Sunflower, Qing, and Kaijima stood silently in front of the Anbu stronghold, their expressions mixed with curiosity and uncertainty. What made things even more awkward was the fact that their squad leader—Captain Ming Yu—was slightly shorter than them, and barely looked older than twelve.
An awkward silence blanketed the scene until the girl codenamed Sunflower broke it with a polite voice.
"Are you Captain Ming Yu?"
"Yes," Tian Yu nodded coolly and then spoke with a crisp tone, "Follow me."
Without further ado, Sunflower, Qing, and Kaijima obediently followed Tian Yu into a more secluded open-air training field within the Anbu compound. Once there, Tian Yu reached up and removed his mask.
Beneath it was a face strikingly handsome—sharp eyebrows, clear features, and a hint of youth that couldn't be masked even by his calm demeanor.
Generally speaking, Anbu operatives wore masks to conceal their identities during missions. Some even kept them on while off-duty in the compound, out of habit or preference. But Tian Yu had his own reasons. Before leading this newly assembled team into a mission, he needed a base level of mutual understanding. Trust began with seeing one another's real face.
"Ah…" Sunflower quickly covered her mouth, trying to suppress an audible gasp. He's way too good-looking!
She had heard rumors about Ming Yu—his name floated around Anbu as a genius captain—but she hadn't expected him to be this young or, frankly, this attractive. It felt like a waste for someone with such a face to be hidden behind a mask.
"As the captain of this team, let me start with introductions," Tian Yu began, voice steady and commanding. "My name is Tian Yu. I'm twelve. In Anbu, I go by the code name Ming Yu. I specialize in taijutsu and ninja tool manipulation. When you introduce yourselves, also specify your strengths in ninjutsu so we can coordinate more effectively in combat."
Though their captain was clearly the youngest among them, his composed tone and measured speech carried authority. At that moment, all three subordinates silently reached the same conclusion—he wasn't just some genius kid; he was the real deal.
One by one, the trio removed their masks to reveal their true faces.
The first to step forward was the one codenamed Kaijima.
"My name is Hyuga Noboru. I'm twenty-two, code name Kaijima. I hail from the Hyuga clan. I possess the Byakugan and specialize in gentle fist taijutsu and reconnaissance."
Next came the man called Qing.
"My name is Aburame Zō. I'm twenty, code name Qing. I belong to the Aburame clan. I use kikaichū insects for surveillance and combat."
Finally, the girl codenamed Sunflower stepped forward. In a voice so soft it was almost inaudible, she said:
"My name is Moonlight Kuizi. I'm seventeen years old, code name Sunflower. I'm from the Moonlight clan. I have a kekkei genkai related to lunar chakra flow, excel at reconnaissance, and I specialize in kenjutsu."
Tian Yu nodded thoughtfully. He had a good sense of the Hyuga and Aburame clans—they were staples of Konoha's elite. But the Moonlight clan… his only impression was the frail, tubercular jōnin Moonlight Gai, who appeared briefly in the original Naruto timeline.
"What's your relation to Moonlight Gai?" Tian Yu asked casually.
"Huh? You know my brother?" Kuizi's eyes lit up as she smiled. "Yes, I'm Moonlight Gai's younger sister."
So that's it. Tian Yu nodded again. He didn't say anything further.
It didn't matter who they were related to—what mattered was how they followed his command. In his squad, authority was absolute.
He proceeded to the mission desk and picked up their assignment. As a newly formed squad, Anbu rules restricted their first mission to B-rank or below. Tian Yu, of course, would have preferred an A-rank mission, but for now, that would have to wait.
Returning with the scroll, he looked over his new team with sharp eyes.
"All of you are capable shinobi. I won't waste time with practice runs. Fieldwork is the best teacher. I've already accepted the mission—let's move out."
His tone carried a distinct edge of calm authority, causing all three of them to instinctively straighten their backs.
They were well aware of who Tian Yu was.
Only recently, he had defeated Tenzo (Yamato), the leader of Anbu's second assassination unit, in a head-on duel.
With that kind of reputation, none of them dared show disrespect. In unison, they lowered their heads and answered, "Yes, Captain!"
Tian Yu, now masked again, smirked beneath the porcelain faceplate.
His bout with Yamato had served its purpose well. Displaying his strength early had saved him countless future headaches. Before anyone questioned him, they'd have to ask themselves: Do I even have the strength to challenge him?
Clearly, the three shinobi standing behind him knew the answer.
Good. It seemed that none of them were arrogant fools.
Tian Yu was satisfied with the team's composition.
Having shinobi from three elite clans—the Hyuga, the Aburame, and the Moonlight—was no coincidence. Clearly, Konoha's upper echelons had begun taking notice of him and were now allocating him high-value resources.
Even without deploying his mechanical surveillance mice, Tian Yu knew that with the Byakugan, kikaichū insects, and Moonlight Kuizi's kekkei genkai, their detection range could cover several kilometers. If danger arose, he could retreat early and preserve the team.
Most Anbu teams could only dream of fielding even one recon-type shinobi. Tian Yu had been given three.
Looks like Kakashi's mentorship came with benefits, Tian Yu mused.
"All gear accounted for. Rations prepared. We depart now."
Before they left, Tian Yu gave one final directive:
"Stay alert at all times during the mission. Do not allow emotions to cloud your judgment. Calmness is the most important quality in Anbu operations. If I find anyone's performance lacking, they'll be removed from the squad. I don't tolerate dead weight. Let's move!"
Unknowingly, Tian Yu's presence had taken on the air of a true leader—confident, composed, and commanding.