March 23, Konoha Year 42.
Inside a classroom at the Ninja Academy.
"Congratulations. Starting today, you're officially genin."
Yuya, who had accompanied these prodigies from first year all the way to third, looked at the twelve students in the classroom who had passed the early graduation exam. In these ten-year-old kids, he seemed to see the reflections of students who had already graduated, grown up, and become adults.
His eyes were filled with complicated emotion.
There was relief, nostalgia, sadness… and worry.
Geniuses were indeed far more outstanding than others their age, but age itself still imposed limits on judgment. Being ahead of everyone else for so long, along with the pride and impulsiveness of youth, could easily lead them into reckless mistakes.
Yuya had heard plenty of stories about geniuses dying in accidents. Even the First Hokage's own grandson had been blown to death by explosive tags.
More than once in class, he had taught his students how to detect and clear traps, hoping they would truly take it to heart and not become another Nawaki.
Of course, the young geniuses sitting below the podium had no idea how much he cared about them.
Unlike Yuya's melancholy, these students were full of anticipation. They were about to become real ninja, learn ninjutsu under powerful jonin instructors, and later even leave the village on missions to earn money.
Without wasting words, Yuya congratulated the group on graduating early, then raised the clipboard in his hand.
"Even though you've completed your trainee period, in the ninja profession you're still rookies with zero mission experience and zero real combat experience. So before you can stand on your own, you'll be placed into three-man squads and assigned to experienced jonin instructors with plenty of mission and combat experience."
The moment they heard they would be divided into teams, several of the twelve prodigies instinctively looked toward a certain boy or girl, their eyes full of hope.
Some hopeless simps even clasped their hands together and started praying, hoping fate would place them on the same team as the one they liked.
Of course, there were also a few geniuses so confident they didn't care who their teammates were.
Even if their teammates were dead weight, they believed they could still become chunin—or even jonin.
"Next, I'll announce the team assignments. Team One—"
Yuya read from the list on his clipboard.
"Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha—Might Guy."
"Yes!"
The moment Yuya finished reading Team One's roster, a shout cut him off.
Might Guy, dressed in his green bodysuit and sporting those thick eyebrows, jumped to his feet with both hands raised, shouting excitedly.
Then he struck a pose, flexing his arms at Kakashi Hatake—who wore a mask and had his usual dead-fish eyes—and grinned.
"Kakashi, we're teammates now. Looking forward to working with you!"
"It's over…"
For once, Kakashi Hatake, who usually acted like he didn't care, completely lost focus.
The moment he realized his teammates would be Might Guy, who challenged him to duels all day long, and Obito Uchiha, who was always hanging around Rin Nohara, disliked him, and was equally disliked in return, it felt like the sky had collapsed.
Hadn't his father said the traditional team setup was always two boys and one girl?
Then why, when there were four girls in the class—enough to form four perfectly balanced two-boy, one-girl squads—had he ended up with Obito and Guy instead?
Who exactly had arranged these teams? Had someone pulled strings?
"Damn it, why am I on the same team as Kakashi?!" Obito Uchiha was clutching his head too, looking utterly devastated. "As long as I got on the same team as Rin, I wouldn't even care if the third teammate was an idiot like Guy!"
"Guy, keep it down."
Yuya shot Guy a glare. Once he sat back down, Yuya continued reading.
"Team Two—Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi—"
"Yes! The old man really didn't lie to me."
Asuma Sarutobi clenched his fist, his face lighting up with excitement.
Clearly, he was exactly the kind of "backdoor connection" Kakashi had just been complaining about.
To get onto the same team as the girl he liked and had a crush on, Asuma had actually humbled himself before Hiruzen Sarutobi, begging him to use his authority as Hokage and Academy principal to place him in the same squad as Kurenai.
His old man had scolded him at the time, but apparently he still cared about him quite a bit.
Thinking that, Asuma instinctively looked toward Kurenai—only to see her wearing an openly disgusted expression.
He took a serious hit.
But he quickly pulled himself together again.
As long as he was on the same team as Kurenai, he believed his sincerity would eventually move her.
At that moment, Yuya read out the final member of Team Two.
"Rin Nohara."
"Huh? I'm on the same team as Rin?"
Kurenai, who had instinctively disliked the idea of being teamed with the prematurely mature-looking Asuma, instantly looked stunned.
Just like Kakashi had learned from Sakumo Hatake, Kurenai also knew that two boys and one girl was the standard team formation. Her father was a versatile jonin and one of Konoha's few genjutsu masters who could rival the Kurama and Uchiha clans, so she knew the tradition well.
Normally, that tradition would not be broken unless a graduating class happened to have more boys than girls, in which case a three-boy squad might appear.
But if there were more girls than boys, the village wouldn't form one-boy-two-girl squads or all-girl squads. Instead, the extra girls would usually be assigned to existing teams that had lost members, or recruited directly into specialized departments.
In this world, where most female ninja retired after marriage and stayed home as housewives—very few continuing to run missions the way Yoru's mother had in this life—women occupied a very particular position.
That was one reason Tsunade had become the idol of countless kunoichi.
She was an outlier among outliers.
And now, for the first time, that long-standing formation rule had been broken.
Kurenai wasn't the only one surprised. The other prodigies—and even Yuya himself—were just as startled.
Then a killing-intent-filled glare landed on Asuma Sarutobi, making his back go cold.
Obito Uchiha was practically breathing fire as he stared at Asuma, biting down on his collar so hard it looked like he might tear it apart.
"Damn you, Asuma! You're the Hokage's son and you still used connections? You're the worst!"
The other students also shot Asuma disdainful looks.
It was obvious they all thought he had pulled strings.
They just hadn't expected him to be this shamelessly greedy. For three years, he'd acted like Kurenai was the only one he chased, but apparently he'd been secretly in love with Rin too. Truly the kind of guy who kept his cards hidden.
Kurenai, who had already looked disgusted, now thought even less of this guy—someone who looked older than his age and had somehow already picked up smoking while still so young.
Asuma, meanwhile, looked like a man on the verge of collapse, unable to explain himself.
Old man, you bastard—you set me up!
Yuya couldn't understand it either. Why had Lord Hokage arranged the teams like this?
Did Rin Nohara and Kurenai Yuhi have some kind of special talent that would create a one-plus-one-greater-than-two effect if placed together, enough to justify breaking precedent for them?
Still, since this was a team arrangement made by the Hokage himself, there had to be a reason.
So Yuya continued reading.
"Team Three—Aoba Yamashiro, Raido Namiashi, Shizune."
"Team Four—Genma Shiranui, Ebisu, Suzume."
Once he finished the last team, Yuya lowered the clipboard and looked at the early graduates.
"These are the teammates you'll be fighting alongside for many years to come. Learn to get along. Don't form little cliques or isolate each other. Once a team loses unity, that kind of thing can get you killed on a mission."
"Next is free discussion time. Stay in the classroom. Your jonin instructors will come for you shortly."
"It's been a pleasure watching you through your trainee years. I hope that the next time I see you, you'll already be outstanding ninja."
After saying that, Yuya turned and walked out of the classroom without looking back.
The proud prodigies didn't rise to say goodbye to the homeroom teacher who had spent three years with them. Instead, they immediately gathered around their future teammates, splitting into four little groups.
"Asuma, don't get so close. You smell way too much like cigarettes."
Seeing Asuma edge closer, Kurenai—who had already moved to sit beside Rin—didn't even try to hide her disgust.
"You're barely this old, so why do you already smell this strong? How much do you smoke every day?"
"N-not that much…"
Asuma scratched his head awkwardly, then hurried to promise, "Don't worry. I'll be considerate around you girls. I promise I won't smoke near you, and I'll quit eventually."
"We'll see."
The untouchable goddess had no interest in a simp's promises.
After replying flatly, Kurenai turned to Rin, and the irritation vanished from her adorably round-cheeked face, replaced by a bright smile.
"Rin, who do you think our jonin instructor will be?"
"I-it'll probably be a really strong jonin," Rin answered, instinctively glancing at Asuma while she spoke.
Kurenai immediately understood.
"Right, our teammate is Asuma, after all. That means our instructor definitely won't just be some special jonin. At the very least, it'll be a versatile full jonin. Maybe even one of the village's ace fighters."
Asuma sat there awkwardly, unable to say a word.
He really wanted to explain that he hadn't asked his father to give him some absurdly overpowered jonin instructor.
But he had lowered himself and begged his old man to place him on the same team as Kurenai. He really had used family connections, so he had no defense.
Fortunately, the prodigies didn't have to wait long.
Before long, a blond young man in a green jonin vest appeared at the classroom door. The ugly, heavy uniform somehow looked perfectly natural on him.
His handsome face carried a warm, sun-like smile, and his eyes were as bright and clear as the sky. He waved to the twelve prodigies.
"Hey, juniors. I'm your upperclassman, Minato Namikaze—and I'm Team One's jonin instructor. Come with me."
"It's the Yellow Flash!"
"Minato-senpai!"
The moment they saw Minato Namikaze, all twelve prodigies lit up.
Even Kakashi Hatake, who had been so fed up with Guy that he'd gone back to his usual dead-eyed stare, suddenly looked like a real boy his age again, eyes shining with excitement.
He had never expected his jonin instructor to be Minato Namikaze—the same man who had once backed up his father.
Getting to learn under him was incredible.
Kakashi immediately stood and walked out of the classroom.
Guy followed right behind him.
Obito, whose eyes had been fixed on Rin the whole time, could only stand and trail after them.
Just after Minato left with the future Minato team, another handsome man with long silver hair appeared at the classroom door. Looking at the remaining nine prodigies, he smiled with the same gentle warmth.
"Team Three, come with me. I'm your jonin instructor."
"Uncle Dan!"
Shizune shot to her feet, delighted, immediately revealing her relationship to the man.
It was Dan Kato.
"That's amazing—our jonin instructor is an ace too."
Aoba Yamashiro and Raido Namiashi both looked thrilled.
Soon, Team Three also left with Dan Kato.
With two ace fighters appearing back to back, both Team Two and Team Four grew even more excited about who their instructors would be.
Not long after, a man in his thirties appeared at the classroom door. He had an ordinary face and wore a green jonin vest.
"Team Four, come with me."
Unlike the warm and approachable Minato and Dan, this man was expressionless and gave off a strict, serious vibe.
He only swept a glance over Team Two before speaking to Team Four. He didn't even bother introducing himself first.
The members of Team Four, who didn't recognize him at all, were instantly disappointed—but they still obediently stood and followed him out.
Just like that, only Team Two remained in the classroom: Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, and Rin Nohara.
"…This is taking forever."
As time passed and their jonin instructor still hadn't shown up, Kurenai—who had started out full of anticipation—began forming a worse and worse impression of this unknown instructor.
"He's late right from the start. Don't tell me our jonin instructor is some chronic latecomer like Obito?"
"Maybe something came up," Rin said with a smile.
Kurenai kept talking with her.
"Rin, do you think our jonin instructor might be someone famous we already know?"
"Um… I think maybe we shouldn't get our hopes too high," Rin said gently. "Honestly, no matter who it is, they'll still be someone way stronger than us—a senpai, and an adult, who'll guide our growth."
"That's true, but Kakashi and Shizune both got ace instructors. If ours is weaker than theirs, then the next time we meet, they might already be way ahead of us." Kurenai clenched her fist, full of fighting spirit. "I want to become an outstanding kunoichi like Lady Tsunade. There's no way I'm letting them leave me that far behind."
"You can do it."
Rin pumped a fist encouragingly, naturally placing herself a step behind Kurenai.
Watching the two girls chat, Asuma found no opening to join in at all.
At last, he understood why there had never been a one-boy, two-girl team setup before.
How was this any different from being isolated?
Feeling miserable, Asuma forgot all about his promise to Kurenai. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and was just about to take one out and light it—
When two fingers suddenly appeared in front of him, along with a voice by his ear.
"Give me one."
"Sure."
Asuma handed over the first cigarette immediately, then even enthusiastically took out a lighter, ready to light it for the other person.
"Ahhh—!"
But when his eyes followed the cigarette to the side, he screamed like a startled girl.
His body instinctively tried to jump up—but he found he couldn't move at all.
At some point, a white-haired young man had appeared seated beside him.
The young man wore a black coat and black pants. Even with round sunglasses on, they couldn't hide the breathtakingly handsome face beneath them—a face that had already lost the last traces of childhood softness.
One of his hands was casually draped from right to left over Asuma's shoulder, yet Asuma had noticed nothing.
And it was precisely that light, effortless gesture that left Asuma unable to even stand, his body locked in place as though he'd been hit with a sealing technique.
The sheer shock of having someone suddenly right in his face turned Asuma deathly pale. His lips trembled.
His scream also startled the two girls nearby.
But the instant they turned and saw who it was, delight flashed across their faces, and they blurted out in unison:
"Yoru-senpai!" / "Lord Yoru!"
"Yo. Long time no see."
Gojo Yoru finally withdrew the hand resting on Asuma's shoulder, took off his sunglasses, and flashed the two girls a grin.
Once Kurenai confirmed it really was Yoru, the joy on her face deepened.
"Yoru-senpai, wait—does that mean you're our jonin instructor?"
"You guessed right. I didn't disappoint you, did I?"
Yoru winked at Kurenai.
Her little face instantly flushed red.
She knew right away that Yoru must have heard everything she'd said earlier.
But Kurenai, whose personality was just like Kushina's and Tsunade's—a bold, strong-willed girl through and through—quickly straightened up and started accusing him without hesitation.
"Yoru-senpai, that was way too much. You actually slipped into space just to eavesdrop on us, and then you scared Asuma half to death!"
"I wasn't hiding in space at all," Yoru said with a shrug, shaking his head in open disdain. "Your awareness is just terrible. You couldn't even notice an Earth Body Flicker, and you call yourselves geniuses—pfft."
He covered his mouth and laughed.
He looked so ridiculously punchable.
But neither Kurenai nor Rin was even remotely angry, because by now they were too overwhelmed with joy.
They had imagined that Team Two's jonin instructor might be some famous ace fighter, or maybe just an ordinary jonin nobody like Team Four's.
But never—not even once—had they imagined their instructor would be Gojo Yoru himself, the symbol of the new era, the man at the peak of the ninja world, the one known as the embodiment of miracles.
At that moment, Kurenai's disgust toward Asuma vanished without a trace.
There was no need to ask. If Yoru had become their jonin instructor, it had to be because of Asuma.
Asuma finally snapped out of it too. He wasn't angry about being startled—just wearing a complicated expression.
"Yoru-senpai… what kind of price did the old man have to pay to get you here as my jonin instructor?"
"Kid, don't think so highly of yourself—"
Yoru tucked the cigarette behind Asuma's ear, then threw Kurenai and Rin a playful look.
"Why can't it be that I was attracted by two cute, talented girls, used my authority to put them on the same team so they could become my students, and you just happened to come along with the package?"
Even though they knew he was joking, Kurenai and Rin still blushed, their hearts brimming with delight.
Asuma, meanwhile, looked completely speechless.
"You seriously think I'd believe that?"
What he didn't realize was that with that one sentence, he had just offended both girls.
And what he knew even less was that Yoru's words were actually true.
Putting Rin on Team Two was Yoru's own little bit of wicked fun.
Behind him, his invisible inner "bull warrior" was already gripping its axe, itching to swing.
Sometimes, you didn't even need to pursue someone to bring that axe down.