Keiichi's Team

"You three! You all passed!"

A smile appeared on Aburame Keiichi's usually stern face.

"You're all such good kids..."

As he spoke, Aburame Keiichi ruffled their hair hard.

"Wait? What do you mean!?" Hyuga Rei stared blankly, her almond-shaped eyes wide.

"Huh?! What?!! So I went through all that for nothing!" Morino Kei wore a dejected expression, though his train of thought was surprisingly clear.

"Are you an idiot? Is this really the time to worry about that!?" Hyuga Rei punched Morino Kei on the head.

"Wait... No, that means he's still our instructor..." Morino Kei stiffly turned to look at Aburame Keiichi, who was smiling. A chill ran down the back of his head.

"Gulp~ So I've been cursing him this whole time..." The boy swallowed hard, his face rigid.

"Haha, Morino Kei, was it? I hope we can get along well." Aburame Keiichi spoke kindly.

But in Morino Kei's eyes, the man's figure kept growing and twisting, as if he'd become a monster eyeing his hefty body and swallowing hungrily.

"Um... Sensei, if I said I was possessed when I said all that, would you believe me...?" Morino Kei forced a strained smile.

"I believe you. Of course I do. I trust my students, just as you trust me." Aburame Keiichi patted the boy's head, his eyes narrowing.

"Right?"

"Gwaaah! Nooo!" A wail rose from where Morino Kei stood.

Watching the scene before him, Uchiha Kai couldn't help smiling, even though he'd seen it coming.

[Mission: Bonds complete]

[Reward: Body ×0.2, Spirit ×0.1, Illusion Technique: Mirror World Rotation]

[Alas, we are parted, and you cannot keep me here. Alas, you are true, but I cannot trust you. Such is the bond between us.]

The panel's cold voice rang out. Seeing the rewards come through, the boy's already cheerful mood lifted even further.

"I've put you through enough for today. That's about it. There's nothing else planned. Tomorrow, meet here at the same time."

Aburame Keiichi straightened up, his tone solemn.

"Starting tomorrow, you'll be carrying out missions with me. Of course, at first, I won't—and couldn't—assign you anything too dangerous, so don't worry. The main thing is to get you familiar with the process and help you adjust."

"Yeah! This is great! Tomorrow I can show off my power and take the first step toward making a name for myself in the Shinobi World!" Morino Kei was fired up.

"Heh... Freshly graduated Genin like us will probably get missions to catch cats, chase dogs, and help people plow fields..." Hyuga Rei bluntly brought him back down to earth.

"Wait?!!"

"Enough. I'll explain the rest tomorrow. For now—"

"Dismissed!"

Half an hour later, in the Hokage's office at the center of Konoha's Hokage Building.

"So, Keiichi, what's it like being a teacher...?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke softly from behind his desk, pipe in his mouth.

"Well, how should I put it?" Aburame Keiichi scratched his head, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

"Not bad."

"Oh?" Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, seeming a little surprised.

"That's rare. I thought you'd be stubborn about it." Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled.

"I didn't expect you to admit it outright. Those kids must have made quite an impression on you." The old man smiled warmly.

"Yeah. It's been a long time since I felt this way." Aburame Keiichi replied easily.

"By the way, Third Hokage, you really do trust me. You've handed over a Hyuga and a Uchiha—the two strongest clans in the village—to someone as unreliable as me, a career changer."

Aburame Keiichi spoke with an odd expression.

"You know me. If they don't meet my standards, I really will send them back to the Ninja Academy to repeat the year..."

"Aren't you worried that might cause friction with the two clans?"

At that, Hiruzen Sarutobi froze, then let out a hearty laugh.

"Huh? Hahahahaha! Keiichi..."

"I have to say, that's so like you. Send them back? The other instructors would fight over these promising kids, and I wouldn't give them up. And you want to find fault with them? You think you could send them back?" The old man wiped the corner of his eye, then continued.

Aburame Keiichi looked awkward and glanced around.

"Well, I haven't sent them back..."

"Besides, those kids really did surprise me. The younger generation keeps getting stronger. Konoha's future... is right before us."

Aburame Keiichi sighed, his gaze seeming to reach far into the future.

"Heh heh... Of course they are. Otherwise, why would I be so sure you couldn't refuse them?" Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled.

"Especially Uchiha Kai. Even Orochimaru praised him highly."

"Kai, huh? That kid really is something else. Not only is he absurdly strong, his maturity is far beyond that of anyone his age." Aburame Keiichi rubbed his chin, recalling the boy's performance during the bell test.

"Kai's not only hardworking; his character is top-notch, too. Everyone who's met him praises him. You'll be no exception." Hiruzen Sarutobi teased with a smile.

"What about that boy, Morino Kei? Did you notice anything?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked meaningfully.

"That silly kid?" Aburame Keiichi paused.

"He's boisterous, but his personality's decent. He's just too reckless."

"As for his strength... so-so. But his physique and Chakra are unusually strong. Is he really only ten?!"

Thinking of Morino Kei's performance, Aburame Keiichi's face darkened.

"Heh heh, naturally... After all, that child has the blood of that clan in his veins." Hiruzen Sarutobi left it at that, without explaining further.

"That clan? What do you mean?" Aburame Keiichi was baffled.

After all, in Konoha at present, the Hyuga and Uchiha Clans were unquestionably the strongest. Yet Hiruzen Sarutobi's words suggested that Morino Kei had a bloodline no less impressive than theirs.

"Could it be? No way!"

Seeing the old man smile without answering, a bold idea suddenly sprang into Aburame Keiichi's mind.

"Exactly. You guessed it." The old man smiled and confirmed it.

"Morino Kei is descended from Lady Momoka's line."

"Lady Momoka? The one who followed the First all the way back in the Warring States period?!" Aburame Keiichi stared in shock, unable to believe it.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.

"That explains it..." Aburame Keiichi looked relieved.

"What a lineup. The three strongest shinobi clans since Konoha's founding, all gathered in my team." Aburame Keiichi paused.

"It's an honor."

"Enough with the flattery. Take good care of your team and rein in your temper." Hiruzen Sarutobi advised him in a serious tone.

"Teaching students isn't the same as going on missions. Break the bad habits you picked up in Anbu. Don't keep dragging the kids into life-or-death situations..."

With that, the old man fixed Aburame Keiichi with a stern look, making the latter's scalp prickle.

"Sure~ I'll do my best..." Aburame Keiichi replied helplessly.

"For now, just give them ordinary missions so they can get used to things." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved a hand.

"Also, I may assign you some temporary missions in a few days. When that happens, arrange your schedule and find someone to fill in for you for a while."

"Missions? Are they related to the Stone Ninja?" Aburame Keiichi asked.

"Exactly. You should know the village's current situation. One thing after another—we can't afford any delays."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, a trace of weariness in his eyes.