You Guys, Stop Fighting Already!

Three days after the Graduation Exam, the Ninja Academy held its Graduation Team Assignment Ceremony.

"Huh? Kakashi? Didn't you graduate ages ago? Why are you here too?!"

Obito Uchiha was shocked to see Kakashi.

"Kakashi, long time no see!" Rin Nohara smiled at Kakashi.

Kakashi ignored Obito Uchiha and politely nodded to Rin Nohara.

Jealous, Obito turned his head away.

"Kurenai, I wonder if we'll be assigned to the same class..."

Asuma said to Kurenai Yūhi.

After going home, he had actually made a rare request to his Hokage father, asking for Kurenai Yūhi to be assigned to the same class as him.

He had no idea whether his village-chief father would agree.

"Next, we'll begin the team assignments!"

Taro Funano walked into the classroom with a chart in hand.

"Team One! Members: Rin Nohara, Obito Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake."

"Awesome, Rin! We're on the same team! As for that smug Kakashi, he must have done poorly and been sent back for retraining by Lord Hokage!"

"Tch."

Kakashi ignored Obito's sarcastic remarks.

"Team Two! Members: Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yūhi, Anko Mitarashi."

"Great, Kurenai, we really did get assigned to the same team!" ×2.

Asuma Sarutobi looked at Anko Mitarashi with disdain, while Anko Mitarashi looked back at Asuma Sarutobi just as scornfully.

"Bastard! Don't copy what I say!" ×2.

"Hmph!" + turning away ×2.

Kurenai Yūhi: Why do I feel like I'm the extra one here?

Above Hokage Rock, Lord Orochimaru smiled warmly at the three little radish heads before him.

"Wow! It's actually Lord Orochimaru!"

Anko Mitarashi looked at Lord Orochimaru with a face full of admiration.

Her father, Mito Uzumaki, was Lord Orochimaru's most trusted subordinate. Clearly, Anko had been influenced by her father.

"So this is Lord Orochimaru?"

Kurenai Yūhi had heard her father, Yūhi Shinku, speak of Lord Orochimaru's fame. Her father had also fought side by side with Lord Orochimaru on the battlefield in the Land of Rain.

"Orochimaru? This guy? Still, he does look a little stronger than the old man."

That was the delinquent Asuma.

Orochimaru activated the Observation Haki he had just learned, listening to the thoughts of his three subordinates.

The technique he had nearly finished previously was Observation Haki. Compared with Yang Release, Orochimaru seemed to possess considerably greater talent in Yin Release.

He had studied quite a few sensory ninjutsu and consulted some materials from the Yamanaka Clan regarding the Mind Body Switch Technique. Although they did not contain specific training methods or core principles, they had given him many directions for developing Observation Haki.

For now, listening to the thoughts of three Genin was not a problem. But against Jōnin with stronger minds, its effectiveness was very poor.

The main reason was that Orochimaru had only just developed Observation Haki. He might not even be able to use it properly in actual combat yet. Perhaps more advanced techniques would emerge later.

"Since you're already members of the same team, whether you know each other or not, introduce yourselves first! Your hobbies, dreams, and so on."

With his hands behind his back, Orochimaru looked at the three newly graduated Genin before him.

"Hey! Shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking other people to do it?"

Asuma Sarutobi shouted rebelliously, though his eyes were fixed on Kurenai Yūhi, hoping his fearless spirit of defying authority and bravely standing up for himself would catch her attention.

"Idiot Asuma, don't interrupt Teacher Orochimaru while he's speaking!"

Anko Mitarashi punched Asuma Sarutobi on the head.

"It's all right, Anko. Asuma makes a very good point."

Orochimaru smiled as though he did not mind, but inwardly he was calculating how to make things difficult for Asuma Sarutobi later.

What if the old man was unhappy about it?

I'm doing this because I think highly of your Asuma and plan to focus on training him!

Would I, Orochimaru, really be such a petty person?

"As Anko said, my name is Orochimaru. My hobby is researching new ninjutsu, what I dislike is bugs, and as for my dream... for now, it is to first become Hokage, then use the Hokage's power to stop every war in this world."

As for how he would stop them?

Using war to end war might achieve temporary results, but it would never last.

If Orochimaru became Hokage, he would definitely unify the strength of the entire Land of Fire and influence the whole world through every aspect—economy, culture, and more.

By then, you'd be eating my food and using my resources. The people giving you work would be mine, and the people making you work would still be mine. How would you fight?

As long as he could ensure he had enough strength to avoid being brought down by certain greedy forces, the entire Shinobi World would become his backyard.

"Me! I'll go first!"

Anko Mitarashi raised her hand and spoke impatiently.

"My name is Anko Mitarashi. I like dango, I hate eating Kushina's cooking, and my dream is to become a great ninja like Teacher Orochimaru!"

Orochimaru nodded. Perhaps Kushina's cooking could be added to the list of things he disliked as well.

"Who's next? Who wants to go?"

"I'll go, Teacher Orochimaru."

Kurenai Yūhi said generously.

"My name is Kurenai Yūhi. My favorite food is wasabi octopus, I hate my mom's cream cakes, and my dream is to become the strongest Master of Genjutsu in the Shinobi World!"

Master of Genjutsu? That might be possible with my guidance, but the strongest was unlikely.

With that bunch of Uchiha cheaters around, you had no chance...

But why did every introduction have something to do with food?

"Kurenai, I think your dream will definitely come true!"

Asuma grinned ingratiatingly. Kurenai Yūhi smiled shyly, while Anko wore a look of disgust.

"Asuma, it's your turn."

"Mm, my name is Asuma. I like smoking, drinking, getting my hair permed, and... hehehe..."

Asuma looked at Kurenai and revealed a lecherous grin.

Duang~

Without the slightest mercy, Anko hammered a huge bump onto Asuma's head.

"What's wrong with you? Hurry up!"

"Oh! And I hate a certain bad woman who likes hitting me! My dream is to understand the will of the Land of Fire—"

Duang!

Now the bumps on Asuma's head were symmetrical.

Rubbing the bump, Asuma glared at Anko and lunged at her.

The two began trading wild, flailing punches.

"Stop fighting, you two!"

Kurenai Yūhi cried out from the side, trying to stop them.

"Yeah, fighting like that won't kill anyone!"

"Huh?" ×3

Why did Teacher Orochimaru's words sound a little off?

Duang~ ×3

"Teacher Orochimaru, why did you hit me too!?"

Kurenai Yūhi puffed up her red eyes in grievance and questioned Orochimaru.

"Well... since the three of you are members of the same team, it would be a little hard to justify hitting only the other two, wouldn't it?"

So it made sense for you to hit me for no reason?

Kurenai Yūhi's eyes were already red, but now even the corners around them had turned redder!

"Teacher Orochimaru, that's where you're wrong!"

Duang~

Asuma, intending to play the hero and save the beauty, got another symmetrical bump on his head.