After completing the registration for his new team, Minato left to prepare materials for their training, leaving the newly-formed team behind with Reiki.
"Boss, did you recommend Rin to become a medical ninja?" Obito asked eagerly, his eyes sparkling with admiration.
Reiki smiled, nodding. "Rin already had a natural talent for medical ninjutsu, and her chakra control is excellent. She's been working harder than the two of you in many ways. She deserves this just as much."
Rin had been attending their morning exercises regularly. Despite the lack of advanced weight training, she practiced consistently and diligently. Noticing that she couldn't keep up with Obito and Kakashi in combat skills, she approached Reiki about pursuing the path of a medical ninja to support her teammates better.
"Alright, starting tomorrow, you'll train with Minato-sensei," Reiki said. "Today, let's celebrate with some barbecue!"
---
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen reviewed the team roster that Minato had submitted.
"These are the students Minato selected?" he muttered, glancing over the details.
The list included Uchiha Obito, Hatake Kakashi, and Harano Rin, with Rin as the only student from an ordinary ninja family. Her recommender? Reiki, who had been personally teaching her medical ninjutsu.
"Minato, what exactly are you planning?" Hiruzen murmured, curiosity piqued. To gain more insight, he summoned Jiraiya.
---
Jiraiya arrived promptly, offering a respectful greeting. "Hokage-sama."
"Jiraiya, did you hear that Minato applied to be a jounin mentor?" Hiruzen asked directly.
"Minato, a mentor jounin?" Jiraiya grinned broadly. "It's about time he slowed down a bit. He works way too hard, always taking missions. Kushina's probably had it up to here."
Hiruzen handed Jiraiya the team roster, watching as his former student's expression turned contemplative.
"Kakashi Hatake, huh? So Sakumo agreed to let his son train under Minato. And Obito Uchiha…" Jiraiya's brows furrowed slightly as he reached the third name. "Harano Rin, recommended by Reiki."
Hiruzen noted Jiraiya's thoughtful look. "Are you… concerned about Minato's choices?"
Jiraiya shook his head, choosing his words carefully. "Minato has his reasons. Talent and potential come down to effort, and I trust Minato's judgment. But Hokage-sama," he added tactfully, "I think we should trust Minato with this."
Hiruzen nodded, though a flicker of uncertainty remained in his eyes. "I understand. By the way, will you be staying in the village for a while, Jiraiya?"
"Yes. If you have missions that need attention, I can handle them," Jiraiya replied, feeling a hint of apprehension at Hiruzen's unexpected shift in the conversation.
"Actually, it would be helpful if you could assist with some village matters," Hiruzen said, gesturing to a stack of documents. He watched Jiraiya's reaction carefully.
Jiraiya agreed, although he was still unclear on Hiruzen's motives.
---
Meanwhile, in the Root organization's headquarters, Danzo had also received the news about Minato's new team.
"Jiraiya? And he's assisting with village administration?" Danzo murmured, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Orochimaru. The presence of Jiraiya, especially with Hokage matters, was unexpected.
One of Danzo's operatives handed him a document with Minato's team details, noting that Hiruzen had called Jiraiya shortly after reviewing the list.
"Kakashi Hatake and Obito Uchiha…" Danzo repeated, his mind churning. Were Hiruzen's recent moves a sign that he was reconsidering his choice for Hokage?
Orochimaru observed him calmly. "Lord Danzo, Jiraiya is unlikely to challenge this matter. He's… not one for village politics," he said, his voice smooth and detached.
Danzo glanced at Orochimaru, understanding the unspoken implication. Though Hiruzen's intentions remained unclear, they both knew that their own goals might soon come under scrutiny.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 290 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
Gimme power stonesssss
Also, leave a review FFS
After hearing Orochimaru's suggestion to Danzo, the Root leader remained uneasy. Jiraiya might not have a hand in Konoha's political schemes, but Hiruzen Sarutobi was another matter entirely.
"The third Hokage doesn't need a strategic thinker; he needs a controllable puppet," Danzo muttered, eyes narrowing. "He wants someone who will follow his commands, someone he can wield as he sees fit."
Danzo turned to Orochimaru with a tense expression. "You need to strengthen your presence in the village. It's time to step up in the public eye. Stop your experiments for now, and make yourself visible."
Orochimaru nodded indifferently and vanished in a swirl of small serpents. Danzo exhaled sharply, contemplating the strange string of events unfolding in Konoha. Tsunade's rising influence through her promising disciples, Jiraiya's sudden involvement in village affairs, and now Minato's newly selected team—all involving notable clans and potential connections to the Uchiha. Something big was brewing.
He summoned Root operatives, issuing a covert directive, and resumed his plans.
---
Meanwhile, the four future teammates were leaving a barbecue restaurant, still savoring their celebratory meal.
"Kakashi, Obito, Rin," Reiki began as they walked. "All of you have great potential. You're about to start a new path with Minato-sensei, but remember: stay focused on your growth. There'll be influences around you, but keep your priorities clear."
"Got it, boss!" Obito replied, as enthusiastic as ever. "I'm ready to train harder than ever!"
"Reiki, I'll catch up to you soon," Kakashi smirked. "And maybe even surpass you."
Rin beamed at the group. "I'm just excited to be with both of you again. Thank you, Reiki."
After bidding farewell to Kakashi and Rin, Reiki motioned for Obito to stay with him.
"Boss, why did you ask me to stay back? And thank you for arranging for Rin to be on our team," Obito said eagerly. "If you ever need anything, I'm there—first in line!"
"Alright, alright," Reiki interrupted, smiling at Obito's spirited gratitude. "I called you over because I want to check your Sharingan. When you first awakened it, I didn't sense anything unusual, but I want to make sure everything's fine."
"My eyes?" Obito repeated, eyes widening in surprise. "Boss… how did you know?"
Reiki watched as Obito activated his Sharingan, revealing two tomoe in each eye.
Reiki raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. Obito had reached the two-tomoe stage, yet as far as he knew, Obito hadn't experienced any recent trauma or stress.
"Have you been training with your Sharingan activated regularly?" Reiki asked, intrigued.
"Yeah," Obito replied, nodding. "I can keep it open for about three hours, though if I'm using ninjutsu at the same time, it varies."
"And… have you felt anything strange?"
"Nope. Just feels… normal," Obito replied, scratching his head.
Reiki spent the next two hours examining Obito's Sharingan and asking questions, his expression growing more serious with each answer.
"Reiki…" came a quiet voice from nearby. Nozuki had come to see Reiki but stopped short, noticing his concentrated focus.
"Don't disturb him," Shisui whispered, stopping Nozuki. Shisui, remembering his role in Obito's initial Sharingan awakening, had a sense of what Reiki might be looking for. Nozuki sat quietly, waiting for Reiki to finish.
After an exhaustive examination, Reiki finally stepped back, a look of contemplation on his face.
"Obito," he said, voice serious, "I want you to keep paying attention to any changes in your Sharingan. If anything feels unusual, come to me immediately."
Obito nodded, looking a bit bewildered but grateful for Reiki's concern. With this quiet agreement, a new awareness began to settle over them, knowing that the Uchiha's power might hold even more mystery than they'd initially thought.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 290 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
Gimme power stonesssss
Also, leave a review FFS
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT