Joining the Team Ceremony

"Might Guy, Uchiha Yu, and Hyuga Riko, your early graduation applications from yesterday have been approved. You three don't need to attend class today. Meet at Training Ground 83. This afternoon, a Jonin leader chosen by the village will find you. Starting today, you are Genin," Hamu announced before class.

Approved? No class? No exam?

Guy's ears perked up. Oh, it was that easy? They didn't even test our strength again? That's not normal!

However, Guy didn't dwell on it. Less hassle is less hassle.

Hamu then took out three ninja headbands and handed them to the three.

"From now on, you are Konoha ninja. Keep up the good work."

Taking the ninja headbands, the three bowed to Hamu, expressing their gratitude for his care over the past few years, and then left the classroom one after another.

Watching the three bow, Hamu felt conflicted. For the clan prodigies and civilian geniuses in his class, the Ninja Academy teachers couldn't really offer much help, to be honest.

Before Hamu could say anything, the three had already left the classroom, and it was too late to say anything. It seemed he could only focus on teaching the remaining students better.

Looking at the remaining students, Hamu fell into his dilemma again. Do the clan children really need my guidance? The civilian students have too poor ninja talent. After working hard to become ninja, they'll only ever be Genin their whole lives. In a war, they'll just be cannon fodder. Is becoming a ninja like this really worth it?

While Hamu was still conflicted, Guy and the other two had already arrived at Training Ground 83. Not seeing their assigned Jonin leader, they didn't rest but each found a spot and began their own training.

Nine hundred ninety-eight!

Nine hundred ninety-nine!

One thousand!

Guy stopped after completing a thousand side kicks.

Four hours had passed since Hamu had notified them to come to Training Ground 83. By all rights, the Jonin leader assigned by the village should have arrived by now. Even if something had delayed them, they should have come. If something had come up, they wouldn't have just left them here all day without a word; they would have at least asked someone else to notify them.

Furthermore, they had communicated with Lord Orochimaru about their early graduation application. If nothing unexpected happened, their team leader should be Orochimaru.

Given Orochimaru's personality...

"Riko! Byakugan!"

The instant Guy shouted, a shuriken flew towards Hyuga Riko.

The moment he heard Guy's warning, Hyuga Riko activated his Byakugan. With its 360-degree field of vision, Guy also saw the shuriken flying towards him.

Sensing there was only one shuriken, Riko breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly turned to face the shuriken, gathered chakra in his palm, and prepared to use the Gentle Fist's Empty Palm technique to deflect it.

On the other side, Uchiha Yu activated her Sharingan the moment she heard Guy's warning. Instead of moving closer to Hyuga Riko or Guy, she ran directly towards the direction the shuriken came from.

Seeing the single shuriken appear alone with no follow-up attacks, Guy felt something was wrong.

"Get away from there, Riko!"

Before Riko could react, the shuriken aimed at him first split into two, then four, eight, and then more and more shuriken appeared.

Then, the shuriken hit, creating white smoke that obscured Guy's vision.

"Yu!"

Guy tried to call Uchiha Yu, who had charged into the forest, back, but as Guy's voice fell, there was no response.

Guy knew something had gone seriously wrong. The ninja attacking them were either far superior in strength or there were many of them.

The ninja who designed the attack on Hyuga Riko clearly exploited Riko's youth and tendency to underestimate opponents. Yu had reacted instantly, going to find and hold back the attackers, but the moment she entered the forest, contact was lost. The attackers' strength was not to be underestimated.

Thinking this, Guy watched the smoke dissipate from Hyuga Riko's direction. Riko was lying on the ground, unmoving. His injuries were unclear, but he had likely lost the ability to fight.

Without rashly approaching Hyuga Riko or searching the forest for Uchiha Yu, Guy remained in place, secretly channeling the chakra within his body.

"Gate of Life! Open!"

"Gate of Healing! Open!"

"Gate of Life! Open!"

Guy's body turned visibly red, and faint steam began to rise from him.

He turned, leaped, spun, and kicked.

"Konoha Whirlwind!"

THUMP!

A cloud of smoke appeared!

"Damn it! It's a Shadow Clone!" The thought had barely formed in his mind when Guy felt a sharp pain at the back of his head before he lost consciousness.

At Training Ground 83, Orochimaru, hidden in a large tree, watched the three training below.