Ino-Shika-Cho

"Is something wrong?" Jiraiya noticed Uchiha Matsuri's darkening expression and asked curiously.

"N-no, nothing. Heh heh." Uchiha Matsuri scratched his head without thinking.

But then Uchiha Matsuri reconsidered. Orochimaru probably hadn't started conducting evil human experiments yet. As long as he cut ties with him later, he shouldn't get caught up in the conflict between Orochimaru and Konoha, right?

"I heard you came in first on your graduation exam, brat. You sure didn't let me down!" Jiraiya said smugly, as if he, rather than Uchiha Matsuri, had gotten a great score on the exam.

"Uh, Lord Jiraiya, weren't you the 'dead last' in your graduation exam?" Uchiha Matsuri glanced at the smug Jiraiya on the sofa with contempt.

As soon as Jiraiya heard his past brought up, his expression darkened.

Seeing trouble coming, Uchiha Matsuri waited until Jiraiya wasn't paying attention, then turned and bolted for the door.

"You little brat! I'll break your legs!" Jiraiya chased after him, brandishing a wooden stick.

Early the next morning, Uchiha Matsuri, his head wrapped in bandages, went with Jiraiya to the Ninja Academy.

Needless to say, walking alongside Jiraiya once again drew envious and jealous looks from everyone on the street.

After the graduation ceremony began, the Third Hokage, Mitokado Homura, Shimura Danzō, Jiraiya, and others gave one long speech after another. Naturally, they spoke about their hopes for the new generation of shinobi, how they would carry on the Will of Fire, contribute to Konoha, and so on.

Having once sat through a three-hour speech by a school principal in his previous life, Uchiha Matsuri had naturally become immune to this kind of "leader's speech."

He glanced around. Aside from Minato Namikaze, who sat up straight and listened attentively, every other student was fighting to stay awake.

As the Third Hokage spoke, Ino Yamanaka, seated on the stage, couldn't help glancing at the students below—her former pupils.

Brats, when you go on missions, don't... die so easily, Ino Yamanaka thought with a sigh.

Fortunately, two and a half hours later, the graduation ceremony "graciously" came to an end.

In the classroom.

All thirty students had gathered together, chatting and imagining who their jonin instructors would be.

"Matsuri, have you heard? The jonin instructors for our graduating class are supposed to be really impressive." Kushina Uzumaki was full of anticipation.

"They've all just returned victorious from the battlefield. Of course none of them are weak," Uchiha Matsuri replied carelessly.

Thump.

The classroom door slid open.

The students, who had been chattering away just a moment earlier, immediately fell silent. They all looked up eagerly at the people entering.

"Team 1: Akimichi Chōza, Shikaku Nara, Yamanaka Inoichi. The three of you, come out here." A Chunin and a rugged-looking man with a scar over his right eye walked in. The Chunin unfolded a team assignment sheet and called out loudly.

When the three heard their names, they hurried out.

"I heard that fierce-looking man is an elite jonin. He made a name for himself in the war that just ended." After watching the man lead the three away, Nohara Shin excitedly whispered to his deskmate, Aburame Shimi.

"..."

At the back of the classroom.

"It looks like the next generation of Ino-Shika-Cho is about to take shape," Uchiha Matsuri remarked.

"Ino-Shika-Cho?" Kushina Uzumaki asked.

"Yeah. Ino-Shika-Cho is a famous Konoha combat unit made up of the Akimichi Clan, who represent the 'butterfly'; the Nara Clan, who represent the 'deer'; and the Yamanaka Clan, who represent the 'boar,'" Uchiha Matsuri explained.

"These three clans formed an alliance back in the Warring States era. After Konoha was established, they became one of the village's main pillars. Nara Clan shinobi, in particular, have served as Hokage Advisors many times and acted as strategists for Konoha's forces."

"Every generation of Ino-Shika-Cho has included one member from each clan's head family. In battle, the clever Nara Clan member usually leads and draws up plans, the powerful Akimichi Clan member takes the offensive, and the Yamanaka Clan member, skilled at sensing and mind control, provides support and defense..."

Uchiha Matsuri was in the middle of explaining when the classroom door suddenly opened again. The same Chunin entered, this time accompanied by a kunoichi with short blue hair.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Kishimoto Seiya, the jonin instructor for Team 10," the kunoichi introduced herself politely.

"Wow, that big sister is so pretty! I hope I get put on her team," Nohara Shin exclaimed.

The kunoichi smiled at Nohara Shin's unabashed praise.

"Team 10: Mito Takuma, Senju Seiichi, Hagoromo Sakura." The Chunin glanced at Nohara Shin, who was practically buzzing with excitement, and shook his head before reading from the assignment sheet.

When his name wasn't called, Nohara Shin couldn't hide his disappointment.

"Idiot." Kushina Uzumaki looked at Nohara Shin with disdain.

"Hey, don't call me that. You'd probably react the same way if you saw a handsome guy," Nohara Shin retorted indignantly.

"Not a chance!" Kushina Uzumaki snorted.

Just then, the Chunin walked into the classroom with a silver-haired man whose eyes were deep and perceptive.

"Wow, wow, that teacher is so handsome!" Kushina Uzumaki gazed dreamily at the shinobi on the platform, completely ignoring Uchiha Matsuri's exasperation and Nohara Shin's disgusted expression.

As more and more students were led away, only six remained in the classroom: Uchiha Matsuri, Minato Namikaze, Kiba Inuzuka, Chōji Dōtō, Kushina Uzumaki, and Nohara Shin.

"Damn it, why haven't they called us yet?" Kiba Inuzuka had run out of patience.

"Yeah! Everyone else's instructor has either been a handsome guy or a pretty woman, or an elite shinobi with a long list of achievements. What if we just get some ordinary jonin?" Nohara Shin complained.

Hearing the two grumble so openly, Uchiha Matsuri chuckled.

Only six students remained in the classroom. The night before, Jiraiya had said that both he and Orochimaru were among the jonin instructors. That meant the six of them were undoubtedly the luckiest. With the Sannin Jiraiya and Orochimaru as their instructors, they were sure to have brighter futures than the other twenty-four students.

"Hey, Matsuri, who do you think our jonin instructor will be?" Kushina Uzumaki turned to ask him.

"Who knows? Maybe some unknown shinobi, or maybe a creepy middle-aged uncle!" Uchiha Matsuri shrugged.

"..."

"Sorry to keep you waiting!"