“Sensei! Sensei! We heard you went for the promotion exam today. How did it go?”

  “Yeah, what’s the result?”

  “e on, do we eveo ask? If sensei went, he must have passed!”

  When Kanda Kyoichi returned home, he saw a group of kids already waiting at his doorstep.

  At the front of the group was Obito.

  This kid was straightforward and always rushed in first. Naturally, he was also the one who took the bme most often. But Kyoichi k couldn’t have been Obito who stirred things up this time.

  His eyes sed the group and finally settled on a girl standing in the back.

  Kurenai Yuhi.

  Her father had been one of the proctors for the first and sed exams.

  “Kurenai, you’re the one who told them, weren’t you?”

  “Sensei, I just… actally let it slip.”

  Kurenai fidgeted with her sleeves nervously.

  Actally? Who’d believe that…

  Still, he wasn’t going to bme her. The kids’ excitement was genuine, after all.

  Kyoichi smiled and said, “e on in…”

  The group sisted of Obito, Shisui, Asuma, Kurenai, and even Might Guy, who had already graduated but somehow still hung out with them. It seemed like he might’ve just run into them by ce.

  But one person didn’t seem to be a ce.

  Kyoichi goward a certain spot on the roof and called out, “You up there, why not e down and join us?”

  “Huh? Who’s up there?”

  Obito looked up curiously and saw a silver-haired boy with a mask c his face.

  “Kakashi! Hmph, sneaking around like that—are you upset that Sensei got promoted to jōnin?”

  Obito mocked him, but Kakashi remained silent.

  Upset? Hardly…

  He wasn’t that petty.

  To him, it was only natural that someone as strong as Kyoichi would be promoted. If anything, it would’ve been strange if he hadn’t passed.

  He was simply curious.

  Just how strong was Kyoichi?

  And he couldn’t stop thinking about what Kyoichi had said to him before.

  “gratutions…”

  Kakashi mumbled before turning to leave.

  “Ugh, what’s his problem?”

  Obito pouted. He and Kakashi had known each other for a while, and the two of them never got along. If they didn’t bicker upoing, it felt wrong.

  “Alright, Kakashi became a in at six. You’ve all graduated this year, so how about fog on catg up instead of pointless arguing?”

  Kyoichi waved a hand to dismiss the squabble. Kakashi had already left, and bad-mouthing someone behind their back ointless since Kakashi wouldn’t care anyway.

  Everyone nodded.

  They couldn’t deny it—Kakashi graduated at five and became a in at six, a feat that had shocked the entire vilge. None of them could pare to that.

  It was better to focus on themselves.

  But then, something ued happened.

  They all turo stare at Shisui.

  “Shisui, are you pnning to graduate early? Don’t tell me…”

  Asuma articurly surprised.

  Shisui rodigy of the Uchiha d was well-known for his talent. During mixed training sessions, Shisui often outperformed older students.

  Everyone was aware of his abilities.

  But he was only five years old.

  If he graduated this year, wouldn’t that put him on par with Kakashi?

  Could it be that the Uchiha ushing him to graduate for the sake of their reputation?

  Asuma’s mind raced, and he quickly arrived at this clusion.

  “Yeah…”

  Shisui nodded lightly.

  The atmosphere grew heavy. Kurenai hesitated for a moment before asking, “Will you be joining the Police Force or f a team with us?”

  Typically, graduates would be assigo a team for missions.

  But it was different for major s.

  The Hyuga, for example, didn’t eveheir main family’s children to the academy—only branch family members who were sidered unimportant attended.

  The Uchiha were slightly different.

  Their children attehe academy but often joihe Police Force upon graduation instead of f regur teams.

  Kyoichi looked at Shisui, curious about his choice. He knew what Shisui wanted, but whether Fugaku Uchiha would approve was another matter.

  “I hope to bee your student, Sensei. I just don’t know if the vilge will allow it,” Shisui said, scratg his head.

  Everyone was momentarily stunned but quickly realized that Kyoichi had just been promoted to jōnin.

  It wasn’t out of the question for the vilge to approve.

  “Wait, you applied for this before Sensei even finished his exam?”

  Obito excimed as he pieced it together.

  So that’s why…

  Shisui had submitted a request in advance, which probably meant that his application was already sitting on the Hokage’s desk.

  Clever!

  Damn it… why didn’t I think of that?!

  The others were having the same realization.

  “Sensei, I’d like to—”

  “Every jōnin is highly skilled. No matter who you’re assigo, you’ll learn a lot, so don’t stress about it too much.”

  Kyoichi reassured them.

  Except for Rin, they were all from promi s. They had no reason to worry.

  Especially Asuma.

  As the Third Hokage’s son, how could he not find a good mentor?

  But then again…

  In the inal timeline, Asuma’s mentor wasn’t mentioned, and he was retively slow to bee a in. Maybe his mentor really wasn’t that great.

  Asuma’s eyes darted around as he bowed suddenly.

  “Sensei, I just remembered something urgent. I’ll e back to visit aime!”

  “Alright, go ahead…”

  Everyone could guess what Asuma to.

  He was likely rushing to secure Kyoichi as his teacher.

  The remaining kids couldn’t deny beied, but they cked the es to a it.

  And there was only one spot left under Kyoichi.

  Rather than fighting over it, they decided to leave it to ce.

  They all felt more at ease with that decision.

  ---

  Meanwhile, in the Hokage’s office…

  Hiruzen Sarutobi had just finished issuing jōniials to four individuals auro his desk when an ANBU operative delivered a letter.

  “What’s this?”

  “It’s from the Uchiha .”

  Fugaku Uchiha?

  Hiruzen frowned slightly as he took the letter and began reading.

  Moments ter, his frown eased, a the letter down, deep in thought.

  Shisui wao bee Kyoichi’s student…

  It wasn’t a bad idea.

  Kyoichi was a desdant of the Senju. Using Tsunade as a link, the vilge could secure him as an ally of the Hokage fa.

  If Shisui became his student, it might eveo iing Shisui into their fa, further weakening the Uchiha from within.

  Yes…

  This could be an opportunity.

  Ever sihe time of Tobirama, the vilge’s staoward the Uchiha had been flicted.

  But while Tobirama had a detailed pn for dealing with them, Hiruzehe ability to implement such strategies, leaving him to rely on suppression instead.

  Now, with both Shisui and Obito in py, he saotential breakthrough.

  Without hesitation, Hiruzen sighe approval.

  But just as he put down his pen, there was a knock at the door.

  He sensed who it was and frowned again.

  Asuma? What’s he doing here?

  His rebellious son rarely sought him out, and whenever he did, it was usually a headache.

  “e in…”

  “Father.”

  Asuma entered, unusually formal. He hesitated briefly before bowing deeply.

  “May I join Kyoichi-sensei's team?”

  Hiruzen looked up at him, surprised.

  Kyoichi again?

  First Shisui, and now his own son wao join Kyoichi’s team.

  Ihan a month of teag, Kyoichi had won over so many people.

  How?

  “Why do you want to join his team?”

  “Because Sensei is strong, wise, and inspiring. I believe I learn a lot from him.”

  Asuma bowed even lower.

  He rarely made requests of his father, so this was a rare moment of siy.

  Hiruzen studied him for a long moment before nodding.

  “Kyoichi may be suitable for Shisui, but I’m not sure he’s the best fit for you. However, if this is your choice, I’ll respect it.”

  “Thank you, Father!”

  Gcell