Boy, Have You Seen Konoha at Four in the Morning?

"I..." Tsunade looked at Uchiha Yi on the training ground, her expression conflicted. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "I'll give it a try, but I want to meet the kid first.

"If he can't meet my expectations, I won't hold back his growth."

Tsunade truly wasn't confident about teaching Uchiha Yi.

If she could teach him well, that would be fine. But if she ended up holding him back, she would be doing him a disservice.

Tsunade bore the Uchiha no ill will. She had even gone on missions under Kagami Uchiha, so naturally she didn't want to hinder Uchiha Yi's growth.

"A teacher doesn't just help students grow stronger. More importantly, a teacher passes on experience and protects them as they grow. You're more than capable of that.

"Few people in Konoha are stronger than you three now." Hiruzen Sarutobi was naturally proud of his three students.

Tsunade's approach was different from his, too, yet she had still become his student, hadn't she?

Besides, with Tsunade leading Uchiha Yi on missions, he was bound to grow up safely unless they encountered an enemy too powerful to handle.

No one could honestly say Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't looking out for Uchiha Yi. He had assigned the best healer in the Shinobi World to protect him, and Kushina Uzumaki had the potential to become a top-tier healer herself. If Yi still couldn't grow up safely with all that, then it was simply his fate.

Tsunade nodded thoughtfully. All she had to do was protect them? That was what she did best.

Without her healing, Jiraiya and Orochimaru would have died long ago.

"I understand!" Tsunade took a deep breath and agreed. At the same time, she began considering who should be the third member of the Tsunade Squad.

There was Uchiha Yi, the most talented student at the Ninja Academy, and Kushina Uzumaki, whose gift for Sealing Jutsu rivaled Mito Uzumaki's. Tsunade didn't know whether Kushina had awakened the Uzumaki Clan's formidable sensory ability. If she had, the team would have a sensor too.

Uchiha Yi was excellent at analyzing battles and could serve as the team's strategist in the future. As for the final choice...

Hiruzen Sarutobi found himself in a bind. He wanted to put a civilian ninja on the team, but an ordinary civilian ninja could never keep up with those two. The third member had to be a prodigy as well.

Should I put Shinnosuke on the team? Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly dismissed the idea. He intended to send Shinnosuke to train with Anbu and keep his identity hidden. That would protect him from being targeted by hostile Ninja Villages.

If Shinnosuke really joined the Tsunade Squad, the Kage of other villages might want to take down the team personally.

Hiruzen Sarutobi soon turned his attention to another Family: the Hyuga Clan...

He wasn't thinking of Hyuga Hiashi or Hizashi Hyuga, but of another Hyuga member. If finding a child on par with Uchiha Yi and Kushina Uzumaki was so difficult, assigning them a scout would work too.

Would this give Tsunade the support of the Uchiha and Hyuga and threaten his position? Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't concerned. If it were Nawaki, he might have worried a little, but this was Tsunade!

Of his three students, Tsunade was the least interested in becoming Hokage. Even Jiraiya was more likely to take the position than she was.

Besides, the Hyuga Clan had once followed the Senju Clan. Even without this arrangement, would the Hyuga really refuse to support Tsunade?

As for Orochimaru's team, he could assign a child from one of the Families. Even Hyuga Hiashi would be acceptable.

For Jiraiya's team, beyond Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen could assign gifted children from Families or gifted civilian children. That would depend on Jiraiya's wishes; Hiruzen could only offer suggestions.

To be honest, Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted Jiraiya to form a team made up entirely of civilians. Even if only two of them eventually became Special Jōnin, that would still benefit Konoha. They would be loyal to the Hokage Lineage.

While Hiruzen Sarutobi made his plans, the fight between Uchiha Yi and Minato Namikaze had reached a fever pitch.

Minato Namikaze kept attacking Uchiha Yi. With little Chakra, he relied mainly on Taijutsu. Minato had been studying it constantly. Without any inherited Ninjutsu to draw on, it was a path that suited him, and his exceptional ability to learn had already made him one of the best in their class.

Minato spun, leaped, blocked, and kicked, but no matter how he attacked, Uchiha Yi handled it with ease.

"Ready?" Uchiha Yi suddenly asked after blocking Minato Namikaze's attack. He felt they had fought long enough.

"So you're finally getting serious?" Minato Namikaze wasn't discouraged. He had always known there was a wide gap between them, but he would close it.

He had already caught up to the children from the Families. Uchiha Yi and Kushina Uzumaki were next.

Let's see how many moves I can last against Uchiha Yi now!

You're a top-tier prodigy, all right. Sorry, though—I've got an unfair advantage.

Minato Namikaze's talent was plain to see. Jiraiya had said that anyone compared to Minato would pale by comparison.

Kakashi without the Sharingan might have measured up.

But Jiraiya had been talking about ordinary ninja, not someone with an unfair advantage like Uchiha Yi.

Uchiha Yi clenched his left fist and drove it toward Minato Namikaze's face with lightning speed. Minato hurriedly raised his free hand to block.

Then something shocking happened. Minato had clearly seen the punch coming, but his body reacted a beat too late. Uchiha Yi struck him in the face, and a sudden sensation of weightlessness followed as Yi swept his legs out from under him.

The abrupt defeat left Minato Namikaze dazed for a moment.

Why does it feel like the gap between Uchiha Yi and me is growing wider instead of narrower?

But his gaze soon grew firm again. No. It isn't that I haven't closed the gap. I've just never seen Uchiha Yi go all out before. I need to work harder.

My teacher calls me a prodigy, but Uchiha Yi is one too. How can I close the gap if I don't put in the effort?

"You okay?" Uchiha Yi pulled Minato Namikaze to his feet and asked gently.

"I'm fine! You held back." Minato Namikaze laughed at himself. "I don't know how you train, you monster. I'll have to work even harder from now on."

"Have you seen Konoha at four in the morning? I have! Keep working hard, kid." Uchiha Yi patted Minato Namikaze on the shoulder, his tone earnest.