From the moment Water Gate, Hyuga Hyakusho, and Nawaki appeared, to when Nawaki started challenging authority and was finally brought thoroughly into line, it had seemed like a long time—but in truth, not much time had passed. Zhou Duan looked up at the sun, which had barely moved, and for the first time in front of his squad wore a serious expression.
"We still have some time before we meet up with the supply team. To help us work together as a squad in the future, let's each talk about the skills we've mastered. Nawaki, you go first!"
Understanding their teammates' abilities and using them to complement one another effectively was something taught in the Ninja Academy's very first lesson. When Zhou Duan called on him, Nawaki, who had long been trembling under Zhou Duan's tyranny, immediately began obediently listing his abilities.
"Senju Nawaki. I specialize in ninjutsu attacks and have both Earth Release and Water Release. I know six A-rank jutsu: one single-target attack, three area attacks, one control jutsu, and one defensive jutsu;
"I know four B-rank jutsu: one single-target attack, one area attack, one control jutsu, and one defensive jutsu;
"I know four C-rank jutsu: one single-target attack, one area attack, one control jutsu, and one defensive jutsu;
"I know a whole bunch of D-rank jutsu, in Earth Release and Water Release. I've got attacks, control, and defense covered. Heh, Zhou Duan, what do you think? Impressive, right? I happen to know that even the old Third Hokage didn't have as much Chakra as I do at my age. You may have beaten me just now through trickery, but you have to admit I'm way more talented than you!"
At first, Nawaki had obediently described his abilities under Zhou Duan's tyranny. But as he went on, he somehow developed a sense of superiority and started showing off to Zhou Duan nonstop. Still, there was no denying that, judging by the ninjutsu he knew alone, Nawaki was already on par with an average elite ninja. To have such talent at just eleven, having only recently graduated, he truly lived up to being the grandson of the God of Shinobi. But faced with all this, Zhou Duan only sneered and said disdainfully,
"Kid, how fast can you perform Hand Seals?"
"Well, that..."
Nawaki, who had been so full of himself a moment ago, wilted like a deflated balloon and answered awkwardly,
"Um... one seal per second..."
"One seal per second? But I thought even an ordinary ninja could manage at least three seals per second?"
Zhou Duan watched Nawaki with interest.
"So that means the enemy can use three jutsu before you can use one, right?"
"Well..."
Nawaki was so embarrassed he could barely stand it. Fortunately, Zhou Duan didn't keep pressing him. He turned and glanced at Namikaze Minato.
"Minato, tell us what you're good at."
"My main focus is Taijutsu, with wind-based ninjutsu as support!"
Minato had the air of a friendly boy-next-door as he answered cheerfully.
"As for the jutsu I know, I have one B-rank jutsu, which boosts my agility;
"I know six C-rank jutsu: one single-target attack, one area attack, one control jutsu, one defensive jutsu, and two support jutsu;
"I know lots of D-rank jutsu, but most are support jutsu. I can also set simple traps and perform basic first aid and bandaging in the field!"
Zhou Duan nodded. It was obvious that Namikaze Minato wanted to become a close-combat ninja; his abilities made that perfectly clear. The ferocious fighting spirit he'd shown during the genin exam had even surprised Zhou Duan. Minato was clearly a born close-combat ninja. What's more, Zhou Duan had observed him closely and concluded that Namikaze Minato had an enormous amount of Chakra, possibly as much as Nawaki. After all, he was the man who would one day master the most difficult and Chakra-intensive jutsu of all—the Flying Thunder God!
Minato's Hand Seal speed was six seals per second, too. Even more astonishing, his Chakra control was quite good. That meant that, if he wanted, he could turn himself into a ninjutsu turret in no time!
Having such an outstanding teammate helped ease the faint sadness Zhou Duan had felt about having Nawaki on the squad. He turned to Hyuga Hyakusho.
"Hyakusho, your turn!"
"My abilities are rather ordinary."
There was a hint of insecurity in Hyuga Hyakusho's voice.
"My main focus is the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist. My strongest technique is the Eight Trigrams Sixteen Palms. I use Water Release;
"I know eight C-rank jutsu: three area attacks, two defensive jutsu, and three that strengthen the body;
"I know a few D-rank jutsu, but most of them are support jutsu!"
Compared with Namikaze Minato, whose fundamentals were exceptionally solid, and Nawaki, who had no shame but a skill set skewed beyond belief, Hyuga Hyakusho's abilities were rather average. But Zhou Duan didn't look down on him. "Average" depended on who you compared him with. Among this year's graduates, Hyakusho was already above average. One was the grandson of the First Hokage, the God of Shinobi; another would become the Fourth Hokage. Something would have been wrong if Hyuga Hyakusho could measure up to them!
Zhou Duan glanced at Hyuga Hyakusho but said nothing. Confidence was earned on the battlefield; encouragement or provocation now might have the opposite effect. But before Zhou Duan could say anything, Nawaki, eager to flaunt his superiority, jumped in again.
"Hyakusho, you might be a total pushover right now, but don't be scared. I'm going to be Hokage someday, an invincible ninja! Trust me, I'll be a big brother who protects a weakling like you... Aaaah!"
Before Nawaki, that clown, could finish, Zhou Duan had already thrown a vial at his feet. Nawaki, already traumatized, let out a yelp and leaped into a tree!
Zhou Duan pursed his lips, picked up the vial embedded in the grass, and spoke slowly.
"Hatake Shudan, a lower-rank ninja and a Lower-rank Medical Ninja. I specialize in Wind Release and am developing a second affinity, Fire Release. I know one B-rank jutsu, a large-scale Wind Release attack;
"I know ten C-rank jutsu: five control jutsu, three defensive jutsu, one large-scale attack, and one support jutsu;
"I know a lot of D-rank jutsu, but they're mostly support jutsu;
"I can summon Ninja Turtles and use a few simple Sealing Jutsu!
"And..."
Zhou Duan took out two scrolls.
"Because I'm a Medical Ninja and Nawaki's a dead last, I managed to get three times as many medical supplies as the other genin squads!"
As soon as Zhou Duan finished speaking, Nawaki, Minato, and Hyuga Hyakusho's eyes all lit up.
What was the most important thing for them on the battlefield right now? Without a doubt, it was medicine to improve their chances of survival. None of them said it aloud, but fewer than one in ten genin who went to the battlefield returned. They had seen it with their own eyes in the rows of names on the Konoha Memorial Stone!
Besides, a Medical Ninja would surely be better at using medicine. And all three had heard of Zhou Duan's reputation: he was the sort who never let himself get the short end of the stick. As a Medical Ninja, surely he'd prepared some better supplies from the hospital?
Seeing the looks in Minato, Nawaki, and Hyuga Hyakusho's eyes, Zhou Duan smiled meaningfully. He knew what the three of them were thinking—and in fact, the shameless guy had done exactly that. He put away the scrolls, then suddenly remembered something and asked Hyuga Hyakusho with a mischievous grin,
"Hyakusho, there's something I've been meaning to ask. Your name sounds a little strange to me. Hyuga Hyakusho—is there some profound meaning behind it? Does it mean you want to touch the palms of a hundred different people...?"
Hyuga Hyakusho: "..."
Namikaze Minato: "..."
Senju Nawaki: "..."
Before you continue