Team Assignment

It was expected that after another year or so of gaining experience, Might Duy would be promoted to Chunin.

At this stage, the Chunin Exam was only one path within Konoha's promotion system. More Genin advanced directly through accumulated mission experience and military merit.

After having dinner with Might Duy again, Jiogan had basically finished listening to his account of the Border Patrol Mission. Though he had not participated in it firsthand, he could still sense how perilous it had been from Might Duy's description. It was no less dangerous than the battles that took place in the Anime Timeline—perhaps even more so.

Jiogan also silently warned himself. He had become a little too relaxed lately. He needed to maintain a sense of awe toward the Ninja World at all times, or he might not even know when he would stumble into disaster.

In the days that followed, Might Duy continued taking missions, and the time the two spent together grew scarcer. Jiogan also lived a simple, self-disciplined life, going only between two places like an ascetic monk. Perhaps they had sensed the changing situation in the Ninja World, or perhaps graduation was drawing near, but even Inuzuka Yoru, Kurama Feiyun, and the others trained harder within their clans. Attending class had instead become their time to relax. Everyone's strength was rising rapidly as they transformed from children into true ninjas.

At last, the Graduation Exam arrived. Jiogan's test consisted of the Clone Technique and a practical sparring match.

There was no need to mention the Clone Technique. Jiogan had mastered it long ago and earned full marks.

For the practical match, Jiogan faced a civilian student named Shirakumo Kensuke. Like Jiogan, he came from a civilian background, but Shirakumo Kensuke's strength still ranked within the top fifteen in the class. He was one of the few outstanding civilian prospects.

To Jiogan, the battle could only be described as uneventful. He did not reveal his Water Release at all. Shirakumo Kensuke used the Three Body Techniques skillfully, but Jiogan completely suppressed him in Taijutsu and Shuriken Throwing. As a civilian, Shirakumo Kensuke had clearly not yet encountered Elemental Ninjutsu, so defeat was inevitable.

However, passing the assessment was not based solely on victory or defeat. What mattered most was one's performance during the fight and whether one had reached Genin standards. So although Shirakumo Kensuke lost, he would still graduate without question. As for Jiogan, he was stamped as an outstanding prospect, and his file was sent to the Hokage's Office.

His file contained the following evaluation: "Highly proficient in the Three Body Techniques, with great talent in Ninjutsu. Excellent Taijutsu Skill, Shuriken Throwing, and Trap Setting. Full marks in the Will of Fire theory course. A remarkably well-rounded ninja prospect."

After successfully receiving his Ninja Headband, Jiogan, like most ninjas, wore it across his forehead. There was no special reason for it—he simply felt safer with a layer of iron protecting his brow.

Might Duy was still away on a mission and not in Konoha, so Jiogan celebrated his graduation with the friends from their previous picnic. They once again chose to eat outdoors, since most of the students were civilians and did not have much money to spare.

Jiogan once again took charge of grilling the fish without hesitation, drawing another wave of admiration from his classmates. His grilled fish really was incredible.

Watching his friends chatter and laugh amid the cheerful atmosphere as they discussed the Ninja Careers about to begin, Jiogan sighed inwardly. How many of them will survive the coming Second Shinobi World War?

Through Might Duy, Jiogan had learned that among Might Duy's graduating class—Jiogan's seniors—the Mortality Rate had reached thirty percent, while the Disability Rate was also around ten percent. And that was after only one year.

Medical ninjas had not yet become widespread. Tsunade had only just reached Jonin level and had not yet taken over the Medical Ninja Training Program. It was precisely because the casualty rate among ninjas was so high that Tsunade proposed the Medical Ninja Integration Plan at a Jonin Meeting. However, it was opposed by others, and only Dan Katō supported her. The two became lovers, but Dan Katō also died in the Second Shinobi World War.

"Jiogan-kun, we're going back to school tomorrow to be assigned to teams. I wonder if we'll end up in the same team." A soft voice came from beside him.

"Feiyun, the school and Lord Hokage decide the teams, so I don't know either. But it would be wonderful if I could be on the same team as you. Then we could always be together!" Jiogan replied with a smile.

Hearing Jiogan's rather straightforward words, Kurama Feiyun felt her heart settle, and she let out a sigh of relief. She did not dare meet his eyes, but she was Kurama Feiyun after all. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Jiogan seriously. "I want to be in the same team as you too, Jiogan-kun. I don't want to be apart from you!"

She had not spoken loudly, but everyone heard her. After a brief silence, an even louder burst of conversation erupted.

"Oh my god, did Feiyun-chan just confess directly?!"

"Oho, they both have feelings for each other!"

"Wow, they just graduated and they're already together? Isn't that fast?!"

"Damn you, Jiogan! You actually stole my goddess's heart!"

Listening to everyone's teasing from all sides, Jiogan could only grin foolishly. Kurama Feiyun looked at his silly grin, her face flushed red, but she returned it with a sweet, open smile.

The gathering soon ended. Jiogan escorted Kurama Feiyun back to the Kurama Clan Compound, then returned home. For once, he did not train and instead slept soundly through the night.

The next day, in the Ninja Academy Classroom, students were called away group by group. Some were assigned Jonin instructors, but more were led by Special Jonin and Chunin.

Jiogan felt somewhat uneasy. He did not know how he would be assigned, though he hoped a Jonin would lead his team, as that would greatly improve their safety while carrying out missions. He also hoped to be placed with Feiyun. Even if their third teammate was weak, he and Feiyun alone, with their all-round Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu combination, could carry the team.

When he looked anxiously at Feiyun, she was not nervous at all. Instead, she winked at Jiogan and gave him a charming smile.

Seeing Feiyun's smile, Jiogan's inexplicable tension and anxiety vanished, and his heart steadied.

As fewer and fewer students remained in the classroom and noon approached, a short-haired male ninja finally appeared. Dressed in a Black Combat Uniform, with bright, piercing eyes and a magnetic voice, he called out, "Jiogan, Kurama Feiyun, Inuzuka Yoru, you are Team 11. Come with me!" With that, he turned and walked straight out of the classroom.

Jiogan's eyes widened in disbelief, because that male ninja was Feiyun's father—one of the few Jonin in the Kurama Clan. With the Sharingan excluded, it would be difficult to find a stronger Genjutsu ninja in Konoha.

Feiyun was the one who came over and tugged at Jiogan, then gave him a rare smug smile.

Jiogan immediately came back to his senses. He had been arranged! Arranged by that little Feiyun!

It turned out that Kurama Feiyun knew her father would be leading students from this graduating class, and that she herself would be assigned to his team. So after receiving Jiogan's affirmative answer yesterday, she begged her father to put Jiogan in the same team. After Feiyun's father applied to Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiogan was transferred under his command.

That was right—transferred. Because Hiruzen Sarutobi had already made a team assignment for Jiogan before this.