From Today On, Be a Genin

Konoha Barbecue Restaurant.

To celebrate the official formation of Team 7, Kakashi brought Menma and the other two to Konoha Barbecue Restaurant after taking their team photo and registering them as a ninja team.

This was also a Konoha tradition. On the evening a genin team was first formed, their supervising ninja would treat them to a meal, though the location varied.

"In short, wealthy jonin treat their teams to barbecue, while broke ninjas treat them to dango or ramen," Kakashi said, leaning back in his seat.

"Well, I'm not exactly poor, so I picked this place for my first treat."

They had barely exchanged a few words when a commotion arose at the entrance.

Menma looked toward the sound and saw two ninjas enter with several children.

Of course. Today was the day of the genin assessments, and they had come to celebrate the formation of their genin teams as well.

"Yo, Kakashi. It's rare to see you in a place like this!"

Kurenai Yuhi was the one greeting him, with Yamashiro Aoba, wearing dark sunglasses, beside her.

"You little ones are something else, actually passing Kakashi's test," Yamashiro Aoba teased.

"Kakashi, that doesn't sound like you. Don't tell me you went easy on them during the assessment."

"Well, how should I put it? There were all sorts of reasons, but my three subordinates are certainly excellent," Kakashi replied.

"Enough chatter. Since we ran into each other, Kakashi, come have a drink with us.

Let the kids share a table and eat on their own. The three of us can open another table for ourselves!" Kurenai Yuhi suggested.

"Sure. Then let's have a proper drink tonight. How about whoever gets drunk first pays the bill?" Yamashiro Aoba said with a grin.

Kakashi shrugged, neither agreeing nor objecting to the suggestion, then got up and followed the two of them to a small table in the corner.

The genin teams all knew one another. They had been classmates, so there was no need to be reserved as they all came over and sat at Menma's table.

Some grilled meat, some chatted, and the atmosphere was lively.

"By the way, Menma, how did you manage to pass that Hatake jonin's test?

You should know that none of the upperclassmen from previous years ever passed his assessment." The speaker was Choji Akimichi, who had tied Sakura for first place on the written test. Unlike in the original story, Choji in this world was a slender child.

"Well, maybe our abilities met Kakashi's standards.

Sakura is skilled at tactical planning and genjutsu.

Sasuke's mastery of Fire Release far exceeds that of ordinary genin.

I only passed because I rode on the coattails of those two."

Menma took a sip of juice and gave a concise answer, deliberately downplaying his own role.

"I know you're brushing me off, but saying it was just strength doesn't make much sense.

Some upperclassmen in the past were stronger than chunin, yet they still failed that Hatake jonin's assessment." Choji was not fooled by Menma's words.

"I wasn't finished," Menma added.

"There's another reason. It's just my guess.

It should be because of our identities."

Menma sat up straight and began speaking at length. "Look, Sakura on our team is the Fourth Hokage's daughter.

Sasuke is the young clan head of the Uchiha Clan.

My status is a little less impressive, but I'm still the only male heir of the Uzumaki Household.

With identities like ours, there's no way they could send us back to the Ninja Academy to study again."

Menma paused there, then continued his analysis. "Forget about me. What about you guys?

The princess of the Hyuga Clan.

The eldest daughter of the Yamanaka Clan.

The future heir of the Akimichi Household.

Whose status is weaker than ours?

Do you really think you passed the genin team assessment on strength alone?"

"I see. That makes sense now." Choji suddenly understood.

"But it feels so frustrating. Did we only pass because we came in through the back door?

Thinking about it like that, I suddenly don't feel motivated anymore." Hinata frowned, her heart heavy.

The other children at the table also fell into thought, and the atmosphere visibly cooled.

Menma realized that what he had said was poorly timed. He hurriedly stood up, slapped both hands onto the table, and tried to salvage the situation.

"What are you all thinking about?

Setting status aside, aren't you the most hardworking and strongest among your peers in your respective clans?"

Besides, being the child of a clan head did not only bring you benefits. It also meant you had to bear greater risks!

When carrying out missions, as the princess of the Hyuga Clan, shouldn't you be assigned the most dangerous ones?

When war broke out, as the heir of the Akimichi Household, shouldn't you charge at the front lines?

When covering a retreat, as the young clan head of the Uchiha Clan, shouldn't you voluntarily stay behind to hold off the enemy?

To wear the crown, you must bear its weight!

If you enjoyed better conditions than ordinary ninjas, then you had to shoulder greater responsibilities than ordinary ninjas!

If a flame wanted to burn brighter, it needed ever thicker firewood!

What ordinary ninjas could do, we had to do. What ordinary ninjas could not do, we had to do even more!

The flame passed on without end, generation after generation. This was the Will of Fire!"

"Woooh~~~~~" Hearing Menma's words, everyone's eyes lit up again, and they burst into cheers.

Seeing the atmosphere turn lively once more, Menma let out a breath and sat back down.

I've read so much success-theory nonsense in my previous life. A couple of lines were enough to fool you all silly!

Menma did not notice that, in the corner, a girl was staring at him without blinking, her eyes shimmering as though she had remembered something. She suddenly chuckled, her cheeks flushing faintly.

The three people at Kakashi's table in the corner had also heard Menma's speech.

"Kakashi, is that one of your subordinates? He's truly impressive!"

Yamashiro Aoba took a sip of sake from his cup and sighed to Kakashi.

"Yes, all three of my subordinates are excellent, but Menma is unquestionably the best of them."

Kakashi agreed with Yamashiro Aoba's assessment.

"That child is called Menma?

Whose child is he?

Why have I never heard of him before?" Kurenai Yuhi asked.

"Menma is the child of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki," Yamashiro Aoba explained.

"Is that so?

I didn't expect him to be from a civilian household. It's rare to see such talent." Kurenai Yuhi said.

"He does not come from a civilian household. Though Menma's father, Minato Namikaze, is only a special jonin, he possesses Konoha's one and only spatial talent and is the sole user of the space-time ninjutsu known as the Flying Raijin Technique.

His mother, Kushina Uzumaki, is the only survivor of Uzushiogakure after its destruction, and Konoha's Nine-Tails jinchuriki," Kakashi explained.

"Menma's talent was likely inherited from his mother's Uzumaki Bloodline. At such a young age, he already possesses strength no weaker than a chunin's."

"Not only that. Though he has never shown it, I suspect his father also possesses a powerful bloodline, one that is at least stronger than the Uzumaki Bloodline," Yamashiro Aoba said.

"Oh? Why do you say that?" Kurenai Yuhi asked in confusion.

"Look at Menma's hair color. Like his father's, it is blond.

According to the records, every member of the Uzumaki Clan, male or female, has red hair." Yamashiro Aoba kept it brief.

"You mean Menma may have inherited Minato Namikaze's talent for space-time ninjutsu?" Kakashi thought of a possibility.

"I don't know. But Kakashi, you could bring it up with the Hokage and have Menma train in the Flying Raijin Technique. Maybe there will be a miracle," Yamashiro Aoba replied.

"We'll talk about it later. The most important thing now is building a solid foundation. When the time is right, I'll speak with the Hokage." Kakashi had his own plans.

"Still, Kakashi, your team includes the young clan head of the Uchiha Clan, the orphaned daughter of your teacher, the Fourth Hokage, Haruno-sama, and the son of the Nine-Tails jinchuriki.

Looking at it that way, you're carrying quite a burden." Kurenai Yuhi teased.

"Aren't you two the same?

Your subordinates include nearly all of Konoha's major clans. If you fail to teach them properly, you'll have a hard time of it." Kakashi replied with a curl of his lip.

"Just thinking about it gives me a headache. They're all children of major clans. If anything goes wrong during a mission, we may have to kill ourselves to atone," Yamashiro Aoba complained.

"That's your problem to worry about. My subordinates would be fine even if they entered the Chunin Ninja Exams right now," Kakashi said disdainfully.

"Hey, hey, hey. My subordinates are excellent too, all right?" Kurenai Yuhi said unhappily.

"Speaking of the Chunin Ninja Exams, I have some news," Yamashiro Aoba said.

"I heard that next year, we might jointly hold a round of Chunin Ninja Exams with several small ninja villages around the Land of Fire."

"Oh, really?

That would be a good thing. Letting these children see the ninjutsu styles of other ninja villages and broaden their horizons will benefit their future growth," Kurenai Yuhi said.

"Mm, and we can show off Konoha's military strength while we're at it.

Those small ninja villages have been making moves again recently. This Chunin Ninja Exam will be a good opportunity to put them in their place." Kakashi saw things a little further ahead.

"That's not what I wanted to say." Yamashiro Aoba waved a hand.

"I mean, why not send all these kids to next year's Chunin Ninja Exams?

Their strength is already sufficient, and they can gradually make up for their lack of experience over the next half year or so.

Most importantly, once they become chunin, they can lead teams on missions themselves, and we won't have to keep playing house with children."

"Mm. It does sound a little like running away, but it's not a bad idea," Kakashi agreed.

"Wouldn't that be too fast? These children are all very talented. Shouldn't we protect them and let them gain more experience for a few years?" Kurenai Yuhi was somewhat worried.

"Only talent that grows can be called talent. Excessive protection is instead detrimental to their growth," Kakashi said.

"I agree with Kakashi. Look at Kakashi himself. When he was their age, didn't he go through countless life-and-death battles on the battlefield to achieve what he has today?" Yamashiro Aoba said.

"But this isn't wartime. Wouldn't that make it..." Kurenai Yuhi was still worried.

"I know what you're thinking, but we can't protect them for their entire lives!" Kakashi cut Kurenai Yuhi off and said.

"Besides, I trust my subordinates. I believe that before the Chunin Ninja Exams, they will grow strong enough to stand on their own!"

"That's true. Especially that Menma from your class. I think he has what it takes to become Hokage," Yamashiro Aoba agreed.

"Give me a break. You think you can judge whether someone has what it takes?" Kurenai Yuhi mocked him.

"He says that about everyone. Last time, he even said Minato Namikaze had what it took to become Hokage." Kakashi mercilessly exposed Yamashiro Aoba.

"Hahaha, if Minato Namikaze can become Hokage, then I can unify the ninja world." Kurenai Yuhi laughed wildly.

"Well, nice words don't cost money, so why not say more of them and make people happy?

Last time I said that to Minato, he was so happy that he even bought me a drink!" Yamashiro Aoba said indifferently.

"Hahaha."

"Hahaha."

The barbecue restaurant was filled with cheerful laughter.