Tsunade strode lazily toward the podium, her sharp gaze sweeping over the three graduates before she let out a long, slow yawn.
Truth be told, she had absolute zero interest in playing the part of a Jonin squad leader.
Given the choice, she would much rather be tearing up the tables at the nearest casino.
Beyond her sheer lack of enthusiasm, this particular trio was a political powder keg.
Hideki Sato was perhaps the mildest of the three—seemingly just a lucky kid who had somehow secured a contract with an anomalous, unregistered summoning beast.
The other two, however, were absolute heavyweights.
Mikoto Uchiha was the sole child of the Uchiha clan’s Grand Elder, while Kushina Uzumaki was the designated successor to Mito Uzumaki, chosen to become the village’s next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Managing the internal dynamics of this cell was going to be an administrative nightmare.
Had Mito Uzumaki not personally intervened and requested this of her, Tsunade wouldn’t have touched the assignment with a ten-foot pole.
While Tsunade scrutinized her new charges, the trio studied her right back.
Thanks to her close relationship with Mito, Kushina was already well-acquainted with Tsunade, treating her with an easy familiarity.
Mikoto, however, wore a distinctly subtle, guarded expression.
Though the Hidden Leaf Village had been co-founded by the Uchiha and the Senju, the historical reality between the two clans was one of deep-seated animosity.
In the Uchiha compounds, Tsunade’s reputation was legendary—painted as cold, ruthless, bloodthirsty, and utterly consumed by a crippling gambling addiction.
The last point, at least, wasn’t libel.
Mikoto couldn’t help but wonder if an Uchiha scion serving directly under a Senju princess was an invitation for quiet sabotage.
Hideki, meanwhile, wasn’t burdened by such heavy political calculations.
He was merely observing a fundamental law of universal gravitation: the greater the mass of an object, the stronger its gravitational pull.
From the exact moment Tsunade entered the room, Hideki’s gaze had been entirely, helplessly captured by her striking presence.
It didn’t take long for Kushina to notice his intense preoccupation.
Following the line of Hideki’s locked stare, a sudden, profound wave of inadequacy washed over the young Uzumaki.
Within heartbeats, that insecurity violently mutated into pure, unadulterated embarrassment and anger.
Reaching out with lightning speed, Kushina snatched Hideki by the ear, violently dragging his attention back to reality.
“Hideki!
Sato!
Is!
She!
That!
Good!
Looking?!” Locked eye-to-eye, Hideki could actually feel the hot, furious breath rising from Kushina’s face.
Swept up in the sheer intensity of the moment, Hideki’s hand moved entirely on instinct, his fingers brushing against Kushina’s flushed cheek as he spoke without a second thought.
“Not as good-looking as you.” The reaction was instantaneous.
Kushina’s face erupted into a brilliant crimson that easily rivaled the shade of her hair.
She violently shoved Hideki back, her fingers tightly twisting the hem of her shirt as she fiercely muttered under her breath.
“What kind of bizarre things are you spouting out of nowhere?
And keep your hands to yourself, you absolute jerk!” Watching Kushina transform from her usual raucous, iron-fisted persona into a flustered, stammering mess, Hideki briefly wondered if he had slipped into a genjutsu.
However, the sharp, lingering throb in his ear quickly confirmed that this was very much reality.
Before their silent standoff could prolong any further, an exasperated cough cut through the tension.
“Ahem!
What exactly do you two think this place is?
This is the Academy—the cradle of the Will of Fire.
Behaving like this in such a hallowed institution is just…
honestly, kids these days are so precocious it’s exhausting.” Tsunade had stepped down from the podium, standing over them with an expression of profound disappointment.
Kushina bolted upright, her arms flailing as she tried to defuse the situation.
“Tsunade-nee-san, what are you even implying?
I would never think of Hideki that way!
I’m going to be the next Hokage!
I don’t have time for such frivolous distractions!” Tsunade placed a firm hand on Kushina’s head, dampening her frantic energy.
“I didn’t even say what you two were doing, kiddo.
Talk about a guilty conscience.
Furthermore, we are on duty.
Drop the ‘Nee-san’ and address me properly by my title: Sensei.” After the brief commotion, Tsunade led the trio up to the Academy roof.
She perched herself casually atop the safety railing—a precarious drop that would make any ordinary person break a sweat.
But given Tsunade’s monstrous physical conditioning, a plunge from this height would likely result in a demolished concrete floor rather than a scratch on her skin.
“Alright,” Tsunade began, crossing her legs as she leaned back against the open sky.
“Barring any unforeseen disasters, I am your official Jonin commander.
My name is Tsunade.
I specialize in taijutsu and medical ninjutsu.
My hobbies include drinking heavily and losing money at the tables.
Let’s get the introductions out of the way.
Kushina, you start.” Kushina stepped forward, her voice confident.
“My name is Kushina Uzumaki.
I specialize in sensory ninjutsu and sealing techniques.
I love savory ramen, I absolutely despise tomatoes and anything bitter, and my dream is to become the greatest Hokage this village has ever seen.” Tsunade nodded, shifting her sharp amber eyes to the center.
“I am Mikoto Uchiha,” the girl offered with a elegant bow.
“I specialize in Fire Style and Lightning Style.
I enjoy three-color dango, I dislike spicy foods, and my goal is to become a truly exceptional shinobi.” Tsunade offered another brief nod before finally landing her gaze on the sole male member of the squad.
Hideki summoned Charmander in a brief swirl of smoke, tucking the amber creature securely into his arms.
“I’m Hideki Sato.
This is my closest partner, Charmander; he specializes in Fire Style and close-quarters combat.
I don’t have any particular likes or dislikes, and my dream is simply to live a life of absolute freedom.” Tsunade fixed her gaze on the creature nestled in Hideki’s arms.
With her extensive battlefield experience, she could easily discern that the raw chakra and physical density of this “Charmander” easily rivaled a seasoned elite Chunin.
In terms of raw, unassisted combat output, the unremarkable Hideki Sato was arguably the most dangerous asset in the cell.
A combat style reliant entirely on a unique symbiotic summon, similar to the Aburame clan?
Interesting, Tsunade mused silently.
“Very well.
As of today, Squad Three is officially established,” Tsunade announced, sliding off the railing with effortless grace.
“Dismissed for the day.
Tomorrow at three in the afternoon, meet me beneath the Hokage Monument.
Don’t be late.” “Tsunade-sensei,” Mikoto interrupted, her voice tinged with mild curiosity.
“Are we not conducting a deployment test?
Something like the bell test?” Tsunade raised her arms, throwing her shoulders back in a long, lazy stretch that accentuated her immaculate figure.
Before Hideki could even attempt to appreciate the view, Kushina deliberately stepped into his line of sight, her bright red hair entirely blocking his field of vision.
“Haah…
those pointless exercises are a waste of time,” Tsunade drawled, turning away from them.
“I reviewed the records of your graduation exams.
The three of you already possess the functional capabilities of active shinobi; there’s no need for redundant theatrics.
More importantly, I need to get home and catch up on my sleep.
I’m not in the mood.” Before the sentence had even fully registered, Tsunade vanished in a sudden gust of wind, leaving the three genin alone on the empty roof.
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