Kitazawa brought Kabuto to their squad's usual training ground, located within the Ninja Academy.
Since they weren't Academy students, however, they didn't train alongside the Genius Class.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
Torune and Izumi immediately halted their practice and greeted him with respect.
"Hmm."
Kitazawa gave a curt nod. "Continue."
With that, he stepped into an open space nearby.
"Wind Release: Great Vacuum Sphere may be a B-rank jutsu," Kitazawa began, "but it's far more difficult to master than Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet."
He paused, his tone sharpening. "Once you've learned it, Kabuto, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call you a Wind Release-level Jōnin."
He wasn't speaking idly. In the original work, Danzo had once used this very technique to clash against Sasuke's Susanoo. Though it hadn't completely shattered the defense, the impact had been undeniable.
Combined with the Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet and Wind Release: Shuriken Kabuto already commanded, the boy truly stood at the threshold of Wind Release mastery—though admittedly still below a veteran like Danzo.
[As a squad leader, the highest achievement lies in guiding your students to become Jōnin.]
[Current Mission: Cultivate your first Jōnin.]
[Reward: +20% Senju Bloodline.]
[Accept?]
Kitazawa's eyes widened slightly. Well, that's a pleasant surprise.
He hadn't expected Kabuto to trigger such a mission, but it was obvious who the system was pointing to. Kabuto's medical ninjutsu had already reached Jōnin-level. If he added Wind Release mastery, his promotion was only a matter of timing—and passing the exam.
The real obstacle wasn't skill. It was missions. Their squad was too new; their record far too thin. For the Chūnin Exams that wasn't critical, but the Jōnin promotion was personally overseen by the Hokage. Even if Hiruzen favored Kitazawa, the numbers still had to look convincing.
Fortunately, that was a simple fix: let the team take more missions. With their current strength, anything below A-rank would be cleared quickly. They'd gain experience and sharpen their ninjutsu along the way.
Kitazawa accepted the mission without hesitation. A twenty percent boost to his Senju bloodline was far too valuable to ignore. He already carried forty percent. At sixty, there might even be a qualitative change.
"Kabuto, watch closely. I'll demonstrate."
Kitazawa refocused, weaving hand seals deliberately slowly so Kabuto could memorize the sequence. His chest expanded, and he exhaled with a roar of chakra-laden wind.
The gale condensed, compressing into a massive sphere of air before launching forward.
BOOM!
The ground split apart under the force, debris and grass shredding violently as dust clouds spiraled into chaos.
Kabuto's eyes widened. "Such destructive power…" He finally understood why Kitazawa had compared this jutsu to the strength of a Wind Release Jōnin.
Even Torune and Izumi, drawn by the impact, watched in astonishment.
"Your turn," Kitazawa said, stepping back.
Kabuto nodded eagerly, but the technique proved more challenging than expected. He failed several times—yet with Kitazawa's guidance, his progress was steady.
Half an hour later, Kitazawa raised a hand. "Pause for now. All of you, come here. I have something to discuss."
The three lined up before him.
"Our squad's mission record is far too thin. This will hinder your chances of future promotion to Jōnin."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, suspecting immediately that Kitazawa's words were aimed at him. And indeed, the prospect of becoming a Jōnin was enticing—more authority, more status… and more resources to help Nono and the orphanage.
"When time permits, I'll personally take you on A-rank or even S-rank missions," Kitazawa continued. "But ordinarily, the three of you will handle missions below A-rank together."
He turned to Kabuto. "You'll take responsibility for organizing these."
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei." Kabuto answered crisply.
Kitazawa rested a hand on his shoulder. "Once you master Great Vacuum Sphere, I'll petition the Hokage for you to attempt the Jōnin Exams."
"Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei." Kabuto's voice was calm, but inwardly he thought, As expected.
Torune and Izumi, however, were stunned. Barely three months into their Chūnin promotion, their teammate was already being prepared for Jōnin?
Neither could deny the gap. Torune's poisonous nano-insects gave him edge, but otherwise his strength was middling. Izumi was an elite among Chūnin, but without enough talent, her growth had limits.
Kabuto smiled gently at their reactions. "Even as a Jōnin, I'll still be your teammate. And you two will reach Jōnin as well—it'll just take a little longer."
Their tension eased, and both nodded. Kitazawa's lips curved. With Kabuto in the squad, he hardly had to worry about division.
"Remember," he added, "missions can escalate. If you encounter anything suspicious, report to me immediately."
The warning wasn't idle. After all, even Team Seven had once stumbled upon Zabuza Momochi on a supposed C-rank mission.
"Yes, sensei," Kabuto replied, then asked, "Should we head to the mission hall now?"
"You may." Kitazawa nodded. "But any mission outside the village must be cleared with me first."
"Understood."
Kabuto led the team away, leaving Kitazawa alone. He considered heading to the Artificial Lake to practice Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique—until new text shimmered before his eyes.
[Mission Complete: Assist Shino Aburame in cultivating fire-resistant kikaichū.]
[Reward: +10% Fire Release damage resistance.]
Kitazawa raised a brow. So Shino succeeded?
Not fully, perhaps. Only two strains had been bred—one resistant for three seconds, another for five. But even that was a breakthrough for the Aburame clan. Against standard Fire Release users, they now had an advantage.
As for Kitazawa, the new resistance was… modest. He rarely got hit by Fire Release ninjutsu to begin with. Still, better than nothing.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
He turned to see Shino hurrying over, uncharacteristically excited.
"I did it!" Shino held out both hands—his left cradling the three-second kikaichū, his right holding the weaker five-second larvae.
"Congratulations," Kitazawa said with genuine warmth. "Perhaps, in time, you'll leave your name in the clan's history."
Shino blinked, startled, then shook his head. "I didn't do much. It was mainly thanks to your guidance, sensei."
"No need for modesty." Kitazawa studied the insects. "Your next step should be water-resistant kikaichū. Conveniently, I've been training with Great Waterfall Technique—I'll help you with the process."
"I'll follow your lead, sensei."
[New Mission: Assist Shino Aburame in cultivating water-resistant kikaichū.]
[Reward: +10% Water Release damage resistance.]
[Accept?]
Kitazawa accepted at once, accompanying Shino to their experiment site. Fire resistance had been forged by enduring fire. Water resistance would require drowning in water again and again.
As Shino set the kikaichū on the ground, Kitazawa exhaled, molding chakra into a surging waterfall of crashing torrents—beginning the next phase of their experiment.
Tuesday slipped by in the blink of an eye.
After school, Kitazawa didn't head straight home. Instead, he made his way to the Academy's conference room.
Next week marked the first monthly exam of the semester. Even with the Genius Class being… unconventional, exams were still mandatory.
"Vice Principal Kitazawa."
The teachers greeted him respectfully as he entered.
"Since everyone's here, let's begin."
Kitazawa took his seat at the head of the table.
The format hadn't changed much—teachers drafted the questions, and he compiled the exam papers afterward. The only difference this time was that the Genius Class needed a separate set of questions. Their members came from different grades, so giving them a standard first-year test would be laughably inappropriate.
Kitazawa assigned this task to Iruka. As the Genius Class's theory instructor, he was the best choice anyway. And more importantly… Kitazawa had no intention of wasting his own time.
Being vice principal meant he could delegate. He wasn't about to micromanage like Naruto did later as Hokage. His style was closer to Tsunade's—work when necessary, slack whenever possible.
After all, in the ninja world, strength spoke loudest. Hashirama's political skills couldn't match Tobirama's, yet history remembered him as the God of Shinobi.
Once the meeting concluded, Kitazawa stepped outside, his thoughts already on the upcoming exam.
He had only one mission in mind: ensure Neji defeated Naruto.
Naruto had been training diligently, but his progress had plateaued these past two months. Neji, on the other hand, had added both the Shadow Clones and Vacuum Palm to his arsenal.
Naruto still held the edge in raw power, but he lacked experience. That gap could be exploited.
The key would be the Vacuum Palm. Naruto still thought of Gentle Fist as strictly close-quarters. He wouldn't expect a long-range strike.
I'll arrange focused combat drills for Neji this week, Kitazawa decided, stroking his chin.
Wednesday, 9 a.m.
The Genius Class assembled at the training ground.
"I have an announcement."
Kitazawa's voice carried easily across the field. "The first monthly exam will take place next Thursday and Friday."
"A month already?" Naruto scratched his head. "Time flies."
"Flies? Feels like it crawls." Shikamaru groaned.
Back in Class A, he could sneak naps during lessons. Here, only Monday was for lectures—the rest of the week was endless training. Worse, Kitazawa's shadow clones made sure he couldn't slack.
"If I had two more weeks, I could've learned two more Water Release jutsu…" Sakura muttered, pouting. She had barely mastered Water Release: Water Bullet, and one jutsu wasn't enough to guarantee a win against Ino.
"Don't think I don't see through you," Ino teased, nudging her with an elbow. "Sensei made two personalized jutsu just for me!"
"Two?!" Kiba's jaw dropped.
Ino crossed her arms smugly. "What can I say? Talent."
Naruto's fists clenched with envy. "Lucky! I wanna learn something new too!"
"You're still laying your foundation," Shino said coolly, adjusting his glasses.
Naruto nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, but it feels so slow…"
That made Sasuke exhale in quiet relief. His own growth had stalled—he was fixated on mastering Chidori and training his Lightning Release transformation. At least he had Leaf Swordsmanship now, though he hadn't begun the secret techniques like Leaf Style: Willow.
Shikamaru spoke up, annoyed but honest. "Your strength shot up too fast before. You've hit a bottleneck."
"I've got a secret weapon!" Tenten announced proudly.
Neji raised an eyebrow. "Another ninja tool?"
"Nope," she said mysteriously. "Something Kitazawa-sensei gave me. It's insanely strong."
"Sensei wouldn't let you use it in the exam, right?" Ino asked. "That'd be bullying the rest of us."
"Bullying?" Tenten blinked, flustered. She had planned to unleash Shiromari during the exam.
"Spit it out already!" Kiba barked.
"Yes!" Lee's eyes sparkled. "Reveal this blazing secret of youth!"
Everyone leaned in, curiosity sharp—except Hinata and Ino, who already knew.
"…It's a summoned beast."
"Pfft. Just that?" Kiba scoffed. "Every Inuzuka has one. Well, except me. Still looking for mine."
"I have three," Hana said smugly.
"The Aburame clan's kikaichū could be considered summons as well," Shino added calmly.
"But mine's special!" Tenten puffed out her chest. "None of you could beat it."
"Yeah right," Sakura shot back instantly. "There's no way a beast could beat Sasuke-kun!"
Sasuke gave the faintest nod. The Uchiha were warriors—summons were tools, not the source of true strength.
Ino, however, coughed lightly. "I think… you'd be surprised." She had seen the lizard firsthand.
Sasuke's pride bristled. No beast could surpass him.
"Sensei!" Tenten piped up eagerly. "Can I use it in the exam?"
"No." Kitazawa's tone was firm. "Summoning drains too much chakra—you'd cripple yourself."
"Then I'll just let it fight!" she insisted, eyes shining.
"The exam measures your ability, not your summon's." Kitazawa tapped her forehead.
Besides, he thought, Shiromari would completely upset the Academy's balance. Sealing it away was necessary.
"Fine…" Tenten sulked, but the fire in her eyes didn't fade.
"Can we at least see it?" Kiba asked. He doubted her words, but Kitazawa's refusal hinted otherwise.
"I wanna see too!" Naruto raised his hand.
Sasuke, Shikamaru, and the rest nodded silently, just as curious.
Tenten clasped her hands, pleading cutely with Kitazawa.
"…You can. But not here. Follow me to the Forest of Death."
"Let's go!" Tenten cheered.
Excitement buzzed through the group as they trailed Kitazawa into the forest's depths.
In an open clearing, Tenten bit her thumb, slammed her palm to the ground.
Summoning Jutsu!
A plume of smoke erupted—and a towering lizard, over twenty meters tall, emerged with a guttural roar.
"So… so huge!" Naruto's jaw nearly hit the ground.
Even Sasuke's eyes widened. Against something that size… he wasn't sure he'd win.
The rest could only stare, awe written across their faces.
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