The Team Leader

A week later, Akiyama Shun applied for early graduation.

Thanks to his excellent performance over the past few months, the application went unusually smoothly. He submitted it to Kazama Shinya in the morning and was approved to take the exam that afternoon.

They said the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had personally approved it.

The moment Akiyama Shun stepped into the exam room, he noticed someone else there.

Kakashi.

It seemed their last fight had done him good. Kakashi looked much better now, and when he spotted Akiyama Shun, he nodded in greeting.

Akiyama Shun nodded back politely.

Soon, the examiner arrived. Akiyama Shun knew him, too: it was Kazama Shinya.

The exam was quite simple. It covered the material taught over several years at the Ninja Academy, only with much stricter standards than a regular graduation exam. For instance, regular graduates only had to demonstrate one of the three basic techniques, while now they had to master all three.

Even so, the material posed little difficulty for Akiyama Shun and Kakashi at their current level. Both completed the exam with ease.

They even got perfect scores!

By the time they left the exam room, each of them had a Konoha Forehead Protector in hand.

That evening.

At the Yuhi family home.

The Yuhi home was especially festive that day, and they had even taken the time to decorate.

As soon as Akiyama Shun stepped inside, Yuhi Kurenai, who had been hiding nearby, jumped out.

"Pop!"

The party popper burst, sending colorful streamers fluttering down onto Akiyama Shun.

"Shun, congratulations on graduating early!"

Before Akiyama Shun could say anything, Yuhi Kurenai grabbed his hand and led him over to sit beside her, then peppered him with questions about the graduation exam.

Yuhi Shinku sat nearby, smiling as he watched the two kids chat.

"Was the early graduation exam different from the regular one?"

"Was it hard?"

"..."

She had a lot of questions, but Akiyama Shun patiently answered each one.

"Shun, do you think I could pass the early graduation exam now?"

"Cough!"

Before Akiyama Shun could answer, a deep cough interrupted them.

At the sound, Yuhi Kurenai puffed out her cheeks in a huff and turned to look at Yuhi Shinku.

"Kurenai, you're not like Shun. You still haven't learned enough, so you're not ready to graduate early."

"But, Father..."

"No buts."

Yuhi Shinku refused so firmly that Yuhi Kurenai pouted and stopped talking to him.

"Here, you can play with this."

Akiyama Shun chuckled, patted Yuhi Kurenai on the head, then handed her the Forehead Protector he was holding.

Yuhi Kurenai had still been a little upset, but the moment she saw the Forehead Protector, all her displeasure vanished. Her eyes lit up as she stared at it.

"I knew you were the best, Shun!"

After taking the Forehead Protector, Yuhi Kurenai gave Akiyama Shun a big hug, then skipped off to her room with it in her arms.

"Heh."

Yuhi Shinku saw this and shook his head helplessly.

"Shun, let's eat first. Kurenai will come out on her own in a bit."

After dinner, Akiyama Shun sat in the courtyard under the moonlight and began reviewing his current situation and making plans for the future.

[Name: Akiyama Shun]

[Ninja: Hatake Kakashi (Young), Yakushi Nonō, Uchiha Itachi (Ninja Prodigy), Gekko Hayate, Uzumaki Naruto (Ninja Academy Student)]

[Summons: None]

[Secret Scroll: Earth Release: Rock Fall (LV1)]

[Divine Artifacts: None]

[Rank: Genin (1600)]

[Gold: 750]

After reaching Genin rank, his monthly allowance had increased to 1,600, while his daily login reward had risen to 60. That brought his monthly rewards to 3,400, enough for 21 draws!

Now that he was a Genin, the next step was to figure out how to reach Chunin rank.

Once he became a Chunin, his monthly allowance would increase to 3,200 and his daily login reward to 110. That meant 6,500 a month, enough for 40 draws!

There were two ways to become a Chunin. The first was to demonstrate exceptional ability as a Genin during a war or state of emergency, allowing the Konoha High Command to promote him directly.

But that path was closed to Akiyama Shun. At most, the current situation could be called prewar skirmishing. It was nowhere near a state of war.

That left him with only one other option.

The Chunin Exams, held twice a year!

In the original story, Kakashi had passed the Chunin Exams not long after graduating from the Ninja Academy. Compared to that, the exams shouldn't be a problem for Akiyama Shun now.

Unfortunately, the last Chunin Exam had taken place not long ago, so he would have to wait a while.

"Phew."

Once he had sorted out his plans, Akiyama Shun began thinking about something else.

Newly graduated Genin were assigned a team leader.

So who would his team leader be?

Who would make the best team leader for Akiyama Shun?

At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen was pondering the same question.

To help Akiyama Shun grow as much as possible, he had to consider everything carefully: the teacher's ability to teach and whether Akiyama Shun would get along with them.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's first choice was Yuhi Shinku.

For one thing, Yuhi Shinku was a capable teacher. His original job was to train all the village's Chunin and Genin, and he already had a good relationship with Akiyama Shun.

"Knock, knock, knock."

As Sarutobi Hiruzen was thinking, someone knocked at the door.

After receiving permission to enter, an Anbu member walked in and stopped in front of the desk to report, "Lord Hokage, Lady Tsunade heard that Akiyama Shun graduated and volunteered to be his team leader."

Tsunade?

Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes lit up at the name.

He hadn't considered Tsunade before because she was in a poor state of mind and didn't want to involve herself in Konoha's affairs.

But frankly, she was the best person to teach Akiyama Shun!

Tsunade was one of the Sannin, famed throughout the Ninja World. There was no question about her strength, and she had fought in the Second Shinobi World War, so she could pass on valuable experience to Akiyama Shun.

She also had a good relationship with him. The two had often spent time together while Akiyama Shun was still at the Ninja Academy.

And there was one more important reason: Tsunade was a medical ninja!

That would be the greatest help to Akiyama Shun!

Akiyama Shun was far too creative. He was so young and already daring enough to invent an A-rank technique. What was more, he'd given no warning at all before suddenly unveiling it.

If Akiyama Shun ever came up with another new technique on a whim and used it right away, Tsunade could treat him immediately if he got hurt.

It was perfect!

"Since Tsunade volunteered, let her take the assignment."