Graduation

Only Neji knew that Might Guy would be Team 3's leader. It couldn't be anyone else.

Their compatibility made it inevitable. Rock Lee couldn't use Ninjutsu, Tenten focused on Ninja Tools, which were related to Taijutsu in their own way, and Neji specialized in Gentle Fist. All three were Taijutsu-oriented ninja.

Might Guy was a powerful Jonin who specialized in Taijutsu himself. The village had no reason to assign him another squad when it would be hard to find students better suited to him than Team 3.

Nothing unexpected happened.

An oversized Rock Lee appeared: bowl cut, thick eyebrows, green bodysuit. Unlike Rock Lee, Might Guy also wore a Konoha Jonin vest.

The moment he entered the classroom, Might Guy's gaze settled on Neji. After a few discreet glances, he called out, "Team 3, follow me!"

The three followed Might Guy to a corner of the school.

"I'm Might Guy, a Konoha Jonin! I love Taijutsu, hate anything that lacks passion, and dream of defeating my eternal rival, Kakashi!" Bursting with energy, Might Guy struck his signature pose.

He raised a thumb and flashed a dazzling grin.

Tenten's face fell. This thick-browed teacher doesn't look anything like a powerful Jonin... My future's looking bleak.

And are they really not father and son? Tenten glanced curiously from one to the other.

"Neji Hyuga. I specialize in Gentle Fist. There's nothing I particularly like or dislike. As for my dream..." Neji paused. "I don't have one."

This child... Might Guy sighed inwardly. Of course he knew about the Hyuga Clan's "fine" traditions.

"I'm Tenten. I'm good with Ninja Tools. What I like is..." Tenten stole a shy glance at Neji before continuing, "There's nothing I particularly dislike. My dream is to become a kunoichi as strong as Lady Tsunade."

"Teacher, I'm Rock Lee! Like you, I specialize in Taijutsu. My dream is to show everyone that hard work can surpass genius!" Rock Lee was practically a younger Might Guy.

They even struck the same pose.

"Lee! What a magnificent dream!"

"Teacher Guy!"

The two green-clad bowl cuts, one big and one small, embraced and shed tears of joy.

Neji watched without changing expression, though his eyelid twitched.

Tenten quietly took two steps back, moving a little closer to Neji.

This is my Jonin leader? And this is my team...? Tenten stared at the scene with vacant eyes.

All the excitement she had felt before graduation vanished, leaving only doubt about the future.

After weeping in each other's arms for a short while, the two green-clad bowl cuts sprang back to their usual energetic selves.

Might Guy declared, "Let's begin Team 3's first mission!"

"Uh..." Tenten raised her hand. "Teacher Guy, isn't there supposed to be some kind of special test? I heard a lot of Jonin leaders give their own tests after graduation."

"Oh!" Realization dawned on Might Guy. "You don't need one. Before I came, I got your records from Lord Hokage."

"Not every Jonin leader gives a test. Only a few set their own. Kakashi, for example, failed his graduates last year and sent them straight back to school," Might Guy explained.

Tenten suddenly felt lucky. If she had been assigned to Kakashi, she might have ended up repeating a year at the Ninja Academy.

The four chatted as they made their way to Konoha's mission hall.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, apparently had little else to do today. He sat behind the desk in the hall, handing out assignments to the ninja who came to collect them.

"Guy." Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled when he saw Might Guy.

"Lord Hokage!" Might Guy saluted, then said, "I've brought these energetic subordinates of mine to take on a few missions. Their youthful passion needs an outlet!"

"Guy, I happen to have a few D-rank missions right here. Your timing is perfect." With a chuckle, Hiruzen Sarutobi took out several mission forms.

Guy picked up the forms and read them. "Wild boars damaging farmland. Capture requested. Clear a blocked river. We'll take these."

Might Guy pulled out two forms and handed them to Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Lord Hokage, Team 3 will take these two missions!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't mind whether they took one mission or two. He took the forms and swiftly registered them.

"Neji, Tenten, Lee, let's catch the wild boars first," Might Guy suggested.

"I don't mind either way. You decide, Teacher Guy," Neji said.

The type of mission didn't matter to him. For now, the most important thing was waiting for his eyes to finish transforming.

"Great! This is the perfect chance to train my Taijutsu. Wild boars have thick hides, so they should be able to take plenty of hits." Rock Lee grew more excited as he spoke.

Tenten trailed behind them listlessly. She really didn't want anything to do with wild boars. Why did a perfectly respectable young lady have to go catch one?

"All right!" Might Guy began running in place. "My dear subordinates, let's see who reaches the mission site first!"

"Teacher Guy!" Rock Lee's eyes widened with excitement. "My youth is about to overflow! I can't wait, Teacher Guy!"

"Lee!"

"Teacher Guy!"

With that, the two green-clad bowl cuts kicked up clouds of dust and vanished from Neji and Tenten's sight.

"Come on, Tenten." Neji waved a hand in front of the stunned Tenten's eyes.

"Oh! Right." Tenten came to her senses and hurried to keep up with Neji.

By the time they reached the mission site, Might Guy and Rock Lee had already started work.

"Neji, Tenten, that was no speed worthy of youth!" Might Guy said sternly.

"Teacher Guy, give Tenten a break. Her stamina isn't as good," Neji said.

"Ah, ha ha..." Might Guy laughed awkwardly.

"Teacher Guy..." Tenten gave him an exasperated look.

"Tenten, it won't happen again," Might Guy promised at once.

Neji shook his head. As if Might Guy would remember.

"One wild boar at nine o'clock, five hundred and thirty meters away. Another at three o'clock, nine hundred meters away..." Using his Byakugan, Neji called out the boars' locations.

Rock Lee charged into the woods with a yell. Before long, he reappeared, chasing a huge wild boar that looked to weigh five or six hundred pounds.

"This boar's hide really is thick! I've kicked it so many times!" Rock Lee seemed unable to do much to it.

He apparently hadn't learned Might Guy's real techniques yet. At the very least, he wasn't wearing weights.

Neji activated his Byakugan and jabbed the boar twice. It collapsed on the spot.