Class Assignment

"Team 3, Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee, Tenten."

"Team 4, Tiancheng Changyang, Jingchuan Lirang, Qiupu."

"Team 5, Lingdou Yiyou, Jietang Qiandu, Pingye Xian."

"Team 6, Uchiha Isho..."

Kotetsu Hagane looked surprised as he carefully flipped through the roster personally arranged by the Third Hokage, then gave a light cough and looked toward Isho.

"Uchiha Isho, considering your outstanding strength, you are the only member of Team 6. This will greatly assist your Jonin leader in focusing on your guidance, which is more conducive to maximizing your improvement in all aspects."

"Nani?!"

The students sitting in the classroom were astonished, and Neji Hyuga, who had passed the assessment at some unknown point, even cast a look of envy.

He currently believed that Rock Lee and Tenten would only hold him back; teaming up with the strong or being alone was the only preferred choice.

Did I misread that just now? Teacher Kotetsu Hagane seemed slightly bewildered too. What exactly is the old Third Hokage planning? Am I really that exceptional?

Regardless of how the Konoha higher-ups arranged things, Isho felt that as long as it wasn't a scheme or a threat to him, he couldn't be bothered to care.

He would just listen; after all, he planned to wipe out Danzo before leaving Konoha, and he wanted to see if he could trigger more system missions.

At noon, in a quiet corner of the school hallway.

"Isho, although it's a bit of a pity, I really didn't expect you to be a one-man team. Lord Hokage doing this is an acknowledgment of your strength! That's one-on-one tutoring from a Jonin!"

Tiancheng Changyang comforted Isho, who didn't look very happy, while eating a rice ball.

"I still think it's better to have more people."

"Why?"

Seeing Isho pause, Qiupu, who had never been very patient, immediately asked.

"I could be less tired during missions. Otherwise, what if the team leader makes me do everything?"

A flock of crows happened to fly across the sky, and all three of them were filled with question marks.

"As expected of you, Isho. You're the only one who wouldn't care about the temptation of being taught alone by a Jonin. You have to know that every Jonin has a very busy schedule; being able to get their guidance is a sure path to rapid improvement."

Tiancheng Changyang and Qiupu were the first to recover; this style was very Isho.

"I really don't know how you managed to say such enlightened words. At that time..."

Recalling the scene where he felt ashamed to the point of tears, Jingchuan Lirang suddenly covered his face with both hands, as if his feelings had been toyed with. First came the shame, then a surge of anger at being played for a fool.

Even though he had already vented against the wall multiple times, the anger never dissipated whenever he thought back on it. If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't beat Isho even if he tried his hardest, Jingchuan Lirang would definitely have fought him to the death.

"I told you, I was just motivating my classmates. Even if you count it as a lie, it was only a white lie. Besides, I didn't gain anything from it."

Amidst the four of them chatting, the time to head off to meet their respective Jonin teachers in the afternoon arrived silently.

Isho sat in the classroom waiting for a while, and seeing that the teachers of the other groups had talked with their students for a long time and had all run off somewhere to train, he immediately guessed who his Jonin leader was—Kakashi Hatake.

Since he hadn't taken his afternoon nap yet, Isho, who had intended to leave a good impression on his teacher, suddenly lay down and rested his head on his arms on the desk to take a nap.

It must be said that Isho made the right choice; it took about forty minutes before a figure finally arrived late and pulled open the front door of the classroom.

"Sorry, I think I... went the wrong... direction."

With long silver hair, a black mask, and wearing a black tight-fitting combat suit, Kakashi suddenly paused, discovering that he didn't need to find an excuse for being late anymore.

Did I arrive that late? This kid is actually sleeping so soundly.

"Hey, hey, hey. Class is starting, kid!"

Isho, who was lying in his dream watching videos, suddenly felt as if an immortal was transmitting a voice from the sky, shattering the entire world into pieces.

"So it was a dream, but a good one. By the way, who are you?"

Habitually yawning, Isho asked in a daze.

This kid is nothing like the Uchiha I know. I haven't seen any other clan's ninja as calm and lazy as him.

Kakashi's dead fish eye on the right seemed to be infected by Isho's indifferent temperament, and his words were concise and clear.

"Your Jonin leader, Kakashi Hatake. Follow me."

A few minutes later, on a rooftop where only the two of them were present.

"Right, you go first with a self-introduction."

"Uchiha Isho, male, 12 years old, currently single. I live next to the ninja tool shop on East Street in Konoha.

My identity... my identity is a ninja. My personal hobbies are tasting all kinds of delicious food and going to all kinds of interesting places to play. I also like big sisters with long hair, fair skin, delicate faces, and tall figures.

As for things I hate, nothing... I hate people disturbing my sleep."

Kakashi listened with an expressionless face, but his gaze scrutinized Isho with a hint of strangeness.

Single... he's so young and his sights are already set so far ahead. Even your teacher isn't in a rush yet.

Being precocious is one thing, but this taste is so similar to mine. Are you sure you aren't implying something about me? But that last sentence definitely was.

"Isho, I'll just call you Isho. Could it be that you don't have any dreams or plans for the future?"

"Strive to become stronger, marry a beautiful wife. Then protect my family and Konoha."

Just how much does this kid like pretty girls? He doesn't look half bad himself, so this goal shouldn't be too hard.

Gaining power to protect his family and Konoha... not bad, his ideological awareness is spot on.

"Alright, then let me ask you one last question. If your comrade were in grave danger on the battlefield, and the enemy was so powerful that you had absolutely no chance of winning, yet you held intelligence in your hands that could save many ninjas in the village, what would you choose to do?"

"I would rely on a Summoning Jutsu or any other available method to send the intelligence back, then return to save my comrade."

"What if it were a situation where only you could deliver it personally?"

Well, that depends on who the comrade is. If it's someone like Mizuki, why the hell would I save him?

Besides, if I can't win, I'm obviously going to run. Why go back and serve myself up on a platter? Only a protagonist can walk away unscathed thanks to plot armor.

I'm not stupid enough to think I'm the protagonist, even with a system. If I actually die, who am I going to cry to? Anyway, I can just find a substitute capable of using the Rinnegan to resurrect him later, right?

Thinking this to himself, Yi Xiang didn't dare voice his cynical thoughts, opting instead to say what the other wanted to hear.

"I... might say the mission is more important, but my body would never allow me to abandon my comrade and flee alone. Therefore, my choice is to go save my comrade. What do you think, Teacher?"

Watching Yi Xiang before him, who seemed to be struggling and conflicted, yet ultimately stood firm in his choice to save his comrade even at the cost of his own life, Kakashi's usually stern face broke into a rare, genuine smile.