Jonin Selection

"I'm heading home." Chiba, who had just walked out of the classroom, could not wait to get home. He said goodbye to Uchiha Hirohiko and Hyuga Yukina.

After all, they would be acting together from now on, so they needed to get somewhat familiar with each other. Besides, both of them were quite capable, which made being assigned together reassuring. He had even fought alongside Hyuga Yukina, and she had risked her life to save him. Chiba trusted Hyuga Yukina greatly.

Trust was also extremely important between ninja.

Moreover, neither of them seemed to care much about his identity as the Traitor's Son, which put him at ease. If some future mission or operation fell into danger and one person had to be sacrificed, they would not immediately treat him as disposable because he was the "Traitor's Son."

Uchiha Hirohiko nodded and said coolly, "Let's work well together."

Then he headed off by himself, apparently not toward home.

Hyuga Yukina also said, "I'm heading home too. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," Chiba said over his shoulder, already impatiently stepping away.

Uchiha Hirohiko, who had already walked off, paused when he heard the two bid each other goodbye. Keeping a poker face, he added several seconds late, "See you tomorrow."

Chiba walked away, and Hyuga Yukina turned and left as well, leaving him with only their backs.

A bead of cold sweat slid down the back of his head.

Meanwhile, at Konoha's gates, a man and a woman dressed in Konoha ninja attire came to a stop.

The man had blond hair and was strikingly handsome. Looking at the symbol of Konoha above the gates, he smiled faintly. His smile was gentle and reassuring.

Beside him stood a beautiful woman with eye-catching red hair and delicate features. Together, they looked like a perfect pair.

Looking at Konoha's emblem on the gates, the woman stretched lazily and broke into a wide smile, carrying the adorable innocence of a young girl.

"We're back! Konoha!"

Hearing her words, the man said, "Kushina, let's report the mission first."

"Mm." The woman nodded.

These two were Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, returning from an outside mission.

"Third Lord, Minato Namikaze and Lady Kushina have returned." The ninja assistant pushed open the door to the Hokage's Office and reported.

The Third Hokage was holding a pipe in his mouth, frowning at the three personal files on his desk. At the assistant's report, delight appeared on his face. "Bring them in quickly."

The ninja assistant said, "They already—"

"Third Hokage, I'm back-ack!" Before the ninja assistant could finish, a red-haired beauty rushed through the door first, beaming broadly. The strange verbal tic came at the end of her sentence.

"Oh! Kushina!" The Third Hokage smiled, but his hand instinctively reached up to touch his hairline.

She looks happy. Whew! My hair and beard are safe.

The Third Hokage breathed a sigh of relief.

"Third Hokage, we've returned." Another person stepped in from behind the door. He had blond hair and blue eyes—it was Minato Namikaze.

"Hokoma, thank you for your work." Minato Namikaze gave the ninja assistant a slight nod.

"You're the one who's worked hard, Minato," the ninja assistant said.

"How are things over there?" the Third Hokage asked.

The ninja assistant tactfully closed the door and left.

Minato Namikaze stepped forward, his expression turning solemn. "Hidden Stone has already begun making moves. Combined with the information we obtained from that ninja seven years ago, I estimate it will happen soon."

The Third Hokage froze for a moment, then asked gravely, "Is there no other possibility?"

Kushina Uzumaki's smile also faded as she looked at Minato Namikaze.

Minato Namikaze frowned slightly. "We don't know the exact timing, but it will be soon. We need to take precautions."

The Third Hokage nodded and sighed. "Things are about to become unsettled again."

What followed was silence. The Third Hokage pondered without speaking, while Minato Namikaze frowned in thought. Kushina Uzumaki looked from one to the other, then suddenly noticed the personal files on the desk.

"What are these?" Kushina Uzumaki walked over and picked up the files on the desk. There were three photographs on them, along with the names of three Ninja Academy students.

Taki Chiba, Uchiha Hirohiko, Hyuga Yukina.

"These are three students approved for early graduation," the Third Hokage said. "They are three very promising young talents."

"Let me see, let me see." Kushina Uzumaki examined them carefully. "High-speed taijutsu, Shadow Clone Jutsu, Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm... and they're only seven. What capable children!"

"Third Lord, have you selected a Jonin teacher for them?" Minato Namikaze was also slightly surprised upon hearing this.

The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe. "Originally, I intended to hand them over to Tsunade, Orochimaru, or Jiraiya, but all three are out on missions and have not yet returned to the village. Minato, are you interested?"

Minato Namikaze shook his head. "I'm already leading Kakashi, Obito, and Rin."

"Ah..." The Third Hokage sighed. "That's true. Then take a look and see which Jonin in the village could cultivate these three geniuses."

"Three geniuses... That really is rare. Putting three geniuses on one team would put a great deal of pressure on their Jonin teacher." Minato Namikaze smiled.

"Yes. Given enough time, these three will certainly become remarkable ninja." The Third Hokage tapped his pipe.

"Why not let me take them?" Kushina Uzumaki suddenly said.

"Kushina?" The Third Hokage was startled.

Minato Namikaze smiled. "Kushina, you're still a Chunin. You can't take disciples yet."

"What does that matter? I have the strength of a Jonin too. It's only because you people never let me go on missions that I haven't been promoted to Jonin," Kushina Uzumaki retorted.

Indeed, with Kushina's Sealing Jutsu and the immense Chakra of the Uzumaki Clan, aside from the fact that she was the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki and could not be allowed to leave the village, ordinary Jonin were not necessarily her match.

Besides... these three children were highly talented. That Taki Chiba possessed aptitude on Minato's level. Keeping the three of them around Kushina would also be a way to protect her.

However, at their current level... they were still far too weak. Without excellent instruction... that would not do either.

The Third Hokage considered it. He glanced at Kushina twice. At that moment, Kushina Uzumaki was arguing her case with Minato Namikaze. Minato Namikaze could only smile helplessly, yet she could not persuade him no matter what she said. Her red hair began to float upward in anger, and she was clearly getting worked up.

"Third Hokage, I want to be their teacher!" While the Third Hokage was still thinking, Kushina Uzumaki had already widened her eyes and fixed him with a fierce stare, her red hair billowing.

"I'll definitely train them into the greatest ninja! You weren't planning to let me leave again anyway, were you?" Kushina Uzumaki said, shooting him a sideways look.

Seeing Kushina Uzumaki like this, the Third Hokage gave a helpless, bitter smile. Indeed, he could not let Kushina leave again. He had already faced tremendous pressure for allowing her to go on this mission.

Ah... forget it. I'll have Minato keep a closer eye on things from the side.

The Third Hokage looked toward Minato Namikaze. Understanding his meaning, Minato Namikaze nodded helplessly.

Thus, the Third Hokage nodded and said to Kushina Uzumaki, "All right. Go gather them tomorrow."

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Kushina Uzumaki smiled once more.

"Thank you, Third Hokage... sir."

The Third Hokage could only smile helplessly.