The instant the team assignments were read aloud, the entire classroom fell silent for several seconds.
The examiner slowly lowered the assignment sheet, his gaze carrying a measure of scrutiny and emotion as he deliberately lingered on Maki and Nawaki.
His voice was not particularly loud, but it carried steadily through the deathly quiet classroom, reaching every pair of ears.
"Team One: Amamiya Maki, Nawaki, Yakushi Nonō. Team leader: Orochimaru."
"Team Two: Minato Namikaze, Kahoe Uzumaki, Suzume Inuzuka. Team leader: Jiraiya."
Kushina's assignment was not announced.
He had overseen the Konoha Ninja Academy's graduation examinations for decades, handling generation after generation of young ninja.
He had seen countless gifted geniuses and promising newcomers.
But this was the first time in his career he had encountered a lineup as extravagant as Team One's. He understood better than anyone just how absurdly impressive this squad was.
Amamiya Maki had long since outgrown the category of an ordinary young prodigy.
Despite his youth, he had single-handedly founded the Great Love Society amid the turmoil of the Land of Rain, reshaping the entire battlefield.
He had met the attacks of a top Kage-level powerhouse head-on, then walked away unscathed.
His courage, strategic acumen, and combat prowess made him an unrivaled anomaly among the Shinobi World's younger generation.
Nawaki was a direct heir of the Senju Clan, Tsunade's younger brother, with the exceptional bloodline of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, flowing through his veins.
As an heir to Konoha's most powerful clan, he had an impeccable pedigree and extraordinary talent.
He had inherited the Senju Clan's formidable physique and vast chakra reserves.
He was growing far faster than the younger clansmen of previous generations. A key prospect the village was nurturing, his future potential was immeasurable.
Yakushi Nonō, meanwhile, was a rising star in medicine.