The Chunin Leading the Squad

At the end of June in the 45th year of the Konoha calendar, inside the Hokage Building, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, smiled warmly as he instructed the two youths before him:

"A Chunin represents the backbone of the village; from this moment on, you must shoulder the responsibilities of a squad leader."

"Remember, not every mission yields immediate results. You must maintain patience when leading a team."

"..."

Completely devoid of any Hokage airs, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked more like an elder sharing life experience at this moment.

Hearing his teacher begin to repeat topics he had already covered, Tsunade, wearing her Jonin flak jacket, couldn't help but interrupt:

"Alright, Teacher! You've already gone over these things."

"Although they are still young, they are perfectly capable of completing C-rank missions; they are already qualified ninjas."

"There is no need to treat them like children anymore. Once they take on the role of squad leader, they must be responsible for their subordinates."

"Kakashi, you should understand that most members of the Jonin Division hold you in high regard. Don't let everyone down!"

"As for Shu, you will take over part of the work for the Medical Corps."

"If a high-level mission arises, Teacher will summon you at any time."

Tsunade offered her crisp and decisive assessment from the side. Sarutobi Hiruzen, behind his desk, didn't show any annoyance; instead, a look of gratification appeared on his face as he picked up his pipe to add a final thought:

"That is exactly it. You won't have too many missions in the second half of the year; at this age, you need to build a solid foundation."

"The village hasn't reached the point where we need to send young geniuses to risk their lives. Don't take some of these minor frictions to heart!"

"Yes!"

Shu Furukawa and Kakashi responded in unison. Perhaps because of the great success of the recent joint Chunin Exams, the ninjas of Konoha were feeling a bit puffed up, and the Hokage was no exception.

The two of them, not yet eight years old, looked somewhat awkward in their Chunin flak jackets, but Sarutobi Hiruzen had grown completely accustomed to it, and in fact, grew happier the more he looked at them:

"Go back and rest. The Ninja Academy will have field exercises in the next two months; if you are interested, you can go participate."

"..."

Kakashi, who was about to flatly refuse, was tugged by Shu Furukawa, swallowing the words that had reached his lips. The two nodded in acknowledgment before turning to leave.

"I am very glad I introduced this child to you, Tsunade. It was a huge help that you were able to stay in the village!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen, beginning to puff on his pipe, sighed with a smile. Years ago, when Ichiro Furukawa and his wife sacrificed themselves, he had discovered Shu Furukawa's talent through an evaluation.

A four-year-old child who could easily climb trees and walk on water, possessing outstanding chakra control and sensory abilities—Sarutobi Hiruzen had been astonished by such talent.

"Old Man, you really are getting old, saying things like that!"

Tsunade responded with some surprise, then carefully scrutinized her teacher's face. There were more wrinkles than there had been two years ago, and his hairline was beginning to recede; he had indeed aged.

Aware of the changes in his own body, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't try to act tough, but instead said with a sense of relief:

"Everyone grows old. With the three of you helping, the village will only become more prosperous."

"You aren't young anymore either; it is time to cultivate your own base of support. Unlike war, governing the village requires cooperation and mutual benefit."

"..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen, wanting to continue sharing his heart, suddenly felt his neck stiffen. Tsunade, having flared her chakra, clenched her fists with a look of deep displeasure.

"Nagging! Don't expose this kind of 'weakness' to others!"

"The Hokage doesn't need such sentiments."

Tsunade swung her golden twin tails and strode away. Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped his pipe and smiled helplessly. Thinking of his own rebellious youngest son at home, he sighed in a low voice:

"Perhaps I should take a rest as well."

In the barbecue restaurant, Might Guy was eating voraciously while shouting loudly, ignoring the resentful glares from Genma Shiranui beside him as he continued to boast:

"Did you see that? Shu defeated everyone using only taijutsu!"

"That roundhouse kick—I had a hand in that! Konoha Whirlwind! A swift and fierce kicking technique; as long as your speed and power are strong enough, you can end an opponent in one strike!"

"It's a pity my nature transformation can't activate the body like Shu's, but as long as I keep training, I will be able to do it in the future too."

"..."

Ever since the Chunin Exams ended, Might Guy had been in this "super passionate" state every day, becoming even more fanatical about taijutsu.

During his daily "youthful training," he had even shouted that "Shu recognizes my path."

Namiashi Raidō, Aoba Yamashiro, and the others were already used to it. As Genin with decent talent, they could understand Might Guy's feelings; the recognition of a genius was indeed a tremendous encouragement.

"Instead of continuing to train chakra control, you should increase your physical fitness."

"Guy, although I don't want to admit it, you will indeed surpass me in terms of chakra volume."

Kakashi offered his advice calmly from the side. Through a year of observation, he was certain that Might Guy was indeed a genius; his father hadn't misjudged him back then.

Might Guy laughed heartily and gave a thumbs-up, his whole person "igniting" again. In the second half of the year, besides taking missions to earn money, he would constantly challenge Kakashi!

"Being a Chunin is great! No need to personally handle those troublesome missions. I really want to rank up sooner."

"Shu, how is the pay in the Medical Corps?"

Having just graduated, Genma Shiranui had already lost his drive; D-rank missions were low-paying and boring, so he asked this now for the sake of his own ninja career.

"The income? It's about the same as going on missions, though the village provides an extra subsidy."

"But hospital work is a hassle. The Barrier Division should be much more relaxed."

With a beaming smile, Shu Furukawa gave Genma Shiranui a look that said, you know what I mean.

"You guy, thinking about slacking off right after graduation?"

"We'll be in the same squad next month. Our youth has only just begun!"

Might Guy's overflowing enthusiasm made Genma Shiranui reveal his dead-fish eyes again. He wanted to say, "Spare me," but for the sake of his pride, he forced a thumbs-up instead.

"Cheers! To celebrate Shu and Kakashi becoming team leaders!"

Namiashi Raidō proposed loudly, and the young genin around them raised their glasses one after another, making the atmosphere in the barbecue restaurant even more lively.

By nightfall, a stuffed Might Guy finally bid the two a reluctant farewell. The hot-blooded youth decided to walk home on his hands, his exaggerated behavior drawing gasps from the villagers.

"Is this also an expression of the Will of Fire?"

After getting to know more friends, Kakashi could clearly feel their acceptance of him, and that they respected his strength and talent from the bottom of their hearts.

Just as they were taught in the academy, the youths helped one another. Even when he acted independently during cooperative missions, no one blamed him in the end; instead, they expressed their understanding.

"The world isn't just 'black and white.' The Will of Fire has many facets, too."

Shu Furukawa responded simply. Seeing Kakashi's confused expression return, he shook his head and added:

"Don't blindly trust anyone's point of view, and don't give up on independent thought. You have the ability; if you keep living, you will find the answer."

Kakashi instinctively reached for his back, only to remember he hadn't brought his short blade today. Shu Furukawa smiled and patted his shoulder, saying nothing more, while sighing inwardly:

It's a good thing your intelligence stat is a 10...