Danzo, I am the Hokage!

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

Uchiha Mikoto was a bit confused, but she quickly realized where she had heard the name before.

"Isn't that the name of Eri-nee's younger brother? Isn't he only in the fourth grade? Did he apply for early graduation?"

It took her a good while to process this news.

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

Uchiha Mikoto's first instinct was to wonder if she was being targeted; after all, they were two years younger than those who graduated at the normal age.

Furthermore, graduating early at this point in time didn't necessarily prove their talent.

After coming to her senses, Uchiha Mikoto looked at the two boys standing up over there and walked over.

"Hello, I'm Uchiha Mikoto. Are you Eri-nee's younger brother?" Uchiha Mikoto looked at Uchiha Nagi; he was easy to identify.

One had black hair and the other had golden hair; no one would think the one with golden hair was an Uchiha.

"Hello, Mikoto-san. I've heard about you from Eri," Uchiha Nagi replied.

Uchiha Mikoto found his way of addressing Uchiha Eri a bit strange, but she didn't pay it much mind.

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

Namikaze Minato took the initiative to speak up as well.

As expected, they're both in the fourth grade...

Uchiha Mikoto muttered to herself, though she didn't say it out loud.

Moreover, since she was the only sixth-grade student in this group, it was her responsibility as a senior to take good care of them.

Not to mention, since Uchiha Nagi was Eri-nee's brother, she felt even more obligated to look after him.

Uchiha Mikoto made a silent decision.

Afterward, the three of them chatted in the classroom to get to know each other while waiting for their instructor.

They waited for a long time, until the classroom was empty save for the three of them.

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

Seeing him, Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Mikoto widened their eyes, for they both recognized him.

The Third Hokage's student, Jiraiya!

They never imagined that their teacher would be him!

Jiraiya wasn't in the best of moods either; he had been "lectured" by his own teacher for a long time before finally getting him to reluctantly agree.

However, as he looked at the three shocked students before him, a smile slowly spread across his face.

Regardless of anything else, he had finally become a teacher.

"Hello, from now on, I will be your instructor!"

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office.

The Third Hokage was feeling a bit of a headache, the reason naturally being his troublesome disciple.

It was true that he had allowed Jiraiya and Orochimaru to become jonin instructors, but he certainly hadn't told Jiraiya to recruit two members of the Uchiha Clan.

Even though he had considered strengthening ties with the Uchiha Clan, having either Jiraiya or Orochimaru take on one Uchiha student would have been sufficient.

With two of them, the implications were entirely different; to many, this scene might signify that he was currying favor with or leaning toward the Uchiha.

"Bang!"

Just then, the door to the Hokage's office was shoved open in a rough manner.

"As expected, trouble has arrived."

The Third Hokage turned around to see his old friend, Shimura Danzō, looking furious as he slammed a hand onto the desk.

"Hiruzen, what exactly are you trying to do? Why let Jiraiya take two Uchihas as disciples? Have you forgotten the teachings our teacher gave us?!"

Shimura Danzō loudly questioned the Third Hokage.

"Danzō, I naturally remember our teacher's teachings. But the teacher never said we should completely isolate the Uchiha, just like Kagami," the Third Hokage said softly, looking at Shimura Danzō.

Upon hearing the name Kagami Uchiha, Shimura Danzō fell silent for a moment, unable to refute him.

"Even so, two Uchihas is going too far."

"I have already spoken to Jiraiya about this, but since he insists, he must have his reasons." The Third Hokage chose to trust his disciple.

If Uchiha Nagi knew this, he would likely be surprised; the Third Hokage before him was not the one from his memories.

At this moment, he was not yet old, and his spirit had not been completely worn down as it would be later on.

"Hiruzen, if you keep indulging your disciple like this, you will eventually foster a great disaster!" Shimura Danzō slammed the desk again in anger.

The Third Hokage took a drag of his pipe, then gently exhaled a ring of smoke.

"Danzo, I am the Hokage."

"You!" Shimura Danzo was somewhat incensed but unable to retort; the right to assign squads belonged to the Hokage, and even he could not deny that.

"Hmph! Hiruzen, you will regret this!"

Shimura Danzo let out an angry huff before slamming the door behind him as he left.

The Third Hokage sighed as he watched Shimura Danzo's retreating back.

Since things had reached this point, he could only hope to use this opportunity to bridge the gap with the Uchiha Clan.

With the village currently in a time of war, it was truly not the right moment for any internal turmoil within Konoha.

Just then, the door to the Hokage's office was pushed open once more, and this time, the visitors were familiar faces: the two advisors.

Uchiha Nagi and the other three had no idea what had transpired inside the Hokage's office.

By now, Jiraiya had already led the three of them to a rooftop swept by a gentle breeze.

Jiraiya leaned against the rooftop railing and scratched his white hair.

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

"Since I have become your teacher, I will be responsible for you until the end. Now, it is your turn."

Namikaze Minato was the first to step forward, speaking with a gentle yet firm tone:

"I am Namikaze Minato. My goal is to become a Hokage who can protect the village. Please treat me well."

He bowed slightly, his golden hair swaying in the wind.

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

Having said that, he let out a yawn.

Uchiha Mikoto took a deep breath, trying her best to appear reliable:

"I am Uchiha Mikoto from the sixth year. I specialize in Fire Release and shurikenjutsu."

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

"In any case, I will do my best to fulfill my duties as your senior."

As soon as she finished, both Uchiha Nagi and the other couldn't help but glance at Uchiha Mikoto.

Although they felt they might not really need it, they both sensed that she might turn out to be a decent teammate.

Jiraiya nodded secretly as he looked at the three before him.

Namikaze Minato was indeed worthy of the potential he had seen in him; having such an ideal was excellent.

As for Uchiha Nagi, he was exactly as Tsunade had described—quite different from most of the Uchiha. That sense of laziness was etched into his very bones; it was definitely not an act.

As for the final one, Uchiha Mikoto, the "duties" she spoke of did not exclude Namikaze Minato.

Looking at it this way, she was also a fine student.

With that realization, the slight headache he had felt about taking on two Uchiha began to fade.

They were all good children.