Wood Release Tenzo

With the help of the Silent Fruit, Zi Xu had another good night's sleep. Aside from the clone forced to practice the Silent Fruit's abilities, no one was harmed. First, we know Labor Day is for taking a break, but the name tells us to labor, so it's perfectly reasonable for the clone to work while the original rests.

"Right, I should go report in today." After getting everything sorted, Zi Xu left the clone in the room to keep training while he headed out to the Ninja Academy.

If the Ninja Academy is the initial selection for ninjas, then this class assignment was more formal. They were usually grouped into teams of three, each led by a teacher. Barring any changes, the teacher would stay the same, and the three of them would follow that teacher to learn, complete missions along the way, and eventually take the Chunin and Jonin promotion exams.

Thanks to his excellent sleep quality, by the time Zi Xu reached the classroom, Chino and Hatsumi were already there. Each team had its own dedicated classroom, though they'd rarely use it from now on. Most of their future tasks would involve outdoor combat or mission execution, so the classroom wouldn't see much use.

At that moment, Hatsumi was sitting next to Chino, showing off a peculiar bug. When she saw Zi Xu enter, she waved him over.

"Zi Xu, Zi Xu, look! I found out that Light Bugs and Moonlight Worms can naturally mate. They can produce offspring without human intervention, allowing for natural evolution..." Hatsumi began showcasing her new discovery. Zi Xu nodded, but he was more curious about something else.

"Why isn't the teacher here yet? I thought I was already late enough."

"No idea. Takeshi Goda said our teacher had some business to handle and told us to wait a bit." Chino propped her chin on her hand, looking bored.

"How's your clan treating you now?" Zi Xu asked casually, sitting down next to Chino.

"What else? Same as always, carrot and stick. That's always been the attitude toward the Branch Family, especially for someone like me with impure blood." Chino's tone was already natural, with no emotional fluctuation in her words.

Just as Zi Xu was about to say something, they heard the classroom door gently pushed open. The three turned to look. A man with short brown hair, a face-covering style headband, a loose black combat uniform, and a green vest over it walked in.

As he entered, the man instinctively scanned the surroundings. Seeing Zi Xu and the others, he gave an apologetic smile and began to apologize.

"Sorry I'm late. I'm your future homeroom teacher. Just call me Tenzo. We'll be spending a long time together from now on, so I hope we can get along harmoniously." Tenzo's words were kind, and he kept a smile on his face, looking easy to push around.

"Tenzo? You're the Wood Release Tenzo? Shouldn't you be a direct Anbu under the Third Hokage?" From Chino's words, Zi Xu could tell that this seemingly gentle man wasn't as easy to bully as he appeared—he was even quite famous.

"Oh, I've been recognized. That's right. Since there's a big shortage of teaching positions lately, I was pulled into this group to be your teacher. Consider it a vacation for me." Tenzo spread his hands, making an "I can't help it" expression. But Zi Xu and Hatsumi were completely lost, confused and bewildered.

"Hey, hey, Wood Release Tenzo? Is he famous? Isn't Wood Release a unique jutsu of the First Hokage? Could it be..." Hatsumi glanced at the man, then recalled the first stone statue on the Hokage Rock and the headband so similar to the Second Hokage's. An answer surfaced in her mind.

Tenzo felt Hatsumi's gaze growing stranger. She'd show an "I knew it" expression, then a subtle smile, then furrow her brows slightly. He had no idea what strange things she was thinking and quickly spoke to explain.

"I have no blood relation to the First or Second Hokage. As for the Wood Release ability, I acquired it by chance. Now, let me test whether you three have what it takes to be ninjas."

Tenzo clearly didn't want to explain his abilities further and quickly changed the subject. Though unsatisfied with his vague answer, the three were surprised to hear he'd test their qualifications to become ninjas.

"You mean we have to pass a test to officially become Genin? What happens if we don't?" Zi Xu stood up from his seat to voice his doubt. Tenzo still wore a smile, speaking the coldest words in the gentlest tone.

"Those who can't complete tasks have no value. For those without value, the greatest mercy is to never let them become ninjas."

"So failing the test means losing ninja qualifications? Then tell us what the test is." Chino summarized and asked bluntly.

Tenzo waved for them to follow him out. This test was likely a practical one, no need for a classroom meant for written exams. As they followed Tenzo out, Zi Xu pondered why Tenzo had become their teacher.

First, Tenzo was a direct Anbu under the Third Hokage, taking orders only from Hiruzen Sarutobi. So this was the Third Hokage's decision. Thinking about their team's composition, Zi Xu had performed averagely—mid-to-upper tier. Tenzo's target probably wasn't him, though he couldn't rule out the Anbu discovering his secret, but that was unlikely.

Hatsumi could also be ruled out. If she controlled a lineage of plague poison bugs, maybe, but her current strength wasn't enough to concern the Third Hokage.

"So if Tenzo's arrival isn't a coincidence, his target can only be Chino. It's related to the Hyuga Main Family after all..." He remembered Chino telling him how the leader of the Land of Lightning's ninjas, who kidnapped the Hyuga clan's young heir to learn the Byakugan's secrets, was killed by the current clan head, Hyuga Hiashi. The Land of Lightning not only denied the kidnapping but used the leader's death as an excuse to make unreasonable demands, asking to see the Hyuga clan head's corpse.

Otherwise, they threatened to attack Konoha and the Hyuga Clan. Hizashi Hyuga sacrificed himself in place of Hiashi Hyuga to save the Hyuga Clan and Konoha's people.

The more he thought about it, the more wrong it felt. He just wanted to ask one question: what was the Third Hokage doing? Was it possible this was a joint decision by the Hyuga Main Family and Hiruzen Sarutobi? Was it possible the Land of Lightning's ninja leader was also set up by the Main Family and the Third? Was it possible Hizashi Hyuga "voluntarily" died under the "negotiation" between Hiashi Hyuga and the Third?

Filing this away, he resolved to warn Chino to watch out for Tenzo. They followed him outside. Zi Xu, Hatsumi, and Chino stood opposite Tenzo, who pulled out three Explosive Tags.

"The most important thing in a ninja team is trust between members. My test is simple. These are special Explosive Tags. Once infused with Chakra, they'll detonate in 30 seconds. The tag will be passed among you three, eventually exploding in one person's hands. You can't throw it away. I'll supervise. The one holding it when it explodes is out. The other two pass. Simple as that."

Tenzo activated one tag, waited a moment, then threw it. Soon, the tag burst into intense flames and smoke in the air, the heat wave scorching their faces, proving the tag was real.

"Now, who should we start with? Don't worry, Konoha's medical corps is very advanced. No one will get hurt." Tenzo's dark pupils reflected the three figures, looking somewhat eerie.

Though he said he'd choose someone to start, he'd already activated the tag in his hand. Zi Xu noticed this. He took the tag from Tenzo's hand, but his mind was racing, considering the deeper meaning behind Tenzo's actions.

"As a Konoha teacher, he shouldn't deliberately let us get hurt outside of missions. Even if the Third and the Hyuga Main Family wanted to pressure the Branch Family, they wouldn't do it this way. Only the first of the three tags is real..." Though he guessed this, he couldn't be sure he was right.

Seeing Zi Xu not moving, Hatsumi and Chino grew anxious, but they knew his personality well. Though his body was tough, he never used his physical strength to do anything reckless.

"Teacher Tenzo, you said the most important thing in a ninja team is trust between members, right? But won't this test create rifts between team members? Even those who pass won't truly be happy. They might even carry guilt as a lifelong shadow... In conclusion, I think this test is completely unnecessary."

Zi Xu's tone was unprecedentedly firm. Though he felt the tag in his hand growing hotter, he still didn't throw it.

Tenzo dropped his smile, staring seriously into Zi Xu's eyes. His tone lost its earlier warmth.

"Well said. But a ninja must prioritize the mission. If you insist on believing that, then you'll be eliminated."

Hatsumi spoke anxiously to Tenzo, and a few blue bugs flew toward Zi Xu: "What kind of rule is that? If you can't even protect your friends, what kind of ninja are you?" As she moved, Chino finished her preparations and lunged at Tenzo.

Tenzo didn't respond. He raised his hand, and his fingers turned into branches that wrapped around the bugs flying toward Zi Xu. Then he released a terrifying pressure around him, making it hard for Hatsumi and Chino to breathe. Only then did they remember that this seemingly gentle man was a Jonin, a master of countless killing techniques.

"..." He silently stared at Zi Xu holding the tag, raising an eyebrow slightly. Zi Xu felt the tag growing hotter. Was this... not a dud?

"Pong~" The sound of an explosion came, mixed with the smell of burning and scorched wood. The tag detonated violently, but the explosion happened inside a cage of trees Tenzo had created.

Tenzo looked at the unharmed Zi Xu, nodded in satisfaction, and gave a reassuring smile.

"Honestly, I really wanted to fail you. Looking at your file, all your scores are average, with no standout points. People like that have high mortality rates on missions." He paused, stretched, and looked at Hatsumi and the others, who still hadn't figured out what was happening. He also returned the little blue bug he'd trapped.

"But you can't judge everything by data. You have strength beyond the numbers, and your teammates trust you deeply. That kind of trust can only be built through many experiences. So..." Tenzo paused, flicked away the charred wood in his hand, and waved at Zi Xu and the others.

"Let's go. What are you standing there for? Time to start class."

Chino glanced at Zi Xu, relieved to see he wasn't hurt, then dragged the bewildered Hatsumi along to follow.

"Scary words, but turns out he's a good teacher after all..." Zi Xu mentally noted his assessment of Tenzo and followed the three ahead.

--- Author's Note ---

A new writer really needs recommendations and collections. Thank you!