CH21 : Team 21

The atmosphere in the classroom was tense as Yuichi observed the other students. 

From their clothing and demeanor, it was clear that most of them came from prestigious clans. He glanced around, mentally counting the numbers: four from the Uchiha, two from the Hyuga, one from the Senju, Aburame, Sarutobi, Akimichi, Inuzuka, and Nara clans. 

These were the future elites of Konoha, children born into privilege and power. In contrast, there were only a handful of civilians, including himself, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru.

'Should have expected this', Yuichi thought. 

Konoha was still young, and the clans were the backbone of its military. The competition for power within the village was fierce, with clans vying for dominance. Civilians like him, even with exceptional abilities, were always seen as outliers.

As he sat quietly in the back, looking out the window, his mind wandered. He wasn't particularly nervous about the upcoming team announcements, but the reality of his situation lingered. 

He had no family name to boast of, no clan backing him. He was just Yuichi, a boy with a shadowy past and a future still uncertain.

He didn't need recognition or prestige—he only needed to survive.

.

.

.

The noisy chatter of the room suddenly died down as Hiruzen Sarutobi entered, followed by six high-level jonin. 

All eyes were drawn to them. Yuichi recognized only Hiruzen and Kagami Uchiha. The others, despite their elite status, were unfamiliar to him.

Hiruzen stood at the podium, his usual warm smile in place, radiating calm authority. He waited for the students to settle before speaking, his voice carrying a sense of gentle encouragement.

"Good morning to all the students who have made it here," Hiruzen began, his smile widening as he looked over the room. "The Will of Fire burns brightly in each of you, as evidenced by the difficult tasks you've overcome to reach this point."

There was something in the way Hiruzen spoke that commanded respect. His presence was not overwhelming, but it was impossible to ignore. Yuichi found himself listening more closely than he had expected to.

"Not all paths lead to the same destination, and not everyone will achieve their dreams in the way they imagined," Hiruzen continued, his voice growing more serious. 

"But that is the nature of life. Some of you will be assigned to teams different from what you may have hoped for. You might not get the teacher you wanted, or the teammates you expected. But every path, every team, every decision will shape who you become. The right path isn't always clear at the start, but by walking it, you will find your way."

Hiruzen's words seemed to resonate with the students. Even Yuichi, who often felt detached from the emotional speeches of others, felt something stir in his chest. 

It wasn't about the Will of Fire, or even about duty to the village. It was about the idea that even if your journey didn't go as planned, it was still worth walking.

"Make mistakes," Hiruzen urged. "Learn from them. Grow. This village is a place where young leaves like you will blossom, while we older ones keep the Will of Fire burning brightly to guide you. Konoha is not just a village; it is a family. And you, every one of you, are part of that family. Never forget that."

Yuichi could see the impact of the speech on the other students. Orochimaru, sitting near the front, wore his usual disinterested expression, but there was a flicker in his eyes, a curiosity, a thought forming in that brilliant mind of his. Jiraiya, on the other hand, was sitting up straighter, clearly inspired, his eyes wide with admiration for Hiruzen.

So this is the kind of man who shapes the future Hokage, Yuichi mused, feeling a sense of awe at how effortlessly Hiruzen captured the hearts of the young.

.

As the team announcements began, Hiruzen moved efficiently, calling out names and assigning them to their jonin mentors.

"Team 1: Uchiha Katsu, Sarutobi Aiko, and Senju Takeshi, led by Namikaze Tengen."

The names kept coming, and Yuichi's anticipation grew as he waited for his turn.

"Team 7: Ogata Jiraiya, Senju Tsunade, and Tojiro Orochimaru, led by me."

Jiraiya pumped his fist in excitement, while Orochimaru simply smirked. Tsunade rolled her eyes but smiled at her teammates nonetheless.

Finally, after several more teams were called, Hiruzen announced, "Team 21: Ensho Yuichi and Uchiha Mio, led by Kagami Uchiha."

Yuichi raised an eyebrow. His team only had two members? That was unusual, but he didn't voice his concerns. The clan-centric nature of the village often meant that decisions were made without much input from individuals like him. Still, the lack of a full team felt strange.

As Kagami gestured for Yuichi and Mio to follow him, Yuichi turned to Jiraiya with a grin. "Let's meet up tonight, BBQ at 8 to celebrate. Don't be late."

"Deal!" Jiraiya replied with a thumbs-up, already imagining the feast.

With that, Yuichi followed Kagami and Mio out of the classroom, leaving behind the bustling energy of Team 7.

***

They arrived at Training Ground 21, where a young boy with silver hair was already waiting for them. Yuichi recognized him immediately: Hatake Sakumo, a name he had heard whispered in admiration by others.

"So, this boy here will be your third teammate," Kagami announced, gesturing toward Sakumo. "Introduce yourselves. You have twenty minutes to get to know each other before we begin the team test."

And with that, Kagami vanished, leaving them in an awkward silence.

Hatake Sakumo, ever the polite one, broke the tension first. He smiled at Yuichi and Mio. "I'm Hatake Sakumo. I specialize in kenjutsu and ninjutsu, and I'm a disciple of Kagami-sensei. I love Udon and practicing with my sword."

Yuichi chuckled at the straightforward introduction and followed suit. "I'm Ensho Yuichi. I'm... good at a few things. Ninjutsu, mostly. I don't really have a favorite food, but I guess I like BBQ."

Mio, on the other hand, barely spared them a glance. Her voice was cold as she spoke, "I'm Uchiha Mio. I'm good with ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu."

The tension returned almost immediately. Mio's clipped introduction didn't leave much room for camaraderie. Still, Yuichi wasn't too bothered. He had been through far worse interactions. Sakumo, on the other hand, seemed determined to bridge the gap.

"Well, it looks like we've got a good balance," he said, smiling again. "Let's do our best in the test. I'm sure we'll work well together."

Yuichi nodded. He wasn't sure how this team would function, but he would make it work.