Chapter 38: Hey~ It's Still Drawing

Tetsuya returned to his home after the Anbu had taken Mizuki away. He found it surprising that the Third Hokage hadn't shown up or even contacted him. The old man must have had other things on his mind.

Unbeknownst to Tetsuya, the Third Hokage was probably indulging in some peculiar love stories in his head.

The night passed in silence.

Tetsuya woke up early the next morning and began preparing breakfast for himself. Life had settled into a routine, even after becoming a ninja. There wasn't much excitement anymore.

After breakfast, he didn't rush off to the ninja school. Instead, he began his morning exercises. It wasn't until half-past eight that he finally put on his black suit and tied his forehead protector to his arm. He looked at the handsome young man in the mirror and sighed.

"Future wives really hit the jackpot," he murmured with a smirk.

Before leaving, Tetsuya tied Aiseki, his ninja dog. "If I come back and the house is a mess... you'll be in big trouble," he warned, rubbing Aiseki's head. Despite the gentle tone, the threat was clear.

Aiseki, understanding perfectly, put on a silly expression to appear cute. Tetsuya smiled, satisfied that his message had gotten through. As he left, Aiseki barked twice, as if to say goodbye.

By nine o'clock, Tetsuya entered the classroom. The room was already buzzing with students talking in groups.

"Morning, Tetsuya," Shikamaru greeted lazily, barely looking up.

"Morning, Shikamaru," Tetsuya replied.

Chōji raised his hand in greeting. After exchanging pleasantries, Tetsuya took his seat between Ino and Hinata.

Although they were both wearing their ninja forehead protectors, they wore them in unique ways. Hinata had hers around her neck like a collar, while Ino had tied hers to her waist. The wide forehead protector contrasted sharply with her slender waist, making Tetsuya a bit tongue-tied.

"Exaggerated body proportions," he thought, amused.

While Hinata's modest clothing hid her figure, Ino's boldness was on full display. She noticed Tetsuya's gaze and leaned closer, smiling smugly.

"Tetsuya, I don't want to be separated from you!" Ino said, clinging to his arm.

As a member of the Ino–Shika–Chō trio, her grouping was predetermined. Tetsuya whispered reassurances to her.

Hinata, meanwhile, poked her fingers together nervously. She also wanted to be in the same team as Tetsuya but wasn't as vocal about it.

A commotion broke out as Naruto entered the room, proudly flaunting his newly acquired ninja status. The girls flocked around Sasuke, showering him with attention.

Tetsuya watched Naruto with a mix of amusement and pity. Naruto's enthusiasm was admirable, but he often found himself ignored.

Sakura was among the girls fawning over Sasuke, much to Naruto's dismay. In a fit of jealousy, Naruto jumped onto the table in front of Sasuke, staring him down. Sasuke, unwilling to back down, met his gaze.

The distance between them closed until their noses almost touched.

"Hinata, Ino," Tetsuya said, interrupting the girls' curiosity. "Close your eyes. You don't want to see this."

"What?" they both asked, puzzled.

Tetsuya pulled them into his arms, covering their eyes just as the boy in front of Sasuke leaned back, causing Naruto to lose his balance and kiss Sasuke.

Time seemed to freeze. The classroom fell silent for three seconds before Sakura's outraged scream shattered the moment.

"Naruto! What are you doing?" she yelled.

Naruto and Sasuke quickly separated, both looking horrified. Tetsuya watched, bemused.

"These two are destined for each other," he thought, suspecting that Sasuke only married Sakura to have a reason to return to Konoha.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage and a group of Jōnin were watching the scene unfold via a crystal ball.

"Cough, cough! Looks like there was a little accident," the Third Hokage said, trying to change the topic. "Let's discuss the team assignments next."

"Kakashi, I'm assigning you to Team 7. They are the future of Konoha, so you'll need to pay special attention to them," the Third Hokage instructed.

Kakashi sighed inwardly. Team 7 consisted of Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Tetsuya, and Haruno Sakura. Three of them were exceptionally talented, while the fourth was still finding her footing. It wasn't going to be an easy task, but he couldn't refuse. He nodded in acceptance.

After the other Jōnin left, the Third Hokage spoke to Kakashi alone.

"Tetsuya has the Uchiha bloodline and has awakened the Sharingan. That's why I've assigned him to you. Only you can teach him the skills he needs," the Third Hokage explained.

Kakashi was stunned. Tetsuya with the Sharingan? Given Tetsuya's impressive ninjutsu talent, Kakashi doubted he could match him in strength.

"I'll do my best, Lord Hokage," Kakashi said, smiling wryly.

The Third Hokage nodded, knowing the burden he was placing on Kakashi. Tetsuya's power was now a part of Konoha, and it was essential to nurture it carefully for the village's future.