Ninja Scrolls: The Manga, "The Border Festival," by Masashi Kishimoto, Natsuo Sai, Sho Hinata, Nathan A. Collins and Brandon Bovia, now available in English from Viz Media.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the Naruto franchise has always been the team-ups that seem random, but which go on to hold so much weight down the line. Shikamaru and Naruto are a fine example of this, with Shikadai and Boruto doing the same decades later. It reinforced just how many unlikely shinobi fit together, despite not being on the same teams or even from the same village.
The likes of Gaara and his sand tribe further punctuated this, working with the Konoha-nin to remind folks everyone can get on the same page once the goal was common. It was freedom most of the time, which led to alliances against the likes of the Akatsuki and the Ōtsutsuki clan. Well, come Naruto: Konoha’s Story -- The Steam Ninja Scrolls, fans have gotten insight of one more team-up that would have been well-received, but sadly, it could never come to fruition due to a member's death.
Mirai Realizes Kakashi and Might Guy Are Jokers
Chapter 4 of this adaption of the 2018 light novel has Sarutobi Mirai accompanying Kakashi (the former Hokage) and Might Guy (his best friend) to the Land of Steam for a diplomatic mission. However, she soon realizes she can't trust them after they allow a pickpocket to steal from them. It turns out they don't want to draw attention to themselves, but Mirai (whose grandfather, Hiruzen, was the third Hokage) can't help but feel like they're easily distracted on this pseudo-vacation.
Her suspicions hold true when Kakashi reaches a tree he considers "sacred," crying and showing emotions he doesn't usually share. Guy does the same, basking in how vulnerable his buddy is. It turns out, this is merely a tree from a romance novel Kakashi loves, which means it's a pilgrimage that Mirai deems annoying. It leads to her wondering how this kooky duo gets along, while Guy offers her his work-out regime as payment. Interestingly, Mirai remembers that from what folks said of her dad, Asuma, he would fit in with these two -- so much so that she even gets a vision of his ghost with them.
Asuma, Kakashi and Guy Were True Friends
Asuma, Kakashi and Guy did have a lot of great times in the Hidden Leaf, which even Mirai wouldn't know of. They trained together and then mentored students themselves years later. They even fought together against threats like the Akatsuki, which led to Asuma's death and the crew having to battle his zombified form. Kakashi especially helped Shikamaru in that predicament, aiding him in taking out the man he considered a father.
What's also integral is both Kakashi and Guy were shoulders to lean on when Asuma disagreed with his dad, and left Konoha to become a roving protector. He would return and patch things up while continuing to break the mold. This rebellious dynamic is why Kakashi liked the cigarette-smoker so much, and also why Guy found him to be fun. They were simply anchored by how they were all outsiders; Kakashi was an ANBU operative left in the shadows, while Guy was looked down on for having only taijutsu skills. Thus, as Mirai imagines them together, nostalgics get the feeling that maybe the Naruto series should have had more of them together in side-stories, novels or fillers.
After all, they have great chemistry and were some of the most fun characters in the franchise. Life got in the way though, with Guy left in a wheelchair after the Kaguya brawl and Kakashi handing off Hokage duties to Naruto. Ultimately, Steam Ninja Scrolls provides an endearing scene filled with sentiment as Mirai unknowingly bridges generations to the Boruto era and offers up a eulogy for a father she never knew, compounding how fans were robbed of some epic team-ups.