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The Third Hokage took a long drag from his pipe, exhaling a cloud of smoke that made Tsunade wrinkle her nose in distaste.
"His grades are excellent—truly impressive."
Looking over Ronglin's file, Tsunade had to admit that his performance was outstanding. Not only did he surpass his peers, but he even rivaled the previous year's graduates—almost on par with Kakashi.
"But even so, it's not enough to make me take this on. You know how busy I am with the Medical Department..."
"Turn to the next page," the Third Hokage said calmly.
Tsunade frowned but flipped to the second page of the file. After a quick glance, her expression turned slightly shocked. "Is all of this true?"
"Mm-hmm."
The Third Hokage drew out a long hum, pondering as he spoke. "It's all true. That's why I want you to take him under your wing. The Medical Department can wait for now. After the war, all the villages are in a period of recovery, including Konoha. There's not much at the Medical Department that requires your personal attention right now."
The implication was clear: Tsunade wasn't as busy as she claimed. Otherwise, the Third wouldn't have assigned her this task. Tsunade rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"I never expected this kid, who's disliked by both the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, to be such an undeniable prodigy. I wonder if the Uchiha will regret their actions once they find out? After all, what they've done has essentially cut off his path back to the Uchiha clan."
The Third Hokage continued puffing on his pipe, remaining silent. The answer was obvious—no, they wouldn't regret it.
Not only had the ties between Ronglin and the Uchiha been severed, but even if they did feel remorse, the pride of the Uchiha clan wouldn't allow them to swallow their pride and welcome him back. That was the Uchiha way.
As for the Hyuga clan, they would never accept him unless Ronglin revealed the Byakugan.
"At just seven years old, he awakened the Sharingan, excelling in every subject. Fine, I'll take him on!"
After some consideration, Tsunade finally accepted the mission. She understood the Third's intentions. Beyond mentoring Ronglin and ensuring his growth, this was also about giving him a powerful ally. With Tsunade backing him, even if the Uchiha or Hyuga clans grew displeased, they wouldn't dare act against Ronglin.
There were other reasons that prompted Tsunade to accept the task, particularly the lingering tension between the Uchiha and Senju clans.
While the feud between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans was significant, the animosity between the Uchiha and Senju ran even deeper. Though recent years had seen the gradual decline of the Senju clan due to casualties in battle and integration into civilian society, the underlying issues remained unresolved.
"I hope you can help him grow. You know what Konoha is facing..."
The Third Hokage's expression suddenly darkened.
"I understand."
This brought Tsunade back to some unpleasant memories she'd rather avoid, dampening her mood. Picking up the file from the desk, she left the Hokage's office, her high heels clicking against the floor.
A Decline in Talent!
This was the awkward reality Konoha faced after the Second Shinobi World War—the difficulty in nurturing the next generation.
It wasn't just Konoha; the other major ninja villages faced similar challenges, especially those hit hardest by the war: Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure.
Who would be assigned as their sensei?
That night, instead of training as usual, Ronglin chose to rest early in preparation for the next day's assessment.
Bozhongye was right—Ronglin's application was quickly approved, and he would undergo the evaluation alongside the advanced class members rather than being assessed individually like Kakashi.
The next morning, Ronglin arrived at the training ground early. Since he had applied for early graduation, there was no need to wait at the academy for a teacher to arrive. Instead, he went directly to the training field, where his teammates and instructor would meet him.
"Hey, nice to meet you, Uchiha Ronglin. I didn't expect we'd be taking the assessment together."
Soon, two older children—one boy and one girl—arrived at the training ground. The girl greeted Ronglin first, unfazed and cheerful, introducing herself: "I'm Haru Ame Yoru, and this guy here is Shimura Oto. He's pretty quiet, so don't mind him too much."
A team consisting of two boys and one girl was common. However, Ronglin hadn't expected someone from the Shimura clan to be part of his group. Mentioning the Shimura clan inevitably brought up thoughts of Danzo, the shadowy figure willing to do anything to achieve his goals.
Though Danzo was extreme in his methods, Shimura Oto showed none of the arrogance typical of prominent clan heirs. As Yoru described, he was indeed reserved, offering only a nod as a greeting.
"That's just how he is—you'll get used to it. Beneath that icy exterior, he's actually quite the Stifling type." Unlike the taciturn Oto, Yoru was outgoing and bubbly, waving her hand dismissively as she teased him about his quirks.
Oto's lips twitched noticeably, but he didn't retort.
Something was clearly going on between these two!
If there weren't something special between them, no man would tolerate such teasing about his flaws. Ronglin immediately guessed the nature of their relationship—it wasn't hard to imagine given their dynamic. One was Stifling, the other carefree... and considering the world of Naruto, teenage romance wasn't unheard of.
"How did these two end up together?" Ronglin thought idly.
"Nice to meet you both. I'm Uchiha Ronglin. I'm glad to be on the same team."
For Ronglin, adapting socially came naturally. It was simple interpersonal interaction, though it might prove challenging for someone like Kakashi.
No one enjoyed having their warm enthusiasm met with cold indifference—even if the person in question was a prodigy or the heir of a prestigious clan with a powerful father.
"Heehee, Uchiha Ronglin—what a cool name!"
"Uh, Senpai, your name is great too."
"Of course! I was born during the spring rain season, and my name reflects the evening time of my birth. Pretty poetic, huh?"
"..."
It didn't take long for Ronglin to understand why Oto's lips and eyebrows kept twitching. If it were him, he'd have lost patience ages ago.
This experience solidified Ronglin's resolve: when it came to finding a partner, he'd steer clear of chatterboxes—they could drive anyone insane.
Fortunately, though Oto couldn't stop Yoru entirely, he at least retained some semblance of dignity. Clearing his throat, he managed to silence her.
"Looks like you're getting along well." Tsunade's loud voice rang out from afar.
"Hokage-sama!!!" Both Oto and Yoru were stunned, never expecting their sensei to be none other than one of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade!
Even Ronglin was taken aback. Of all people, it had to be Tsunade—the notorious powerhouse with a temper to match...