What a Long Detour

The Ninja Academy conference room was already thick with smoke.

Every major ninja clan had sent representatives, and they argued until they were red in the face over the assignment of mentors for the thirty graduates. The graduation ceremony was in the afternoon, yet the class roster still had not been finalized that morning.

With each clan's interests at stake, none was willing to yield easily.

Alliances, schemes to undermine others, recruitment of civilian ninja strength...

Every kind of calculation played out in turn.

Hashirama Senju disliked this atmosphere of scheming and intrigue. Ignoring Tobirama's carefully considered plan and the proposals full of ulterior motives from the various clans, he simply slammed the table.

"No more arguing. Let me say a few words!"

"Team 1: Jōnin instructor Sarutobi Shūshō. Members: Kenji Uchiha, Shin Senju, and Kotone Hyuga."

"Team 2: Jōnin instructor Heizō Shimura. Members: Mitokado Homura..."

"Team 3: Jōnin instructor Uchiha Ayano. Members: Kagami Uchiha..."

"..."

"Team 7: Jōnin instructor Tobirama Senju. Members: Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, and Utatane Koharu."

"Additionally, Takayuki Senju, Matsumoto Kazuka, and the other Medical Corps students will be assigned to Gospel Hospital, where they will work exclusively in medicine and research-related fields. Toji will handle the specific personnel arrangements."

After hearing the arrangement, Tobirama could not help rubbing his forehead with a sigh.

His original plan had been to place Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo under the familiar Sarutobi Shūshō. Those two children had studied under him even before the Ninja Academy was founded and had been molded in his image. No matter who led them, they would eventually become his people.

As for himself, he could have used his three disciple slots to bring Kagami Uchiha, Kenji Uchiha, and Sōsuke Uchiha under his command.

That way, the Uchiha clan's younger generation of elites could establish a proper ninja way under his guidance.

But with his older brother stirring things up like this, all his plans had come to nothing.

The most gifted, Kagami Uchiha, had become Uchiha Ayano's disciple. And Uchiha Ayano was Chiri's personal guard and disciple. Whoever she took in was no different from being personally taught by Chiri.

Do not be fooled by Tobirama's continued lack of comment on the Yin Seal.

The Yin Seal had already been handed to Toji. If Tobirama stepped out to oppose it now, would he not look like a villain deliberately picking a fight?

Tobirama was not that foolish. After weighing the matter, he decided it would be better to take the initiative and show goodwill. Perhaps he could still win Toji's support.

Yet deep down, he still could not agree with it.

The Uchiha had to be guarded against at all times. There was no other way.

He had witnessed it with his own eyes: after he killed Izuna, the destructive power Madara Uchiha unleashed had nearly made even his older brother no match for him.

In Tobirama's eyes, the Uchiha were an innately evil force, a source of instability. It was possible to befriend them when necessary, but they could never be trusted completely and without reservation.

But Hashirama Senju had always been so stubborn that not even nine Tailed Beasts could drag him back. Since he had already made the final call, Tobirama could only accept it helplessly.

He could only save the village by taking the long way around and place his hopes on Toji...

Tobirama's eyes flickered as he thought to himself.

Toji had strong principles and impeccable character. At the end of last year, he had even given the Yin Seal to Uchiha Chiri. Though they had no formal status, in Tobirama's eyes, their relationship was no different from that of a married couple.

Kagami Uchiha was Uchiha Ayano's disciple.

Uchiha Ayano was Uchiha Chiri's disciple.

Uchiha Chiri and Toji were practically husband and wife.

And Toji was a close friend of both his older brother and himself.

By that logic, as long as he communicated more with Toji and made him firmly stand on the village's side, then had him whisper a few words in his wife's ear for the sake of the village, these ideals would eventually pass through Chiri to reach the ears of Kagami Uchiha, Kenji Uchiha, and the rest of the Uchiha's new generation...

"What a long detour!"

Hashirama Senju was an honest man. Usually, he could laugh and joke with the villagers, even occasionally pretending to be a fool.

But whenever it concerned major affairs of the village, he became like a certain uncle next door handling a case involving family or friends—his whole bearing turned imposing, radiating immense pressure.

No one dared object to a decision he had set in stone.

The people in the conference room exchanged glances, then ultimately accepted the class assignments.

Every clan had ninja serving as Jōnin instructors. Looking at the overall interests, things were roughly balanced. No one had lost, but no one had won either.

The only true winners were Hashirama and the eight-year-old village of Konoha.

When the class assignment roster reached Toji's hands,

he was not surprised.

Instead, like an uninvolved spectator, he felt entirely calm.

In his view, the Ninja Academy's current class assignments contained quite a few unreasonable aspects. For instance, the Jōnin instructors and their disciples might have different chakra affinities or specialize in different types of ninjutsu, leaving the instructors unable to pass their skills on to their students...

Over time, someone in each team would inevitably fail to keep up, and the gap between them and their teammates would only grow wider.

Heroes should teach heroes, and capable men should teach capable men.

Hashirama and Chiri had actually noticed this problem as well, but for now, there was no solution.

If they matched students precisely according to the specialties and affinities of the Jōnin instructors, they would easily fall once more into a situation of uneven distribution, too few teachers, and endless disputes among the clans.

To truly let everyone in the village blend together, Hashirama had still decided to implement this one-instructor, three-student team system.

The graduation ceremony proceeded as scheduled that afternoon.

The thirty graduates had been assigned to teams and stood in neat ranks behind their respective Jōnin instructors.

In addition, Chiri had given Ninja Academy students from the other grades a day off and arranged for them to watch the ceremony from the training ground, so they could experience the atmosphere and be inspired to graduate sooner.

Outside the Ninja Academy, Konoha villagers who had come to watch the excitement packed the area as well, joining in this grand occasion that belonged to Konoha.

Since it was a ceremony, outstanding student representatives and speeches from the higher-ups were naturally indispensable.

As the top graduate, Hiruzen Sarutobi had been selected to speak on behalf of the students.

It was the first time the young Hiruzen had faced such a large crowd. His cheeks flushed crimson, and he stumbled over his words at first, though the content itself was quite good.

His gaze swept across the first row of seats on the training ground.

Because Tobirama had been assigned to stand among the Jōnin instructors leading their teams, only three chairs had been placed in the front row.

From left to right sat the Hokage, the hospital director, and the academy principal.

Each sat differently.

Hiruzen's gaze passed over Toji. At the end of his speech, he suddenly shouted as if possessed, "For the Konoha I love, I will offer my soul! I will offer my heart!"

The training ground instantly fell silent.

"Good!"

Hashirama Senju was the first to shout his approval.

Toji followed, taking the lead in applause.

Driven by those two influential figures, the atmosphere throughout the venue grew heated.

Next to take the stage was the Hokage, Hashirama Senju. He was not nervous, but his speaking ability was truly limited. "I'll put it plainly! The Ninja Academy wouldn't be where it is today without everyone in the village..."

Then it was Chiri's turn to speak. Her words were appropriate and heartfelt, and many in the audience were moved to tears.

Just as Toji thought the ceremony was about to end, Chiri suddenly raised a hand toward him.

"The founding of the Ninja Academy would not have been possible without the contributions of one ninja from the village."

"Next, please welcome Toji, director of Gospel Hospital, to say a few words to the graduates."