Graduation and Team Assignments

Shikkotsu Forest was dominated by black trees. No sunlight filtered through. It was cold and damp, with several swamps scattered throughout. There were also abundant underground mineral deposits, mainly metal ores.

Dui Trigram: Joined Marshes, Dui. The noble person discussed and studied with friends.

Dao Yi thought of this line from the Image Commentary.

The Marsh hexagram was the fifty-eighth of the sixty-four hexagrams and belonged to the Dui Trigram among the Eight Trigrams. Its Five Element was metal; metal generated water, so it also belonged to water. Two marshes connected together symbolized joy and unity.

Katsuyu had always shared a friendly and close relationship with those who summoned it, which fit this line rather well.

"Katsuyu! Can you take me to see Sage Katsuyu?"

"Of course! Lord Dao Yi, please follow me!"

After following it for more than ten minutes, a small mountain appeared before him.

The little Katsuyu burrowed into the mountain, and a giant Katsuyu lying on the ground turned to look over.

"Lord Dao Yi! Did you wish to see me?"

"Hello, Sage Katsuyu! Can I cultivate the Sage Jutsu here?"

Katsuyu was already a hundred meters tall while lying on the ground. If it stood up, it would probably surpass even the Complete Body Susanoo. The Natural Energy within its body was terrifyingly immense—there was simply too much of it.

"You have already mastered Sage Jutsu! Moreover, the quality of your Sage Chakra is higher than that of Shikkotsu Forest Sage Art. There is no longer any need for you to train in Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Jutsu!"

Katsuyu spoke gently.

Though his spiritual power could not compare to Katsuyu's in quantity, it indeed surpassed it by a wide margin in quality.

Katsuyu had likely mastered the Natural Energy of the Marsh hexagram, which was roughly one sixty-fourth of all Natural Energy.

Dao Yi calculated silently and continued asking,

"Then can I cultivate the sage arts here?"

"Of course, Lord Dao Yi! I will have Katsuyu assist you. My true body is too large, so moving around is rather inconvenient!"

Katsuyu separated off a small Katsuyu, which crawled onto Dao Yi's body.

"Lord Dao Yi! We can begin at any time!"

"Alright! Then I'll leave it to you, Katsuyu!"

Katsuyu separated out some Natural Energy for Dao Yi to sense, and he quickly understood the composition of its Natural Energy.

Dao Yi isolated this small portion of Natural Energy and began cultivating Shikkotsu Forest's sage arts.

One year later.

Konoha.

Hiruzen Sarutobi gathered a group of shinobi in the conference hall.

"Another group of children will be graduating this year. I'll have to ask all of you to serve as their team leaders!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a genial smile.

"Yes, Lord Hokage!"

More than a hundred shinobi present rose to their feet and answered loudly.

Most of these shinobi were Chunin, with a small number of Special Jonin among them.

After Hiruzen Sarutobi explained some precautions for leading teams and shared advice on avoiding danger, he announced the meeting adjourned.

Konoha Ninja Academy graduated around three to four hundred students every year, the highest number among the Five Great Nations.

Unlike the Twelve Rookie Nine, most graduates were led by experienced Chunin and Special Jonin.

Every one of the Twelve Rookie Nine had connections. They either came from shinobi clans or possessed superior talent, so they were all placed in elite classes.

Ordinary graduates had no Jonin leading them, only Chunin. Those with decent grades or talent might, if lucky, be assigned a Special Jonin.

Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived at the Hokage's Office, where several Jonin were waiting for him.

Kakashi, Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, Dao Yi, and a member of the Uchiha Clan.

"This is Jonin Uchiha Yakumi. You can all exchange experiences about leading teams in the future!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi said cheerfully.

Besides this Uchiha Jonin, five other Uchiha members would also serve as captains of ordinary squads!

The Uchiha Clan had become a small shinobi clan, and Hiruzen Sarutobi was very happy to accept them.

The dozen or so surviving Uchiha shinobi could now accept missions outside the village normally, just like other shinobi.

This was a good beginning. At the very least, their bloodline had endured, and they would still have a chance to rise again in the future.

Dao Yi and the others greeted Uchiha Yakumi in a friendly manner, breaking down the barrier between them. Uchiha Yakumi responded warmly as well, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

Uchiha Yakumi was a fiercely loyal subordinate of Uchiha Fugaku and also an Uchiha who was fairly easy to get along with.

"I called you here because I would like to ask you to serve as team-leading Jonin."

With a kindly smile, Hiruzen Sarutobi continued,

"Yakumi! I'll leave Team 2 to you! Here are the children's files. You can familiarize yourself with them first!"

"Yes, Lord Hokage! I will get along well with the children and protect them with all my strength!"

Uchiha Yakumi accepted the files with a smile and slowly began reading through them.

"Dao Yi! You will be responsible for..."

"My apologies, Lord Hokage! It isn't convenient for me right now! I'm still studying diligently under Lady Tsunade, so I won't have time to serve as a team-leading Jonin for the next two years!"

Dao Yi interrupted Hiruzen Sarutobi with a smile, casually making up an excuse to refuse.

There was no need to think about it. The three teams containing the Rookie Nine definitely would not include Dao Yi. He also had no desire to lead a bunch of brats around every day, playing some sort of ninja game.

"I see! Then I'll have to trouble you to serve as an assistant Jonin for the children. Whenever you have time, help the team-leading Jonin instruct them!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Dao Yi with a smile. Dao Yi has a good relationship with these children, and he can provide them with another layer of protection.

"Alright, I understand, Lord Hokage!"

Dao Yi was somewhat helpless. This time, there was truly no way to refuse; Hiruzen Sarutobi would not allow him to turn it down, and he understood the implication behind it.

Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to expand the Hokage faction's connections and influence. Whether Tsunade succeeded him as Hokage or Kakashi did, the connections Dao Yi accumulated would become natural support for both of them.

Just like the teams led by Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai Yuhi, they all served this political purpose.

"Kakashi! Team 7 will be your responsibility!"

"Lord Hokage! If they do not meet my standards, I will send them back to the Ninja Academy!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded helplessly. Not a single one of them let him rest easy.

Next, Kurenai Yuhi was assigned Team 8, while Asuma Sarutobi was assigned Team 10.

To be honest, Kurenai Yuhi's strength was still somewhat lacking. But since she was Hiruzen Sarutobi's future daughter-in-law, the three shinobi clans could only pinch their noses and accept it happily.

Once everything was settled, Dao Yi hurriedly left. The little girl was still waiting for him. Being interrupted halfway through a shopping trip was indeed rather annoying.

He returned to Thousand Moon Town with Flying Thunder God and activated his Byakugan to find them.

"Jiraiya! If you keep following us, I'll beat you to death!"

"Tsunade! We haven't seen each other for nearly three years. Do you have to be so heartless? Besides, you can actually still have children? That's unbelievable! Hahahahaha!"

Jiraiya felt a sharp ache in his heart, and the smile on his face looked somewhat strange.

Tsunade understood Jiraiya's feelings as well, but she had never given him any response.

Because if there was no spark, then there was no spark. Forcing it was useless!

"Hm? Who is that? Byakugan... is that a shinobi from the village?"

Jiraiya turned to look in another direction.