Teammates and Jonin Instructor

But if they had neither talent nor background, then a Chunin would probably lead them. They would not learn much, only to be sent to the battlefield early as Cannon Fodder. Their lives and deaths would be left to fate.

"Team 1: Kazemaki Kibata, Inuzuka Tsume, Hyuga Tetsu."

In the Ninja Academy's large classroom, Kuroda Ofune held a list and read out the team assignments.

"Ha! I never expected yours truly, Kibata, to be first!"

"Kibata, I didn't expect us to still be teammates after the assignment. Too bad Meikyō isn't here. The three of us were clearly the closest."

"Yeah, yeah. Huh? Wait, Hyuga Tetsu, why do you look exactly like that Hyuga Kinmon who hit me during the graduation exam?!"

On the other side of the classroom sat the fifth-year graduates, clearly separated from the Fourth-year students. Among them, a boy with his Byakugan activated and his forehead covered by a forehead protector silently watched everything unfold before him, expressionless.

"Team 2..."

"Team 3..."

"Team 9: Aburame Nami, Inuzuka Ryo, Uchiha Meikyō."

At last, Meikyō heard his own name.

As for his other two teammates, he had never heard of them. They should have been graduates who had enrolled a year before him, but their names alone made it clear that they had connections too.

Once everyone had been assigned to teams, their respective Jonin Instructors came to the classroom to collect their students.

The one who led Kibata and the others away was a middle-aged Jonin Meikyō did not recognize.

As for Meikyō's team...

"Team 9, gather under that tree on the training ground."

A handsome man with long light-blue hair stood at the doorway, drawing everyone's attention.

Especially the women present, because the guy really was very handsome.

Dan Katō, the chief examiner from the graduation assessment.

By a large tree on the training ground, the shrill cries of cicadas rang out from the branches.

Beneath the shade, Dan Katō smiled at the three students before him, recalling the days when he had first graduated from the Ninja Academy.

"Then let's all introduce ourselves first. Tell us about your dreams, what you like, and what you dislike. As your Jonin Instructor, I'll start."

Dan Katō pointed to himself.

"My name is Dan Katō. I'm a Jonin. My dream is to become Hokage. I like looking at the stars with someone I like. There's nothing I dislike. Now, it's your turn."

"I'll go first!"

A boy with thick hair, face paint, and a half-grown silver-white puppy in his arms raised his hand.

He was Inuzuka Ryo.

Beside him stood a girl wearing a hood and dark sunglasses despite the blazing summer heat—Meikyō's other teammate, Aburame Nami.

Both were a year older than Meikyō and had been among the outstanding fifth-year Ninja Academy students.

"My name is Inuzuka Ryo. Like Sensei, my dream is to become Hokage. But since Sensei wants to become Hokage too, Sensei can be the Fourth Hokage and I'll be the Fifth. I like taking walks with Tetsu Maru, and I hate people who don't like dogs!"

Tetsu Maru in Inuzuka Ryo's arms also barked excitedly twice.

"Those are very nice dreams and hobbies. What about you two?"

Dan Katō smiled as he looked at Meikyō and Aburame Nami.

"Aburame Nami. I like insects. There's nothing I dislike. My dream is to discover more new species of insects."

Aburame Nami's words were quite brief, and her interests and aspirations suited her background perfectly.

"And you, Meikyō?"

Dan Katō turned that handsome face toward Meikyō again, recalling what Hiruzen Sarutobi—who was now leading ninja forces north to fight Kumogakure—had told him back then.

The rift between the Uchiha and the village had yet to be erased. The Third Hokage hoped that through him, the Will of Fire could be passed on to this exceptionally talented Uchiha, eliminating that divide, just as it had with Kagami Uchiha, the Second Hokage's former student.

"My name is Meikyō. I like quietly practicing ninjutsu. There are many things I dislike, but what I dislike most is people disturbing me while I'm quietly practicing ninjutsu."

Meikyō answered casually.

"As for my ambition..."

Meikyō paused slightly.

Become Hokage? That was very much in line with the Will of Fire—the absolute politically correct answer in Konoha.

But he had better not truly possess the talent or ability to become Hokage. Otherwise, the fates of White Fang, Dan Katō, Nawaki, and the others in the original story would serve as warnings.

Still, he had to shout some proper slogans.

"Probably to become a powerful ninja, protect my clan and the village, as well as everything I cherish."

"They're all wonderful dreams!"

Dan Katō crossed his arms, and the smile seemed never to leave his face.

"Tomorrow at nine in the morning, I'll take you through a combat exercise. But there's still plenty of time today, so how about I treat you all to barbecue?"

Inuzuka Ryo and Tetsu Maru both let out excited howls. Nami impassively pushed up her sunglasses, while Meikyō glanced at his two teammates and silently pondered.

Of the two, Inuzuka Ryo had a rather cheerful and hot-blooded personality. Meikyō hoped he would not be like the early Naruto—a hot-blooded idiot with no brains.

Without the protagonist's plot armor, people like that were the most likely to drag their teammates down.

As for Aburame Nami, she seemed to speak little and had a rather faint presence, fitting Meikyō's impression of the Aburame Clan. But she still needed closer observation.

One thing was certain: having Dan Katō as his Jonin Instructor was good news.

Though he did not know this Jonin's exact strength, based on the original plot in his memories, Dan Katō had once been qualified to stand among those considered candidates for Hokage, alongside Orochimaru and the others. Even if he had not reached Kage level, he was not far from it.

And Dan Katō seemed to be the kind of person who was easy to get along with.

He just did not know whether being assigned under him meant he had already caught the attention of Konoha's upper ranks—or perhaps the Third Hokage himself.

Another thing worth noting was whether his Jonin Instructor would be sacrificed in this Shinobi World War.

If he had the ability to intervene by then, he would try his best to save him.

Summer mornings always came especially early.

By five o'clock, the sky had already grown remarkably bright.

But that had nothing to do with Meikyō, because the gathering at the barbecue restaurant had lasted until very late last night. He had just been awakened by the overly shrill cicadas outside.

Although Aburame Nami was not very outgoing, Inuzuka Ryo was quite lively. Dan Katō looked like a quiet, handsome man, but his actual personality was cheerful and sunny as well.

With those two keeping the atmosphere going, Meikyō felt that he had had a pretty good time last night.

Fortunately, Dan Katō had scheduled the combat exercise for nine in the morning, leaving them enough time to rest.