Chapter 8: Team Assignments
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the class roster, writing on a separate piece of paper.
"Team 7: Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno."
"Jonin Leader: Kakashi Hatake."
"Team 8: Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, and Hinata Hyuga."
"Jonin Leader: Kurenai Yuhi."
"Team 10: Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Chouji Akimichi."
"Jonin Leader: Asuma Sarutobi."
After writing, he handed the list of assignments to Iruka, who was waiting nearby.
"All of you, take a look. If you have any objections, now is the time."
Iruka took the thin sheet of paper with both hands, his eyes scanning the contents.
It hadn't changed at all. It was exactly the same as his memory.
"Iruka-sensei?" Kurenai's voice pulled him back to reality. She was tilting her head, looking at him. "Is something wrong with the assignments?"
"N-No, not at all." Iruka shook his head quickly and passed the list to Asuma.
Asuma merely glanced at it before handing it to Kurenai.
Kurenai, however, studied her own team's roster with considerable interest.
As a newly promoted Jonin, the only way to get a strong team of subordinates was to either pick from the best graduates or discover hidden potential during missions.
And now, the Third Hokage had actually assigned her three gifted children from three major clans.
Asuma, seeing Kurenai take her time, leaned in to look. "Hyuga, Aburame, and Inuzuka. That's a heavy responsibility you've got there, Kurenai."
Kurenai just smiled faintly, not responding.
Kakashi took the list, gave it a simple scan, and handed it back to Iruka.
"No objections," Iruka said, folding the list into a neat square and placing it in his breast pocket.
"Then it is decided." Sarutobi closed the class roster. "You are all dismissed to prepare."
Just as Kakashi and the others were about to leave, Might Guy, who had been standing off to the side looking lost, finally spoke up.
"So, Lord Hokage... why am I here?"
He couldn't make heads or tails of what was happening. Why was he summoned for team assignments? He already had a team.
And if it wasn't for that, based on the Third's actions, it didn't seem like there were any other arrangements for him.
"Guy? You were here?" Sarutobi asked. "I was about to ask you the same thing. What did you come for?"
"Didn't you summon me?"
The two stared at each other.
Am I really getting that old? Sarutobi thought. Am I notifying the wrong people now?
Just as the group was about to leave, the office doors were slammed open.
"I'm the one who called Guy. And as for your assignments—I reject them!"
A woman with blonde hair in a ponytail, a large chest, a green coat, and high heels stood in the doorway.
Might Guy stared at the familiar face, blurting out, "Lady Tsunade!"
"Lady Tsunade?"
Asuma frowned. The name was familiar, but like Kakashi, that figure was someone from his early childhood. She had vanished after the Second Great Shinobi World War.
A flash of confusion crossed Kurenai's eyes. Unlike the other two, she had only heard of the legendary Sannin from her father.
Her gaze lingered on Tsunade. She recalled her father saying that Tsunade was one of the strongest female shinobi in the world, a master of medical ninjutsu with unparalleled taijutsu.
Seeing her in person now, that natural aura of strength was exactly as the rumors said.
Tsunade put one hand on her hip, her heels clicking sharply on the floor.
Sarutobi put down his pipe, a complicated emotion flashing in his old eyes.
This apprentice... I just barely managed to get rid of her. Why is she back again?
"Tsunade, what is it now?"
Tsunade ignored everyone's reactions and didn't answer Sarutobi's question.
She strode right up to his desk, snatched the class roster from his hand, and flipped it open to the graduation assignments.
"Sensei, these team assignments are far too careless."
"Tsunade, you just got back. Why don't you rest for a few days? The team assignments are already set. We're not changing them. If you have opinions, you can bring them up during your work in the future."
"I don't care what any of you think. I will not approve these teams." Tsunade planted both hands on her hips, her gaze sweeping over the assembled Jonin. "As I see it, forget Team 7, Team 8, and Team 10. Put all of these kids together. Combine them into one large squad!"
At those words, the office fell utterly silent.
Sarutobi was stunned, stroking his beard. "Tsunade, shinobi teams have always been in cells of three. It's for efficiency and teamwork on missions. A large squad... there is no precedent for this."
"If there's no precedent, we'll create one!" Tsunade's tone was resolute. "Times are different now. We must gather these children together. It's the only way to protect them."
Kurenai looked troubled. "Lady Tsunade, that may be so, but a squad that large... there would be too many students to train. We'd be spread too thin. And with so many different personalities, what if there's constant conflict..."
"If there's conflict, you'll resolve it! If you're spread thin, you'll find a way to manage!" Tsunade cut her off. "The few of you—Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai, and Guy—"
She glanced at Might Guy, who was still staring blankly. "Guy, merge your team into this one as well. As for why... you should know, shouldn't you, Kakashi? And you, Guy."
"I should?" Might Guy pointed at himself, confused. He had only ever been a frontline fighter in Konoha; he'd never been asked for his opinion on something like this.
While he was still trying to figure out why he would know, Tsunade moved again.
Her finger firmly tapped each name on the list. "Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, Shikamaru Nara, Chouji Akimichi, Ino Yamanaka... and Rock Lee, Tenten, and Neji Hyuga."
She had added Guy's entire team. "A total of twelve. No, counting others who might have it... combine them all!"
The entire office was plunged into a dead silence.
Iruka was dumbfounded, the roster nearly slipping from his fingers.
Asuma forgot to light his cigarette; it just dangled from his lips.
Kurenai's beautiful eyes were wide with shock and disbelief.
Even Kakashi's one visible eye widened slightly, as if he, too, was surprised by Tsunade's radical proposal. But he just as quickly returned to his lazy posture, though a sharp, knowing glint flashed deep in his eye.
"This... This is absolute madness!" Homura Mitokado, who had been listening from the side, finally slammed his hand on the table and stood up.
"Tsunade, do you have any idea what you're saying? This is unprecedented! How can you train so many clan heirs and shinobi with such different styles, all forced together? How will they execute missions? This will be a disaster!"