The Hardworking Gardeners

A day as a Ninja Academy teacher passed quickly.

Watching the students scatter like wild animals, Zou Hyuga wore a gardener's smile.

It really had been a fulfilling day, apart from running into that problem child, Uchiha Itachi.

Everything else had been wonderful. He ought to keep living this leisurely life until he cracked the Caged Bird Seal.

Unfortunately, breaking the Caged Bird Seal was extraordinarily difficult. He could not even locate its formula.

The Caged Bird Seal's formula seemed to exist not in the brain, but somewhere deeper.

He still had no idea where exactly it was, so he could only focus all his efforts on the black markings and natural chakra, hoping they would one day let him break free of his restraints.

Turning back to look at the somewhat empty classroom and the students on cleaning duty, Zou Hyuga headed toward the office. He still needed to learn from the veteran Chunin teachers.

Barring any surprises, he would become a Ninja Academy teacher after his probationary period.

Even while working at the Ninja Academy, his Byakugan kekkei genkai would offer plenty of advantages, such as when teaching taijutsu.

Leaving the office, Zou Hyuga happened upon the young female teacher and stopped, acting as though it really were a chance encounter.

"Oh, Miss Oto Uchiha. You look well. Did you run into any difficulties teaching today?"

Zou Hyuga greeted her politely.

Oto Uchiha nodded lightly and took off her goggles. "It went all right. The students were all quite obedient, though a few of them were a real headache..."

"That really does sound troublesome. Still, as teachers, we should guide every student."

"You're right. Let's guide them properly and lead them down the right path."

The two spoke like veteran teachers with over a decade of experience, sharing the troubles they had encountered managing their classes.

A Chunin teacher passing by pressed a hand to his forehead as he looked at them, then hurried away.

He had nothing to say, but he did not want to offend ninjas from the Uchiha and Hyuga clans either. They were being a little ridiculous, but they were doing quite well at learning how to teach.

After a round of mutual flattery, Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha finally returned to normal.

"Oto, I never imagined life as a Ninja Academy teacher would be so easy. Maybe we should have volunteered for promotion to Chunin earlier. Teaching students is wonderful."

Zou Hyuga spoke with feeling, and Oto Uchiha nodded in agreement behind him.

"The Ninja Academy really is nice, apart from the rather low salary..."

"The rather low salary..." Zou Hyuga's face fell.

The salary really was a major problem. A Ninja Academy teacher's pay could support an ordinary Chunin's lifestyle, but it was nowhere near enough for him and Oto Uchiha.

Back when they carried out D-rank or C-rank missions, they always ran into all sorts of trouble.

On the other hand, the loot and black-market bounties alone had been enough to meet their needs.

What if the black market was too dangerous? Oto Uchiha could ask the Ninja Cat Clan to handle it.

"Let's not worry about that for now..."

Zou Hyuga decided to forget those unpleasant matters for the time being. "Oto, let's go to the little grove on the hill behind the village and keep practicing ninjutsu."

"Sure." Oto Uchiha smiled and nodded. She was in a very good mood.

With that, the two headed toward the hill. They still had plenty of knowledge about using ninjutsu that they had yet to share.

Zou Hyuga was also considering whether to tell Oto Uchiha about his recent research.

Inside the Hokage's office.

The Third finished the paperwork at hand, put his pipe between his lips, and prepared to take out his crystal ball to observe the village.

As Hokage, he truly could not rest for even a moment. He had to keep an eye on everything happening in the village, big and small.

He was almost moved by his own dedication. Fortunately, he would soon be able to retire and hand all his duties over to Minato Namikaze.

With that thought, the Third began using the Telescope Technique.

With the help of the barrier surrounding Konoha, he could see most places within the village.

His student Jiraiya had once asked him to teach him the Telescope Technique, but he had refused. This was the one secret technique he would never pass on.

Besides, while Jiraiya had no major faults, he had an endless supply of minor ones.

If I let him use it, wouldn't that expose me? Absolutely not!

As the mist inside the crystal ball cleared, the Third's old face flushed. He saw the lovely scenery he had wanted to see.

Just then, the office door opened, and the Third immediately frowned.

What brat dared disturb the Hokage's rest? I explicitly told the ANBU to keep the area off-limits.

But when he saw who had come in, the Third drew his neck in and put the crystal ball back into the drawer, his hands moving at Kage-level speed.

If anyone else had barged in, he could have scolded them outright, or even brushed the matter aside with his authority as Hokage.

But in front of Asuma Sarutobi, he had to maintain his dignity and respectability as a father.

"Asuma, what are you doing here? I have paperwork to deal with. I'll come home later."

The Third instinctively started to use Fire Release to light his tobacco, but ultimately gave up. He did not want to smoke in front of Asuma.

Because of him, Asuma had become addicted to smoking at a young age, and lately, he seemed to be going through a rebellious phase as well.

Asuma walked up to the desk and braced both hands against it, looking at the flushed Third with contempt in his eyes.

Like everyone else, he had admired his father and the Hokage when he was young. With both being the same person, he had looked up to his father all the more.

But as he grew older, he came to understand that his status as the Hokage's son had afforded him many privileges.

He could not accept that preferential treatment. He wanted to become Hokage himself rather than live in his father's shadow.

Asuma's stare made the Third a little uncomfortable. Out of habit, he took out a stack of missions. "Asuma, do you want to take on an A-rank mission? You can choose any of these, but you'd better bring along your newly assigned Jonin leader. He's from the Nara Clan..."

Asuma bottled up his anger, sorely tempted to slam the door and leave as he had before. But after what had happened last time, he understood that his father was acting for his own good.

His strength was only that of an ordinary Chunin. He needed a Jonin leader to protect him whenever he left the village.

Even without any other reason, his status as the Hokage's son alone was enough to warrant the village's attention.

Taking a deep breath, Asuma looked at the Third and said, "Old man, I heard you made Zou Hyuga and Oto Uchiha Ninja Academy teachers?"

"Is that what you came here about?"

The Third's brow relaxed, and the atmosphere between father and son finally eased considerably. "They saved you last time, and they have a deep understanding of the Will of Fire. They don't have the usual antagonism found among the Uchiha and Hyuga, so they're well suited to teaching at the Ninja Academy.

"Besides, it was what they wanted themselves. That's why I recommended them..."

Asuma stared at the Third for a while, then slowly sighed.

Even his father had been fooled by Zou Hyuga's false facade. He was grateful for what Zou Hyuga had done, but that man really was not suited to being a Ninja Academy teacher.

He would ruin Konoha's budding flowers. If Asuma had not seen it this time, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

"He sold you the credit for completing missions, and demanded extra protection fees and tuition from students at the Ninja Academy?!"

After hearing Asuma's account, the Third looked incredulous and said gravely, "These matters are indeed very serious, but I still need to observe them for a while longer. After all, I only wrote their recommendation letters yesterday. I can't go back on my word."