Later in the evening, Team 7 remained the only group without a Jonin leader. The classroom was empty save for them and Arashi, even Iruka-sensei having left.
Arashi stood on the rooftop, balancing one kunai atop another with remarkable precision. Meanwhile, inside the classroom, Naruto was engrossed in his latest scheme, rigging a duster with a tripwire attached to the door and floorboards. Sakura leaned against the desk before Sasuke, who sat patiently, seemingly unfazed by the chaos.
"Naruto, can't you just sit down?" Sakura complained, her voice laced with annoyance.
Naruto turned towards her with a mischievous grin. "Why is our Team 7 sensei so darn late?" He chuckled, satisfied with his cleverly placed trap. "That's what you get for being late!"
Arashi, observing the scene from above, broke his silence. "At least you know who your teammates are. I have no idea who mine are."
Naruto glanced up at Arashi. "Is this setup good?"
Arashi surveyed the trap. "It's well-placed. Just stay on the right side, and you'll be fine."
"You're helping this idiot?" Sasuke questioned Arashi, his tone disapproving.
Arashi shrugged. "It kills time."
"You're both losers," Sasuke muttered under his breath. Sakura chimed in, "Well, I'm not involved."
Arashi faced the door, hearing footsteps. "Quiet, Sakura. Someone's coming."
All eyes turned to the door as it creaked open. Arashi's eyes widened at the sight of the newcomer. He hurled a kunai in a flash, severing the string of Naruto's trap.
Poof! A cloud of smoke erupted from the floorboards, and the rigged duster dropped harmlessly near the newcomer's feet.
"Why'd you do that?!" Naruto shouted, his prank foiled. Arashi pointed towards the door. As the smoke cleared, the figure's identity became apparent.
"Itachi-Nii-san?" Naruto quickly bowed, his face flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry, that wasn't meant for you, I promise!"
Itachi smiled gently. "It's okay, Naruto."
A book flew across the room, thrown by Sasuke, and smacked Naruto on the head. "You idiot, you almost hit Itachi-Nii-san."
"I said I'm sorry!" Naruto rubbed the sore spot on his head, pouting.
"Itachi-Nii-san, are you their sensei?" Arashi inquired, his curiosity piqued. Itachi shook his head. "I'm here for you. You're part of Team 2, right?"
"That's what I was told... are you my sensei?" Arashi asked, his eyes widening in surprise.
Itachi nodded. "Let's go. Your new teammates are waiting on the rooftop." With a wave to his former classmates, Arashi announced, "Catch you all later!" and exited with Itachi, leaving Naruto to grumble about his ruined prank.
"Great, now I have to set this all up again," Naruto lamented, picking up the disarmed duster.
Arashi pondered his new teammates as he ascended the stairs behind Itachi. "Itachi, who's on our team? Anyone I know?"
Itachi's expression turned serious. "Sorry, but from now on, when we're on missions or with the team, you will refer to me as 'Sensei,' not 'Itachi' or 'Nii-san.' It's crucial for our enemies that our close relationship remains hidden."
"Understood," Arashi responded, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face. 'Great...' he thought, a hint of bitterness creeping in.
"Secondly," Itachi continued, "one of your new teammates is an Uchiha. I expect you'll get along if you try."
"Hn," Arashi grunted in acknowledgment, his curiosity piqued.
Reaching the rooftop, Itachi pushed open the door. There, Arashi saw two figures perched on the ledge. One was a girl with long, flowing brown hair, partially obscuring the Inuzuka clan symbol on her back. She had a small white-furred dog nestled in her lap. The other was a boy with shorter, dark, straight hair, sporting a white collared flak jacket and a dark shirt with the Uchiha clan symbol emblazoned on the shoulders.
The boy turned around, his eyes widening in recognition. "You!"
Arashi's own eyes narrowed. "Huh, Kazuya? You know this guy?" the girl asked, her confusion evident. "He's the idiot I was talking about!" Kazuya spat, his Sharingan activating with a crimson flash.
Arashi clenched his fists, his anger rising. "Itachi-sensei, why is this bastard on my team?"
Kazuya's Sharingan blazed brighter. "Funny, I was just about to ask the same."
Flashback
Years ago.
Arashi overheard whispers from a couple of Genin about his late brother, Shisui. One of them, Kazuya, dared to suggest Arashi himself was responsible for Shisui's death.
Enraged, Arashi deflected a pebble Kazuya hurled at him and returned it with such force that it knocked the older boy back. The confrontation escalated quickly, and both drew their weapons and activated their Dojutsu. "Stop!" Itachi's voice had cut through the tension, halting the impending fight.
Arashi stood over Kazuya, who was bleeding from his forehead. Both boys glared at each other, the memory of that encounter still fresh.
"You think that Sharingan makes you intimidating?" Arashi scoffed, activating his Rinnegan.
From beside the girl, the small dog barked. "Woof, woof!"
"I know, Shiromaru," the girl said, her voice laced with concern. "This doesn't look good."
Whoosh!
Itachi appeared between the two quarreling boys. "Both of you need to calm down. You're part of the same village; act like it." Arashi folded his arms and closed his eyes. "Just like last time, you need Itachi to save you," he taunted Kazuya.
Kazuya deactivated his Sharingan and sat down. "Don't get so full of yourself, kid."
Itachi sighed. "Good, let's start with introductions." He paused for a moment. 'That wasn't so bad.'
The three Genin lined up, their postures reflecting a mix of apprehension and defiance. Kazuya, growing impatient, finally broke the silence. "Well? What are we waiting for?"
Itachi smiled enigmatically. "How about sharing your likes and dislikes, dreams for the future, and what you envision for yourselves?"
Kazuya scoffed. "You're our sensei; why don't you go first?"
Itachi nodded, considering his response. "Fair enough," he said. "My name is Itachi Uchiha. I enjoy spending time with my family and training. I dislike war and conflict." He paused, his thoughts drifting to his secret aspirations. 'To become Hokage.' "As for dreams," he continued, his voice carefully neutral, "I don't have any particular ones to share. And my hobbies are limited."
They all nodded as Itachi finished speaking. "Now it's your turn, youngest to eldest," he instructed.
All eyes turned to Arashi. "I'm Arashi Uchiha," he began, his voice clear and confident. "I love ramen, training, and spending time with friends and family. I dream of becoming the greatest shinobi in history, just like my big brother, Shisui Uchiha!" A fond memory of Shisui, smiling and pointing at his forehead protector, flashed through his mind.
"As for dislikes..." Arashi's expression hardened, and he pounded his fist into his palm. "... I hate Kazuya. I don't like his thinking, his walk, his talk, his hair, his face; I don't even like it when he breathes, and the way he looks at me like a ped-"
"That's enough, Arashi," Itachi interjected, "But I was just getting to the good part," Arashi protested, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips.
"We'll save that for later," Itachi said, steering the conversation away from potential conflict.
Miyu was next. "I'm Miyu Inuzuka. I love my sweet pup Shiromaru," she hugged the small dog close. "I also enjoy eating yakiniku and aim to become the best medical ninja. Oh, and I love hunting!"
Finally, the group's attention shifted to Kazuya, whose face remained impassive, his aura radiating a quiet anger. "I'm Kazuya Uchiha. I don't like or love anyone or anything. I don't like many things, especially naive brats who think the shinobi world is some utopia. As for my dream, I don't have one or need one. I aim to establish a name in the Uchiha clan, like our sensei, Itachi Uchiha. And to avenge my best friend and my former sensei."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group after Kazuya's words.
'Just as the Hokage warned,' Itachi thought to himself. He had read the files on each of his new students and knew that Kazuya would be just as challenging as Arashi. Kazuya's sense of vengeance and regret was palpable, and Itachi knew that managing these complex emotions would be one of the key challenges he faced as their captain.
"Very well," Itachi's voice remained steady, unaffected by the tension in the air. "Introductions are over. Tomorrow, we'll begin with some duties. But first, we'll have a test."
"A test?" Kazuya's eyebrow arched in surprise.
"We're not mere first-year students waiting for this kid to catch up," he retorted, gesturing towards Arashi with disdain. "We were already a team executing C-rank missions before his arrival, and we've only improved since then."
Itachi's gaze remained unwavering. "I'm aware of the rigorous training you've undergone since that day, Kazuya," he acknowledged, his voice calm yet firm. "And I understand the urgency of your quest for vengeance. But you might need to slow down. Arashi may be a Genin, but he's also a prodigy, handpicked by the Hokage for this team. It's more prudent to approach your enemy as a team. And as much as you think your newfound abilities make you invincible, I assure you, taking on that shinobi alone will only lead to your death and a failure to exact your revenge."
Kazuya, unable to refute Itachi's words, scoffed and looked away, his jaw clenched.
Itachi continued, his tone turning grave. "Tomorrow's exercise is a survival test. Out of 28 rookies, only nine will become Genin. The rest will return to the academy. This test has a failure rate of over 70%. Don't assume you're safe. If you fail, I've secured permission to return you to the academy."
"What?!" both Kazuya and Miyu exclaimed in disbelief.
"That's right," Itachi confirmed. "Fail, and you're done as a shinobi."
"No way! I haven't come this far to be sent back!" Kazuya's voice rose in protest.
Itachi's lips curved into a slight smile. "Do your best tomorrow. You'll be fighting against me, so I'd advise against eating; you might throw up. And don't hold back; use all your skills and weapons. I won't show mercy in battle." He stood up, handing each of them a sheet of paper. "The details are here. Don't be late."
Team 2 has been given its first assignment.