The confrontation test at the Ninja Academy had not only demonstrated Kurama Yakumo's strength, but also revealed how outstanding this batch of students was.
The talented young shinobi from the other villages had been completely unable to stand against the Academy's four prodigies and Kurama Yakumo, who possessed Wood Release.
The other Academy students had also put in commendable performances, worthy of praise.
The more talented they were, the more they deserved to be nurtured. So Kakashi suggested to the Third that the Jonin go to the Academy and select promising students to take as disciples.
It was an old Konoha tradition.
The Third had chosen Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru that way. Jiraiya had chosen the Fourth the same way.
The Fourth had likewise chosen Kakashi, Obito, and Rin Nohara.
It could be said that the Hokage's line of teacher and student had been passed down generation after generation by selecting promising candidates at the Academy.
If a Konoha shinobi failed to enter this teacher-student lineage and wasn't apprenticed to one of its members, then politically, they wouldn't qualify to become a Hokage candidate.
No matter how prestigious or powerful they were, it would be difficult for them to become Hokage through normal channels.
On the other hand,
anyone who successfully entered the Hokage's teacher-student lineage—like Naruto, who had apprenticed himself to Jiraiya; Yakumo, who had apprenticed herself to Tsunade; or even Sasuke, who trained under Kakashi—was qualified to become Hokage.
Don't underestimate that qualification.
Having it or not was the difference between being one of their own and not.
If someone wasn't one of their own, then the stronger and more prestigious they became, the less likely they were to qualify as Hokage—and the more likely they were to invite trouble.
Konoha White Fang, Kakashi's father, was a perfect