Everybody listened intently to the teacher as he revealed who will be their teammates for the foreseeable future.
"And without further ado, these are the team formations:
"Assault Squad, Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata Hyuga, and Haku Yuki."
"AW YEAH!" Naruto shouted as he grabbed both Hinata and Haku in a hug on each arm. Haku merely chuckled, while Hinata turned red like a tomato.
"I'm in the same team as Naruto-kun...I can't believe my luck...!" Hinata thought, unmolested by Naruto's arm wrapped around her.
"Naruto, enough!" Iruka angrily shouted. Then he continued reading. "Medical Squad, Sakura Haruno, Karin Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha!"
"Yes! I'm with Sasuke-kun!" both Sakura and Karin gushed at the same time. Noticing what just happened, they glared and hissed at each other.
"There was a time I would have killed to be in the same team as Sasuke, now I feel lucky I'm not with him...come on Sakura, can't you see he's dangerous, and not in a kinky way?" Ino thought while she glanced at both Sakura and Sasuke.
Sasuke raised his hand. "Iruka-sensei, there has to be a mistake. Not only I'm not a medic, but there's no way I can be in the same team as those two! I mean, I can tolerate one, but TWO!?"
"I can assure you that there are no mistakes, Sasuke. If you have any question, talk it with your Jonin-sensei when she arrives," Iruka then turned his eyes back to the list. "Animal Squad, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Tamaki!"
"I'm with the fleabag? I demand another team!" Tamaki asked as she looked at Kiba in disgust.
"You should be honored to be in the same team as me, apprentice of a crazy cat lady!" Kiba spat back.
Shino didn't say anything, just let out a long sigh.
Iruka groaned, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "On second thought, I'm glad you guys are now somebody else's problem."
"And lastly, Tactical Squad, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi and Ino Yamanaka."
Shikamaru high-fived Choji without either of them had to turn at each other.
"Those are the teams. If you have a problem with them, go complain to the Hokage. Now, wait here. Your Jonin-sensei had been warned, and will come to pick you up any moment," Iruka announced before leaving the classroom.
Five minutes later, just as the teacher had said, a Jonin entered the room. A black haired woman that Naruto, and to a lesser extend Sasuke, knew very well.
"Hey, Shizune-neechan!" Naruto enthusiastically called, waving at her. "Are you a jonin sensei?"
Shizune smiled at him. "Yes. I thought it would be a nice experience."
"That's awesome! Are you my team's sensei?"
"I'm afraid not, Naruto-kun. It's forbidden for a Jonin to be the sensei of a team with a close relative on it," noticing that Naruto's disappointment, she added: "But don't worry, I know your sensei, and I'm sure you'll like her. Now, members of the Medical Squad, can you come with me?"
Sasuke, Sakura and Karin got up from their seats and followed the black haired kunoichi out of the class.
"Of course, Konoha's second best medic would be the leader of the medical squad," Sakura thought in realization.
Ten minutes later, two Jonin arrived at the same time. One of them was a tall man with short, spiky black hair and a beard of the same color, and tan skin. He had a cigarette on his mouth. The other was a woman with long raven hair and deep crimson eyes that could be easily mistaken for a Sharingan.
"Tactical Squad, with me," the man said.
"Assault Squad, come with me," the woman added.
Both teams got up from their seats and followed their senseis out of the classroom, leaving the members of the Animal Squad alone.
An hour later
"I believe they forgot about us," Kiba complained. Akamaru barked in agreement.
"Maybe our sensei is late...?" Tamaki said.
"No, late would be fifteen or twenty minutes. I mean, the other senseis only took ten minutes to arrive while we have been waiting here for almost an hour."
"I suggest patience," Shino spoke. "This man is a Jonin, and thus somebody serious worth of his rank. I'm positive that he'll have an acceptable reason for not being on time."
Two hours later
Tamaki was asleep on her desk. Kiba was groaning in annoyance.
"Where the hell is this guy!?"
"Regardless of what I said before, I'm starting to believe that either our sensei forgot about us, or the Hokage forgot to tell him about us. In either case, an unacceptable behavior from either our sensei or the Hokage," Shino commented, a little irritation seeping through his usual stoic monotone tone.
That moment, the door opened, revealing a tall man with silver colored, gravity defying hair, whose lower part of his face was covered by a mask.
"Yo," the man laconically said.
"YOU'RE LATE!" Kiba yelled at the man, abruptly waking Tamaki up.
"Oh, sorry about that. I kinda forgot how to arrive here. You know, it's been a while since I was an academy student," the man said, giving the three Genin an eye-smile. "I believe that you're the Animal Squad?"
"By virtue of being the only remaining team present, yes, we are," Shino replied.
"Alright, then come with me. And once again, sorry for being late. It will never happen again."
The three Genin had the impression that that was a huge lie.
…
Training Ground Ten
Shikamaru, Choji and Ino were sitting on the grass, looking at the tall bearded man in front of him, who had informed that this training ground would be now where they will be training from now onwards as a team.
"Alright, before I explain you the role of this team as a whole, why don't you introduce ourselves to each other, you know, to be better acquitted," the man said as he gave his cigarette a puff. "I'll start. My name is Asuma Sarutobi. I like to train, hang out with my friends, and play shogi," Shikamaru perked up upon hearing this. "I dislike bullies, and those who doesn't get take their roles as a ninja seriously. My dream is to make a name of myself, marry a nice woman, and start a family."
It was Ino who perked up upon hearing the last bit of information. Her mouth curved into a huge smile "Do you have somebody in mind already?"
"I don't think I have to tell you that," Asuma replied.
Ino's grin grew even wider. "That mean yes, then. Was that that pretty woman that came with you? I noticed the looks she was shooting at you."
"Man, if I knew that this girl was so much into gossiping I would have my trap shut," Asuma thought. "Why don't you share something about you? That way we should be even."
"Why, of course," Ino chirped, before clearing her throat. "My name is Ino Yamanaka, future heir of the Yamanaka Clan once I'm eighteen. I like shopping and gossiping," her face considerably soured before continuing. "I dislike traitors and murderers. And my dream is to become a great kunoichi so I can lead my clan properly so we can keep Konoha safer."
Asuma remembered that Ino lost her dad during the Uchiha insurrection. While she didn't made any specific references, it was easy to guess who she was thinking when she talked about "traitors and murderers."
"If you work hard, I'm sure you'll achieve your dream," Asuma then turned to Choji, who was munching some chips, and nodded at him. The Akimichi took the hint.
"My name is Choji Akimichi. Eating is what I like the most. While I have some favorite foods, I'm also open to taste new things. I dislike people who judge others based on their appearance. And my dream is to become a great ninja, just like my father."
"Well, maybe you could moderate a little on the food if you want to achieve that goal," Asuma said, making Choji to frown at him, but didn't stop eating his chips. The Jonin then stared at Shikamaru, who replied with a long sigh.
"My name is Shikamaru Nara. I like playing Shogi and watching the clouds. I dislike...well, pretty much anything that requires some sort of physical effort on my part, if it's not a life or death situation. And my dreams for the future...guess it would be to have a quiet life devoid of complications, and maybe have a family as well."
"Interesting. Maybe you and I should play Shogi sometime," Asuma said, earning a shrug from Shikamaru as if saying "sure, why not?" "And maybe I could do something about that laziness of yours."
Shikamaru gave another shrug, this one meaning "you're welcome to try".
"Alright, so the four of us form the Tactical Squad. The role of this squad will be taking care of missions other specialized teams wouldn't be qualified for, such as infiltration, reconnaissance, captures, dealing with enemies that won't go down with just brute force, and so on.
"It is no coincidence that you three were chosen for this squad. Members of the Nara, Akimichi and Yamanaka clans being on the same team is a tradition that goes back fifteen generations, but I'm sure you're already aware about that.
"Now, I must tell you something. Despite what Iruka might have told you, you're not Genin already," this earned a loud "WHAT!?" from Ino and Choji, and a soft "eh" from Shikamaru. "Before you're officially Genin, I must give you my approval. And before I can do that, I have to test you first."
"What kind of test is going to be, Asuma-sensei?" Choji asked, after apparently finishing his bag of chips.
"A simple spar. You three against me. The teamwork of your three clans is downright legendary, and I want to check if you're going to live up to said legend," Asuma explained before finishing his cigarette, dropping it at his feet, and stepping on it to put it out completely.
The three Genin got on their feet, and prepared for the fight.
...
Training Ground Nine
Just like Asuma's team, Shizune's team were sitting in front of their sensei, though in their case they were sitting on a makeshift bench made out of a fallen tree, Sasuke in the middle with Sakura and Karin at each side. And just like Asuma, Shizune proposed to introduce themselves to each other.
"My name is Shizune Kato. I like medicine, helping others, cute animals, and to visit cultural heritage sites. I dislike drunks and gamblers. My dream is to become a great kunoichi and live up to Tsunade-sama's legacy. Well, now you know a little more about me," the adult medic-nin said with a warm smile. "Who wants to go next?"
Sakura cleared her throat. "My name is Sakura Haruno. I like...well, cute boys," she said, glancing at Sasuke, who didn't react. "I also like medicine. I dislike people who judge others without getting to know them, and my dream is to prove that I can become a great kunoichi despite not being born into a ninja clan."
Without waiting for Shizune to say anything, Karin started her introduction, slightly upset that Sakura got to introduce herself first. "My name is Karin Uzumaki. I like perfumes, medicine, and having a permanent home. I dislike rude people. My dream is to restore my clan to its former glory, and be strong enough so I don't have to worry about people wanting to hurt me or my family."
Shizune nodded and smiled, then looked at Sasuke, who groaned in return.
"Let's get over this already. My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I like training and getting stronger, and when I'm not doing that I like to take long walks. I dislike people who hurt those I care about. And my dream is to become the strongest ninja this village has ever seen, as well as to restore the honor of my clan."
"Well, now that we all know a little more about each other, how about I explain you the role of this team?" Shizune asked. Sasuke raised his hand. "Yes, Sasuke?"
"This is a medical squad, and I can see that you, Sakura and Karin are medics. But I'm not a medic. Shouldn't somebody like Ino or Hinata be here instead of me? I think I belong to the Assault Squad or even the Tactical Squad. Clearly there has been a mistake when the teams were formed."
"Jiraiya-sama told me you'd said that. And no, there were no mistakes with the team placements. If you allow me to explain how this team will work, you'll understand why you're here instead of a more...offensive-oriented team."
"You have my attention then."
"Alright. The Medical Squad is mostly a Search and Rescue team. Our duty includes searching disappeared people, healing the wounded and rescue people from dangerous areas, among many others. When working alongside other squads, our role will be to support them.
"Now Sasuke, as for your presence here. You see, for obvious reasons, medics tend to be the first ones being targeted by the enemy forces. Since most of the time medics will be healing and assisting others, they will be unable to defend themselves and thus vulnerable to enemy attacks."
Sakura and Karin imagined a chibi version of themselves healing a random Konoha ninja, only to be ambushed by an enemy who stabs them in the back multiple times, making their spirit leave their lifeless bodies.
"If that happens, not only we lose a medic, but the person he or she may be healing. Your role is make sure that such thing doesn't happen."
"So I'm an escort?" the Uchiha asked.
"Exactly. I'm glad you got it."
Sakura and Karin replayed the same scenario as before in their minds, except this time a chibi Sasuke appeared and defeated the enemy ninja before he could harm either of them, and posed heroically. Sakura and Karin stared at Sasuke with heart in their eyes as the wounded ninja they were treating died due the lack of medical assistance, causing his spirit to leave the body.
"However, there is something you should know: you're not real Genin yet," Shizune revealed, much to her students shock. "You still need to go through one last test to determine if you're worthy of being part of this team. If you fail, you will be sent back to the Academy."
Sasuke's initial shock was short lived. "I've taken quite a few tests already. I'm not afraid to take one more."
"Sasuke-kun is right, whatever you have planned, we can go through it!" Sakura added.
"Eh, what she said," Karin said.
"Alright. See the small forest behind me?" Shizune asked, motioning back. "There's a medical training dummy hidden somewhere among the trees. Your task is finding said dummy, treat its injuries, then bring it here. I will attack you from time to time. But don't worry, I will hold back. Now go!"
The two girls and the one boy rushed into the forest.
...
Training Ground Seven
Just like the two teams before, Kakashi asked their Genins to introduce themselves.
"Why don't you introduce yourself first?" Tamaki suggested.
"Alright, I guess it would be fair," Kakashi said. "My name is Kakashi Hatake. I like many things. As for things I dislike...I don't feel like talking about them. And my dreams...well, I have dreams just like everybody else. There, now you go."
"Wow, not only he's absurdly late, but he doesn't tell anything about himself other than his name," Kiba snarled exasperatedly. Akamaru growled as well.
"Excuse me, Kakashi-sensei, but you can't expect us to tell you personal information about us if you're not willing to share anything about you with us in return. Why? Because while trust is important on a team, trust is also a two-way road. You can't ask for trust if you don't trust others yourself," Shino explained.
Kakashi stared at him for a few seconds as he processed the bug user's elaborated rant.. "How old are you again?"
"Twelve. But I fail to see how's that relevant to the matter at hand."
Tamaki shifted in her seat, and looked at Shino. "I believe Kakashi-sensei thinks you don't speak like a kid our age should."
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with my manner of speech. And if you thing there is something wrong, then, like kids our age usually say, deal with it."
Kakashi let out a sight. "Okay, let's start over again. My name is Kakashi Hatake. I like books, dogs and training," this elicited a smirk from Kiba and a frown from Tamaki. "I dislike people who abandon their comrades. And my dream...well, I'm not entirely sure, guess it would be to make up for all the mistakes I made in the past and all the people I failed. There, are you happy now?"
"What mistakes?" Tamaki asked, leaning forward.
"What people you failed?" Kiba asked, interested as well.
"Sorry, that's all you're going to get from me right now, so don't push your luck. Well Kiba, why don't you introduce yourself?"
"Alright. My name is Kiba Inuzuka, and this is my best friend, Akamaru!" Akamaru happily barked upon being acknowledged. "I like dogs, take long walks, running, and meat! I dislike cats," Kiba shot a glare at Tamaki. The girl merely stuck her tongue at him. "And my dream is to reach higher than any Inuzuka ever did, like being Hokage!"
"Interesting," was all that Kakashi said. He then motioned at the only girl in the group. "Shall you introduce yourself?"
"Sure. My name is Tamaki. I like playing with my cats, buying new clothes, and climb high places. I dislike dogs, especially those who bark constantly the moment you get near them. And my dream is for one day to start a clan on my own, and make a name for myself."
"Nice introduction," Kakashi said, with his trademark eye-smile. "Now, since that's out of the way, let's-"
"Actually, I believe I didn't introduce myself yet," Shino interceded.
"What? Oh my, I'm sorry! I guess I'm not feeling that hot today," Kakashi replied in an irritatingly jovial tone.
"You know, forgetting about one of your students is not a mark of a good sensei," Shino glared at Kakashi from behind his shades. "Nevermind. My name is Shino Aburame. I like entomology, medicine, and nature. I dislike people who hate or kill insects for no reason. My dream is to discover a new or very rare species of insects, as well as advancing the field of entomology."
"Okay, now that everybody has been introduced, let's get down to business. Given the name of the team, it should be obvious what you all have in common. Kiba has his dog, Shino his insects and Tamaki cats...where are your cats, Tamaki?"
Tamaki half-expected that question. "I don't have them with me all the time, they're with Grandma. If I need them, I can use the Summoning Jutsu."
"Interesting. So young, and with a Summoning Contract?"
"Eh, it's not that big deal," Tamaki said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Another kid of our class, Naruto, can summon toads. What about you? For being the leader of the Animal Squad you don't have any animal with you either."
"Summoning Jutsu," was all what Kakashi answered, thought it was enough to satisfy his students. "Anyway, we're getting off track. From time immemorial, many ninjas had used animals as companions to aid them in battle. Regardless of how powerful a ninja becomes, there are abilities that he or she will never have, but animals do have. This led many clans, such as the Inuzukas, to specialize in breeding animals and develop a fighting style involving them.
"And thus, the main role of the Animal Squad will be to take care of missions in which human ninjas would be insufficient, such as tracking, searching for hidden objects, and so on. Our secondary role will be to offer support to other teams. Do you have any questions? No? Okay. In that case, then you should know that you're not Genin already."
"How can that be, if we graduated from the Academy?" Shino asked, as he adjusted his glasses.
"Because the graduating the Academy is a prerequisite to take the real Genin test. And if you fail it, you'll go back to the Academy."
"Oh come on! You can't do that!" Kiba protested, shaking his fists.
"Trust me, I can. Now, let's proceed with the test," Kakashi then pulled from a pocket two small bells. "Do you know what is this?"
…
Training Ground Eight
Just like the three other teams, Naruto, Hinata and Haku were sitting around their sensei, who was studying them intently.
"Well, look at that. This year we're going to have not one but two Genin teams that are majorly female. It's good to see more women taking the path of the ninja," Kurenai then stared at Naruto, and smiled at him. "Given that you were raised by the strongest kunoichi who ever lived, I'm sure you won't have any problem being the only boy in the team." However, much to her confusion, Naruto started to chortle. The red-eyed woman frowned, and placed her hands on her hips. "Did I say something funny, Naruto?"
"As a matter of fact, you did," Naruto said between giggles.
"Kurenai-sensei...despite my appearance you should know that I'm actually a boy," Haku interceded.
Kurenai stared at the Ice Ninja for a few seconds, and as his words sunk in, her eyes grew while her irises shrunk. A faint blush flashed on her face. Her hands then flew to her face.
"Oh my...! I'm so sorry! I mean, given your name and the way you look...!" Kurenai spluttered
Haku, however, smiled. "It's okay, Kurenai-sensei. A lot of people mistake me for a girl. Guess that the way I dress doesn't help."
"If that happens often, then no wonder he doesn't look upset at all. Still, I can't believe I did that..." the Jonin thought.
"Eh, it's more common than you think. When I went to Suna a few years ago I also saw a guy who looked like a woman," Naruto shared in an almost apologetic tone.
"Okay, okay...let's forget about this and...how about we get to know each other better? I'll start. My name is Kurenai Yuhi. I like going out with my friends for a drink during the evenings. I don't like people who thinks that I'm weak or useless just because I'm a woman. And my dream is to become a kunoichi of renown, like Tsunade-sama. Or at least attain a level of skill close to hers. Now that you know me, who wants to go next?"
"Oh, me!me!" Naruto said, frantically waving his hand at her. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki! I love ramen, learning new jutsus, gardening, my friends and my family! I dislike the three minutes you have to wait for the ramen to cook, as well as people who are mean to others. And my dream is to become the best Hokage who ever lived!"
Kurenai chuckled. "Huh. And here I thought that my ambitions were grandiose. Who wants to go now?"
"I believe I will," Haku said. "My name is Haku Yuki. I like Konoha, Yugao-san, Hayate-san, Zabuza-sama, and the friends I made at the Academy. I don't like people who hate others for reasons outside their control. I don't mind people mistaking me for a girl, but as of recent it's starting to become kind of annoying. My dream is to help Zabuza-sama end the current Mizukage's tyranny and restore peace to the Land of Water."
Kurenai took note of the girl-looking boy's words. His vocal loyalty towards the rogue swordsman was worrying. But then again, he said he liked Konoha. She decided not worry about that for the time being, and looked at the only member of her team that didn't introduce herself yet.
"H-Hi, my name is Hinata Hyuga. I like..." she trailed off, glancing quickly at Naruto while blushing a bit, something both Kurenai and Haku noticed, but Naruto missed. "...I like pressing flowers, gardening, and hanging out with my friends. I dislike rude and mean people, as well as the division of my clan. My dream...is to become a great kunoichi so I can succeed my mother as a clan leader someday, and help her to undo the rift in our clan."
Kurenai smiled at the little Hyuga's introduction.
"Okay, now that introductions are over, I'll explain you the function of this team. As the name implies, we're an offensive unit, with Haku focused on ninjutsu, Hinata on taijutsu, Naruto on a mix of both, and myself on genjutsu. Our job will be mostly focused on combat. Pretty simple as you can see."
"Alright! When are we going to start doing missions?" Naruto asked.
"Oh, about that. Well, you see, you're not Genin already. You still have to pass one more test of my choice. If you fail, you will be send back to the Academy." Kurenai answered.
Naruto took a few moments to process his sensei's words, but when he did, his reaction was both instant and predictable. "WHAT!?"
Haku's face soured. "Then if I don't pass this test...Zabuza-sama will go back to jail?"
"Hey, don't give me those looks. I saw your Academy profiles. This should be piece of cake for you."
"S-So, what is g-going to be the t-test, Kurenai-sensei?" Hinata asked.
"I'm glad you asked," Kurenai then produced a storage scroll, and unsealed an old, rusty body armor. The body armor used to be blue, but the color was now almost completely faded. It had multiple dents and scratches. But what drew their attention were the two huge red and white bullseyes painted in the front and the back of the armor. Kurenai started to put the armor on. "For this test, you'll need to hit either of the bullseyes with a weapon or a ninjutsu attack. You have three hours. To give you guys a chance, I won't use ninjutsu nor genjutsu. Any questions?"
Hinata raised his hand. "The three of us have to hit you?"
Kurenai shook her head. "No, if either of you hit the bullseyes, all three will pass the exam. More questions?" the Jonin asked. Her Genin remained silent. "Alright, in that case, let us commence!"
Kurenai made a hand seal, and she suddenly vanished as if she was made of dust.
"...the hell?" a very confused Naruto asked.
"I-I believe t-that was a g-genjutsu..." Hinata said, thought it was more a guess.
"Wait, so she wasn't even here to begin with?"
"It seems so," Haku concluded as he got up and grabbed a handful of senbon. "Come on, we need to pass this test."
"Yeah, but where did she go?" Naruto asked.
"My guess would be among a group of trees," Haku then turned to Hinata. "Hinata-san, we will need your Byakugan to locate her."
The Hyuga nodded, made a hand seal, and activated her doujutsu.
…
Just like Haku had guessed, Kurenai was hiding on the canopy of a big and lush tree. She felt a bit disappointed that neither of them noticed that she had casted a genjutsu on them while they were talking, but then again the kids weren't used to deal with this kind of illusions. Unfortunately, as good as Jiraiya's Academy reform was, genjutsu was once again barely covered, and the little practice was more about dispelling than casting them.
Anyway, she was sure she could teach at least one of her students the art of illusions. While Naruto's chakra control still needed some polishing before he could use genjutsus, Hinata and Haku were perfect. Though she also discarded Hinata when she remembered that the Hyuga heiress was also training in elemental ninjutsu and medicine besides the Gentle Fist, leaving Haku, who seemed to focus mostly in ninjutsu, as the most suitable candidate.
A whirring sound Kurenai identified as shuriken snapped her of her thoughts. She immediately jumped out of the branch she was resting on before the steel stars embedded themselves into the wood, and landed on a small clearing. Her three Genin appeared shortly afterwards, and surrounded her.
Kurenai smirked. "I must admit, you found me earlier than I thought."
"With Hinata's Byakugan it was piece of cake," Naruto said, as he made a hand seal. "And with this, passing this exam will be even easier. Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Twenty Naruto clones appeared from smoke, forming a circle around the genjutsu mistress. "GET HER!"
Kunai in hand, all Narutos charged forward. Kurenai also pulled out two kunai of her own, and started to slash the orange-clad clones while she dodged their almost telegraphed swings. Some clones that did not charge pulled out some shurikens and threw them at her. Kurenai grabbed one of the clones and used him as a human shield while attacking the others. In a couple minutes, the clones were no more.
Haku decided it was his turn to attack, and threw a trio of senbons at his sensei. Kurenai turned around and deflected all of them with a kunai. From the corner of her eye she saw Hinata ready to strike her with a palm strike. She grabbed Hinata's wrist just before she could touch the Jonin, and threw her crashing against Naruto.
Haku started to make hand seals, but before he could complete the sequence, Kurenai was already in front of him. The raven-haired woman sunk her knee on the Ice Ninja's gut, knocking the wind out of his stomach. And just like she did with Hinata, she grabbed his wrist and tossed the kimono-wearing boy against a tree.
"Tsk, tsk, such a disorganized attack..." Kurenai shook her head in disappointment. "You will need to do better than that if you don't want to return to the Academy!" she said before leaping away.
…
After getting back on their feet, the three Genins decided to regroup, and plan a better strategy, given how attacking her at random produced such a disastrous results.
"Alright, anybody got an idea?" Haku asked.
Naruto nodded. "I believe that Hinata should attack her head on, while we wait for an opening and try to attack her from the distance."
Hinata looked at Naruto surprised. "M-Me, attack Kurenai-sensei? But w-why?"
"Because you're the best at taijutsu here! It isn't obvious?" Naruto explained. "While you keep her distracted, Haku can attack her with his needles and ice jutsus while I use my clones and wind jutsus."
"We will provide you cover so you can get close to her," Haku added.
Hinata looked at her male teammates. They both were placing their trust on her. Despite Hinata wanting to protest, a part of her told her to keep going, and that she could lead the team to success.
"A-Alright," the little Hyuga said, nodding.
Scanning the area with her Byakugan, Hinata found Kurenai standing on a clearing surrounded by several trees. The perfect spot for an ambush. Almost too perfect. While it smelled like a trap, Hinata didn't see any. Or maybe she was taunting them by choosing such a disadvantageous terrain. Nevertheless, they decided to take the risk and attack.
Haku was the one to initiate the attack. He took from his pouch a storage scroll with water sealed on it, and unsealed its contents. A large puddle was former at his feet. Kurenai didn't detect his presence yet. Or she did but pretended not to. Nevertheless, it was time to attack. Haku formed the required hand seals.
"Ice Release: Piercing Icicle Shot!"
Using the water of the puddle, Haku formed several ice spears that floated above him, and flew at Kurenai. The raven haired Kunoichi performed several backflips while avoiding the deathly ice attack. Naruto saw it as the perfect chance to attack.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Kurenai found herself once again surrounded by orange-clad clones. All of them pulled out shurikens and tossed them at her. Kurenai rolled into the ground, expertly avoiding the ninja stars, which ended up hitting the clones instead, dispelling most of them.
"Such recklessness. If those were your teammates instead of mere clones..." Kurenai shook her head in disappointment as she quickly destroyed the few remaining clones.
"Hinata, now!" the last clone shouted before being dispelled.
The Hyuga heiress leaped from her hiding spot at the top of a tree and landed in front of Kurenai. The two women started to trade blows. Thanks to Naruto and Haku attacking from afar, the Genjutsu Mistress was forced into the defensive.
Seeing an opening, Kurenai kicked Hinata in the gut, and dashed at Naruto, who was about to throw more shurikens at her. Kurenai grabbed him by his wrist, and tossed him against a tree. She was about to move towards Haku, when the corner of her eye caught Hinata doing hand seals. Suddenly, Hinata's hands were crackling with electricity. The Hyuga dashed at her as fast as she could.
"Lightning Release: Thunder Palm!"
"She combined the Gentle Fist with elemental manipulation? Amazing. These kids are sure something," Kurenai thought as she dodged Hinata's electricity-enhanced palm strikes. Unfortunately for her, her musings made her fail to see that Naruto was on his feet again and was making hand seals.
"Wind Release: Cyclone Vortex!"
Naruto trusted both his hands forward, forming a cone-shaped gale. Despite pouring a lot of chakra into it, he didn't manage to make it as powerful as he wanted. Still, the cone of wind managed to almost push Kurenai from her spot, and distract her long enough for Hinata to hit her in the shoulder with a palm strike in the shoulder, not only closing her tenketsu, but also numbing her shoulder with electricity.
"AAARGH!" Kurenai shouted as she fell on her knees and instinctively grabbed her shoulder with other hand.
"NOW!"
Haku leaped from behind, and fired a barrage of senbons at the Genjtsu Mistress. Kurenai tried to run as fast as she could, and while she managed to avoid most of them, a couple of soft thuds indicated that at least two of the needles found its mark.
"Haha, yes! We did it!" Naruto cheered, pumping his fist in the air. Haku and Hinata walked towards him.
Kurenai removed her armor, and confirmed that two of Haku's senbons had embedded on the bullseye on the armor's back. She sealed the armor again in the scroll, and walked towards the three Genin, who were still cheering for their victory. Upon seeing her holding her shoulder, Hinata immediately started to use the Mystical Palm Jutsu on it.
"Congratulations, you three, you passed the test," Kurenai praised, smiling, "Now you're real ninjas. See? I told you that it wouldn't be that hard."
"And it was thanks to Hinata!" Naruto claimed as he patted Hinata on the back. "Told you you could do it!"
"W-Well, it was a t-team effort...plus it w-was Haku-kun who dealt the killing blow..." Hinata stuttered as she averted her gaze.
"Hinata is right. You passed the test because you worked together, as a team should," Kurenai interceded.
"So, that was the meaning of the test, to teach us the vaule teamwork?" Naruto asked. "We already knew that!"
"Yes, but that's not all. So far, you only fought in friendly, controlled spars, and tossed kunais and shurikens and immobile tree stumps. This was meant to give you a taste of what you will find out there: fast moving enemies that will come at you with the intention to kill."
"So, what do we do now?" Haku asked.
"Take the rest of the day off. Starting tomorrow, we will take missions at mornings, take a lunch break, then spend a couple hours in the afternoon training. We won't do neither missions nor training during weekends, but please keep training on your own those days as well," Kurenai explained. "Meet me tomorrow at nine in the morning in the Academy for our first mission."
…
Hokage Tower, a few hours later
Jiraiya was sitting at his desk, as usual. In front of Jiraiya were the Jonin-senseis of the four new Genin teams, ready to give their reports, as well as Iruka.
"Tactical Squad has my approval. While we still have some stuff to polish, especially regarding some of their personal priorities, I have faith that they will even surpass all their predecessors," Asuma proudly informed.
Shizune was the next one to talk. "Medical Squad also has my approval. All of them know their roles and they slipped into them perfectly. Maybe the teamwork could use some improvement, but in the future they'll be an invaluable asset."
"Animal Squad passed the test, though barely," Kakashi mentioned. "They do have a lot of potential, but they still need a lot of work."
"Assault Squad has my approval as well. They both have talent and barely need any incentive to work as a team. I just can't wait to see them in action," Kurenai said.
Jiraiya smiled, clearly pleased, and turned at Iruka. "What about that? For the first time in Konoha's history, the True Genin Test has a one hundred percent approval rate, as opposed to past thirty three percent."
"The results speak for themselves. Your educational reform was truly brilliant, Hokage-sama," Iruka replied.
"And it's thanks to you and your fellow teachers, for the great job you did preparing those kids for the future. Oh boy, I can't wait for the Chunin Exams to begin!"
"That will be in three months. Do you think they will be ready by then?" Iruka inquired. "While their abilities are impressive, there's no way they can get enough experience in such little time."
"Have a little faith in them, Iruka. The results may surprise you. Now, if there's nothing left to discuss, you're dismissed."
After the four Jonin and the single Chunin left the office, a pair of ANBU wearing masks of an owl and a tiger brought yet another Jonin, one Jiraiya last had seen four years ago.
"Well, well, well..." Jiraiya was looking at a file on his hand. "So, Zabuza. According to this report, except for getting a couple of fights during your fist year, your behavior has been mostly excellent."
Zabuza chuckled. "Glad to know that. Repressing my killing instinct wasn't an easy task, you know."
"Now that Haku successfully passed all the tests and became a Konoha Ninja, you're to do the same if you want to start to pay your debt with Konoha," Jiraiya snapped his fingers, and one of the ANBU handed Zabuza a Konoha forehead protector and a flak jacket. "While not mandatory, it will be mostly appreciated if you wore at least part of our official uniform."
Reluctantly, Zabuza tied the headband around his forehead and put on the flak jacket.
"Oh, and I believe this is yours," Jiraiya then tossed Zabuza a sealing scroll.
Unsealing the scroll, Zabuza's eyes widen in surprise when he saw his trusty Executioner Blade back in his hands. "You kept it all these years? I thought that you would have given it to somebody else, or sell it to other villages."
"Eh, Konoha doesn't have much of a swordfighting tradition. It will be better in your hands. Now, are you ready to start working your ass off for the village?"
"Sure. But first answer me something," Jiraiya listened to Zabuza intently. "Aren't you worried that once I get out of this village, I never return?"
Jiraiya smirked in satisfaction. He was dying for Zabuza to make that question. "Ah yes. It would be extremely imprudent on my part to letting you out of the village without some kind of leash, right? That's why, before taking you out of prison, my ANBU put you to sleep, and I carved a special seal in your chest. I can activate said seal to give you a heart attack."
Zabuza raised a nonexistent eyebrow, and smirked under his mask. "Right. And you expect me to believe that?"
"If that's the case, then you won't mind if I do this," Jiraiya made a hand seal, and all of sudden, Zabuza fell on his knees, his hand instinctively clutching his chest. He felt as if an invisible hand was crushing his heart to pulp. Even if the effect was short lived, the consequences weren't. "As you can see, I can kill you whenever I want, with a mere hand gesture, from a fifteen kilometer radius. This seal is designed so it only reacts to my chakra, meaning that I'm the only one who can activate or remove it. Well, guess that you could remove it if you find a seal master of my caliber or greater...but good luck with that.
"The seal is also linked to a special map which pinpoints your approximate location. As you can see, you can't escape from my grasp. I will only remove that seal once you complete your probation. Now, are you ready for your first mission?"
Panting heavily, Zabuza slowly got back on his feet, with the help of the ANBU. "I guess...so..."
"Good. Here it goes," Jiraiya tossed Zabuza another scroll.
The Kiri Swordsman unfurled the scroll and read it. His face morphed into a mask of incredulity. "A C-Rank mission? Is this some kind of joke?"
Jiraiya frowned at Zabuza. "If it was a joke, you'll be rolling on the floor, laughing, because besides being a talented writer, magnificent charmer and a kick-ass ninja, I also happen to be gifted comedian. This is a test. You've been four years in prison, and I must check that your abilities didn't get dull."
"I was in jail because YOU send me there!"
"Details, details. Now, Owl, bring in the client."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" the ANBU said before leaving.
A minute later, he returned with the aforementioned client. A gray haired, glasses-wearing middle aged man. He wore a sleeveless v-neck shirt with an obi, pants and a pair of sandals. He also carried a towel around his neck and wore a pointed hat on his head. There was a bottle of sake on his hand.
"Zabuza, this is Tazuna-san, master builder of renown. Your mission will be to escort him to his homeland, the Land of Waves, and protect him until he finishes the construction of the bridge he and his men are working on."
"I doubt this guy could even build a toy bridge," Zabuza skeptically mentioned as he eyed the visibly inebriated man.
Jiraiya ignored Zabuza's remark. "Tazuna-san, this is Zabuza, one of our more...recent recruits. You'll be safe as long you're close to him."
The drunk bridge builder scanned Zabuza with his reddened eyes, his mouth agape. He couldn't decide if he was more afraid of his alleged escort or the powerful man that was after his head.
"Well...guess that the Hokage wasn't lying when he promised me some muscle...boy, you're scary," Tazuna slurred as he eyed Zabuza, his words being coated in terror.
"Thanks," Zabuza replied, unaware that Tazuna's words weren't a compliment.
"Now, you should better get going. Good luck on your first mission, Zabuza," Jiraiya said, waving Zabuza goodbye
Zabuza snarled before leaving, and dragged a very scared Tazuna with him.