Half a Tree-Felling Talisman was curled into his palm by fine roots. Wet mud clung to the back of the paper, and chakra from the Sealing Chain still lingered along the edges of its formula.
Chiba did not pursue them into the underground waterway. He only had the roots extend more than a hundred feet from the entrance, noting the direction in which the two Root ninja had retreated.
"You pinned their shoes but not their feet. You were surprisingly merciful today."
Asuma emerged from behind a tree. Flying Swallow remained sheathed, while his left hand held a communication tube Anbu had just issued.
"Iruka said to leave them alive."
"They got away, so you left plenty alive."
"You came late."
"The old man called me into a meeting. I came straight here after they finished checking Mizuki's duty records."
Asuma took the Tree-Felling Talisman and flipped it over for a look. The corners of the paper quickly curled in his hand.
"Same formula as the one on Iron Claw's tag?"
"This one is newer. Its coordinates point only to Naruto."
"What are you planning to do?"
"Hand it to the Hokage, then question Danzo."
"You can skip the second part. He'll only say the Root talismans were lost long ago."
Chiba pulled the Metal-Wood Spear from the ground. The mud lifted by its tip contained several strands of black thread, the same material used in Root armor.
"Those were lost too?"
"He could say Mizuki picked them up and stitched them onto his clothes. He'll always find an excuse."
Asuma placed the threads and talisman into an evidence bag, then glanced in the direction Mizuki had been dragged away.
"Let's head back. We still have to collect our forehead protectors tomorrow."
"What sentence will Mizuki get?"
"The Interrogation Division has taken over. He stole the Scroll of Seals, attacked a fellow ninja, and colluded with unidentified ninja. He won't be getting out anytime soon."
"Root doesn't count as unidentified."
"Putting it in the report requires evidence. That half-sheet in your hand can prove, at most, that they were here."
Chiba put away his spear. As the roots withdrew from the forest, they also wiped away several bloodstains Naruto had left behind.
"Then we keep looking."
"Become a Genin first. Mission clearance is more useful than a student's leave pass. At least Iruka won't chase you down every time to make you write an unauthorized departure report."
The next morning, the graduates gathered again at the Ninja Academy. The admission slips on their desks had been replaced with ninja registration forms.
Bandages wrapped around Iruka's shoulder and back. When he raised his hand to write, he could only move half his body. The chalk fell twice, and Naruto snatched it up before anyone else could.
"Sensei, want me to write for you?"
"Finish your own registration form first."
"I beat Mizuki last night. Can I write taijutsu as my specialty here?"
"Several hundred people surrounding him and kicking him had little to do with your taijutsu."
"The Shadow Clone Technique was me too. How does that not count?"
"Then write that your specialty is having lots of people."
Laughter filled the classroom. Naruto drew his registration form close to his chest, but in the end, he still wrote down the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
When Hiruzen Sarutobi pushed open the door, the chatter gradually died away. Several Chunin responsible for registration followed behind him, placing forehead protectors on the podium one by one.
"The Scroll of Seals was recovered last night, and Mizuki has been sent to the Interrogation Division. Those involved will continue to be investigated."
Hiruzen's gaze passed over several rows of seats before settling first on the old forehead protector across Naruto's brow.
"Uzumaki Naruto has passed the supplementary assessment and qualified as a Genin. Iruka's forehead protector must be returned. The Academy will issue you a new one."
Naruto covered his forehead.
"Can't I keep this one?"
"That's mine," Iruka said, holding out his hand.
"You already gave it to me. How can you ask for it back?"
"The situation was urgent last night, and the forehead protector isn't the right size for you."
"It fits me perfectly."
Naruto took half a step back. The ties caught in his hair, and he tugged at them twice without managing to undo them.
Iruka watched for a moment, then turned and picked up a new forehead protector from the podium, tying it around his own forehead.
"The old one is yours. Don't lose it."
"I definitely won't."
Naruto wiped the metal plate twice. As he sat down, he happened to spot a piece of dark bronze-colored wood chip clinging to Chiba's cuff.
Their gazes met. Naruto grinned first, forming the shape of a long spear beneath the desk with his fingers.
"That piece of wood in the forest last night—I didn't touch it."
"Mm."
"You know which one I mean?"
"There was a lot of wood in the forest."
"But I haven't even said which forest."
Chiba did not respond further. He raised a hand to catch the forehead protector Iruka passed him, only nodding once when Naruto was about to continue asking.
Naruto scratched at the ties and finally swallowed his words, though his smile remained until the class photo was over.
After the forehead protectors were distributed, Iruka posted the new team assignment list on the blackboard. Chairs throughout the classroom immediately scraped forward.
"Team 7: Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Sakura Haruno. Their supervising Jōnin is Kakashi Hatake."
"I'm on the same team as Sasuke?" Naruto sprang up, slapping his desk.
"If you don't want to be, I can request a replacement," Sasuke said.
"Who said I didn't want to? I'm worried you'll hold me back."
"Sit down first. Jōnin Kakashi will handle the problems between you," Iruka said, raising the chalk.
Team 8 and Team 10 were announced in turn. When Shikamaru saw that he had been assigned with Choji and Ino, he pressed his forehead to the desk and did not lift it again.
"My mom must have pulled strings in advance."
Ino looked over the assignment list once.
"Where's Chiba's name?"
The classroom fell silent again. The list had already been read through the final group, yet Chiba's name still had not appeared on the blackboard.
The Chunin in charge of registration lowered his head and flipped through the documents.
"His assessment eligibility wasn't canceled, was it? He left the dormitory last night."
"I authorized him to assist with patrols," Iruka said.
"But a Genin unit needs at least three people. He has no teammates. How will he be assigned?"
Footsteps sounded in the hallway. Asuma pushed open the door and placed an appointment letter bearing the Hokage's seal on the podium.
"A separate assignment."
Iruka unfolded the appointment letter. He looked at Asuma first before writing the final line on the blackboard.
"Special Operations Squad: member Senju Chiba, supervising Jōnin Sarutobi Asuma, directly under the Hokage's Office."
Naruto leaned half his body over the desk.
"One person can count as a team?"
"It can," Asuma said.
"Then doesn't he get a Jōnin teacher all to himself?"
"Do you want to switch with him?"
Naruto turned to look at Sasuke, then at Flying Swallow hanging from Asuma's waist.
"Can you take two people?"
"No."
"That's way too unfair."
The registration Chunin picked up the appointment letter.
"The Hokage approved this because the Senju descendant's bloodline limit and combat style require specialized training. The Special Operations Squad will not participate in the standard three-person team structure."
Sasuke tapped the edge of his desk twice with his fingers.
"Separate training also means separate assessments, doesn't it?"
"If a mission fails, no one shares the burden. If he's injured in battle, no teammates will buy him time. If all you see is one Jōnin, then yes, it does seem pretty easy."
After speaking, Asuma tossed a special pass to Chiba. The black cover bore only Konoha's symbol, with no team number.
An independent training ground, a dedicated Jōnin, direct oversight by the Hokage's Office—resources far beyond those available to ordinary Genin teams.
The price was laid out plainly as well.
All mission records would be sent to Hiruzen first. What he learned, whom he met, and how long he spent outside Konoha would all be watched.
Chiba tucked the pass into his ninja tool pouch.
"Who chooses the missions?"
"At first, the Hokage's Office and I will decide."
"Will training at the clan grounds still follow the old rules?"
"I'll only enter places you permit."
"When will the team be disbanded?"
"When you can lead a team, or when there's nothing more I can teach you."
Asuma walked to the door, then took a black mission tag without a rank marking from his pocket and slipped it into Chiba's hand.
"Six tomorrow morning. Don't wear student clothes."
Before you continue