Sarutobi's Attention (Part 2)

Seeing how shocked Hiruzen Sarutobi was, Mito explained:

"I called you over today to discuss this matter, but we got sidetracked and I forgot. Getting old really does make one useless."

As she spoke, Mito reached out and took a document from an Anbu member. Hiruzen Sarutobi accepted it with both hands, and after reading only the beginning, his expression turned astonished.

"Two Iwagakure spies actually infiltrated the village without a sound? What have the Patrol Unit been doing lately?"

Mito did not seem overly concerned.

"With population movement being so frequent during wartime, it is understandable for one or two people to slip in. You need not be too harsh on the Patrol Unit. Just have them be more vigilant from now on.

The important part is what comes after."

Hiruzen followed her words and kept reading. This time, he could not look away. The contents that followed were simply too fantastical. If Mito had not personally handed him this document, he would have assumed the rest was a work of fiction.

Four six-year-old children had joined forces to kill an Iwagakure Chunin and a Genin. Even storytellers would not dare make up something like that.

Chunin were a village's main fighting force, yet one had been dealt with by four first-year Ninja Academy students working together. Had Iwagakure really become so weak? With that thought, he could not help looking curiously at Uzumaki Mito. The account in the report was rather vague, and its focus was on the intelligence Konoha's intelligence division had extracted from the two corpses' brains.

No matter how hard Hiruzen racked his brain, he could not understand how four children could have defeated a Chunin.

Mito took a sip of tea and said calmly, "There was some luck involved in the process. One of the four children, a boy named Hayate Hoshi, awakened his clan's bloodline limit. It was precisely because of the advantages provided by that bloodline limit that they could win a battle they should never have been able to win."

"A clan bloodline limit..." Hiruzen smacked his lips, suddenly feeling the urge to smoke. But with Mito right in front of him, he abandoned the thought.

The future Professor of Ninjutsu, Hiruzen Sarutobi, possessed an exceptionally broad foundation of knowledge. After thinking for a moment, he recalled this rather obscure clan. "I remember now. The Hayate Clan possesses the unique Transparency Release bloodline limit and excels at concealing their presence and assassination. However, the clan head, Hayate Eichi, died on a mission years ago.

I did not know this clan still had surviving descendants. With advance planning using that bloodline limit, it really would be possible to assassinate a Chunin. That child is truly gifted."

Mito continued, "It is not just that child. The other three children also have exceptional qualities. They are all rare talents within the village and must be cultivated properly."

As she spoke, Mito could not help pinching Tsunade's little cheek, making her squirm from the ticklish sensation.

Hiruzen also subconsciously glanced at Tsunade, and understanding immediately dawned on him. He bowed to Mito and said, "Rest assured, Lady Mito. I will carefully look into these children from now on and do everything I can to help them fulfill their potential. With children like them, Konoha's future is promising.

By the way, I intend to meet these children personally, ask about the battle and their strengths, and begin considering how they should be grouped after graduation.

Also, since these children defeated Iwagakure spies, they should be rewarded. What does Lady Mito think would be an appropriate reward?"

Mito nodded upon hearing this. Hiruzen had clearly performed much better this time than when he had previously consulted her about political affairs. It seemed he had truly taken her words to heart.

After thinking for a moment, she answered, "I have already privately rewarded each of these four children with one ninjutsu. Giving them more ninjutsu when you summon them would be difficult for them to digest in the short term, so it would be better to provide more material rewards.

Other than Hayate Hoshi, who still has a mother, the other three are all orphans. Improving their living conditions would be more beneficial to their growth."

After listening to Mito's opinion, Hiruzen nodded and said he would begin making arrangements over the next few days. He then politely took his leave.

After Hiruzen left, only Mito and Tsunade remained in the courtyard. Mito shook awake the drowsy little Tsunade and asked her, "A-Gang, what did you think when you heard they would graduate early? Would you want to graduate with them?"

Tsunade tilted her little head and thought for a while before speaking.

"I do and I don't. I also think the things the teachers teach at school are pretty boring. They are all things Grandma has already taught me. I want to become a ninja early, just like Hoshi and the others.

But if I graduate, Yazi will be the only one still attending school. We promised before that we would go to school together."

Mito smiled when she heard that.

"If your strength has already reached the level required for graduation, Yazi would also want you to graduate early and learn more things. That way, you can protect Yazi better.

Do you think Grandma is right?"

Tsunade frowned and pondered for a while before nodding heavily. "Grandma, you're right. In that case, I want to graduate early too."

Mito asked step by step, "Then, if you graduate with Hoshi and the others, who would you want to be on a team with?"

That question stumped Tsunade. She bit her nail and thought for a long time, the faces of all four of them flashing through her mind one after another. Yet in the end, she realized that the deepest impression seemed to be Hoshi.

The moment she thought of Hoshi's face, Yazi's voice rang out in her ears again. "Princess, I suspect Hoshi has a secret crush on you."

Ahhh, ahhh, ahhh! Shaking her head to drive that voice from her mind, Tsunade puffed out her cheeks and huffed, "Anyone but that awful Hoshi!"

Mito studied Tsunade, whose puffed cheeks made her look like a little bun, and felt as though she had discovered something. But no matter how she questioned Tsunade, the girl refused to say anything more.

The days continued to pass as they always had, and life at the Ninja Academy remained much the same.

The only somewhat noteworthy matter was that Uchiha Iwa, who had disappeared for quite some time, suddenly transferred into Class B.

The students chattered endlessly about why the formerly arrogant Uchiha Iwa had lowered himself to Class B. They discussed it for ages without reaching any conclusion.

The only four people who knew the truth had no intention of telling anyone else. Or rather, they had never paid any attention to someone like Uchiha Iwa in the first place.

The dismissal bell rang as usual, and the four of them prepared to head to their training ground as always. But just as they stepped out of the school gate, an Anbu blocked their path.

The Anbu's tone was polite as he quietly told them, "Lord Hokage requests your presence at the Hokage's Office. If you have no urgent matters, please come with me."