Early morning, Ninja Academy.
As soon as class began, Akira received a message from Sato-sensei.
“What?
Early graduation?
But I never applied for it!” Looking at the genin forehead protector Sato-sensei handed him, Akira was completely dumbfounded.
He had planned to keep developing himself at the Academy until he graduated normally at twelve.
So why was he suddenly graduating now?
Sato-sensei smiled.
“The Third Hokage-sama has reformed the Academy system.
Outstanding children like you who already possess sufficient ability are all graduating early.
And it’s not just you.
Tsunade and Hiruko have graduated as well.” Akira clenched his fists.
That damned old monkey…
What a heartless capitalist.
Konoha must have lost too many genin, so they’re short on labor.
Now they’re rushing a batch of students into the workforce.
Beside him, Tsunade had already put away her forehead protector.
She looked at Akira in confusion.
“Don’t you always talk about the Will of Fire?
Now it’s finally time for you to shine for the village.
Why do you look so unhappy?
Just look at Hiruko.” Akira glanced over.
That idiot had already tied the forehead protector around his head.
He had absolutely no idea he had just entered the tragic life of a working adult and was grinning from ear to ear.
And becoming a genin meant he would have to earn his own living from now on.
The village wouldn’t be giving him survivor assistance anymore.
Didn’t he understand that?
Akira suddenly wanted to grab Hiruko by the shoulders and shake the water out of his head.
The Third Hokage really knew how to do the math.
Instead of continuing to pay orphan stipends, he could have Academy students work as genin, saving government expenses while increasing the village’s manpower.
Two birds with one stone.
No wonder you became Hokage…
He sighed dramatically.
“Once you become a genin, you lose your financial assistance.
That money was earned with my parents’ lives.” “…It makes me a little sad.” After hearing his explanation, Tsunade fell silent for a moment.
Then she softly said, “People have to keep moving forward.
You can’t stay trapped in the past forever.” “I’m sure your parents would want to see you grow.” Akira blinked.
…What exactly did you imagine this time?
When did I ever say I was living in the past?
Forget it.
At times like this, smiling is enough.
He smiled at Tsunade before changing the subject.
“After graduation, we’ll all be assigned to shinobi teams.” “I hope I’ll still get to be with you.” Tsunade returned his smile with one just as bright.
“Me too.” “I hope I end up on the same team as you, Akira.” Hiruko suddenly poked his head out from behind Tsunade.
“Me too!
Me too!” Tsunade’s smile froze slightly.
Akira was speechless.
Kid…
Read the room.
Was this really your cue to jump in?
As the three of them walked out of the classroom together, Class 2-A immediately erupted into thunderous cheers.
The three study maniacs were finally gone!
Now…
A new king would rise.
As long as everyone secretly studied harder than everyone else…
They could become the next king of grinding.
The students enthusiastically discussed how they would finally be free from endless competition.
At the same time, every single one of them secretly resolved to study even harder while everyone else let their guard down.
Such innocent children had been thoroughly corrupted.
As for whose fault that was…
It seemed Hiruko had started the trend.
That’s just how honor students were.
The three friends went to have their graduation photos taken before registering their shinobi records.
Following their instructor’s directions, they entered an assigned classroom to wait.
There wasn’t even any legendary graduation exam.
They simply waited for an instructor to come collect them.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Meanwhile, inside the Hokage’s Office…
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked over the graduating students’ files while considering what kind of students should be assigned to Shimura Danzo.
As part of the Academy reforms, every instructor would now lead a three-person genin squad.
Not only would Hiruzen personally mentor students, but his former classmates would each do the same.
Hiruzen had already chosen his own team.
Senju Tsunade.
The civilian prodigy Orochimaru.
And Jiraiya, the Academy dead last who happened to be Orochimaru’s closest friend.
Choosing students for Danzo, however, required more careful consideration.
No matter what happened, Danzo always competed with him.
Even disciples were no exception.
So he needed to assign an appropriate team.
Akira had been personally taught by Mito-sama.
Politically, he carried influence comparable to Tsunade’s, and the two were also close friends.
He was a suitable choice.
As for the second member…
Hiruko got along well with Akira.
Pairing them together would strengthen the team’s bonds.
The question was…
Who should be the third?
Hiruzen lightly tapped the desk with his fingers as he thought.
Given Danzo’s personality, assigning him a dead-last student would probably result in that child being neglected.
He didn’t want to ruin someone’s future.
Then…
Another genius it would be.
So when Akira arrived at the designated training ground after receiving his assignment…
He found Shimura Danzo already waiting.
At this point in time, the future “Pot Kage” was still young.
He still had both eyes.
Both arms.
And he hadn’t become psychologically twisted yet.
As a character who had essentially been created later to shoulder blame for the Third Hokage while patching plot holes, Danzo had died an unbelievably miserable death.
Sasuke had killed him once…
Then killed him again.
And again.
Over and over.
More than ten times.
The audience had certainly found it satisfying, but plenty of fans couldn’t help complaining.
For someone with what was practically “Version 5.5 Hokage” equipment…
His performance had been unbelievably awful.
Using Izanagi to dodge ordinary kunai.
Stabbing Susanoo with a kunai.
Sacrificing his life just to seal a bridge.
Every one of those moments had become legendary, for all the wrong reasons.
Madara had used Izanagi to return from death.
Obito had used Izanagi to reverse certain defeat.
And Danzo?
He used Izanagi…
…to dodge kunai.
You could only say one thing.
Old age really clouded a man’s judgment.
But in reality, the young Danzo was extraordinarily capable.
As the personal disciple of the Second Hokage, he had once been qualified to compete directly with Hiruzen for the title of Hokage.
He was nothing like the senile old man he appeared to be by the end of the original story.
Hiruzen possessed all five basic chakra natures— Wind, Lightning, Water, Fire, and Earth— allowing him to use every basic elemental release.
Danzo also possessed five chakra natures.
His, however, were Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, and Yin Release.
Likewise, he stood among the absolute elite of ordinary shinobi, with virtually no elemental weaknesses.
People like Danzo and Hiruzen represented the very peak an ordinary shinobi could reach.
Above them…
Were the monsters blessed with all kinds of bizarre kekkei genkai.
Danzo had always regarded the Second Hokage as his role model.
Whatever Tobirama did, he copied.
Tobirama never married.
Neither did he.
Tobirama rarely smiled.
Neither did he.
His face perpetually looked like someone owed him a lifetime of happiness.
The moment Akira saw Danzo…
He felt as though the sky had collapsed.
If I become Danzo’s student…
Will I even have a chance of becoming Hokage in the future?
After all…
Danzo himself was the person most obsessed with becoming Hokage.
The problem was that Danzo’s methods were simply too extreme.
Hiruzen was always stopping him, leaving him constantly frustrated.
And whenever the two disagreed, Hiruzen would simply end the argument with one sentence.
“I’m the Hokage.” That single line had practically given Danzo a tumor from sheer anger.