I, Who Participated in the Chunin Exam, Was Broadcast Live!

Byakugan.

?

"Ao—" Mei Terumi said, "I'm giving you some time off for the near future. Get a good rest."

"Don't come reporting to me for a while."

"Got it?"

"Or how about you go support our Kirigakure Ninja Academy?"

··············

"Huh?"

Ao's mouth fell open.

???

He didn't understand!

Because wasn't this saying... that he was being pushed away by the Mizukage?

"Mizukage-sama, did I... do something wrong?"

Everyone thought of Mei Terumi as the genius and hope who ended the bloody reign of the Fourth Mizukage.

They all wanted to work together to revitalize Kirigakure. He was the same.

But... being reassigned outright?

"There are some things I can't easily explain," Mei Terumi said. "But I still trust you."

"Still, I need you to support the Ninja Academy for a while."

"This is an A-rank mission!"

···········

"Uh—"

Ao quickly knelt on one knee in acceptance.

Because this was a mission.

But.

"Then, Mizukage-sama, how long... will I be staying at the Ninja Academy?"

Ao asked cautiously.

He was one of those supporting Mei Terumi, but he didn't want to be distanced.

He also wanted to do something for this broken Kirigakure.

"I don't know yet. Go there for half a year first," Mei Terumi said.

"Also, don't take it to heart."

"This really isn't distancing."

Mei Terumi said, then, as if remembering something, quickly added, "And, when you see me around, you don't need to greet me."

··············

"???????"

Ao was now full of question marks.

He couldn't even greet her, and she said this wasn't distancing?

???

Ah...

Ao was crushed.

But the current Mizukage-sama was Kirigakure's hope, and everyone wanted reform, so... he couldn't become an obstacle.

So Ao put down his documents, bowed, and withdrew.

Then...

Half a year without seeing the Mizukage-sama.

·······

"I have no choice either."

Mei Terumi clearly sensed Ao's low spirits, but she shook her head lightly.

Ao was loyal, and like her, he hoped for change in Kirigakure.

But... Ao's left eye was the Hidden Leaf's Byakugan!

She had just poked the Hidden Leaf's nest, and inside were the past Hokage.

If this were normal times, Ao could brag about snatching the Byakugan from the Hidden Leaf Village!

It was a medal, a battle achievement.

But right now...

She was weak, helpless, and pitiful.

If the Hokage lords in the group found out she had someone who'd stolen a Byakugan... well... she'd probably be bullied to death.

So being a little cowardly was fine.

But there was value too, or rather, high value.

Because.

[This small group observes Kitahara Kaede for 3 hours every day.]

Her fingers tapped lightly on the table.

Kitahara Kaede.

From the information gathered through indirect inquiries, this was the Hidden Leaf's... Wood Release user.

As expected of the Hidden Leaf.

With the First Hokage in hand, you rule the world.

Many people said that if the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha teamed up, wouldn't it be Susano'o wearing the Great Buddha, two men conquering four nations?

Then there'd be no place for their Kirigakure.

But... the First Hokage was already in the group, and this kind of extraordinary thing had already happened, so...

Maybe one day, Hashirama Senju the First could reappear in the world.

Then... her choice... was still to lie low.

Maybe if she submitted to the Hidden Leaf early, she could get a hand from them in the future.

Because the First Hokage was famously a naive idiot.

No wonder his title was [Hashirama Senju]. He'd even once nearly given away tailed beasts to the various ninja villages for free.

Thinking like this, Mei Terumi found her position.

Become a wallflower in the small group observing Kitahara Kaede (^_-).

After all... she was the weakest in there.

With that thought.

The next day, at 10:30 AM.

The small group observing Kitahara Kaede (^_-) started up.

[Welcome all group members to log in.]

[Today's 3-hour observation of Kitahara Kaede will begin in 10 minutes. Please prepare, all members. Those who disconnect will be given a new title.]

Mei Terumi looked at the system prompt, then quickly got ready.

She knew... it was coming!

Kitahara Kaede, huh.

Even the successive Hokage had to watch him together... so what kind of person was he?

Mei Terumi was full of curiosity.

Then she saw Minato Namikaze leading his students to accept the Land of Waves mission.

··········

PS: Brothers who throw flowers and evaluation tickets, grow 2 centimeters tonight.

Chapter 015: Water Dragon Bullet, Do You Make Hand Seals? I Don't! Part 1!

The Land of Waves mission—this was an escort mission for the old man Tazuna from the Land of Waves to the Land of Waves.

It was just a C-rank mission.

It didn't seem difficult.

Because it was simple, Minato... no, Kakashi Hatake directly led his students to accept this mission.

The students in his class were all elites.

Sasuke graduated as an elite chunin, and Naruto had the Adamantine Sealing Chains and was the teacher's son, plus his chakra system, which had been unable to use ninjutsu due to the Nine-Tails' influence, had been repaired by Kitahara Kaede.

So Naruto's strength was naturally chunin+.

Then there was Kitahara Kaede—his strength couldn't be assessed yet, but it was probably not low.

After all, he was learning Wood Release.

Like the First Hokage, once you saw his face, others didn't want to fight you.

Because they knew they couldn't win.

So.

To sum it up.

Kakashi quickly took on the mission.

Observing Kitahara Kaede's (^_-) little group.

Minato Namikaze: This is Naruto-chan's first mission, I'm a bit nervous.

As an old father, combined with never being able to stay by and care for Naruto, Minato's emotions were running high the whole time.

And the First and Second Hokage were both grandfathers themselves—they shared a granddaughter, Tsunade Senju, and doted on Tsuna too.

So they understood Minato's feelings.

Tobirama Senju: Minato, about some of the things that happened to Naruto before... can you accept it now?

Minato Namikaze: I can't accept it. If I get the chance, I want to confront the Third Hokage and get the full story.

Minato's stance was very clear. He was a gentle, magnanimous person who gave his life for the village.

That was the duty of a Hokage.

But I'm out here fighting on the front lines, and you're back there abusing my son?

What's the point of even fighting anymore?

The reason his emotions were relatively stable now was largely thanks to the fact that the young Naruto he was watching wasn't in such a bad state.

After Kitahara Kaede resolved the issues with young Naruto's Chakra system, the boy's face was full of smiles and enthusiasm.

That gave Minato some peace of mind.

So.

Just like he'd said before—though Kitahara had used Naruto, he was still a true friend of the Namikaze clan.

Tobirama Senju: Hah, I know all that. When I get the chance, I'll confront Hiruzen about it too.