"A strange Anbu suddenly appeared in the classroom. The only ones who would send out ninjas at a time like this are the Third and Danzo."
"If it were the Third, he would never use such a clumsy method. His office is so close to here that he only needs to drop by the school to show his face. With his prestige, it would be enough to get these kids fired up."
"If it were Danzo, why would he do such a thing?"
After Kimura Jiudai left with that Anbu, Jiuming pondered the identity of the newcomer in his heart. The current Jiuming paid close attention to everything happening around him.
After all, this was the Shinobi World, where accidents meant danger. If he hadn't noticed the other party using genjutsu today, or if the other party had cast the genjutsu with the intent to kill everyone here from the start, then today's events would have turned out completely differently.
Amidst his thoughts, the substitute female teacher had already concluded the class. Before the students could relax after class, Kimura Jiudai walked in from outside the classroom. Walking straight up to the podium, Jiudai then said in a ringing voice:
"The ninja who just cast genjutsu on you has been confirmed as a spy dispatched by Iwagakure. He has now been dealt with by Lord Hokage."
"You don't need to worry, just continue studying and attending your classes properly."
"However, what happened today is not allowed to be spread outside. You are not even allowed to talk about it at home, so as to avoid leaking the news and putting any other potential spies still remaining in the village on alert."
"Uzumaki Jiuming, go to the Hokage's Office after school for a bit. This is Lord Hokage's order."
"Alright, you may take a break."
Kimura Jiudai's words caused a stir among the children in the classroom. None of them expected that the other person was actually a spy dispatched by Iwagakure. Although these children matured early, facing this lie from the Third, almost everyone chose to believe it. It wasn't because the Third's lie was all that profound.
It was mainly because these words were spoken by the Hokage, who currently held the highest prestige in the children's hearts. Their adoration for the Third made them believe this explanation.
"A spy from Iwagakure? That's just enough to fool little children." Jiuming curled his lips. Hearing the news that Kimura Jiudai wanted him to see the Third Hokage, he immediately tossed his previous thoughts to the back of his mind.
He could roughly guess why the Third wanted to see him at a time like this, so he didn't bother investigating the identity of that "fake" Anbu anymore.
For students, class time passed exceptionally slowly, and for classmates who didn't listen to the lecture, class was truly a torment. However, for someone like Jiuming who was immersed in his own cultivation, time passed quite quickly.
In the blink of an eye, the sun had shifted to the west, and the Ninja Academy classes had reached their end.
"Everyone go back and thoroughly review today's lesson. If you have any questions, come to the office to ask the teacher."
"Don't run around blindly after school, go straight home early."
"Class dismissed."
Following Kimura Jiudai's voice, the children in the classroom were like birds breaking free from their cages, rapidly running toward the classroom door. Some children didn't even use the door, leaping straight out through the windows.
"Hey! Don't do such dangerous things!" Kimura Jiudai's words clearly had little effect; several mischievous boys had already left through the windows.
"Jiuming, let's go play together after school? After you go to the Third's place, how about coming to the back mountain?" Shikaichi Nara sat in his seat, asking the Uzumaki Jiuming beside him. However, when he turned his head, he found that Jiuming's seat was already completely empty.
"When did he leave? So fast!" Shikaichi Nara looked at the empty seat, speechless for a moment.
Inside the Hokage's Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was currently standing by the window, holding a long pipe and looking at the harmonious scene unfolding within the village. This was his favorite relaxation activity outside of work; looking at the peace within the village, his motivation for work would also increase a lot.
Although Konoha had been bogged down by the wars over the past few years, the flames of war had not burned into the homeland, and the village was considered relatively stable. But Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that this stability was unlikely to last long.
"Click."
Amidst Hiruzen Sarutobi's contemplation, the office door was pushed open. A little boy with a head of red hair pushed open the door and walked into the office. The newcomer was only six or seven years old, but his height was already around 130 centimeters. Among his peers, such height was already quite tall. If someone said he was ten years old, people would probably believe it.
"Teacher Sarutobi, did you look for me?" Uzumaki Jiuming walked into the Hokage's Office. Without even offering a bow, he simply greeted him and then began to scrutinize the furnishings of the office.
During Hiruzen Sarutobi's tenure, the layout of the Hokage's Office was extremely simple. Aside from a large desk against the window, there were no other furnishings in the room. There wasn't even a single sofa for receiving guests. The spacious office currently appeared somewhat empty.
Two piles of documents were placed on the desk, which should have been paperwork Hiruzen Sarutobi had yet to process. On the side of the documents, a somewhat conspicuous crystal ball was set. This was the only decoration on the desk.
"Come to think of it, this is your first time coming to my office, right?"
"How is it? Is it any different from the Hokage's Office you imagined?"
The Third Hokage didn't turn around, chatting casually with Jiuming straight away.
"The gap between it and what I imagined is still somewhat large. I thought the Hokage's office would inevitably be much more luxurious than what I'm seeing now."
"I never expected it to be so... plain."
The Third Hokage's office truly had nothing to do with luxury. Even some small-time bosses Jiuming had seen in his past life had offices far more luxurious than this.
"Hehe, are you perhaps a bit disappointed in your teacher?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around and walked back to his seat to sit down.
"Not really. Unexpected, yet entirely within reason."
Jiuming said faintly, with a completely calm expression.
"Unexpected, yet entirely within reason..."
"Indeed, your reaction was indeed within my expectations, but it's also reasonable." The Third repeated it, chewing on the meaning of Jiuming's words, and then used Jiuming's own words to evaluate him.
Uzumaki Jiuming's reaction truly exceeded his expectations. A child coming to his Hokage's Office and actually reacting with such calmness was enough to show that this child's composure far surpassed that of ordinary people.
However, considering Jiuming's genius, the Third Hokage thought that Jiuming reacting this way was also how it should be.
"I called you here this time because I have something to tell you."
Hearing the Third Hokage's words, Jiuming didn't make a sound, standing quietly in place.
"I've already received your teacher's report regarding your performance in the Ninja Academy."
"Although your academic subjects are a complete mess, whether it's taijutsu or ninjutsu, you easily achieved full marks."
"And you have learned ninjutsu following me; your talent tells me that you are not suited to continue studying in the Ninja Academy."
"I had your teacher apply for early graduation for you, and I have already approved it. Starting today, you are no longer a student of the Ninja Academy, but a Genin of Konoha Village."
While speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi opened the drawer on the side of his desk, drew out a Konoha metal forehead protector, and placed it on top of the desk.
"Teacher Sarutobi, doesn't a matter like my early graduation need to be reported to my family?" Jiuming felt some doubt in his heart. He remembered watching the show previously, and when Uchiha Itachi graduated early, his family had to be notified and give their consent before that graduation process could be completed.
"Regarding this matter, I have already communicated with Lady Mito. Her opinion is the same as mine; given your ability, you are indeed unsuited to continue staying in the Ninja Academy."
As he spoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi pushed the forehead protector placed before him forward, and then beckoned to Jiuming, signaling him to come over and take it.
Hearing the Third say this, Uzumaki Jiuming knew that this matter was already known to Mito. Summoned by Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiuming walked to the front of the desk and reached out to pick up the forehead protector.
"Does that mean I'm already a Genin?"
With the forehead protector in hand, Jiuming stroked the metal plate in the middle of the forehead protector, feeling somewhat dazed for a moment. The previous second he was still attending class at the Ninja Academy, and the next second he came to the Hokage's Office only to be told he was already a Genin and didn't need to go to class anymore. Such a situation would make anyone's mind go blank.
"That's right, congratulations, Jiuming. You have successfully graduated from the Ninja Academy and officially become a Genin."
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up with a smile on his face, patted Jiuming on the head, and said with a smile.
"Thank you, Teacher Sarutobi."
The turn of events exceeded Jiuming's expectations. He originally thought that coming to the office this time was nothing more than explaining things regarding that Anbu ninja, but who would have known that upon coming here, he would be told he had already graduated from the Ninja Academy and officially become a Genin.
This development had gone beyond Jiuming's control, and he needed some time to process this information.
"Teacher, after becoming a Genin, what do I need to do?"
Uzumaki Jiuming seemed to have figured something out. He didn't put on the forehead protector immediately, but instead tucked it into his robes and then asked.
The situation facing Genin of this era was clearly completely different from the Genin of Naruto's era. In Naruto's era, missions for newly graduated Genin were nothing more than catching stray cats and walking dogs, and all of them executed D-rank missions. As for escort missions, those had already reached B-rank, and were generally executed by Chunin.
But right now Konoha was in wartime, and even the Third Hokage's own son, Sarutobi Kotaro, had been dispatched to the battlefield to execute missions. Jiuming didn't believe his status was higher than Kotaro's.
And from the missions Hiruzen Sarutobi would subsequently assign to him, Jiuming would be able to judge just how much probability there was of him becoming a Jinchuriki.
From the information Hiruzen Sarutobi had just revealed, Jiuming knew that Uzumaki Mito was also aware of his becoming a Genin. Thus, the missions assigned to him were very likely coordinated with Mito.
If he was considered a candidate for the next Jinchuriki in the hearts of Mito and the Third, then the missions he would execute would definitely be simple ones, carrying more of a symbolic meaning. But if the missions were the high-mortality kind, then it was very likely he had already been excluded and couldn't possibly be a Jinchuriki candidate.
Whether or not he could become a Jinchuriki had a vital impact on Jiuming's future plans.
"Genin are different from the Ninja Academy period. You need to cooperate with teammates to execute missions dispatched by the village, and moreover, Konoha today is in a period of war, and the Jonin in the village all have their own missions."
"Ninja squads executing missions currently are generally four-person squads, with one leading Jonin and the remaining three being Genin members."
"However, the current situation is somewhat special. Normally, upon just becoming a Genin, there would be a Jonin to lead you in executing missions to get through an adjustment period, but the village doesn't have those conditions right now."
"Therefore, the team assigned to you is a conventional three-person squad, and there will be a distribution of roles when specifically executing missions."
"Your teammates have already been assigned to you, and from now on you will execute missions together with them."
Hiruzen Sarutobi patiently explained some basic knowledge about becoming a Genin to Jiuming, and Jiuming listened carefully as well. Although he had some understanding of the ninja profession previously, the specific details still had to come from the Third's mouth to be accurate.
"Knock, knock, knock~"
"Hehe, your teammates have also arrived." As the Third spoke, the office door was knocked on.
"Come in!" the Third Hokage called out in a ringing voice.
Following that, two boys pushed the door open one after the other and walked in. The leading youth was estimated to be around 14 years old, with a crop of neat, short black hair. He wore Konoha's standard-issue flak jacket on his upper body and carried a short blade on his back, the exposed hilt clearly visible within Jiuming's line of sight.
The black-haired youth gave off a rather capable and efficient vibe.
"Somewhat familiar, seems like I've seen him somewhere before." Jiuming scrutinized the black-haired youth who entered first, and after a long while shifted his gaze to the one following behind.
As for the one following behind the youth, his features were much more distinct: neatly combed long black hair, and that pair of signature, pale white eyes. It easily allowed Jiuming to discern the other's origins.
This youth's age was the same as that short-haired youth's, but his attire had a huge difference. Unlike the previous one wearing Konoha's standard-issue flak jacket, this youth wore a suit of white combat attire.
"From the Hyuga Clan, huh? Can hardly recognize them after two years, is it Hizashi Hyuga?" Jiuming looked at the two youths pushing their way in, secretly guessing their identities in his heart.
"Jiuming, these two are your teammates."
"Come, introduce yourselves to each other first."
Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and patted Jiuming on the shoulder, then said to the two youths.
"Yes, Lord Hokage!" The short-haired black youth bowed slightly to the Third Hokage after entering, then began to size up Uzumaki Jiuming, speaking only after a long while:
"My name is Uchiha Fugaku, from the Uchiha Clan of Konoha, a Chunin."
"Please take care of me from now on."
After Fugaku finished speaking, he took the initiative to extend his right hand toward Jiuming and said.
"Uchiha Fugaku? No wonder I thought this guy looked so familiar, it's him!"
Jiuming looked at the youth who was over thirty centimeters taller than himself, inwardly startled. Yet his expression remained completely calm as he reached out and shook hands with Uchiha Fugaku.
"Hello, Uzumaki Jiuming."
"Please take care of me."
Jiuming scrutinized this youth and said.
After Uchiha Fugaku greeted them, he released his hand and stepped aside. The other boy did not walk up to shake hands with Jiuming like Fugaku did, but instead stood right where he was and began introducing himself:
"My name is Hyuga Hiashi, 14 years old, a Chunin."
Hyuga Hiashi appeared somewhat aloof, saying nothing more after introducing himself. Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi gently patted Jiuming on the shoulder and said:
"The one beside me is Uzumaki Kuming, who just became a Genin today. From now on, the three of you will form a squad and carry out missions together."
"I hope you can quickly adapt to your new teammate and rapidly build trust."
Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke in a resonant voice to the three of them. Having already learned the identities of his teammates, Jiuming kept casting measuring glances at them. Both people before him, whether Uchiha Fugaku or Hyuga Hiashi, were figures of pivotal importance within Konoha.
Although they were not very old, Fugaku and Hiashi-hailing from the direct bloodlines of the Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan, Konoha's two great noble clans-held a status that closely followed the son of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
My new teammates are actually these two? Does that mean I'm being protected by the Third Hokage?
Being on a team with these two, our missions shouldn't be too difficult, right?
After all, given their status, they're bound to receive heavy protection even on the battlefield.
Uchiha Fugaku, the future head of the Uchiha Clan, and Hyuga Hiashi, a child of the Hyuga Main Family. No matter how you look at it, this squad of mine is pretty overpowered~
Jiuming rejoiced inwardly, not only because his teammates' status was high enough, but also because the strength of these two was undoubtedly at the top tier among their peers. Being on a team with them meant his safety was absolutely guaranteed~
"The three of you just formed your team today, so I'll give you three days to get familiar with each other."
"In this team, Fugaku and Hiashi are both Chunin. Kuming, you should listen more to their opinions within the team from now on."
"Three days from now, I will dispatch a guide to travel with the three of you to the Land of Rain."
"Your squad's very first mission is to transport supplies to the frontline forces in the Land of Rain."
"Once the mission is complete, you will be incorporated into the forces of my disciple, Orochimaru, and obey his orders."
As soon as Hiruzen Sarutobi finished speaking, Jiuming froze on the spot.
What the hell? Transport supplies to the Land of Rain?
And take orders from Orochimaru once we get there?
That means going straight to the battlefield?
Shouldn't I be doing some safe missions when paired with these two guys?
The Old Man's arrangement is deliberately trying to screw me over!
Uzumaki Kuming inwardly ranted like crazy. He had originally thought that being on a team with the future heads of Konoha's two major clans would mean being kept under tight protection. Who would have thought they were being sent straight to deliver supplies. This supply-delivery mission was by no means a safe assignment. The people of Iwagakure were not fools, and they were hardly going to sit idly by and let the forces of the Land of Fire receive their supplies.
The ambushes encountered along the way would definitely be numerous, and things wouldn't be all that safe within the borders of the Land of Rain either. During wartime, mountain bandits and outcasts were countless, and the journey to the Land of Rain would certainly not be peaceful.
The Third Hokage had no idea that Jiuming was currently cursing him out in his heart; right now, he was quite smug about his own arrangements.
I really treat my disciples well. At just 7 years old, I let him graduate early to become a Genin. Not even Minato achieved a feat like that in the past.
Right out of the Ninja Academy, he's formed a squad with two Chunin, and he's directly been assigned such an important mission.
In this way, this child's starting point is extremely high, and advancing to Chunin or even Jonin will happen much faster.
Sigh, will playing favorites with this kid like this draw criticism from people?~
I hope the kid Kuming won't thank me too much~ This is only fitting for a teacher~
At this thought, the wrinkles on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face gathered together, and his smile was as brilliant as a blooming chrysanthemum.
"Alright, the two-the three of you can head back. I have work to do."
Having arranged these matters, the Third Hokage waved his hand to signal Jiuming and the others to leave. Jiuming, who originally still had some things to say, saw the Third Hokage's joyful expression and swallowed his words back down.
After offering his farewells, he turned and walked out of the office. Seeing Jiuming leave, Uchiha Fugaku immediately bid farewell to the Third as well, and then, grabbing Hiashi by the hand, he hurried after Jiuming.
"Uzumaki Kuming, wait a moment!"
Just as he stepped out of the Hokage Building, Jiuming heard the shout coming from behind him. Feeling puzzled, he turned his head toward the direction of the voice.
He saw that not far behind him, Uchiha Fugaku-who had also just walked out of the building-was pulling Hyuga Hiashi by the hand and running quickly toward him.
"Uchiha Fugaku? Is there something you need?"
Jiuming's tone carried a fair bit of impatience. After all, having just received news that he was heading to the battlefield, his mood right now was extremely bad.
Moreover, because he still felt some dread toward the battlefield, he wanted to rush home to make pre-battle preparations. After all, getting ready with some sealing techniques that would come in handy later was very important to him.
"Haha, I figured since we just became partners today, why don't we head to the training ground to exercise and get familiar with each other."
"After all, getting used to each other's abilities will be beneficial for our future missions~"
Uchiha Fugaku spoke with a smile, seeming entirely unperturbed by Jiuming's coldness. At his side, Hiashi broke free from Fugaku's grip, rubbed his wrists, and said:
"Fugaku is right. Although I don't know what methods you used to get assigned to our team, since we're in a squad together, we have to understand your strength."
"Even though it was assigned by Lord Hokage, if your strength isn't up to par, I will submit a request to Lord Hokage to have you transferred away."
"I don't want you to drag down the strength of our squad."
"Before you arrived, Fugaku, Katō Dan, and I were executing A-rank missions. Because of you, our mission rating was dropped to B-rank. While I don't care about the drop in mission difficulty, I don't want the team to lose opportunities to execute A-rank missions just because you're here."
After Hyuga Hiashi finished speaking, Jiuming finally understood why this guy before him had acted somewhat aloof back in the office.
There was one thing Uzumaki Kuming never expected: Uchiha Fugaku, who hailed from Konoha's noble Uchiha Clan, and Hyuga Hiashi, from the Hyuga Main Family, had not been strictly protected by their families and the village after becoming ninjas, contrary to what Jiuming had imagined.
On the contrary, ever since becoming ninjas, these two had been assigned to execute numerous high-difficulty, high-danger missions of senior ranks. And both of them had achieved rapid growth through those missions.
The children of noble clans within Konoha were not beings who needed protection in the way Jiuming imagined; the trials and training they endured were often the harshest within their respective clans.
When noble clans nurtured their successors, they used sweat and blood, not the greenhouse Jiuming had pictured.
So that's how it is. Is this what a ninja's mindset is like? It seems I fell into a misconception before.
That being said, if I want to survive better in this world, relying on playing it safe to build up strength is extremely limited. Only combat allows for rapid growth.
Jiuming suddenly realized in his heart why the Third had arranged for these two to be his teammates. From the very beginning, the Third had never intended to keep him protected. From the moment he displayed his talent, what he received was not the village's protection, but rather more trials and rigorous training.
This was the way the ninja world nurtured geniuses.
As for whether this genius could withstand those tests, that wasn't something the Hokage needed to concern himself with. A genius who fell along the way did not deserve to be called a genius.
Dying on the battlefield wasn't a problem with the battlefield; it was a problem with you!
"Alright, I also think that since we're going to be teammates, we need to get familiar with each other."
"Let's head to Training Ground 7."
Having figured out the crux of the issue, Jiuming's face broke into a smile. He directly agreed to Hiashi and Fugaku's request and, without another word, headed straight toward the training ground.
To be honest, I'm quite curious myself to see just what level my current strength is at. I hope my abilities won't disappoint you.
Before you continue