On the Ninja Academy's training field, a "well-matched" group combat exercise was underway.
From Class Two, the three participants were the seemingly frail Shimura Feng Bai, the pale and exhausted-looking Hatake Kakashi, and the nonchalant Sarutobi Asuma.
The moment these three stepped onto the field, both Itō Makoto and Genjin felt their hearts leap into their throats.
"Teacher Itō, are you certain you didn't manipulate the team assignments?" Genjin whispered to Itō Makoto beside him.
How could it be such a coincidence that Class Two's three most prominent figures ended up grouped together?
These three weren't ordinary children—at their age, when most peers hadn't even mastered basic taijutsu, they were already proficient in ninjutsu.
Especially that Shimura boy—still not graduated from the Ninja Academy, yet his Wind Release had actually countered a teacher's Earth Release. Looking through the Academy's history of exceptional students, only young Sarutobi Hiruzen had demonstrated such capability.
Genjin was already growing concerned for his own class's participants.
"I'm getting kinda nervous," Binzu Leitong muttered quietly to his companions as he shuffled reluctantly toward the field's center, watching Feng Bai and the others already positioned there.
"Hmph, n-nervous? What's there to be n-nervous about? We're not p-pushovers either," Feizhu Qingting, with half his head wrapped in bandages, tried to steel himself while encouraging Binzu Leitong, though his lips trembled as he spoke.
"Exactly! Everyone's got two heads on one pair of shoulders—what's there to fear?" Yamashiro Aoba, wearing small sunglasses like Ebisu, also attempted to boost morale. Though he didn't stutter like Feizhu Qingting, his illogical phrasing betrayed his true state of mind.
"Ahem, well, let me confirm—Aoba, you do know ninjutsu, right?" After clearing his throat, Feizhu Qingting controlled his emotions and verified their tactical options with his teammate.
At Feizhu Qingting's inquiry, Yamashiro Aoba nodded: "Don't expect too much—my ninjutsu level is just so-so."
Having witnessed Feng Bai perform ninjutsu, he felt his own Fire Release was utterly insignificant by comparison.
"That's sufficient." Now fully composed, Feizhu Qingting's confidence surged dramatically.
Positioning himself between his two teammates, Feizhu Qingting assumed his stance: "I'll create a diversion—you two provide support!"
...
"Morata."
A ninja wrapped entirely in tattered cloth strips, bearing no village insignia, gripped his blade and uttered the Hokage's infamous forbidden word before preparing to decapitate the Konoha ninja before him.
A flash of white light streaked past, and blood splattered across the Konoha ninja's face.
The Konoha ninja, who had closed his eyes in despair, tentatively touched his head and tremblingly opened his eyes: "Is my head... still attached?"
The first sight that greeted him was the headless corpse of the enemy ninja.
The blood on his face was spurting from the smooth cut surface of his opponent's severed neck.
"Are you alright?" A gentle voice rang out, instantly providing the disoriented Konoha ninja with an anchor: "Lord Sakumo!"
Sakumo emerged from the shadows, sheathed his blade, gently placed the enemy's head on the ground, then began examining the Konoha ninja's injuries.
"Lord Sakumo, don't worry about me—I can handle these wounds myself. Please, go help Doi and the others..." Leaning against the tree behind him, the Konoha ninja gestured for Sakumo to ignore him and rescue the comrades still engaged with enemies.
"Doi and the others are already safe. I came looking for you after receiving word from them." Sakumo crouched down, retrieved his portable medical kit, and began bandaging the wounds.
"However..." Sakumo's bandaging motion suddenly froze, and before he could finish speaking, he vanished instantly.
"Not good!" An enemy ninja who had been cautiously observing from hiding instinctively exclaimed upon seeing Sakumo disappear. He immediately leaped from his concealment and fled toward the border without looking back.
Just as this ninja jumped clear, Sakumo's blade—the famed "White Fang"—had already thrust viciously into the ground under his control. Had the enemy not escaped in time, he would have been pinned there by Sakumo.
Throwing all his smoke bombs at once, the ninja hoped to buy himself precious time.
"That white flash—there's no mistake, it's absolutely Konoha's White Fang! Why would such a prominent figure appear at the border?!"
From just Sakumo's two attacks, the ninja had confirmed his identity through his movements.
He had to report this explosive intelligence to his village's leadership and make them abandon their plans to infiltrate Konoha!
The next moment, the ninja felt his body was no longer under his control.
Watching his headless body continue running forward, he tried to speak but could produce no sound.
Such a swift blade.
The sight of his own corpse collapsing became the final image of this ninja's life.
"With that, everything's resolved."
Sheathing his blade, Sakumo crouched down and searched the enemy's corpse for clues to prove their identity.
More than ten minutes later, after Sakumo had handled everything properly, his teammates finally arrived.
"Captain Sakumo, we're late!" Several Konoha ninja wearing standard vests rushed to Sakumo's side, still catching their breath and full of apologies.
Sakumo waved dismissively, showing no concern.
For them to keep pace with his full-speed advance was already commendable.
"Report this matter to Lord Third."
...
At the same time.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was unusually absent from the Hokage's office, instead appearing in the Ninja Academy's staff room.
Beside him stood a blonde youth, observing the field exercise together with him.
Though the young man appeared youthful, his vest clearly identified him as a jōnin.
Such a young jōnin was exceptionally rare throughout all of Konoha.
"Well, Minato, what do you think of this year's children?"
Hiruzen held his pipe, cheerfully watching the children exerting themselves on the field, and spoke the young man's name.
This youth behind him was not only his disciple's disciple, but also the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki's lover, and currently Konoha's youngest jōnin—a steadfast member of the Hokage faction.
Therefore, Hiruzen valued Minato highly, not only granting him various powerful ninjutsu, but also intending to mold him into a second "White Fang of Konoha."
"Their talent is quite impressive. At such a young age, they can already achieve this level—far better than I was at their age." Minato displayed his characteristic smile, his tone extremely modest.
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