Hatake Sakumo's Test

A day later.

At the Konoha Village training ground, Uchiha Ying Yue held his first official meeting with his new squad members—Yamanaka Chinatsu and Hyuga Ayane.

Sunlight spilled over them. Ying Yue remained as steady and confident as ever, while Chinatsu and Ayane appeared somewhat nervous.

As Ying Yue approached, a sudden flush crept onto Chinatsu's cheeks. She subconsciously raised a hand to smooth her long golden hair, her gaze darting away from him.

Though she tried to remain calm, her blue eyes still betrayed a hint of irrepressible joy.

"Ying Yue-kun... hello." Chinatsu's voice trembled slightly as she struggled to keep her emotions in check.

Hyuga Ayane stood beside Chinatsu. Although she also bore a faint blush, she was more reserved and composed than her teammate.

She kept her head lowered, her hands nervously twisted together, seemingly afraid to look Ying Yue in the eye. Her voice was soft and delicate: "Ying Yue-kun... please take care of me."

Seeing their reactions, Uchiha Ying Yue couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness. He knew he was quite popular among his peers, but he didn't want his appearance or strength to make his teammates feel uncomfortable during their cooperation.

"Chinatsu, Ayane, there's no need to be so formal," Ying Yue said with a smile, trying to keep his tone light. "We are members of the same squad. We have to complete missions together, and mutual trust and coordination are the most important things."

Hearing Ying Yue say this, Chinatsu couldn't help but blush again, nodding quickly: "Mm... yes, Ying Yue-kun, you're right."

Ayane also nodded gently; although she still seemed a bit uneasy, the tension in her eyes appeared to ease slightly.

Hatake Sakumo, the Jonin, had not yet arrived. Since Uchiha Ying Yue, Hyuga Ayane, and Yamanaka Chinatsu had reached the designated spot early, Ying Yue decided to start training to break the awkwardness.

As the training progressed, Ying Yue gradually discovered that these two female classmates were "paying attention" to him far more than he had imagined.

During a simple taijutsu drill, Ying Yue demonstrated a set of basic moves. His motions were swift and fluid, his muscle definition standing out sharply under the sunlight.

Chinatsu and Ayane watched intently from the sidelines, especially Chinatsu, who could barely suppress an exclamation of admiration.

"Ying Yue-kun's physique is truly amazing..." Chinatsu whispered to Ayane, her voice laced with a hint of worship.

Though Ayane said nothing, the blush on her face deepened.

And during a ninjutsu drill, when Ying Yue successfully unleashed a Great Fireball Technique, Chinatsu clapped excitedly: "Ying Yue-kun is so incredible!"

This inexplicable "lovestruck" behavior made Ying Yue feel somewhat embarrassed and helpless.

Just as Uchiha Ying Yue, Yamanaka Chinatsu, and Hyuga Ayane were finishing their initial interaction, the sound of steady footsteps approached.

The three turned to look and saw a man in a dark gray ninja uniform walking toward them. His white hair was particularly striking in the sunlight, and he wore a faint smile that felt as refreshing as a spring breeze. However, all three of them felt the steady and powerful aura emanating from him.

"I am Hatake Sakumo," he said, stopping before the three of them, his voice steady and forceful. "From today on, I will be your lead Jonin."

When Ying Yue heard the name, his heart gave a slight jolt.

Ying Yue knew who Hatake Sakumo was—an elite Jonin of Konoha Village, known as the "White Fang of the Leaf," famous throughout the Ninja World for his extraordinary swordsmanship and swift movements. Having such a legendary ninja serve as their squad leader was undoubtedly a tremendous honor.

Hatake Sakumo looked at the three with a smile: "Before we officially begin our missions, let's introduce ourselves. Getting to know one another is crucial for our future cooperation."

Uchiha Ying Yue spoke first, confident and composed: "Uchiha Ying Yue, skilled in Fire Release and Wood Release, and I have also studied taijutsu and tactics. My goal is to become the Hokage and protect Konoha."

Ying Yue's voice was firm and powerful, showing his self-confidence and his vision for the future.

Next, Yamanaka Chinatsu stepped forward, looking a bit nervous: "Yamanaka Chinatsu, skilled in the Mind Body Switch Technique. My goal is to become an excellent medical ninja and provide support for the village and my teammates."

Though her voice was slightly strained, her tone was full of firm determination.

Finally, Hyuga Ayane lifted her head slightly, her voice soft yet resolute: "Hyuga Ayane, skilled in Gentle Fist and defensive ninjutsu. I hope to become a ninja who can protect everyone."

Her voice was not loud, but the tenacity within it could not be ignored.

Hatake Sakumo nodded, satisfied with their introductions: "Very good. Each of you has your own strengths and goals. This is a great start, but to become a true ninja, this alone is not enough. We need to understand each other through actual combat."

Hatake Sakumo stood in the center of the field with his arms crossed, his expression turning serious: "Next, I will conduct a strength test. I want the three of you to give it your all and attack me with everything you have. Your goal is to make me take this seriously."

Hearing this, Ying Yue, Chinatsu, and Ayane exchanged glances before each assuming a combat stance.

Ying Yue narrowed his eyes slightly, the Sharingan glowing red as he quickly analyzed every movement Sakumo made.

Chinatsu folded her fingers across her chest, preparing to use the Mind Body Switch Technique, while Ayane activated her Byakugan, ready to coordinate with Ying Yue's assault.

"Ready?" Sakumo smiled faintly, reaching back to grip the White Fang Short Blade as he spoke calmly.

Ying Yue's heart stirred, and he launched his attack instantly. His speed was immense; he appeared before Sakumo in a flash, delivering a powerful taijutsu strike toward Sakumo's flank.

However, Sakumo turned slightly, and Ying Yue's attack brushed past him.

At the same time, Chinatsu launched her Mind Body Switch Technique from a distance, attempting to seize control of Sakumo's actions.

Yet, Sakumo merely adjusted his chakra flow slightly, easily neutralizing Chinatsu's control.

Seeing this, Ayane rushed forward, using Gentle Fist to strike at Sakumo's chakra points. Though her speed was not as great as Ying Yue's, her strikes were precise, aiming to suppress Sakumo's movements at close range.

However, with his extraordinary reaction speed and agility, Sakumo responded almost as soon as the three launched their simultaneous attacks. He easily dodged Ying Yue and Ayane's strikes while drawing his White Fang Short Blade, ready to counter.

At that moment, Ying Yue, Chinatsu, and Ayane quickly adjusted their tactics. Ying Yue attacked again, using more flexible maneuvers to pin down Sakumo, while Chinatsu took the opportunity to cast support techniques from behind, and Ayane struck from the side. The three executed a perfect, tacit coordination.

Hatake Sakumo felt the synergy and determination in their attacks, and a smile touched the corners of his mouth.

He swung his White Fang Short Blade lightly, parrying Ying Yue's attack, but he clearly increased his chakra output, signaling that he had begun to take the test seriously.

Finally, under the pressure of Uchiha Ying Yue's powerful taijutsu, Chinatsu's Mind Body Switch Technique successfully locked onto Sakumo, and Ayane's Gentle Fist struck precisely at Sakumo's chakra points.

Sakumo paused for a moment, raising a hand to signal the three to stop their attack.

"Very good," Sakumo nodded gently, sheathing his White Fang Short Blade. "Your coordination is excellent, especially you, Uchiha Ying Yue—your speed and combat judgment are outstanding for your age. Chinatsu's Mind Body Switch and Ayane's Gentle Fist were also well-executed. The three of you are indeed a formidable squad."

Sakumo walked up to them, his expression serious but encouraging: "I am very satisfied with your performance. From today on, we are a team. In future missions, I hope you will continue to maintain this synergy and coordination, playing to your respective strengths and growing together."

Ying Yue, Chinatsu, and Ayane responded in unison: "Yes, Sakumo-sensei!"

Ying Yue felt a surge of satisfaction. He knew that he and his teammates had passed the test and earned Sakumo's recognition. From here on out, they would face even greater challenges together.