By the time he returned to the Hokage Office, Shikaku had been waiting for quite a while, holding the list of those promoted to Genin that year.
Uchiha Yan took it and glanced over it. "Follow the original plan. Send them to whichever area they were assigned to, and assign their teammates according to the rules too."
"What about Neji? Does he count as Taijutsu or ninjutsu?"
"Put him with the Taijutsu group for now."
Uchiha Yan spoke calmly. "The Ino-Shika-Cho Clans shouldn't only practice their clan secret techniques. Remember to practice the training methods I've made available too.
"Don't keep relying on others, because people can die without warning. And don't keep relying on your brains, because some gaps can't be bridged by brains alone."
"I understand!"
"So much time has passed, and most of the villagers have moved past the shadow of losing their loved ones. Once Yamato finishes building the Eight New Districts, we'll start accepting missions.
"Remember, no one except Konoha's villagers is allowed into those eight new districts."
"That won't be a problem."
Shikamaru quietly agreed. "There's one more thing. Kirigakure wants an alliance with the Konoha Alliance. Hozuki Yae is waiting at the Embassy."
"Does Kirigakure have anything we need?"
"Probably not! They may have plenty of Kekkei Genkai Clans, but we're hardly lacking either.
"But judging by her tone, she seems to have something that would interest you. Genji left it behind."
"If it's from Genji, let's meet her! We should still show the dead some respect."
Uchiha Yan didn't think Genji could offer anything that would attract him or Konoha. If he were Orochimaru, he might have been interested in kekkei genkai, but he wasn't!
Within ten minutes, Uchiha Yan met Hozuki Yae.
"Well, well, if it isn't Clan Head Hozuki Yae!