Tuesday, Ninja Academy.
The Advanced Class students and teachers had all gathered on the training field. Outgoing types like Uzumaki Naruto, Inuzuka Kiba, and Rock Lee were animatedly swapping stories from their missions.
Kitazawa didn't interrupt. He collected the grading sheets for each squad from Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other instructors. One glance told him there were quite a few perfect scores this time. He could understand why—these kids were excellent across the board. Especially Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto; it was hard to find fault with them.
9:00 a.m.
The chatter faded. All eyes turned to Kitazawa. Sasuke unconsciously clenched his fists. First place—he was determined to take it. He'd been flawless on this mission and Maruboshi Kosuke had given him a perfect score. As long as he placed third on the written exam, the overall top rank would be his.
"I'll announce the written exam rankings first," Kitazawa said, noticing the tension in Sasuke's face and smiling. "Pretty much the same as last time."
He read the list.
"Third again!" Sasuke's spirits lifted. He could practically see first place waving him over.
"How do you even study, Shikamaru?" Naruto asked, half awed and half envious. He often topped the practicals, but his lousy theory scores had kept him from ever taking the overall crown.
"No idea," Nara Shikamaru said, hands behind his head. "I skim the questions once and somehow remember them. Didn't really study."
"...Huh?" Naruto's face was a big question mark.
"Shikamaru, when did you start acting like Sasuke?" Kiba scowled. "So what if you're smart!"
Sasuke tugged the corner of his mouth. What does this have to do with me? When have I ever mouthed off like that?
"Ugh!" Yamanaka Ino balled her fists. "Next practical I'm gonna pound you!"
"For once I agree," Haruno Sakura said, siding with Ino.
"Okay, okay—kidding," Shikamaru backed off instantly.
"IQ's innate. Not much you can do," Tenten shrugged.
"Big improvement on the written for Kimimaro this time," Kitazawa added with a smile. "Everyone, learn from him."
"...Me?" Tayuya felt like that was aimed squarely at her. Her written placement hadn't budged—still near the bottom. She ground her teeth. Jugo didn't react. Haku looked abashed; he'd been focused on Ice Release and had slacked on theory. After Kitazawa's remark, he resolved to put more time into studying next month.
"Next up: mission performance scores for the top ten students," Kitazawa said, picking up a second sheet. "We have five perfect scores—our most ever. Worth praising."
"So many?" Ino blinked. Was she one of them? No—Kitazawa had said she and Sakura tied. They'd done well, but compared to Kimimaro they were a bit short; probably not perfects.
Sasuke's heart skipped. Danger. With so many perfects, his advantage was gone. What if… No—no what-ifs!
"Perfect scores go to Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Kurama Yakumo, Kaguya Kimimaro, and Nara Shikamaru," Kitazawa announced.
"What? Shikamaru too?" Kiba gaped.
"You got a perfect?" Ino looked over at him.
"Why couldn't I?" Shikamaru replied. He'd known already, so he wasn't surprised.
"In terms of mission protocols, Shikamaru's more thorough than any of us," Yakumo mused. The Academy's theory course had an entire block on mission conduct—what to do on assignment, how to respond to enemy contact, and so on.
"True," Tenten nodded. "And he did ace the written."
"Wait!" Sakura blurted. "If he's perfect on the written and perfect on performance, then overall he's…?"
She glanced instinctively at Sasuke. The realization hit him too. First place—gone. His head buzzed. How could a sure-thing go sideways?
"Oh!" Akimichi Choji finally put it together, forgetting even his chips. "Overall first place is Shikamaru!"
"Someone actually took first from Sasuke and Naruto?" Kiba got hyped. "I've got hope now!"
Before, it was only a theoretical possibility. Now that it had happened once, it felt real. Nobody had expected Shikamaru to take the overall top spot.
"Congratulations, Kimimaro," Jugo said quietly to his friend.
"Thank you," Kimimaro replied evenly—but he was pleased. Topping the practical felt like he hadn't let Orochimaru down.
Tayuya was frustrated. Back in Otogakure she'd been top among the experimental prodigies; in Konoha it felt like setback after setback.
"Well, that's a twist," Hiruzen chuckled.
"Missions are full of twists," Maruboshi Kosuke said. "I think it's a good thing—keeps Sasuke from getting complacent if he's not first every time."
"With Naruto and Yakumo around, Sasuke won't get smug," Hatake Kakashi said. Despite his Uchiha heritage, Sasuke hadn't picked up the clan's worst habits. In Kakashi's view, Sasuke and Obito were both outliers among the Uchiha.
"Teaching the Advanced Class is way more fun than staying home," Master Chen said, feeling his decision to help Kitazawa had been absolutely right.
"I'll announce the final rankings," Kitazawa said, smiling after finishing the practical list. "First place: Nara Shikamaru."
Truth be told, he hadn't expected Shikamaru to take it either. It wasn't favoritism—Shikamaru wasn't even in his squad. But thinking it over, it made sense. Shikamaru's current strength wasn't weak, and paired with that intellect and his sharpened attitude, a flawless performance and a perfect were entirely reasonable.
"Shikamaru, you're treating us today!" Choji said immediately.
"Yeah!" Kiba growled playfully. "You took first!"
"I'm coming too!" Naruto beamed.
"Everyone should go—Hinata too," Ino sang. "Make Shikamaru's wallet cry."
"Sure," Shikamaru agreed. Picking up the tab wasn't a big deal. Choji plus Hyuga Hinata would be a serious hit to his budget, though. No problem—he'd expense it to his parents. He'd just taken top in the Advanced Class; they'd be happy to cover it.
Sasuke stood off to the side, face dark, radiating "keep away." The party's theirs. I've got nothing.
"That's it for this month's rankings," Kitazawa said. "Back to training."
Everyone paired off with their instructors and got to work. Kitazawa glanced at Sasuke—his moods rose and fell quickly. Losing first stung, but it wasn't his first time; he shook it off fast.
[Current Mission: Help Kaguya Kimimaro place first in a practical exam.]
[Mission Reward: 20% Dead Bone Pulse.]
[Mission Completed. Reward Granted.]
[Shikotsumyaku at 70%. New abilities unlocked: Bone Membrane and Rapid Regeneration.]
Kitazawa blinked, feeling subtle changes in his body.
[Bone Membrane: forms a hardened bone layer beneath the skin to boost defense.]
[Rapid Regeneration: quickly heals external injuries.]
He recalled Kimimaro's feats in the original story—his bone plating had even withstood Gaara's "Sand Burial." Rapid Regeneration closed wounds from bone spurs piercing his own skin and enemy attacks alike. Two very solid upgrades. Coupled with signless Healing and the Yin Seal, he was getting harder and harder to kill.
"Jugo, with me," Kitazawa said. He formed hand seals, split off a shadow clone, and left it to coach the class. Jugo, curious, stopped training and followed him out of the Academy.
…
Hokage Building, conference room.
Shiranui Genma pushed the door open with a senbon between his teeth—and froze. Two unexpected familiar faces were inside: Tatami Iwashi and Namiashi Raido.
The three of them had once served as bodyguards to the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and had all learned the Flying Thunder Formation Technique—a toned-down, three-person version of Flying Thunder God.
The three would form a circle and transfer whoever or whatever stood within. Compared to the real Flying Thunder God, it had almost no flexibility and was useless mid-fight.
"Genma? You too?" Raido blinked.
"Do you know why Anbu called us in?" Iwashi asked.
"I was going to ask you," Genma said, stepping forward and shaking his head.
"Think the Hokage wants us to use the Formation?" Iwashi guessed.
"Could be," Raido nodded.
"Then why not call us straight to her office? A meeting room seems roundabout," Genma mused. "I don't think that's it."
Footsteps sounded. The three turned. Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu walked in.
"You guys?" all five said at once.
"Anbu pinged you two as well?" Genma asked after a beat.
"Yeah," Izumo scratched his head. "Also told us we won't be working the gate anymore."
"Sounds like something special—and long-term," Raido said, serious.
"Probably," Kotetsu nodded, a bit regretful. "I kinda liked gate duty."
"What are you talking about?" Izumo elbowed him. "If the Hokage needs us, we go finish it!"
And honestly, gate duty wasn't fun. If it were, they wouldn't keep volunteering as proctors for the chūnin exams.
"Crowded today?" a breezy voice drifted over. A woman with pineapple-ponytail hair and an easy grin strolled in.
"Anko? You too?" Genma asked. "What's this about?"
"Doesn't feel small," Raido analyzed. "We've already got four special jōnin and two chūnin here."
Izumo and Kotetsu were still chūnin; in the original timeline they became special jōnin under Sixth Hokage Kakashi.
"Don't overthink it. We'll know when she gets here," Mitarashi Anko waved it off.
"True," the others nodded.
A moment later, everyone's gaze slid to the door again. Kitazawa walked in with Jugo.
"Kitazawa?" Genma said, surprised.
"Kitazawa-sama," Raido, Izumo, and the others said quickly. They were peers on paper, but things had changed—Kitazawa was far above their station now.
"Kitazawa, what's this about?" Anko asked bluntly. As Orochimaru's student, she was technically his contemporary, and her straightforward personality didn't stand on ceremony.
"Orders from Tsunade-sensei," Kitazawa smiled. "She's having you form a Cursed-Seal Unit."
Genma and the rest traded looks. Cursed seal?
"You mean the Heaven and Earth Cursed Seals?" Anko asked, surprised.
"That's right," Kitazawa nodded. "More precisely, an improved Cursed Seal of Heaven."
"I see…" Anko's expression cleared. She was about to point out the Heaven/Earth seals' low success rates—hardly ideal for building a unit—
"Hey, include us in the loop too," Genma protested. He and the others had no idea what the two were talking about.
"Here's the deal," Kitazawa said, and laid out the Earth Seal revisions and the plan for the unit.
"You want me to lead it?" Anko blinked—then lit up. Ever since Orochimaru defected, she'd been underutilized in Konoha. Being put in charge of a new unit would change her standing overnight. She guessed Orochimaru's return to the village had something to do with it.
Genma, Raido, and the others were just as excited. After Minato's death, they'd lost influence and settled into ordinary special jōnin roles.
"The Cursed-Seal Unit's provisional strength is sixty-two," Kitazawa said. "You and Genma will command fifteen three-person squads."
"The unit will report directly to the Hokage."
Smiles broke out all around. Direct to the Hokage meant parity with Anbu in organizational standing. As leads, Anko and Genma would be vaulted into Konoha's upper ranks.
"The Earth Seal improvements have two tracks," Kitazawa continued. "One: raise implantation success—Orochimaru-sama's handling that. Two: clamp down on side effects—that's my part, and it's done."
"I've heard you called a 'creator-type' shinobi," Anko said, impressed. "Seeing this—yeah, it fits."
"I'll give you a demo," Kitazawa said, looking to Jugo. "This is Jugo—think of him as our prototype recipient."
Jugo watched with open expectation. From the conversation, he understood: Kitazawa really had found a way to restrain the negative side of his Sage Transformation physiology. No more fear of losing himself to a flood of natural energy.
"Jugo, shirt off," Kitazawa instructed.
Jugo obeyed. "My revised Earth Seal is called the Eightfold Cursed Seal of Earth," Kitazawa said, forming signs as sealing formulae bloomed across Jugo's torso.
Everyone watched closely. Most only half-understood; Anko grasped far more.
"Once Orochimaru-sama finalizes his part, you'll be implanted," Kitazawa said after half an hour, withdrawing his hands. The markings on Jugo's upper body were already receding. Normally, they'd only surface when the seal was active.
"You can still back out," he added with a smile.
"We're in," Anko and the others answered without hesitation. More power and a higher post? You couldn't buy this kind of opportunity.
"For now, your job is to scout candidates for the unit," Kitazawa said, clapping his hands. "Compile a list and submit it to Tsunade-sensei."
With that, he crisply took Jugo and left the conference room. Anko, Genma, and the rest stood there a moment, feeling like the day had been a dream—suddenly part of a new Cursed-Seal Unit, with major benefits to boot.
~~~
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