The Team Assignment Is Set

Hokage Office.

On Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk lay a file containing records of Kakashi's recent missions and actions.

This was already the third time Kakashi had clashed with a new team and failed to get along with them, making it difficult for him to carry out missions normally.

Danzo, the Hokage's advisor, stood before Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk with one hand on his cane and said gravely, "...It seems you can't find a suitable place for that child, Sarutobi. In that case, why not hand him over to me?"

With his pipe in his mouth, Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at Danzo. "You want to turn Sakumo's child into an emotionless tool?"

Expressionless, Danzo said, "Leave his training to me. He won't make the same mistakes Sakumo did. He'll become an outstanding ninja who surpasses Sakumo."

Hiruzen Sarutobi snorted and rose to his feet. "Don't tell me you came all this way just for this, Danzo."

Danzo gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a deep look. "No. I merely happened to hear about Kakashi. This time, I came to ask about your stance toward Kirigakure. Sarutobi, are you preparing for war, or...?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe.

He exhaled a ring of smoke.

He stood and walked to the window, looking out at the distant sky. After several seconds of silence, he said in a low voice, "Take some measures to intimidate them. Their recent probing has gone too far. I'll leave this matter to you."

"Fine."

Danzo nodded and headed for the office door, saying as he went, "...Sarutobi, don't waste that child's talent."

Of Hatake Sakumo's two sons, Feng Ye was one thing, but Kakashi's displayed talent did catch Danzo's attention. Otherwise, he would not have brought it up in passing. However, since Hiruzen Sarutobi disagreed, he did not have the time to deal with such a matter personally.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not respond. Only after Danzo had left did he turn and glance in the direction Danzo had disappeared.

He shook his head. Hatake Sakumo's figure surfaced in his mind, and he let out a sigh.

Sakumo's death had greatly affected Konoha.

The major ninja villages had been frequently testing Konoha lately, partly because Konoha had lost the formidable fighting strength known as the White Fang.

Kakashi had also been affected by Sakumo's death. No matter which team he was assigned to, he would clash with his seniors. More than two years had passed since his graduation, yet he had never been placed in a suitable team. Danzo's proposal had its reasons.

"Your child is an excellent ninja, Sakumo, but he was far too immature when it came to dealing with people..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered.

Of Hatake Sakumo's two children, if Feng Ye could be called "excellent," then Kakashi was undoubtedly a genius. It was as though he had inherited Sakumo's talent. Perhaps he could become the second Konoha's White Fang in the future.

How to place Kakashi was now a problem. Hiruzen Sarutobi had arranged several teams for him so far, but Kakashi never remained with any of them for long before trouble found its way back to him.

Handing Kakashi over to Danzo was also impossible.

Though Root was indeed well suited to Kakashi, doing so would be too unfair to the deceased Sakumo. Sakumo and Danzo had been deeply at odds while he was alive. He would never have wanted to see his son trained into a tool by Root.

"...This will do."

After countless thoughts flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind, he finally made a decision. In a low voice, he spoke to the empty ceiling, "Go summon Minato."

Ordinary Jonin would find it difficult to keep Kakashi in check. Moreover, the Jonin he had previously considered suitable did not get along with Kakashi either. That left only one final candidate: Minato Namikaze.

After Hatake Sakumo's death, the most suitable successors for Fourth Hokage in the village were the Three Sannin. Yet among them, neither Jiraiya nor Tsunade had any intention of becoming Hokage. Minato Namikaze, Jiraiya's recommended disciple, was quite promising instead.

If Minato Namikaze were to inherit the position of Fourth Hokage, then he did need to cultivate some trusted subordinates of his own. Handing the genius Kakashi over to Minato Namikaze was perfectly fitting.

"Yes."

The Anbu on the roof responded, then swiftly vanished.

Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to his chair and sat down. Taking another puff from his pipe, he shook his head. "...I didn't expect I'd end up troubling Minato after all."

With the Shinobi World in such a tense state, Minato Namikaze was needed in many places. Hiruzen Sarutobi had thought of Minato long ago but had never made a decision. After going in circles, he had still returned to Minato.

Naturally, he was not worried about leaving the matter to Minato. Minato was his favored candidate to become the Fourth Hokage. Teaching a genius boy was child's play for him.

As he thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi took out a file.

The file contained detailed information on several Ninja Academy students from this class, arranged according to how close their relationship was with Kakashi.

Feng Ye's personal information was at the very top, but Hiruzen Sarutobi merely glanced at it before setting it aside.

It was inappropriate for blood brothers to be placed on the same team. Besides, Minato was a candidate for Fourth Hokage. If Feng Ye possessed talent equal to Kakashi's, that would be one thing; for the sake of cultivating outstanding members of the younger generation, such concerns could be ignored. But now, he had to consider the opinions within the village.

"Might Guy... Obito Uchiha... Rin Nohara..."

After pondering for a moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi made his choice.

First, there was Obito Uchiha. If this member of the Uchiha Clan were handed over to Minato, the Uchiha Clan would not raise much opposition to Minato succeeding as Hokage.

Then he needed a child from a civilian background. Might Guy was a boy and was therefore ruled out. Rin Nohara was the perfect choice, creating balance in every respect.

Click.

Having made his choice, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe and suddenly laughed.

A dignified Hokage was actually racking his brains over where to place a single ninja, even personally interfering with the team assignments for next year's Ninja Academy graduates.

Still, Kakashi's talent truly deserved attention and concern. As for Minato Namikaze, there was no need to say more. It was more reassuring to choose the candidates personally for him.

There would basically be no problems.

Having decided Kakashi's team assignment, Hiruzen Sarutobi lost interest in the other students. He put away the files containing information on Feng Ye and the others, tossing them aside without another look.

"I hope Danzo's actions can make the Hidden Mist Village settle down a little."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up at the ceiling and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

What truly troubled him now was the state of the Shinobi World. Friction between the major ninja villages was constant, and the situation was unfolding almost entirely around Konoha.

The reason was simple: the Land of Fire was the nation with the most abundant resources, and Konoha had emerged victorious from the Second Great Ninja War, claiming an enormous share of the benefits. That was why every village had turned its eyes toward Konoha.

But he could not yield on matters of interest.

In the ninja world, yielding once would lead to a second time. Only by confronting outside covetousness with forceful measures could peace be maintained. Hiruzen Sarutobi understood that all too well.

Thus, if the situation truly could not return to stability and the Third Great Ninja War had to erupt, then Konoha could only meet it with all its strength and let war do the talking!

At that thought.

A flash of coldness appeared in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes.

Konoha had gained abundant resources during the Second Great Ninja War. Its core strength was stable and vast. Though it had lost one Konoha's White Fang among its top fighters, his disciples Orochimaru and Jiraiya had already matured into ninjas capable of standing on their own, while rising talents such as Minato Namikaze had also emerged.

If war truly came, Konoha would not fear the other villages!