Ninja Squad

"The top student at the Ninja Academy? Who was it? Don't tell me it was your son, Asuma?"

Danzo paused slightly before asking.

While prodigies at the Ninja Academy were a dime a dozen, one still had the potential to become a Jonin. Looking across all of Root, Jonin were hardly common; you could count them on ten fingers.

However, Danzo remembered that after Kakashi graduated early, the most famous student at the Ninja Academy had been Asuma, the Third Hokage's son. The Third Hokage couldn't possibly send his own son into Root, could he?

The Third Hokage shot Danzo a speechless glance. Send his own son to Root? What kind of dream was this guy having?

"I'm not talking about Asuma. This time, the top student at the Ninja Academy is an Uchiha—the specially admitted Uchiha Feiyu!"

At the mention of Uchiha Feiyu, a look of obvious disdain appeared on Danzo's face.

"Uchiha Feiyu? That slacker who joined the Uchiha late and entered the Ninja Academy at ten? Why would Root want someone like that?"

"Bring him into Root so he can promote doing less for more, running away when things go wrong, and corrupting our morale?!"

As Danzo spoke, his eyes widened, and he was practically on the verge of cursing aloud. The Third Hokage had not expected Danzo to know about Uchiha Feiyu, and said with some frustration, "Don't put it that way... His personality may not be great, but he has decent potential... Besides, perhaps Root could reform his character..."

"Heh heh heh. His parents died, yet his Sharingan never evolved. Never mind his potential—Root has no way to reform someone with that kind of personality!"

Although Root conducted brainwashing training, its targets were either ninja with flawed personalities or children raised from a young age. When it came to ninja who had already formed a complete worldview, even Root's brainwashing training could do nothing.

People like Might Guy, a hot-blooded youth, and Uchiha Feiyu, a boy content to slack off, simply could not be brainwashed. Hot-blooded youths were one thing, but a slacker who did not even care about his parents? There was nowhere to start with the brainwashing!

Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth twitched. His knowledge of Uchiha Feiyu had come from his younger son, Asuma. Because Asuma muttered about him every day, he had paid a little attention to this oddball at the Ninja Academy.

Even the Third Hokage had nothing to say about this Uchiha's personality. Still, there were plenty of lunatics among the Uchiha. Someone so normal that he barely seemed like a ninja had left a deep impression on him.

He had originally planned to toss this fellow into Danzo's Root, which would at least appease Danzo somewhat. Unfortunately, Danzo had somehow learned Uchiha Feiyu's background, completely ruining the Third Hokage's plans.

Wait, how did Danzo know about Uchiha Feiyu? And how did he know that his parents were dead and that his Sharingan had not evolved?

These thoughts flashed through the Third Hokage's mind, but one mere Uchiha—and not even a core member of the Uchiha—was far too insignificant to him. Even if he knew there was something suspicious going on, he had no interest in pursuing it.

"Fine. Since you don't want to pick anyone, forget it. At most, I'll give you ten more slots to replenish Root. But forget about Kakashi!"

"Hiruzen, if you keep indulging Kakashi like this, one day you'll—"

"I won't regret it!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen coldly cut Danzo off and waved his hand.

"If there's nothing else, you can leave now! The Third Shinobi World War is about to begin. Are you and your Root subordinates really that idle?"

Danzo: "..."

So infuriating! When had Sarutobi Hiruzen started cutting people off before they could finish?

After Danzo left the Hokage Office, the Third Hokage picked up Uchiha Feiyu's file with some frustration.

"Where should I assign this troublesome fellow?"

"Hmm, hasn't Asuma always been shouting about defeating Uchiha Feiyu? I'll put them together!"

There was another point the Third Hokage understood but did not say aloud—given Uchiha Feiyu's personality, he clearly would not lose his head in a burst of hot blood and throw himself into danger.

As his son, Asuma would never be assigned truly life-threatening missions, at least not while he was still a young Genin.

However, Asuma had a rebellious personality, and ninja missions were never absolutely safe. To keep him from acting too impulsively, having a ninja beside him who believed in safety first would serve as a safeguard.

Thus, the next morning, Uchiha Feiyu discovered that his teammates were actually Asuma and Kurenai.

"Uchiha Feiyu, I never expected us to be assigned to the same squad this time! That's fine. From now on, I'll slowly surpass you!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. An Uchiha loser like me will surely be surpassed by you in less than two years."

"You're brushing me off again! Do you think I'm that easy to dismiss?"

Asuma's face reddened with anger, while Uchiha Feiyu responded to him halfheartedly. Beside them, Kurenai watched the calm Uchiha Feiyu and the agitated Asuma, covering her mouth as she chuckled.

Still, Uchiha Feiyu was somewhat surprised. Though he had taken first place in his year, considering that he was already thirteen or fourteen, other ninja probably would not think much of his potential. He had not expected to be assigned with Asuma this time.

However, being placed with the Hokage's younger son had its benefits. At the very least, he would not have to worry about being sent on cannon-fodder missions.

The Third Hokage might not openly show much favoritism toward his younger son, but no one would dare send Asuma on the kind of perilous mission where survival was all but impossible.

Of course, there was never absolute safety in the Ninja World. Even Hokage could die, let alone a Hokage's son. But no matter what, being on the same squad as Asuma greatly increased Uchiha Feiyu's chances of survival.

"Asuma, stop arguing. And Feiyu, stop teasing Asuma! Do either of you know who our teacher is?"

Hearing Kurenai's question, Uchiha Feiyu immediately shook his head.

"No idea. Asuma, your information should be better than ours. Do you know who our squad leader is?"

Asuma lifted his chin high and said arrogantly, "Do you think I'm the kind of person who relies on being the Hokage's son to casually ask about confidential matters?"

"So?"

"Uh... I don't know who the teacher is either!"

Uchiha Feiyu rolled his eyes, placed both hands behind his head, and crossed one leg over the other.

"Fine, I don't really care anyway. Our squad leader definitely won't be an Uchiha, and probably can't teach me much."

"You two both have inherited ninjutsu, so you don't need to worry about learning anything from your squad leader either."