Team Leadership System Reform (1)

Hokage Residence

The atmosphere grew slightly stifled under the weight of the topic. Kumoi then changed the subject, speaking with a hint of sentiment and humor:

"Come to think of it, Senior Brother Hiruzen, this child's talent and temperament are both so unusual. Perhaps in the future... he may be fated to become your disciple."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback, then laughed and shook his head.

"Kumoi, you're getting ahead of yourself. I've only just taken over my advisory duties, and there are countless matters to handle. How would I have the energy to take on disciples?

"Besides, teaching disciples is a tremendous responsibility. A child like this, especially, would require an immense amount of care and effort. Right now, I'm afraid I may not be up to it."

His words were partly modesty, partly truth, and also reflected his clear understanding of the responsibility of guiding Orochimaru.

"Senior Brother, you're being too modest."

Nangō Kumoi smiled, but his gaze turned serious. "Still, speaking of disciples, there really is a child I believe would be most suited to your guidance."

"Oh?" Hiruzen Sarutobi was intrigued. "Who is it?"

"Master's granddaughter, Tsunade," Nangō Kumoi slowly said the name.

The smile on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face faded, replaced by deep emotion and a sudden sense of pressure.

"Lady Tsunade? This..."

Of course, he knew Tsunade. She was a little girl who, after losing her parents, had suddenly lost her second granduncle, Tobirama, and was still immersed in overwhelming grief.

Her status was far too special—the First Hokage's granddaughter, the Second Hokage's grandniece, and the princess of the Senju clan.

"Kumoi, wouldn't this be somewhat inappropriate? Tsunade is of noble status, and her talent must be extraordinary. She should be taught by someone more venerable, or..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi instinctively wanted to refuse. The burden was simply too heavy.

If he taught her well, it would only be his duty. But if anything went wrong, how could he face the departed First and Second Hokage, both of whom had been his teachers?

Nangō Kumoi interrupted him, his tone gentle yet firm:

"It is precisely because her status is special and her experiences have been difficult that she needs a steady, patient, reliable elder like you, Senior Brother—someone with a solid foundation—to guide her.

"Lady Mito is advanced in years and has limited energy. As for me..." He gave a bitter smile.

"As you can see, I've only just taken office and am already tied down by trivial matters. In the future, I'm afraid I'll have even less time to teach her systematically.

"But Tsunade cannot be left without guidance. Her talent and temperament need proper direction to help her emerge from the shadows and grow strong."

He looked into Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes.

"Senior Brother, you are upright, kind-hearted without being lax, and possess an exceptionally solid foundation in ninjutsu. You are the person best able to teach her the meaning of keeping her feet on the ground.

"For you to serve as her primary teacher—to train her, accompany her as she grows, and tell her the stories of her two grandfathers—would be the most appropriate arrangement.

"This is not merely my own idea. Today, when I visited Lady Mito, she also expressed her approval."

Hearing that even Lady Mito had agreed, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew this was no longer merely a suggestion. It was a weighty expression of trust and a solemn entrustment.

He fell silent for a moment. Tobirama's gaze before his death flashed through his mind, followed by the image of Tsunade's swollen, red eyes. At last, his sense of responsibility overcame his initial apprehension.

He took a deep breath and nodded heavily, his eyes growing resolute.

"I understand. Since Master Tobirama and Lady Mito trust me, and you believe so as well, Kumoi... I accept this responsibility.

"I will do everything I can to teach Tsunade, care for her, and guide her. I will not betray this trust."

"That's more like it." Nangō Kumoi revealed a gratified smile.

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself, Senior Brother. You'll mainly be responsible for her daily training and teaching her how to conduct herself, but I'll also check on her often and support and comfort her as her granduncle.

"Together, we'll take good care of this young seedling of the Senju clan's future."

He paused, then remembered Orochimaru's name on the list. Half-joking and half-serious, he said:

"As for Orochimaru... guide him well for now. Perhaps one day in the future, you really will gain another disciple who gives you headaches and makes you proud."

This time, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not immediately deny it. He merely smiled helplessly, his heart filled with complicated emotions over these sudden dual responsibilities—watching over Orochimaru and becoming Tsunade's teacher.

There was pressure, responsibility, and also a deep sense of being trusted—a sense of mission, knowing he was about to take part in shaping Konoha's future.

While Hiruzen was taking his future responsibilities to heart, Kumoi was pondering:

Tsunade has been entrusted to Senior Brother Hiruzen. With his temperament, he will certainly teach her with care. Perhaps he can help her break free from her purely brute-force fighting style earlier than in the original timeline and give her a more well-rounded foundation?

*As for Orochimaru... the seed has already been planted, and the possibility of attention and guidance has been given.

What remains is to see whether Konoha can provide him with an environment warm enough, filled with the light of rational exploration, to resist the cold fate that may descend upon him in the future. There is still a long road ahead...*

Hiruzen Sarutobi had accepted the dual responsibility of guiding Orochimaru and teaching Tsunade. His heart felt somewhat heavy, yet he also keenly felt the weight of his mission. Just as he was about to take his leave, Nangō Kumoi gestured for him to remain seated a while longer.

"By the way, Senior Brother Hiruzen, since we're discussing taking disciples and teaching the next generation..."

Nangō Kumoi lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingers and spoke thoughtfully.

"I've been reviewing the village's records these past two days, especially those concerning Ninja Academy graduate assignments over the years and the records of Jonin leading teams. I discovered something that may be improved."

"Oh? Please, go on." Since it concerned specific village affairs and education, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately perked up.

"The current system seems to have followed the practices from the early years, when manpower was scarce: one Jonin often has to lead four to six newly graduated Genin at the same time, forming a squad to carry out missions and receive instruction."

Nangō Kumoi said, "That may have been reasonably efficient in the past, but now it appears to have many drawbacks.

"A Jonin's energy is limited, making it difficult to observe and guide multiple apprentices in detail and according to their individual needs.

"The differences in talent and temperament among apprentices are enormous. Placing them together can easily result in geniuses being held back, mediocre students being unable to keep up, or conflicts arising.

"More importantly, this broad and unfocused style of leadership is not conducive to discovering and correcting early biases in an apprentice's thinking, personality, or tactical habits."

Hiruzen Sarutobi listened closely and could not help nodding. He too understood the process of leading teams and knew how difficult it could be.

Sometimes, attending to one student meant neglecting another. Forging a team also took time and effort, yet the results were not necessarily good. "That is indeed a problem. Kumoi, what do you have in mind?"

"I think it is time to make some adjustments to the Ninja Academy's graduate assignment system and its initial guidance structure."

Nangō Kumoi's gaze was clear; he had obviously given this considerable thought. "We can try reducing the initial size of teams led by Jonin after graduation.

"For example, starting next year, we could pilot a small-team model of 'one Jonin leading two to three apprentices.'

"If conditions permit, we could even move toward the more ideal models of 'one-on-one' or 'one Jonin leading two' in the future."