Danzo, I'm the Hokage!

"Huh? Uchiha Nagi? Why does that name sound familiar?"

Uchiha Mikoto was a little puzzled, but it didn't take long for her to remember where she had heard the name.

"Isn't that Eri's little brother? Isn't he only in fourth grade? Did he apply for early graduation?"

It took her a while to accept the news.

"So I've been assigned two fourth-grade underclassmen as teammates?"

Uchiha Mikoto's first thought was that she might be getting picked on. After all, they were two years younger than students who graduated at the usual age.

Besides, graduating early at this point didn't necessarily prove they were especially talented.

Once she had recovered from her surprise, Uchiha Mikoto looked over at the two boys who had stood up and walked over to them.

"Hello, I'm Uchiha Mikoto. Are you Eri's little brother?" Uchiha Mikoto looked at Uchiha Nagi; he was easy to recognize.

One had black hair and the other blond. Anyone could tell that the blond one wasn't the Uchiha.

"Hello, Mikoto. Eri's told me about you," Uchiha Nagi replied.

Mikoto found his way of addressing Uchiha Eri a little odd, but didn't think much of it.

"Hello, I'm Namikaze Minato, Nagi's classmate."

Namikaze Minato spoke up as well.

They really are both in fourth grade...

Uchiha Mikoto muttered to herself, but kept the thought to herself.

Besides, since she was the only sixth grader in the class, she ought to take responsibility as their senior and look after them.

And since Uchiha Nagi was Eri's little brother, she should take extra care of him.

Uchiha Mikoto made up her mind.

The three chatted in the classroom to get to know one another while waiting for their instructor.

They waited until late. Before long, they were the only ones left in the classroom.

At last, the classroom door opened again, and a tall man with spiky white hair walked in.

Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Mikoto stared at him, recognizing him at once.

Jiraiya, the Third Hokage's student!

They had never imagined he would be their teacher!

Jiraiya wasn't in the best of moods. His own teacher had given him a long "talk" before finally, and reluctantly, agreeing.

Still, as he looked at the three astonished faces before him, a smile gradually spread across his own.

Whatever else, he had become a teacher.

"Hello. From now on, I'll be your instructor!"

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office.

The Third Hokage was troubled. As usual, the cause was his troublesome student.

He had indeed appointed Jiraiya and Orochimaru as jōnin instructors, but he hadn't told Jiraiya to take two members of the Uchiha Clan as students.

He had considered improving relations with the Uchiha Clan, but it would have been enough for Jiraiya or Orochimaru to take just one Uchiha student.

Taking two was a completely different matter. To many people, it might look as though he was trying to curry favor with the Uchiha or draw closer to them.

"Bang!"

Just then, the Hokage's office door was flung open.

Here comes the trouble.

The Third Hokage turned to face his furious old friend, Shimura Danzō. Danzō planted one hand on the desk.

"Hiruzen, what are you trying to do? Why did you have Jiraiya take two Uchiha as students? Have you forgotten what our teacher taught us?!"

Shimura Danzō loudly challenged the Third Hokage.

"Danzō, of course I remember what our teacher taught us. He never said we had to completely isolate the Uchiha. Just look at Kagami."

The Third Hokage looked at Shimura Danzō and spoke softly.

When Shimura Danzō heard Uchiha Kagami's name, he fell silent for a moment, unable to argue.

"Even so, two Uchiha is too much."

"I've already brought it up with Jiraiya, but if he's determined to do this, he must have his reasons." The Third Hokage still chose to trust his student.

If Uchiha Nagi had known, he would have been a little surprised. The Third Hokage before him was nothing like the one in his memories.

He wasn't that old yet, and his spirit hadn't been worn away as it would be later.

"Hiruzen, if you keep indulging your students, one day you'll cause a major disaster!" Shimura Danzō slammed the desk again in anger.

The Third Hokage took a puff of his pipe, then slowly exhaled a ring of smoke.

"Danzō, I'm the Hokage."

"You!" Shimura Danzō was furious, but couldn't argue. Deciding how to assign teams was the Hokage's prerogative. Even he couldn't deny that.

"Hmph! Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

Shimura Danzō gave an angry snort, then stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

The Third Hokage watched Shimura Danzō's retreating figure and sighed.

Since things had come to this, he could only hope the opportunity would help improve relations with the Uchiha Clan.

It was wartime, and Konoha really couldn't afford any upheaval within the village.

Just then, the Hokage's office door opened once more. This time, the familiar visitors were the two advisors.

Uchiha Nagi and the others knew nothing about what had happened in the Hokage's office.

Jiraiya had brought the three of them to a rooftop where a gentle breeze was blowing.

Leaning against the rooftop railing, Jiraiya scratched his white hair.

"I'm Jiraiya, the future Toad Sage! I'm sure you all know who I am." He grinned.

"Now that I'm your teacher, I'll see things through. Your turn."

Namikaze Minato stepped forward first and spoke with quiet resolve:

"I'm Namikaze Minato. My goal is to become a Hokage who can protect the village. I look forward to working with you."

He bowed slightly, his blond hair swaying in the breeze.

Uchiha Nagi raised a hand lazily. "Uchiha Nagi. I hate trouble, and my goal is to live a peaceful life."

After speaking, he yawned.

Uchiha Mikoto took a deep breath, doing her best to sound dependable.

"I'm Uchiha Mikoto, a sixth grader. I specialize in Fire Release and Shurikenjutsu."

She looked at Uchiha Nagi and Namikaze Minato, her voice softening.

"Anyway, I'll do my best to fulfill my responsibilities as your senior."

As soon as she finished speaking, Uchiha Nagi and Namikaze Minato both glanced at her.

They didn't think they really needed looking after, but they both felt she might be a good teammate.

Jiraiya nodded to himself as he looked at the three of them.

Just as he'd expected, Namikaze Minato had a fine ambition.

Uchiha Nagi, on the other hand, really was different from most Uchiha, just as Tsunade had said. That lazy air seemed to come from deep within him. There was no way it was an act.

As for Uchiha Mikoto, she hadn't left Namikaze Minato out when talking about her responsibilities.

She seemed like a good student, too.

Seeing the three of them together eased some of his misgivings about taking two Uchiha students.

They were all good kids.