The Teammates and Their Jonin Leader

As he watched the graduates being led away in one squad after another, Uzuki Yugao began to grow restless.

"Hey, Makoto, what do you think our Jonin leader will be like?"

"How would I know? Look, Yugao, I don't mind you treating me like I know everything, but could you stop treating me like a fortune-teller? I can use jutsu, but I really don't know any divination magic."

"I'm just curious."

"Please strangle that little curiosity gremlin in your head. Ninjas need patience. We'll find out soon enough."

Higashino Makoto looked completely at ease, but he still dismissed the guess he'd just made. He was the top graduate this year, after all, with a perfect score.

Even if the Third was completely muddleheaded, he wouldn't possibly hand him over to the Uchiha.

Even if he wanted to, his good buddy Shimura Danzō wouldn't agree.

Come on, you don't give me this year's top graduate, fine—but you're giving him to the Uchiha? Monkey, you've changed.

After a while, a lean, middle-aged Ninja walked in. He wore a standard green flak jacket and a shinobi cap with a metal plate, and stood at an average height. His brown hair fell to his shoulders.

So Konoha had the most black-haired and brown-haired people. Blond, white, red, blue, and purple hair were all abnormal.

Uzuki Yugao exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? Uncle Yun Jian, what are you doing here? Wait, don't tell me you're our...?"

"That's right, you guessed it. Third Squad: Higashino Makoto and Uzuki Yugao, come with me."

The newcomer was named Yugao Gekko. He was Gekko Hayate's father, an old family friend of the Uzuki Clan, and a senior from the same school as the Higashino Couple, as well as their friend.

The three families knew one another, and both the Gekko and Uzuki families were barely large enough to be called clans. You could just as easily call them civilians. They were also staunch members of the Hokage Faction, so Konoha didn't choose Jonin leaders at random.

Seeing that their Jonin leader was Yugao Gekko, Higashino Makoto had already guessed who their last teammate would be.

Sure enough, when the two followed Yugao Gekko to a secluded Training Ground, a familiar figure jumped down from a tree.

Gekko Hayate!

His appearance had changed a little. Like his father, he wore a shinobi cap, and aside from his height and age, he now looked just like Higashino Makoto remembered.

So this really was a father-and-son team.

Uzuki Yugao was astonished. "Hayate, how come it's you?"

It seemed she hadn't known in advance that Gekko Hayate would join their squad. After all, no one needed to ask a brand-new Genin for her opinion on something like that.

Higashino Makoto asked curiously, "You graduated a year ago. How come you're on your own? What happened to your teammates?"

"Well, it's a long story." Gekko Hayate looked a little helpless. "A little over half a year after we graduated, our squad went on a C-rank Mission and ran into a Sunagakure Rogue Ninja."

During the War Period, Rogue Ninjas were active throughout the Shinobi World in droves. Every village had plenty of them, except Kumogakure, which had fewer. Running into one was perfectly normal.

"So? Were your teammates killed?"

Gekko Hayate shook his head. "No. We killed the Rogue Ninja, but... sigh. My teammate Amatsu suddenly ran over to search the body. We couldn't stop him in time, and an Explosive Tag blew off one of his legs. He was left crippled and couldn't be a Ninja anymore.

"Our other teammate was a girl. She was so frightened that she quit the squad. I recommended her to Aunt Sakura's Code Deciphering Class. She had a real knack for it."

That Sakura was Uzuki Sakura, Yugao's mother. She was a support Chunin who belonged to Konoha's Intelligence Analysis Class.

Higashino Makoto hadn't expected the story to be so ridiculous. Clearly, the Shinobi World wasn't a place for people who couldn't keep their guard up. Some ruthless people left gifts behind even after they died.

Only the protagonist's plot armor could save you. Take Naruto, for example. Without plot armor, a tiny Explosive Tag trap could send you flying. Nawaki, you know what I mean.

Nawaki: "???"

After hearing the story, Higashino Makoto and Uzuki Yugao tilted their heads at Yugao Gekko, who was about to become their Jonin leader. Their meaning was obvious: We hadn't expected you to be so unreliable.

Yugao Gekko was an experienced Jonin. He could tell at once that they were looking down on him.

"What are you looking at? I wasn't leading the squad back then." He glared at them and swiftly shrugged off the blame that wasn't his. Then his expression turned serious as he warned them, "Hayate's experience should serve as a lesson. As Ninjas, you must stay alert at all times, or you can easily lose your lives."

"After that incident, I had Hayate train at home for a few months while waiting for you to graduate. The three of you grew up together, after all. You know one another well."

Konoha was willing to make such a small accommodation for a full-fledged Jonin who wanted to influence his own son's Class Assignment.

After all, Higashino Makoto had been the top student in the school every year. Ever since Shisui graduated, he'd pulled so far ahead that no one could even see his taillights.

The Hokage's side would naturally keep an eye on a genius like him. Once he graduated, assigning childhood friends as his teammates would create an exceptionally strong bond. It was perfect.

"All right, enough small talk. Third Squad is now officially formed. Introduce yourselves."

Uzuki Yugao looked confused. "Uncle Yun Jian, do we really need to introduce ourselves? You should know us well already."

"It's procedure." Yugao Gekko's expression was stern. "And from now on, I'm your Jonin leader and direct superior. During work, you'll address me by my title.

"Remember that. On missions, you can call me teacher or squad leader, but you must not call me uncle or father. That would count as leaking information, and enemies could use it against us.

"Most importantly, follow orders!"

The girl shrank back and didn't dare argue. She dutifully introduced herself. "I'm Uzuki Yugao, nine years old. I like admiring flowers, and my dream is to have a big private garden."

"I'm Gekko Hayate, ten years old. I like the feeling of growing up alongside my friends. My dream is to become a swordsmanship master."

"I'm Higashino Makoto, nine years old. I like training. As for my dream... to protect my comrades in Konoha."

That was a very politically correct dream, but the right to interpret it belonged to Higashino Makoto. Protecting Konoha's comrades was all well and good, but he still got to decide who counted as a comrade.

Yugao Gekko knew the three of them very well, naturally. Their families had been close for years.

"Good. Before a squad was officially formed, there would normally be a test. Anyone who failed wouldn't be allowed to graduate. Given how well I know you, we can skip it.

"But I still need to assess your abilities so I can plan your future missions. Now, tell me what you're good at."

Uzuki Yugao said, "I'm good at Konoha Style Swordsmanship, intermediate and lower-level Wind Release Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu."

Gekko Hayate was much the same. "I'm also good at Konoha Style Swordsmanship, intermediate and lower-level Wind Release, Water Release, and Genjutsu."

Higashino Makoto had taught them both Wind Release and Water Release, though he hadn't taught them much. Instead, he'd mainly urged them to focus on Nature Cultivation.

As long as they mastered Nature Transformation well enough, learning the corresponding jutsu would be easy later on. They could even develop jutsu suited to their own fighting styles.

However, they were both Regular Ninjas without any bloodline advantages. Their progress couldn't compare with that of a Cheating Player, and they would need a long time to hone their skills.

As for Genjutsu, it was part of the swordsmanship system passed down through both their clans.

When it was Higashino Makoto's turn, he thought for a moment and said, "I'm something of an all-rounder. I'm pretty good at Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu, medical ninjutsu, and Sensing. Oh... I know a little Sealing Jutsu, too."

He wasn't bragging. Over the past year, he really had studied basic Sealing Jutsu theory and runes. They came in handy when he developed Defensive Jutsu, so he'd learned a bit along the way.

The other three stared at him, stunned. What kind of absurd claim was that? Was he even speaking human language?

Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao were especially surprised. They'd grown up together. They knew he was strong, and Medical Ninjutsu made sense—but what was all this about Sensing and Sealing Jutsu?

Yugao Gekko gave Higashino Makoto a long, searching look. Before taking charge of the squad, he had spoken at length with his old friends Higashino Jiro and Uzuki Yuwa.

Based on Jiro's letters, he'd thought he already understood Higashino Makoto well enough. But it seemed his old friend's information was outdated after so long at the front. He had no idea what kind of monster his son had become.