Team Assignments

"If Minato could use C-rank ninjutsu, that wouldn't be surprising, since I taught it to him. But what's the deal with that Uchiha brat using two C-rank techniques in a row that they never taught at school? Did Lord Jiraiya teach him, or..." Yuito muttered to himself in confusion. Suddenly, he looked at the Uchiha Clan Crest on Uchiha Matsuri's back. "Has this kid already awakened the Sharingan?"

Uchiha Matsuri and Minato Namikaze's duel had set the exam alight, and the remaining matches were just as fiercely contested.

"People really can make you feel like you're not good enough." Kushina Uzumaki, who had just won the "Kunai Showdown," couldn't help sighing.

Unlike Uchiha Matsuri and Minato Namikaze's ninjutsu exchange, the other matches mainly involved throwing Kunai and Shuriken at each other and using Shadow Clone and Substitution Technique.

The hulking Akimichi Dōtō and Akimichi Chōza didn't even use Kunai. They simply attacked each other with their massive bodies.

After nearly two hours of fighting, the graduation exam results were finally in. First place went, naturally, to Uchiha Matsuri, who had defeated Minato Namikaze, considered the strongest student in their year. Minato Namikaze took second place, just narrowly behind him.

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

Hokage Office.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was handling official business when a knock suddenly sounded at the door.

"Come in."

"Yuito, what is it?" the Third Hokage asked kindly.

"Lord Hokage, here are the graduation exam results for the latest class of Ninja Academy graduates. Please take a look," Yuito said respectfully.

"Mm. Just leave them here."

"Yes."

Yuito set the results on the desk, then limped out.

A while later, the Third Hokage finished his work and leaned back in his chair. He picked up the results at random.

"Uchiha Matsuri?" the Third Hokage said, almost to himself.

Just then, the Hokage's advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, entered.

"Third Hokage, the Ninja Academy graduation ceremony is tomorrow. Don't forget to give a speech," Mitokado Homura said first.

"Mm, I know."

The Third Hokage looked a little impatient.

"By the way, do either of you know Uchiha Matsuri?" the Third Hokage suddenly asked.

"Hm? Third Hokage, isn't he the orphan you entrusted to your student Jiraiya back then?" Utatane Koharu said.

"So it's him. I can't believe that little guy has already graduated. And he did it at the top of his year." The Third Hokage laced his fingers together and rested them against his forehead.

"Hmph. So what if he came first? The top students of every graduating class have suffered casualties when they first began carrying out missions," Mitokado Homura said dismissively. "Over all these years, the only top students who could truly shoulder Konoha's burden were you and Hatake Sakumo."

Mitokado Homura paused, then continued, "By the way, Third Hokage, your student Jiraiya just got back."

On his way home, Uchiha Matsuri naturally had no idea that the Third Hokage had mentioned him. Having beaten Minato Namikaze, who was known as a "genius," he couldn't help feeling pleased with himself.

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

"Yeah, I heard he came first in the graduation exam."

"Mm, he actually beat that incredibly strong Minato Namikaze."

"That's amazing."

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

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

"Matsuri, congratulations on graduating at the top of your class. Everyone at school is talking about your match with Minato," Nohara Shin said enviously, adjusting his glasses.

"Mm, thanks." Uchiha Matsuri gave him a faint smile, then continued on his way.

Having grown used to Uchiha Matsuri's coldness, Nohara Shin didn't feel particularly awkward.

"What a jerk. He's always putting on that sour face just because he's from the Uchiha Clan. He's so annoying!" Kiba Inuzuka, passing by, said with a scowl. "Minato, you're way better than that guy!"

"E, don't talk about your classmate like that," Minato Namikaze said with a smile. "A loss is a loss. I really was inferior to him at ninjutsu."

"But next time, who knows which of us will win." Minato's expression suddenly turned serious as he spoke.

E gave a quiet snort. Since the person who'd lost wasn't making a fuss, he had nothing more to say.

Outside Jiraiya's home.

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

"You're back?"

"L-Lord Jiraiya?" Uchiha Matsuri said, a little surprised.

"Long time no see, brat! I can't believe how tall you've gotten." Jiraiya came out of the kitchen and, seeing Uchiha Matsuri, measured his height with a hand.

"Heh." Uchiha Matsuri could only heh inwardly.

"Where have you been for the last three years, Lord Jiraiya? Lord Orochimaru and Lady Tsunade have both come back, but you were nowhere to be seen. I thought you'd been killed in action!" Uchiha Matsuri said reproachfully, though he already knew the answer and was only asking to hear it.

"Hahaha! On my way back, I passed through the Land of Rain and found three orphans. They seemed so pitiful, so I looked after them for three years." Jiraiya scratched his head awkwardly.

"So 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 teams tomorrow. Do you know who my jōnin instructor will be?"

"What? You're graduating tomorrow? Didn't you just start at the academy?!"

Pfft!

Uchiha Matsuri spat out a mouthful of water. His face went dark as he thought, This guy really is unreliable.

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

"Heh."

"When I got back today, Sensei called me, Orochimaru, Tsunade, and a few other jōnin to the office," Jiraiya said. "But Princess Tsunade still seems down because her younger brother died, so Sensei decided not to put her in charge of a team."

"As for you... I think you've been assigned to Team Orochimaru."

"O-Orochimaru." Uchiha Matsuri couldn't help thinking that this was bad.

Isn't he an extremely dangerous person in the original story? Sure, Snake Uncle 'believes in science' and, through his own efforts, 'mastered Core Technology,' but he's also the kind of person who'll stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Following him on a mission could send me plummeting into an abyss if I'm not careful.