A few minutes had passed since lunchtime ended. At the moment, Team 11 was waiting for the sensei who would be in charge of the team.
Getting up from her seat, Ino poked her head through the doorway, but she didn't see anyone.
"Isn't he taking a little too long?" she asked.
Hinata timidly shook her head.
'This is so annoying,' Ino thought. 'First they put me on the same team as the weirdo, and now it turns out the sensei in charge of our team is late.'
Returning to her seat, Ino made a displeased face.
"Maybe sensei had something to take care of before coming here," Hinata said.
Giving up, Ino rested her head on the desk and closed her eyes.
"Then all we can do is wait..."
While Ino and Hinata waited for their sensei, Toru looked out the window, trying to think about the choices that had been made for the teams and the sensei who had been assigned to them.
'Who will be the sensei leading our team?'
"I'm getting sick of this. When is sensei going to get here?" Ino complained, getting up from her seat once again.
As Ino complained, the door opened, revealing a quiet man. He had short brown hair, black eyes, and wore the standard Jounin vest.
"Sorry I'm late. I had a few things to discuss with the Hokage-sama," the man said, scratching his head.
In response, Ino simply showed her displeasure.
"Are you our sensei?"
Looking the man up and down, Ino could only think that the man in front of her was a terrible shinobi.
"Uh... yes, I'm the Jounin-ranked ninja who will be leading this team," he replied with a friendly expression on his face. At first glance, he seemed like a calm and sociable man.
'Incredible. I'm always surrounded by weirdos. First there's the idiot staring out the window like a moron, and now there's this guy with an old man's aura.'
"All right, how about we go outside for a while? It'll be better to introduce ourselves somewhere more comfortable," the man said.
'So he's our sensei... I was expecting someone less calm, but I guess this is better.'
Getting up from his seat, Toru headed toward the exit.
Getting up as well, Hinata followed Toru.
"Wait for me, Toru-kun."
"This is getting way too stressful." Looking the sensei in the eyes, Ino walked through the door.
After the students left the classroom, the sensei sighed.
"I still think Kakashi set me up. He never told me I'd become the Jounin in charge of a team," the Jounin said before following his students.
—Somewhere near the Ninja Academy—
Everyone sat on the steps in front of their sensei. Toru maintained his poker face, Hinata looked up at the sky with a peaceful expression, and Ino kept lamenting over and over again while wondering, 'Why am I on this team?'
"Now that we're here, it's time for introductions," the sensei said, looking at his students with a slight smile. "My name is Yamato, and as you already know, I'm a Jounin. There are a few things I like, such as hot springs and good food. I also like being pleasant and friendly, but I have no problem ruling through fear."
After hearing that, Ino could only think about her future on this team.
"Now that I've introduced myself, it's your turn. How about you?" Yamato said, looking at Hinata.
"Um... yes."
Getting up from her spot, Hinata looked at Ino and Toru before introducing herself properly a few seconds later.
"My name is Hyuga Hinata... Um... I'm from the Hyuga clan. Um... there are many things I like... In the future, I want to become someone strong and worthy... Someone capable of leading a clan."
Looking forward with determination in her eyes, Hinata's words surprised Toru. He only remembered the Hinata from four years ago, that timid and weak little girl, but now...
'I don't know what happened to her, but... it seems people really do have the ability to change who they are.'
After hearing Hinata's introduction, Toru thought about himself; his personality hadn't changed at all over the past few years.
As Hinata took her seat once again, Yamato looked at Ino, who still had a displeased expression on her face.
"All right, your turn."
"Ha~ My name is Ino, Yamanaka Ino. There's only one thing I like, and that's Sasuke. I plan to make him fall in love with me in the future."
After that brief introduction, Ino took her seat. Everyone there fell silent because of the girl's pitiful introduction. Even Toru was affected by Ino's introduction.
"Ino's head contains two things: Sasuke and air. There's more air in Ino's head than anything else," Toru said, opening his book.
Ino didn't like that at all.
"What did you say, weirdo?"
Ignoring Ino's words, Toru began reading his book. This made Ino even angrier, but fortunately, Yamato stopped her before Toru ended up in the hospital.
"Calm down, you two. You're on the same team, so you're going to have to get along. Otherwise..."
Yamato's face changed into a strange expression. It was as if the sensei was trying to look intimidating, although in the end, it had the exact opposite effect.
"All right, you're the only one left," Yamato said, looking at Toru.
In response, Toru closed his book and stood up.
"I'm Asahi Toru. I don't have any dreams I want to accomplish in the future, and there aren't many things I like either. I simply live each day quietly."
The introduction ended, and Toru sat down.
Yamato watched this with an uncertain expression. It had been a long time since he'd seen someone so... empty.
"The introductions are over, but there's still something left to do."
Ino tilted her head in confusion.
"Something left to do?"
"Yes. An exam before we officially form the team."
Ino's eyes widened, unable to believe what she had just heard. After working so hard to graduate, she still had to complete one final exam.
"But that can't be possible. Nobody told us about this," Ino protested.
"What will the exam consist of?" Hinata asked, raising her hand.
Yamato answered with a slight smile.
"Let's just say it'll be a surprise."
But despite saying that confidently, his smile became a little awkward. With a strange glint in his eyes, Toru looked at Yamato and asked:
"Just out of curiosity, sensei, you don't actually have any idea what to do for the exam, do you?"
Yamato was about to answer, but he had been discovered far too easily. Had the expression on his face been that obvious? Perhaps Toru was good at reading people...
"I haven't prepared the exam yet because someone is going to help me with it."
For an instant, Yamato saw a brief glimpse of the Copy Ninja.
"Anyway. I plan to hold the exam tomorrow at 5 a.m. I'll give you the details tomorrow, so don't worry. I'll make sure the exam matches your abilities."
"Seriously, today is the worst day of my life."
Letting her arms fall limply at her sides, Ino lamented. Not only had she failed to get on Sasuke's team, but she also had to take a final exam just to stay on her current team.
"That's all for today. I'll see you tomorrow at five in the morning at the training grounds," Yamato said, turning his back to them.
"Wait, sensei!"
Ino tried to stop her sensei, but he disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"I'm leaving too," Hinata said, giving a slight bow.
"Same here," Toru said, doing the same as Hinata while adjusting his scarf before disappearing from the area.
"Wait! Ahh! Why does everyone ignore me?"
Punching the nearest tree, Ino was left completely alone.
"Seriously, I'm not going to fail that exam. I swear I'll pass and make Sasuke fall in love with me."
Placing her hands around her waist, Ino began laughing as if she'd lost her mind.
—The Next Day—
Walking at a slow pace, Toru covered his face with his scarf. It was very cold since it was so early in the morning.
"Yamato-sensei... I've never heard that name before. Jounin are usually very well known in Konohagakure, like Hatake Kakashi or Might Guy, yet I've never heard of that sensei."
Putting his hands in his pockets, Toru stopped to think for a moment. Yamato seemed like an ordinary man, calm and friendly.
"It's strange. There's something strange about him. For this exam... I have to give it my all. If I fail, everything will have been for nothing."
After saying that, Toru disappeared into the shadows, only to appear at the training grounds minutes later.
"Good morning. You're the first one here."
Yamato sensed Toru's presence the moment he appeared; after all, he was a Jounin-ranked ninja for a reason.
"I couldn't sleep well last night, so I woke up earlier than usual."
Toru looked at Yamato. He was trying to figure out what his sensei was planning.
"Drinking green tea can help relax your muscles. It also makes it easier to sleep."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Then, he leaned against a tree, but immediately noticed someone arriving.
In the distance, two girls appeared: Hinata and Ino.
"Good morning, Yamato-sensei, Toru-kun," Hinata greeted, bowing. She still seemed a little sleepy from having to wake up so early.
"Hey, everyone..." Ino said while yawning and rubbing her eyes.
At the same time, the sun began to rise over the horizon, like a great beacon of hope flooding the earth with light.
"Now that you're all here, it's time to begin the exam."
Toru prepared himself for what was coming. He didn't know what kind of exam he was about to take, but he still had to give it 100% if he wanted to become a true ninja.
"The exam you'll be taking today is... hide-and-seek."
"What?"
Everyone said in unison as Yamato looked at them with a serious expression.