Team Formation and Sage Technique

"Kushina!" Shiraha hurried after Kushina and grabbed her hand.

"Don't stop me. I'm going to ask the Third Hokage for an explanation! Why wasn't I assigned to a team?!"

Kushina said angrily.

"It's so dangerous outside right now. Staying in the village is much safer," Shiraha advised.

"If you're not on the same team as me, how am I supposed to keep you safe?! And that Uchiha Chiho is so pretty too—"

Kushina had been worried about Shiraha's safety at first, but by the end, her tone had turned sour with jealousy.

Only then did Shiraha realize. "I have no intention of marrying into the Uchiha clan."

"Just as I thought, you do have feelings for her!" Kushina's eyes widened, and a dangerous glint flashed through them.

"?" Shiraha looked utterly bewildered. "What kind of logic is that?"

Seeing that Kushina was still unhappy, Shiraha continued:

"I've practically sold myself to you already, so what are you still worried about? Besides, you should've expected this team assignment long ago, right?"

"Yeah." Kushina nodded. The Third Hokage definitely would not allow her, the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki, to leave the village so easily. She had been mentally prepared for that; she was just unwilling to accept it.

"But if you have any complaints, you can still go talk to the Third Hokage about them." Shiraha smiled. "That would suit your blunt, hot-tempered personality better."

"?" Kushina glared at Shiraha. He had been about to call her violent, hadn't he?!

"I-I should get going. I still have to wait for my guiding Jōnin!" Shiraha quickly found an excuse to slip away.

He would be acting together with his team from now on, so he needed to get familiar with his teammates as soon as possible.

Shiraha returned to the classroom and headed toward the school's Back Mountain according to the notice.

Team 12's meeting place was there.

By the time Shiraha arrived at the agreed location—

A man in a Jōnin uniform, around thirty years old, was sitting atop a large rock. There was a cross-shaped scar on his left cheek, and a standard ninja sword was strapped to his back.

Just like in the photo, he looked rather stern.

One person stood on each side of Oshima Shuichi. The girl on the left looked around fourteen or fifteen, with short hair cut to her ears. She was very pretty—Uchiha Chiho.

As for the boy on the right, he was about the same age as Uchiha Chiho. He had fair skin and an expressionless face.

His eyes were white, making it obvious that he was Shiraha's other teammate, Hyuga Hideto.

Elite Jōnin + Hyūga + Uchiha + civilian healer = powerful offense + reconnaissance + supporting offense + medical support.

A perfect team.

It seemed the village was testing something, intending to build elite teams into complementary formations like Ino-Shika-Cho.

"Sorry, I'm late." Shiraha only gave them a glance before withdrawing his gaze.

"You're not late. As long as you're punctual, that's enough." A faint smile appeared on Oshima Shuichi's face as he said:

"Since you joined as a replacement member,

we need to understand one another to improve our teamwork.

So I'll introduce myself first. My name is Oshima Shuichi, and I'm your guiding Jōnin.

I specialize in Fire Style, Wind Style, and swordsmanship."

Shiraha picked up the thread. "My name is Yagami Shiraha. I specialize in taijutsu and Medical Ninjutsu.

As for ninjutsu, I've only learned one Shadow Clone, and I can only make one.

This year, I officially passed the Medical Training Class assessment. My goal is to become a medical expert like Lord Tsunade."

Since the Third Hokage had already learned about Shiraha's study of the Shadow Clone through the Telescope Technique, there was no need for him to hide it.

As for his Medical Ninjutsu level, he had ranked first in this class's training program.

He appeared to be the sort of support-type ninja with decent ninja talent, mediocre combat ability, and strong talent for Medical Ninjutsu. That already put him above most Medical Ninja.

Of course, for a civilian, Shiraha was an unquestionable genius!

"My name is Uchiha Chiho. I've awakened the one-tomoe Sharingan, and I specialize in Ninja Tool Throwing and Fire Style. Please take care of me." Uchiha Chiho smiled, as if she had forgotten the previous unpleasantness with Shiraha.

However, in Shiraha's eyes, her smile was sinister, carrying hints of provocation and mockery.

"Hyuga Hideto. I specialize in using the Byakugan and Gentle Fist. Please take care of me." Hyuga Hideto, the last to introduce himself, had a rather indifferent attitude, but he remained polite.

Then again, during wartime, any team with a Medical Ninja would be delighted.

At the very least, no one would exclude one. No one could guarantee they would not get hurt.

"Since we have a new member today, take the day off." Oshima Shuichi did not say much else. He stood up from the rock. "I'll treat everyone to a meal later to welcome our new member. Eat as much as you want!"

"Then I won't hold back." Shiraha beamed.

After the meal, Shiraha followed the team to the Training Ground for some activity.

When Oshima Shuichi sparred with him, Shiraha felt that the look in his eyes—the urge to "kill"—was impossible to hide.

It seemed Shiraha had eaten a little too much at lunch!

In the end, Oshima Shuichi adjusted the battle plan based on Shiraha's combat ability—or rather, his ability to protect himself.

It was much as Shiraha had expected. They would carry out normal missions together, but if they encountered a difficult mission, he only needed to provide his teammates with as much support as possible while ensuring his own safety.

Finally, Oshima Shuichi emphasized that if they encountered an irresistible danger, Shiraha could retreat first.

To put it bluntly, he could abandon the mission and run.

That was difficult for ordinary ninja to imagine, but Medical Ninja were special.

Even during wartime, after enemy forces captured a Medical Ninja, they usually would not kill them outright. They would likely be exchanged for prisoners later on; it was an unwritten rule among the various countries.

After all, training a Medical Ninja with good overall abilities might cost more than training an ordinary Jōnin.

Of course, no one was likely willing to test exactly how things would turn out.

Shiraha tactfully expressed that he would follow orders.

Judging from her Chakra, Uchiha Chiho surpassed an ordinary Chūnin. With her one-tomoe Sharingan and her talent, her combat strength was certainly formidable.

Hyuga Hideto was no weakling either.

Both of them were far stronger than Sakamoto Midorikawa.

Most importantly, with the Byakugan on the team, their safety had greatly improved. The observation range of Shiraha's "Sixth Sense" was still nowhere near that of the Byakugan.

"We begin taking missions tomorrow. Dismissed."

At dusk, Oshima Shuichi left those words behind before departing directly.

He did not mention treating them to another meal.

The other two teammates also left separately, with no intention of getting closer to Shiraha.

So Shiraha went to find Kushina.

After dinner, Kushina mysteriously brought Shiraha to her home.

She took a large chest out from an underground secret room.

After opening it, she revealed that it was filled with scrolls of various colors.

"Kushina, what is this?" Shiraha asked with a puzzled expression.

"These are the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu and ninjutsu," Kushina explained.

"Kushina, you know that with my talent for ninjutsu, I probably don't have the energy to learn these."

"Give it a try. Maybe, like me, you have a strong talent for Sealing Jutsu! There are so many scrolls here. There should be something suitable for you, right?" Kushina persuaded him.

"This..." Shiraha had not set his sights on these scrolls before mainly because he did not want to arouse the Third Hokage's suspicion. After all, his established image was that of someone specializing in Medical Ninjutsu.

Kushina had never hidden the fact that she possessed the Uzumaki Clan's inheritance from Shiraha. She had even taught him the Shadow Clone before.

However, after the Third Hokage's reminder, Kushina had stopped teaching Shiraha anything else.

As for Shiraha, considering his ordinary Chakra talent, he had focused on the Breathing Technique and Meditation Method, and had not brought the matter up with Kushina again.

Just cultivating the Meditation Method, practicing spells, and developing potions already left him feeling that there was not enough time. How could he have time to cultivate ninjutsu and Sealing Jutsu as well?

"I'll take a look first." Shiraha sat down on the floor and began examining the scrolls in the chest.

Whether ninjutsu or Sealing Jutsu, most of them were above Rank B.

There were even quite a few Rank A and S-Rank powerful Sealing Jutsu among them.

Three Directions Sealing, Four Symbols Sealing, Reverse Four Symbols Sealing, Contract Seal, Yin Seal, Four Red Yang Formation.

Besides seals that ordinary people could use, there were also many special seals that required the bloodline of the Senju or Uzumaki clans.

"This is... Sage Technique! What is Sage Technique?"

Shiraha stared at the golden scroll in his hand, his pupils shrinking.

PS: Two chapters are nearly the length of three, aren't they? Asking for some votes isn't too much, right?