Chapter 9

Konohagakure.

Ninja Academy.

The sun shone brightly, hanging high up in the clear blue sky, filled with white clouds. The softly blowing breeze fluttered the sakura blossoms in the air, making the atmosphere of the village of Konohagakure peaceful.

"Starting today, you will be working under me as a genin. Even if it's temporary, you have to be familiar with your team. These two have had already completed several missions together under me."

Hizashi Hyuga. A jonin of Konoha, and the leader of the branch family of the Hyuga clan, had been assigned to be the jonin supervisor for Izuna. In resemblance to his name and position, he had a stern face and an aura of strong shinobi.

Hizashi was a mirror image of his brother Hiashi, the leader of the main family, with the exception of having been branded with the Hyuga Main Family's Curse Mark on his forehead. He had long, black hair and featureless white eyes - the latter trait shared by all members of his clan.

Along with the simple black outfit with mesh armor underneath, Hizashi wore his black forehead protector, and an obi around his waist.

They were in an empty classroom of the ninja academy. It was just the day after his graduation ceremony that Izuna was told to be assigned to a pre-existing team. Team Hizashi.

Normally, new graduates would be assigned to a team consisting of fellow new graduates. But, considering his exceptional skills and records beyond his age, Izuna was directly assigned to a pre-existing team, temporarily.

Izuna was a clever boy. He immediately understood that it was done to examine the extent of his abilities as a ninja. His practical abilities were on par with the average chunin, even though he was only six. Thus, he had drawn the attention of the leaders of Konoha.

"I have high expectations from you, Izuna Uchiha."

The moment he was informed so, in the corner of his mind, the strong words of Hokage came to life. Izuna kept very much in mind the fact that he would draw out more attention as a ninja.

The closer he got to the center of the village, the more people he would encounter who didn't have a favorable impression of the Uchiha. The quarreling among the teachers of the academy, regarding Izuna reading the formal reply as a valedictorian, was such a case.

However the case might be, Izuna had already decided to walk on the path, without any distractions.

That aside, what surprised Izuna was his team which consisted of a boy with spiky silver hair oriented to his left-side, dark grey eyes, and a typically relaxed and lazy expression.

The genius son of the White Fang of the Leaf, who had graduated at the mere age of five.

"Some of our missions will be tough. So you need to rely on each other as a team, and make it out alive together."

The even voice of his jonin supervisor Hizashi interrupted his meditations, as Izuna nodded his head.

"Understood, Sensei!"

Izuna, alongside his two teammates, shouted in response. Hearing their response without an ounce of hesitation, a glint of appreciation flashed in Hizashi's eyes.

"All right, since it's your first time as a team, introduce yourselves."

Izuna nodded his head, going first.

"My name is Izuna. Izuna Uchiha. There are many things that I like, and very few that I hate. My dream is to become the strongest ninja ever to protect what I care about."

Hizashi nodded, turning his eyes towards the boy standing next to him, with a lazed expression on his face.

"Izuna Uchiha, huh."

The boy muttered, not loud for anyone else to hear, and heaved a deep sigh.

"My name is Kakashi Hatake. The things that I like, let's see... hmm. And for the things that I don't like, hmm. As for my dreams..."

"Haha! Don't mind him. He's always like that."

There was one more person, a boy about five years older than Izuna, sitting on the other side of Kakashi.

Izuna just returned a simple smile.

"Well, anyways. My name is Mugino. I like to help sister Nono manage the orphanage. Um, and I'm good with Earth Style."

The genin sitting next to Kakashi said with a friendly smile on his face. He wore a half-kimono with a white shirt underneath, a green scarf and matching pants, and the forehead protector on his right shoulder.

Mugino was like any other war orphan, grew up in Konoha orphanage managed by Nono Yakushi - one of the captains of the Medics Corps and a former member of Root. This orphanage took care of children from different parts of the nation, and once old enough, the children in the orphanage could train as a ninja of Konohagakure.

"Kakashi and Mugino, hmm..."

Izuna muttered, and his face naturally stretched into a smile. He was likely assuming that he would get a normal team just. However, was naturally surprised to find still to be named Kakashi of the Sharingan and the Sixth. Turning his gaze toward the lazed Kakashi, he raised an obvious question.

"So you must be the son of White Fang of the Leaf?"

"Huh?"

Kakashi's eyes widened at the unexpected name that came out of Izuna's mouth. Considering his father mostly stayed at the borders of the domain of the Land of Fire, he indeed didn't expect Izuna to ask him that. The lazy expression reduced to some extent, as he turned his surprised eyes upward to Izuna.

Izuna himself was surprised. He didn't know why he had asked such an obvious question. The version of Sakumo Hatake from his memories of the series had simply popped up in his head.

"Hmm. Yes, he's my dad."

Sakumo Hatake. The White Fang of the Leaf was one of the strongest shinobi of the village of Konohagakure, after all. His battle prowess and tactics garnered him that title during the Second Great Ninja War and even overshadowed the three legendary Sanin.

"All right, since the introductions are over, let's go and take our first mission as a team."

Hizashi said, clapping, and glanced at the three genin before him. He was mostly concerned about Izuna, the youngest member of his team. Izuna was just six, the children around his age play and make friends. And here he was, starting to walk down his path as a ninja.

Normally, the first day when teams are introduced was considered a meet-and-greet day. But, given the fact that Team Hizashi was a pre-existing team with a talented young ninja like Kakashi, and now Izuna, Hizashi decided to shake them off from the formalities and accept their first mission.

Nodding, Izuna followed Hizashi's lead to go on his first mission as a ninja, together with Kakashi and Mugino walking by his side.

< Chapter 9 > Fin.