Another Peaceful Day in Konoha.

Inside the archives room.

Mizuki smiled as he took Sasuke's file out of a drawer, signed a few lines on it, and handed over a document folder.

"Hold onto this carefully. This is your ninja registration file. The teachers have already filled out some of the sections for you; you just need to attach your photo and hand it over to your assigned jonin instructor."

"Thank you, Mizuki-sensei." Sasuke offered a soft word of thanks and turned to leave. After walking a few steps, he seemed to remember something, stopped at the doorway, and turned back.

"Oh, right, Mizuki-sensei, I just remembered something."

Mizuki asked with a smile, "What is it?"

"I ran into Tsubaki-senpai before I came to school this morning."

Mizuki's expression stiffened, confused as to why Sasuke would suddenly bring up his fiancée.

Sasuke's calm voice continued, "When I passed by, I thought I heard Tsubaki-senpai muttering something about an anniversary. Mizuki-sensei, if you don't have anything urgent today, you should probably head home early. It might be best to buy a bouquet of flowers or bring a small gift."

Rather than becoming someone else's discarded pawn and spending the rest of his life in a prison cell.

It would be better to cherish what is right in front of him; a simple, peaceful life might not be so bad after all.

With a silent sigh, Sasuke turned and left the archives room.

"Anniversary, what anniversary?"

Mizuki muttered to himself, his face full of confusion.

"Is today some kind of special day?"

In the afternoon, after school let out, Mizuki walked out of the building with a slightly gloomy expression.

Because Naruto had mastered the Shadow Clone Technique early on and placed second in the practical exam, he had passed the graduation exam smoothly, despite his lackluster theoretical scores.

Therefore, Mizuki no longer had the opportunity to manipulate Naruto as he had in the original timeline, and he wasn't foolish enough to try and manipulate other failing students.

Naruto's identity was unique, which would have allowed him to steal the Scroll of Sealing, but that wouldn't work with anyone else.

Walking down the streets of Konohagakure, Mizuki maintained his usual gentle facade, but a dark shadow flickered in his eyes.

It seems I have no chance to defect to Orochimaru for the time being.

He had once killed a wounded comrade during a mission to ensure its completion.

If he were in Kirigakure, that would have been a fast track to a promotion and a raise.

But in Konohagakure, killing a comrade had stripped him of his qualifications to be an academy instructor and landed him on the village's gray list, effectively cutting off any path for advancement.

Consequently, the idea of defecting to Orochimaru had taken root in his mind.

Forget it, I might as well buy some flowers for Tsubaki.

Without realizing it, he had arrived at the entrance of a flower shop, and Mizuki suddenly recalled what Sasuke had said to him earlier.

Although he still couldn't remember what day it was, the thought of the fiancée who had been by his side for years prompted him to decide to buy a bouquet and a small gift.

A night passed, and Konohagakure remained as peaceful as ever, with no major incidents occurring.

Late that night, after the meeting regarding the assignment of instructors for the new graduates concluded, Hatake Kakashi was kept behind by the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage handed over a file folder and said, "Kakashi, these are the members of Team 7 that you will be responsible for instructing. Take a look."

As expected.

Sasuke is in the team I'm responsible for.

After opening the folder, the information for the first student caught Hatake Kakashi's eye.

Name: Uchiha Sasuke.

Gender: Male.

Rank: Genin.

Date of Birth: July 23rd. Age: 12.

Ninja Registration Number: 0.

Intel: First place in theoretical exams, first place in practical assessments, first place in graduation exams.

Received guidance from Konohagakure jonin Hatake Kakashi one year ago...

It looks like the assessment in two days is going to be tricky.

Hatake Kakashi felt a headache coming on; he was well aware that Sasuke's strength had already reached the level of a jonin.

More importantly, Sasuke also knew the true purpose of his assessment.

With a throbbing temple, Hatake Kakashi flipped past Sasuke's file to look at his next student.

The teacher's child, Naruto, is it?

Looking at the second registration sheet, the boy in the photo had strange markings on his face and was making a weird grimace.

Hatake Kakashi's eyes filled with nostalgia, and a moment later, he couldn't help but chuckle.

Name: Uzumaki Naruto.

Gender...

Information: 35th in written exams, 2nd in practical combat, 3rd in graduation exams.

He once learned quite a few ninjutsu and taijutsu from Sasuke Uchiha, and the two often sparred together...

Two years ago, he became the apprentice of a retired ninja in the village to study taijutsu...

Taijutsu, huh?

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. Although he was not known for his taijutsu, he frequently trained and fought against Might Guy, so he was no stranger to it; he had even mastered a portion of the Eight Inner Gates.

His own taijutsu could be considered among the best of the Konoha jonin, and although Naruto's file stated that he was highly proficient in taijutsu.

Kakashi didn't take it too much to heart, planning to use taijutsu against Naruto during the assessment in two days.

Thinking this, Kakashi pulled out the third registration form stacked at the bottom.

A girl with pink hair, wearing a red high-collared tracksuit, her emerald green eyes looking forward with a very bright smile.

Name: Haruno Sakura.

Gender: Female.

Information: 2nd in written exams, 3rd in practical combat, 2nd in graduation exams.

Two years ago, she became the apprentice of the village genin Maruboshi Kosuke to study ninja skills and Water Release techniques...

Specializes in Water Release?

Kakashi shook his head slightly. He was known as Konoha's number one technician, the Copy Ninja, and possessed Chakra of all natures.

Although he was not a master specializing in Water Release, when it came to the art, even many elite jonin from Kirigakure might not necessarily be better than him.

Furthermore, this was the first time Kakashi had heard of Haruno Sakura's teacher, Maruboshi Kosuke. He was just a genin, so clearly, he wasn't any sort of formidable Water Release ninja.

Could a ninja who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy really do anything fancy with Water Release?

Having just finished reading Haruno Sakura's file, Kakashi decided to use Water Release in two days to humble this naive little girl.

It seems the main focus of the assessment in two days will still have to be on Sasuke.

Otherwise, it would be easy to capsize.

After finishing the files of the three, Kakashi pondered to himself.

Knowing Sasuke's strength well, he decided to use the majority of his effort to deal with Sasuke.

As for the other two, he figured that no matter how strong they were, they would at most barely reach the level of a chunin, and he could easily handle them with just a little bit of effort.

"I have finished reviewing them, Lord Third."

Putting the three files back into the folder, Kakashi replied respectfully.

"Mm." The Third Hokage nodded and said, "In that case, go back and rest early to prepare for the assessment in two days."

"Yes!"