Chapter 111. The Third Hokage’s Intentions

Chapter 111 - 111. The Third Hokage's IntentionsThe C-rank talent trait Prodigy Genin has only one advancement path, with clear synthesis requirements. The first condition is to rank first in the Chunin Exams. In the original story, Sarutobi Asuma and Kurenai Yuhi participated in the Chunin Exams three years after graduating. Unlike Naruto's cohort, this wasn't a joint Chunin Exam, so the difficulty wasn't too high, but it required time. The second condition is to become a sensory-type Chunin. In Konoha, ninja are classified into several types, including medical ninja, sensory ninja, taijutsu specialists, and genjutsu users. Of course, there is no strict rule stating that a person can only belong to one type. If someone is talented enough, they can become an all-rounder. However, geniuses are rare, and most ninja are ordinary, so this classification is necessary. Sensory ninja, simply put, are responsible for reconnaissance and tracking, playing an essential role in ninja squads. For example, members of the Aburame and Inuzuka clans: The Aburame clan uses various insects, making them excellent for reconnaissance. The Inuzuka clan specializes in ninja techniques involving their ninja dogs, whose sense of smell far exceeds that of ordinary people. The third condition is to master the five elemental releases as a Chunin. The five releases refer to Wind, Fire, Lightning, Earth, and Water. Hanekawa had already met this condition, so he automatically unlocked a new talent trait: [C-Rank Talent Trait: Five-Element Chunin] Trigger Condition: Acquire Chunin-level traits for all five elemental releases. Effect: Mastery of chakra nature transformation for all five elements increases by 100%. Though it doesn't seem to provide a direct enhancement, its practical impact is immense, saving Hanekawa a significant amount of time in elemental release training. "Let's go, Hanekawa!" Kurenai Yuhi waved her hand in front of his face. "Alright." Hanekawa snapped out of his thoughts and got up from his seat. "Does anyone know where the records room is?" Might Guy dashed out of the classroom first but then stopped, looking back and asking. "Go left," Kakashi Hatake replied. "As expected of my eternal rival!" Might Guy gave him a thumbs-up, flashing his pearly white teeth. "..." Kakashi felt speechless. What is there to praise about that? "I wonder if we'll be on the same team," Might Guy said, nudging Kakashi with his elbow. "We'll find out tomorrow," Kakashi replied emotionlessly. Although he appreciated Might Guy's strength and character, he hoped they wouldn't be on the same team. Their personalities clashed, and constant sparring challenges from Guy would be exhausting. "After graduation, we won't have as much time to spend together," Asuma said wistfully. In the original story, Asuma was quite rebellious in his youth, but after being repeatedly bested by Hanekawa, his personality had changed significantly. With the addition of so many companions, he was even more different now. "It's okay," Rin Nohara said gently. "When we're not on missions, we can still train together like before." "You're right!" Obito Uchiha immediately agreed. If they ended up in different squads, this gave him an excuse to hang out with Rin. "We're here. Let's get our ninja files," Hanekawa said as he stepped forward and knocked on the door. "Come in," a deep male voice responded. Hanekawa opened the door to see a middle-aged man sitting at a desk. The man glanced at them but didn't seem familiar to Hanekawa. "Are you the newly graduated students?" the man asked. "Yes," Hanekawa replied with a nod. "When I call your name, step forward to collect your file," the man said, grabbing a stack of files. "After you get it, attach your photo and give it to your assigned team leader." The ninja file was like an academic record from Hanekawa's past life, documenting a ninja's achievements and mission history. It was crucial for promotions to Chunin and Jonin. Five minutes later, everyone had their files. "I'll treat you all to barbecue," Hanekawa said with a smile, tucking his file away. "Yay!" Kurenai cheered. "Then let's have a barbecue showdown!" Might Guy exclaimed, his energy surging. "That's unnecessary," Kakashi quickly interjected. "Shizune, you should come too," Hanekawa said, looking at Shizune, who was standing not far away. In the original story, Shizune was taken by Tsunade early on, traveling and evading debts. Due to Hanekawa's butterfly effect, she was now a normal student. Though she hadn't studied medical ninjutsu yet, her talent was evident, consistently ranking in the top ten of the class. "Me?" Shizune was momentarily stunned but didn't decline. "Thank you." "Let's go!" Kurenai pulled Hanekawa by the hand, leading the way out. Obito watched them holding hands with a hint of envy. He instinctively glanced at Rin, but she had already walked ahead. "Wait for me!" Obito hurriedly chased after them. The group soon arrived at a barbecue restaurant. "Cheers!" They clinked their glasses of juice together and drank in unison. "Now that we've graduated, you better watch out, Hanekawa!" Asuma said with a laugh after setting his glass down. "You may have been number one in school, but that's all in the past now." In Konoha's history, there have been many stories of prodigies fading into obscurity after graduation. After all, missions are perilous, and dying midway is not uncommon. Of course, Sarutobi Asuma wasn't cursing Hanekawa. He was simply pointing out that after leaving the academy, there would be more opportunities to surpass him. "Asuma, did you forget something?" Kurenai Yuhi asked while watching Hanekawa grill meat. "Forget what?" Asuma raised an eyebrow. "Hanekawa has been going on missions with Lady Tsunade for a long time," Kurenai said smugly, lifting her chin slightly. Hearing this, Asuma looked as if he'd been struck by lightning. He had indeed forgotten. In a way, Hanekawa was already a seasoned ninja compared to him. Was there still any chance to surpass him? "Don't give up, Asuma! Life is long!" Might Guy said, trying to encourage him. "..." Asuma opened his mouth but said nothing. "What do you want to eat, Kurenai?" Hanekawa asked as he flipped the sizzling, juicy meat. "Beef!" Kurenai moved closer and pointed at a piece. "That one looks delicious." "Alright." Hanekawa placed the beef on her plate. "I want that piece!" Asuma demanded. "Grill it yourself," Hanekawa replied, putting the meat into his own bowl. "..." Asuma sighed and reluctantly picked up the tongs. "Rin, I'll grill for you!" Obito Uchiha eagerly said to Rin Nohara. "No need," Rin shook her head. "I can do it myself." Kakashi Hatake, quiet as ever, focused on grilling his own food. While his reserved personality kept him from joining in the boisterous conversations, he didn't dislike the lively atmosphere around him. --- Hokage's Office "Do you have any objections?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, holding a list in his hand. "None," Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu replied in unison. "Good." Hiruzen nodded slightly. "You may leave now." The two elders turned and left. With the team assignments finalized, there was nothing more for them to handle. "Hayama," Hiruzen called. "Lord Hokage" A masked ninja entered the room. "Notify the assigned mentors," Hiruzen instructed, handing her the list. "Tell them to report to my office within half an hour." "Yes." Hayama took the list and left. Shortly after, there was a knock at the door. "Lord Hokage," Sakumo Hatake said as he entered, cutting straight to the point. "Why am I assigned as a team leader?" Sakumo was puzzled when Hayama informed him of the assignment, as he hadn't applied to be a team leader. "Sakumo," Hiruzen said with a smile, "take a look at the members of the second team you'll be leading." He handed Sakumo a file. After hesitating for a moment, Sakumo opened it and was momentarily stunned. While Uchiha Shisui's presence surprised him, he was even more shocked to see Sarutobi Asuma's name. After all, Asuma was Hiruzen's son. "What does this mean?" "Sakumo," Hiruzen said, meeting his gaze, "Asuma is my son. I wouldn't trust him to anyone else, so I chose you." So that was the reason. Feeling the weight of Hiruzen's trust, Sakumo nodded seriously and promised, "I'll guide him well!" "Thank you." Hiruzen smiled warmly. Sakumo truly valued personal bonds, which made Hiruzen glad he had protected him from Danzo's rumors in the past. After Sakumo left, the other mentors arrived one by one. They raised no objections and left after receiving their students' profiles. --- Sёarch* The novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Late Evening Hiruzen was still in his office, waiting for one more person. After some time, the Flying Thunder God kunai on his desk trembled slightly. The air distorted, and a figure appeared. "Sorry for being late, Lord Hokage," Minato Namikaze said with a slight bow. "I should be thanking you for your hard work," Hiruzen replied with a smile. "It must've been difficult to return from the Land of Lightning." "It's no trouble," Minato said, shaking his head. "These are the members of the third team you'll be leading," Hiruzen said, handing over a file. "They seem promising," Minato said after reading the file, smiling. Kakashi Hatake needed no introduction. Although Uchiha Obito and Might Guy had weaker theoretical scores, their practical skills were strong. "Do you know why Uchiha Obito was chosen?" Hiruzen asked, narrowing his eyes. "I understand," Minato said, realizing the reason. "It's because of his Uchiha lineage." "Correct." Hiruzen nodded solemnly. "I hope Obito can help ease the tension between the village and the Uchiha clan." "I believe they'll understand your intentions," Minato said confidently. __ New entry: This Danzo Is Weird Patreon.com/rashta Be a member so you can read: New. 200 adv ch of This Danzo Is Weird 1. 230 adv ch of Talent System In Naruto 2. 560 adv ch of Qian Renxue's Younger Brother 3. 270 adv ch of Uchiha Madara's Cousin 4. 163 adv ch of WDQK: Divorcing Ling Qingzhu (Complete)