Hokage Office.
"These are good prospects. Do you have the confidence to nurture them into capable individuals?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi asked as Satoru put away the documents.
"Absolutely."
Satoru affirmed.
At the same time, he also gathered from this statement that the current batch of students was truly lacking in talent.
He thought back to his graduating class: Might Guy, Kakashi, Obito, Genma, Yuhi, Asuma, and many others who would later become Jonin.
This batch, however, Iruka was considered excellent!
It was undeniable that his teaching ability later on was outstanding, but currently, as a student, being rated as excellent was indeed a bit of a stretch.
"Alright, go. The students must be waiting impatiently," Hiruzen Sarutobi said.
"Yes."
Satoru exited the Hokage Office.
"Hokage-sama, isn't Satoru a bit too young to be a Squad Leader?"
The secretary beside him asked.
Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Only by possessing the ability to lead a team can one become a Chunin. This is Konoha's rule. He is a Jonin now; do not doubt yourself."
"Yes," the secretary replied upon hearing this.
...
Ninja School.
"I wonder who our Squad Leader will be?" Mibu Shinobi asked his soon-to-be teammates with anticipation.
With his head wrapped in bandages and his young age, he looked a bit mischievous.
"It would be great if we could be led by Homura-sama," Ibara keisan said, constantly twirling a Shuriken in his hand.
Homura Mitokado was Konoha's master of Ninja Tools, and he had always been Iron Wire's idol. He constantly hoped to learn more advanced tool manipulation Ninjutsu from him.
Meanwhile, Iruka sat quietly, staring ahead, as if in a daze.
If his father hadn't died, he would probably be leading the team, right?
Just as he was lost in thought, his two teammates poked him, bringing him back to reality.
"As long as I can learn something, it's fine," Iruka said with a smile.
After the Third Hokage's comfort, he was no longer immersed in sadness. For over a year, he had diligently studied and now had a new dream: to become a teacher who educated others.
However, before that, he needed to learn more Ninja knowledge and seriously commit himself to Ninja work, rather than just teaching theory.
Without experiencing the Ninja path, he definitely wouldn't be able to teach students well, as the Third Hokage had said.
Tap! Tap!
Hearing footsteps, the three immediately looked towards the classroom door with anticipation.
Who could it be?
A young man wearing a Ninja vest, with his hands in his pockets, his head completely wrapped in bandages, and his Konoha forehead protector tied over his eyes.
"Iruka Umino, Ibara keisan, Mibu Shinobi."
Satoru spoke.
"Present!"
The three of them responded in unison upon hearing their names.
"I am your captain, Satoru. Until Hokage-sama issues other orders, I will continue to be your captain. Are you ready to become a Ninja?"
"We are ready!"
"Very good. Gather at the 98th Training Ground tomorrow morning. Don't eat too much; your captain will treat you to something delicious. For now, you are dismissed to rest.
Starting tomorrow, there won't be as much rest time." Satoru gave his orders.
Bang!
After speaking, he formed hand signs and instantly vanished before their eyes.
"So amazing! He just disappeared!" Mibu Shinobi exclaimed.
Ibara keisan: "Was that some kind of Instantaneous Body Technique?"
"No, that was the Shadow Clone Jutsu, a high-level Ninjutsu that only Jonin can learn," Iruka analysed.
"Eh, so a Jonin is leading our team?" Mibu Shinobi said excitedly.
"I wonder if you guys noticed, our captain seems very young!" Ibara keisan said.
With Satoru's face wrapped in bandages, leaving only his chin and nose exposed, Ibara keisan couldn't tell.
"We'll know tomorrow when we ask."
...
Konoha Main Street.
"Before I knew it, I'm going to be a captain. Working in the Analysis Team, I haven't personally led a serious team yet."
Satoru stretched.
Considering he had to lead a team tomorrow, it was better to go back and prepare.
He didn't have the same interest as the Third Hokage and Kakashi in using tricks like bell-stealing. He only planned to test the three's true abilities and then consider how to teach them.
As a captain, he had to show some strength to earn the basic trust of the three little ones.
"Speaking of which, Ebisu has talent. He's only been a Chunin for two or three months, and his teaching ability has soared."
Speaking of teaching, one couldn't help but mention the future elite teacher.
He had recently started teaching at the Ninja School and seemed to be doing very well.
Watching these future pillars of Konoha grow little by little felt quite good.
Unconsciously, he found himself in front of Ichiraku Ramen again.
A rose woven from palm leaves appeared in his hand, and he walked in with a sunny smile.
"Ayame, look what big brother brought you again, a hand-woven rose."
However, as he walked in, he felt awkward.
Because two pairs of eyes turned to look at him.
"Yosh, how youthful! Satoru has found true love!" Might Guy gave him a thumbs-up, grinning with a dazzling shine.
Kakashi: "Impressive."
Ayame, who was busy in the back, chuckled at the sight.
Then she took his rose and placed it in a decorative vase nearby, which already held other lifelike woven flowers.
"Haha, why are you two here?" Satoru asked when he saw them.
Currently, Might Guy is a Special Jonin and Kakashi is a Jonin. In this relatively difficult period for Konoha, they had free time.
Might Guy pointed at Kakashi: "Kakashi just returned from a mission in Snow Country, and I also just completed a mission, so we're having a meal together."
Kakashi nodded.
"Snow Country, huh? That's quite far. I heard it's covered in ice and snow all year round and is very beautiful. Did you bring back any local specialities?"
When Satoru heard Snow Country, it seemed the movie plot was also present, but he wondered if Naruto would go to Snow Country again.
There was Chakra technology in the Ninja World. He wondered if Kakashi had brought any back.
"The Daimyo there has changed, and I almost died there. Forget specialities; that place almost turned me into a speciality," Kakashi said helplessly.
"Oh, Snow Country is just a small country. It almost got you?"
"Don't underestimate any enemy. They have Chakra amplification devices that can greatly enhance a Ninja's strength, and all of them can use Ice Release. The Snow Ninja are also very strong!"
"Let's not talk about that. What about you? Are you still diligently working in the Analysis Team?" Kakashi asked in return.
"Don't even mention it. I just received a mission. Starting tomorrow, I'll be leading a team, and it's a baby class that just graduated from the Ninja School." Satoru sat down and then slurped the ramen Ayame brought over.
"Haha, that's a perfect description! But we all came from baby classes. Thinking about it still makes me a little excited!" Might Guy laughed heartily.
"...Don't talk nonsense, I'm not," Kakashi thought to himself.