Refusal

Shinji didn't care about becoming an ANBU squad leader or having the authority to choose his subordinates.

The main reason he'd agreed to take part in the Chunin Ninja Exams was to keep Sasuke from causing trouble during the exams and derailing his own push for the Rinnegan. As for the conditions he'd presented to Utatane Koharu, they were merely a way to test the limits of the village leadership.

Before long, Kakashi brought back news that Neji had been injured and Kimimaro was gravely ill.

Inside the Hokage Office.

Utatane Koharu relayed Shinji's demands.

Tsunade frowned as soon as she heard them. "ANBU is a classified unit of the village. It's not wartime, so how can we hand an individual the authority to choose his subordinates? And he's a child who hasn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy!"

Jiraiya agreed. "I don't think it's appropriate, either!"

Mitokado Homura glanced at Utatane Koharu. "There's certainly no precedent for it!"

Utatane Koharu was displeased with Shinji's demands, too. But Shinji had already been associated with her, and if his demands were rejected, it would affect her own authority as well. So she could only say, "An ANBU squad has a minimum of three members. Even if we agree to his request, it won't have much impact."

Asuma objected. "It's not wartime, and he's being allowed to join ANBU straight out of the Ninja Academy and become a squad leader. That's already more than generous!"

Shikaku said, "Yes. We worked hard to eliminate Root's influence. If another faction independent of ANBU emerges, it'll inevitably repeat Danzo's old mistakes!"

When Shikaku brought up Danzo, the other leaders who hadn't yet voiced an opinion began nodding in agreement.

Back then, Danzo had used Root's power to suppress rival factions and bring the clans to