The Squad Assignments

Mito Uzumaki was her grandmother, and to Tsunade, she had been like a mother.

Kushina was the successor Grandma Mito had chosen, so Tsunade couldn't completely turn a blind eye to her, no matter how she looked at it.

Besides, guiding a Jinchūriki and ensuring her stability was an extremely important and confidential task in itself. The higher-ups would hardly feel at ease entrusting it to anyone else.

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke up at the right moment, his tone gentle but carrying undeniable weight. "Tsunade, Jiraiya has a point. Kushina's position is special. She needs to be guided and protected by someone absolutely reliable and powerful.

"You're the best person for the job. No one is more worthy of trust. As for Uchiha Ling..." The Third Hokage paused, his voice growing deeper.

"This boy is special. He has an exceptional talent for strength, and even rarer, his way of thinking... might be able to break through some long-standing barriers. His 'Will of Fire' surpasses the understanding of many Jonin."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze grew significant. "I wouldn't feel at ease entrusting him to anyone else. Both his talent and his deep bond with Kushina require a guide who is sufficiently powerful and wise.

"Danzo has always been deeply prejudiced against the Uchiha. I hope you'll accept and teach him, and also... keep an eye on him.

"Make sure his strength and his willingness to serve Konoha stay on the right path. This isn't just for their sake; it's for the village's future, too."

The office fell silent for a moment. Hiruzen Sarutobi's words carried an enormous amount of information.

The reluctance on Tsunade's face gradually gave way to solemnity. She hated trouble, but she was also the princess of the Senju Clan and a ninja deeply trusted by the Third Hokage. She understood the weight behind her teacher's words.

Protecting the successor Grandma Mito had chosen and guiding an anomaly who might change the relationship between the Uchiha and the village was indeed a heavy responsibility—but one that only she could shoulder.

She took a deep breath, as if mustering all her resolve, then waved a hand with an irritated air of resignation. "All right, all right, I get it! What a pain! One little Uchiha brat and one red-haired little girl.

"I'll take them! But let me make this clear: if those two brats are too much trouble, I can quit anytime!"

A relieved smile appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face. He knew that once Tsunade agreed, she wouldn't do things by halves. "Of course. I'm sure you'll handle it."

And so, the matter was settled.

Orochimaru stayed aloof, Jiraiya chose Namikaze Minato, and Tsunade, at the Third Hokage's behest and with Jiraiya egging him on, took on the responsibility of teaching Uchiha Ling and Uzumaki Kushina—reluctantly, but out of a sense of duty.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sent for Uchiha Ling, Namikaze Minato, and Kushina, and summoned them to the Hokage Building.

"You three are the most outstanding graduates of this year. Your strength is already far beyond everyone else's, and you're no longer suited to working in a squad, so I took it upon myself to assign you different teachers."

Jiraiya and Tsunade had already been waiting there for some time.

"Yo! Blondie, from now on, I'm your master!"

As soon as they met, Jiraiya familiarized himself with Minato by ruffling his hair.

"Big Sis Tsunade!" Kushina excitedly threw herself at Tsunade when she saw her.

Ever since Grandma Mito passed away, Tsunade had been busy with missions. It had been a long time since Kushina had seen her only remaining family in Konoha.

"I'll take Kushina and this little Uchiha brat," Tsunade said with a click of her tongue, sounding somewhat reluctant.

Uchiha Ling was actually quite pleased with this result.

Becoming Tsunade's student had been part of his plans for a long time, so he had deliberately shown an interest in Medical Ninjutsu during his time at the Ninja Academy.

Tsunade's Medical Ninjutsu and Strength of a Hundred Taijutsu were undoubtedly powerful abilities. More importantly, Tsunade held a uniquely high status in the village and was at odds with Danzo, making her an important shield for him.

At the same time, getting close to Tsunade meant he might one day gain access to Senjutsu from Shikkotsu Forest, which was vital for his long-term development.

After all, once he had learned Senjutsu, he could use cheap mastery scrolls to improve it.

When they arrived at Training Ground 3, Tsunade was standing with her arms crossed. The pale blue diamond mark on her forehead shimmered faintly in the sunlight.

"Lady Tsunade." Uchiha Ling bowed respectfully.

Tsunade looked him up and down, her gaze sharp. "Kid, you don't have to be so formal. If the old man hadn't said you had a real talent for Medical Ninjutsu, I wouldn't have taken you as a student."

Uchiha Ling replied calmly, "Thank you for the praise, Lady Tsunade. I'll work hard."

"Medical Ninjutsu isn't child's play. It takes a great deal of patience, precise chakra control, and a calm, strong heart." Tsunade's tone turned serious.

"And studying under me will be hard. Very hard. If you can't meet my standards, I'll kick you out without hesitation. Understand?"

"Understood." Uchiha Ling nodded. Hard? That was what the system was for.

"Good." Tsunade's lips curved into a smile. "First, let's see how good your chakra control really is. Climb that tree."

Uchiha Ling did as she asked. He walked up to a large tree, gathered chakra beneath his feet without forming hand seals, and climbed as easily as if he were walking on level ground. He continued until he reached the top, where he stood as steady as a rock.

"Hmm. Your fundamentals are solid. Now try Water Walking." Tsunade pointed to the pond beside the training ground.

Uchiha Ling jumped down from the treetop and landed lightly on the surface of the water. It rippled only slightly beneath him as he stood there, steady on his feet.

The admiration in Tsunade's eyes deepened.

That level of chakra control already surpassed many Chunin and approached that of a Jonin. It seemed she really had found a treasure this time.

"Next, try this." Tsunade tossed Uchiha Ling a thin sheet of paper. "Use your chakra to make it change without damaging the paper's structure. This is the foundation of training in the Medical Ninjutsu technique, Chakra Scalpel."

Uchiha Ling took the paper and focused.

He concentrated his chakra at his fingertips, making an extremely delicate, gentle adjustment to its nature.

Under Uchiha Ling's control, the paper began to tremble slightly. Then its edges grew as sharp as blades, able to slice through falling leaves with ease, while the paper itself remained intact.

Watching this, Tsunade finally broke into her first genuine smile of the day. "Interesting. Uchiha Ling, from today on, you're my student. I'll teach you everything I know about Medical Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. I hope you won't waste that talent."

"Yes, Sensei!" Uchiha Ling replied solemnly.

Meanwhile, at a training ground on the other side of the village, Namikaze Minato met his instructor—a burly man in red layered armor, with wild white hair like a porcupine. He was Jiraiya, one of the Sannin.

"Hey, Minato! Let's work hard together and create... I mean, train in powerful jutsu!" Jiraiya clapped Namikaze Minato on the shoulder and roared with laughter.

Although Namikaze Minato was a little surprised by his teacher's unpredictable style, he remained polite and respectful. "Yes, Jiraiya-sensei. I look forward to working with you."