Questions Before the Assessment

The four followed the Third Hokage away from the school playground and into the training ground normally used for extracurricular activities.

All four were currently key figures under the Third Hokage's watch, the kind earmarked for focused cultivation. Otherwise, he would not have personally stepped in. He had been observing them from the shadows all along.

He had thoroughly grasped everything about them, including their personalities.

A team was best made up of three people, with one being a support-type ninja. Tsunade was obviously the support-type ninja. Of course, if anyone thought that made her easy to bully, she could punch them to death with a single blow.

With such an arrangement, one of the four would have to be assigned elsewhere. Hiko, who had risen later than the others, should have been the most likely choice, but the Third Hokage did not do that. Instead, he put all four of them into one team.

Naturally, the Third Hokage had his own plans for doing so.

Those plans also stemmed from his own circumstances.

As Konoha's Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not be like other teachers, constantly leading students everywhere, taking on missions and teaching them.

When it came to teaching, Hiruzen Sarutobi would do his utmost. As his students, the resources they received would be beyond comparison with anyone else's.

Likewise, because Hiruzen Sarutobi was their teacher, he could not accompany them when they went out on missions. As Konoha's Third Hokage, could Hiruzen Sarutobi really run all over the world with his students?

That was clearly impossible. Even if the Third Hokage wanted to do so, a whole crowd of people would jump out to oppose it.

This was also the biggest reason he had integrated Hiko into the team.

Among the four, Orochimaru was the coldest and indifferent to everyone. Tsunade had a fiery temper and could explode at any moment. Jiraiya was careless and boisterous, liable to do something out of line if no one kept an eye on him.

Only Hiko, in the Third Hokage's view, was the most steady and composed.

With the four of them forming a team, one person would be chosen to lead it. When they carried out missions outside the village, that person could restrain the other three. Otherwise, if he could not go himself and only Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya went out, the team could run into trouble at any time.

They could not possibly have someone else from the village lead them every time a mission required them to leave the village, could they?

Hiko, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade had no idea what the Third Hokage was thinking. The four followed him to the training ground, lined up, and waited for him to announce the contents of the assessment.

"Before the assessment, I want to ask you a question. I hope you will answer honestly—just follow your hearts."

Just as the four thought the Third Hokage was about to begin testing them, he suddenly said something that left them slightly stunned. A question? And they had to answer truthfully?

Hiko, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru exchanged looks. None of them could figure out what the Third Hokage was trying to do.

"First!!"

The Third Hokage showed no intention of explaining. With his hands behind his back, he took two steps, raised his head to look at them, and said, "While carrying out a mission outside the village under orders, you happen to discover an enemy base containing highly important secrets. Obtaining those secrets could bring absolute benefits to the village. What would you do?"

After saying that, the Third Hokage smiled at them and waited for their answers.

Hiko's first reaction was to furrow his refined brows slightly. Orochimaru lowered his head in thought, while Tsunade folded her arms, unable to gauge the Third Hokage's true intentions.

Only Jiraiya looked at the others, then at the Third Hokage's gentle smile. He raised a hand to scratch his head, visibly conflicted, before shouting, "Of course we attack, go in, and get those secrets!!!"

"Not a bad idea."

The Third Hokage smiled and nodded, then looked toward Tsunade.

Tsunade was not as rash as Jiraiya. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "We should first investigate the strength of the enemies at the base before deciding whether to act. If the enemy is too strong, a direct assault would be unwise."

Though she mentioned reconnaissance, Tsunade was also inclined to take action and obtain the secrets within the base, reaching the same conclusion as Jiraiya.