Class Assignment

"If Minato were able to use a C-rank ninjutsu, it wouldn't be strange, as that is something I taught him. But what is the situation with that Uchiha brat using two C-rank ninjutsu in a row that the school never taught? Could it be that Lord Jiraiya taught him, or..." Ino Yamanaka muttered to himself in confusion from the sidelines. Suddenly, he looked at the Uchiha Clan crest on Uchiha Matsuri's back. "Has this child already awakened the Sharingan?"

The duel between Uchiha Matsuri and Minato Namikaze ignited the atmosphere of the exam, and the remaining matches between the other groups were also fought to a standstill.

"People really are different; it's enough to make you die of frustration." Kushina Uzumaki, who had just won in the "kunai battle," couldn't help but sigh.

Unlike the ninjutsu-heavy duel between Uchiha Matsuri and Minato Namikaze, the other matches were primarily conducted through throwing kunai and shuriken at each other, or using Shadow Clone and Substitution techniques.

The massive Chōji Dōtō and Akimichi Chōza didn't even use kunai, instead launching attacks directly with their hulking bodies.

After nearly two hours of combat, the results of the graduation exam were fresh off the press. First place, naturally, went to Uchiha Matsuri, who had defeated Minato Namikaze, widely considered the most talented student of their year. Correspondingly, Minato Namikaze took second place by a narrow margin.

Third place went to Kushina Uzumaki, whom Kiba Inuzuka jokingly called the "eternal third." As expected, the most active student in class, Nohara Shin, earned the title of the new generation's "dead last."

Hokage's office.

Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was busy handling official business. Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door.

"Please, come in."

"It's you, Ino. Is there something you need?" the Third Hokage asked with a kindly expression.

"Lord Hokage, this is the graduation exam score sheet for the new class at the Ninja Academy. Please, take a look," Ino Yamanaka said respectfully.

"Mm, just leave it there."

"Yes."

Placing the score sheet on the desk, Ino Yamanaka walked out with a limp.

After a while, having finished his work, the Third Hokage leaned back in his chair and picked up the score sheet.

"Uchiha Matsuri?" the Third Hokage murmured to himself.

At that moment, the Hokage's advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, opened the door and entered.

"Hiruzen, tomorrow is the Ninja Academy graduation ceremony. Don't forget to give a speech," Homura Mitokado said, taking the lead.

"Mm, I know."

The Third Hokage wore a look of slight impatience.

"By the way, you two, have you heard of this child, Uchiha Matsuri?" the Third Hokage suddenly asked.

"Hm? Hiruzen, isn't that the orphan you entrusted to your student, Jiraiya, all those years ago?" Koharu Utatane said.

"It is him. I didn't expect that in the blink of an eye, the little guy would have already graduated from the academy. And he graduated at the top of his class, no less." The Third Hokage crossed his hands and rested them against his forehead.

"Hmph, so what if he's first in his class? Every top student in previous years has encountered casualties when they first started going on missions," Homura Mitokado said dismissively. "Over all these years, the only top students who could truly shoulder the burden of Konoha, besides you, have been Sakumo Hatake."

Homura Mitokado paused, then continued, "By the way, Hiruzen, your student, Jiraiya, has just returned."

Walking home, Uchiha Matsuri was naturally unaware that his name had been mentioned by the Third Hokage. Having defeated Minato Namikaze, who was known as a "genius," Uchiha Matsuri couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

"Hey, isn't that the student from the Uchiha Clan?"

"That's right, I heard he was first in the graduation exam."

"Yeah, he actually defeated that super-talented Minato Namikaze."

"So impressive."

"Ah, isn't that Matsuri!" Nohara Shin ran straight toward Uchiha Matsuri. "Matsuri!"

"Hm?" Hearing someone call his name, Uchiha Matsuri turned his head instinctively.

"Matsuri, congratulations on graduating at the top of the class! The talk about your duel with Minato has already spread throughout the entire school," Nohara Shin said, adjusting his glasses with a look of envy.

"Mm, thanks." Uchiha Matsuri gave a faint smile and continued walking forward.

Accustomed to Uchiha Matsuri's coldness, Nohara Shin didn't feel particularly awkward.

"What's his problem? Relying on his status as an Uchiha, walking around with a sour face all day—what an annoying guy!" Kiba Inuzuka, passing by, curled his lip in dissatisfaction. "Minato, I think you're much better than this guy!"

"Kiba, don't say that about our classmate," Minato Namikaze said with a smile. "A loss is a loss. I was indeed inferior to him in ninjutsu."

"But next time, it's hard to say who will win." Minato's expression suddenly turned serious as he spoke earnestly.

Kiba Inuzuka gave a light huff; since the person involved wasn't making a fuss, he had nothing more to say.

In front of Jiraiya's residence.

Uchiha Matsuri unlocked the door, took off his shoes in the entryway, and headed straight for the bedroom.

"You're back?"

"Lord... Lord Jiraiya?" Uchiha Matsuri said, feeling slightly surprised.

"Long time no see, brat! I didn't expect you to have grown so tall." Jiraiya walked out of the kitchen and couldn't help but gesture with his hand when he saw Uchiha Matsuri.

Heh. Uchiha Matsuri thought to himself.

"Where have you been for the last three years, Lord Jiraiya? Lord Orochimaru and Lady Tsunade have both returned, but you were nowhere to be found. I thought you had been killed in action!" Uchiha Matsuri feigned reproach, though he knew the answer perfectly well.

"Hahaha, well, on the way back, I passed through the Land of Rain and found three orphans! I felt they were quite pitiful, so I looked after them for three years," Jiraiya said, scratching his head in embarrassment.

It seems he went to look after Yahiko's three orphans, Uchiha Matsuri thought to himself.

"By the way, Lord Jiraiya, the Ninja Academy graduates are being assigned to squads tomorrow. Do you happen to know who my jonin instructor will be?"

"What? You're graduating tomorrow? Didn't you just enroll?!"

Pfft!

Uchiha Matsuri spat out a mouthful of water, his face covered in black lines. This guy really is unreliable, he thought.

"Hahaha, I'm just teasing you. Of course I know you're graduating tomorrow."

"Heh."

"After I got back today, Sensei called me, Orochimaru, Princess Tsunade, and a few other jonin into his office," Jiraiya said. "However, Princess Tsunade has been depressed ever since her younger brother's sacrifice, so in the end, Sensei didn't assign her a squad to lead."

"As for you... it looks like you've been assigned to Orochimaru's squad."

O-Orochimaru, Uchiha Matsuri thought, a sense of dread washing over him.

Isn't this guy an extremely dangerous individual in the original story? Although Snake Uncle "believes in science" and has "mastered Core Technology" through his own efforts, he is also the type of person who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. If I'm not careful while working under him, I could easily fall into an abyss of no return.