Chapter 02: Team selection

Sarutobi Hiruzen, sandaime Hokage, was silently smoking his pipe sitting at his desk. At his side was Iruka with the file of every graduating student in his hands. Among them was the file of one Uzumaki Naruto who after the events of two days ago had been promoted to genin despite having failed the ninjutsu portion of the academy final exam which was an instant disqualification.

By a chain of fortunate and unfortunate circumstances, Naruto had been tricked by Iruka’s assistant instructor, Mizuki, into stealing the Scroll of seals. A scroll that listed a fairly good amount of jutsu considered forbidden because too dangerous. From raising the dead to the summoning of the Shinigami itself, that was not the kind of knowledge that should be let out in the open.

Mizuki, who turned out to be a traitor working for Orochimaru (Hiruzen’s greatest failure), had been defeated by Naruto and his use of Kage Bunshin. Solid chakra constructs which chakra’s requirement was so big that it was usually only taught to Jonin if they asked for it. Naruto had not only learned the jutsu in an hour by reading the scroll of seals (a miracle considering he failed to make a single normal clone during his test), but also made a hundred of them when the everage Jonin could only make hald a dozen at best before chakra exhaustion.

That was mind boggling to everyone in the know but not much of a surprise. Naruto, being an Uzumaki, had massive chakra reserves to begin with. Adding to them, the Kyubi’s chakra dripping into the boy’s reserves and expanding them from the day the Yondaime had sealed the nine-tailed fox into the new born Naruto and you got a chakra monster that the king of pranks of Konoha was.

Such a feat, along with the success of making at least one clone (one of the higher tier at that) and defeating Mizuki made Iruka pass Naruto as a genin of the leaf. A decision that had been accepted by Hiruzen without a second thought.

While the old shinobi leader was proud of the achievement of his surrogate grandson, it brought up a problem. Twenty eight students had graduated and only twenty seven of them could be placed in a team with a Jonin sensei. Teams were made of three members. Not two nor four. That meant that one student would be left out and sent to the genin corps. The place where freshly promoted academy students went if they were good enough to be a genin but not good enough for the Jonin sensei they have been assigned to. There was the possibility of a Jonin taking an apprentice which would mean that two of the graduates would in theory be left to rot in the genin corps where they would have to fend for themselves.

Unfortunately an apprenticeship was rare. Very, very rare. A student must be really exceptional in the particular ninja arts that a Jonin wanted to transmit, to be picked as an apprentice. And so far, from what Iruka had told him of the graduating class and from his reports, Hiruzen saw only two that would fit the bill.

The first one was Warudo Riku. An exceptional student from a mix of shinobi and civilian background. Real rookie of the year for four consecutive years and with talent and potential that Hiruzen had only seen four times in his life. One was Orochimaru, one was his own successor, Namikaze Minato and Yondaime Hokage. The third had been Hatake Kakashi, the Yondaime’s own prized student and the fourth had been Uchiha Itachi, heir of the Uchiha Clan and elder brother of Sasuke.

Out of the four, only Minato had amounted to anything. Orochimaru was a traitor, Kakashi was a mentally cripple individual because of his past, despite being his best jonin and the best candidate so far to replace him as Hokage and Itachi had slaughtered his whole clan leaving behind only his little brother. While he had made peace with his student’s betrayal, Itachi’s fate still left a bitter taste in his mouth and he couldn’t help himself but curse Danzo for being the reason for said fate.

Warudo Riku could have graduated years ago if not for the simple bias of his instructors refusing to let him take the test. When Iruka showed him both his file, Naruto’s and Sasuke’s, eight months prior, he immediately sacked the three chunin of the previous years, put a black mark on their file and assigned them administrative tasks, usually done by genins, for the next two years as punishment. There was no place for bias in a military institution. Inflating the already big ego of Sasuke because of his clan’s name and putting down brilliant students because of what they contained or the crime of their parents was unacceptable when the students were way too young to understand or be part of any of it.

It could be acceptable however when it was about taking an apprentice. Because of his mother, no jonin in their right mind would offer an apprenticeship to Riku. Not because they believe he’s guilty by association but because he’s a career and political landmine. Had Riku been part of a clan no one would have looked too closely and the stigma would have not been as harsh. Unfortunately he wasn’t.

Sasuke on the other hand was, except the reports from Iruka had been worrying. The ‘Last Uchiha’ as people called him, had no ties whatsoever to anyone in the village. No ties usually meant no loyalty. And considering the young genin's unhealthy obsession in killing his brother to avenge his clan, Uchiha Sasuke was currently the biggest flight risk in the whole village. Giving him an apprenticeship would simply push him to learn everything he needed then desert Konoha to reach his goal once he thought he was strong enough. That wouldn’t do, especially when he was the last surviving member of one of the founding clans. His family name alone carried power and Konoha couldn’t waste it. The loss of the Senju was enough, the village didn’t need to lose the Uchiha too.

The few politically clueless jonin that wanted to take the boy as an apprentice were not ordered but strongly dissuaded to give up on the idea once the situation was explained to them. Uchiha Sasuke needed to make bonds, to have ties with the village and to do that he needed to be put on a genin team.

As a result, the two students who should be eligible for an apprenticeship were not. Which still left him with the one odd student. Looking at the gathering of Jonin in his office, Hiruzen waited for them to make a choice. All were reading, passing around one or two copies of the students file, that would be destroyed once the teams were set. It has been going for three hours. The future teachers, speaking and arguing between each other about a potential composition for a team or another or about the students themselves. It all came to a stop when a familiar shinobi with silver gravity defying hair, a baklava and his head protector covering his left eye, entered his office with a shushin. An orange book for adults in hand, he lazily went to Hiruzen.

“Good to see you join us, Kakashi.” Hiruzen greeted, not even bothering anymore with noting aloud his three hours lateness. “Have you made a decision?”

“I’ll go with tradition, Hokage-sama. The rookie of the year, the kunoichi of the year and the dead last.” he announced with an eye-smile.

“I would have thought you would have taken Sasuke in your team.” answered Hiruzen knowing perfectly well that Riku was the rookie. He just wanted to pay back a bit at Kakashi for his tardiness. It was petty but he was old and he didn’t care.

“... Sasuke isn’t the rookie of the year?” he said in a contained surprise.

“No. Warudo Riku is. In fact he’s been it for their whole time at the academy. Some idiots thought it wise to falsify some reports to show otherwise.”

“Then I’ll break tradition, and take the dead last, the kunoichi of the year and Sasuke.”

The simple and obvious tone the man used, disappointed the Hokage a bit. The latter could not however begrudged the former. He knew that Kakashi wanted to recreate his own team and this time make it successful. He understood that but nonetheless he had hoped that Kakashi would take Riku in his team. From what Iruka had reported, Naruto and Sasuke absolutely couldn't stand each other though the latter hated Riku.

Naruto and Riku’s relationship on the other hand was one sided. Naruto couldn’t stand Riku out of understandable jealousy. Despite the same circumstances, Naruto was dead last while Riku was at the top. Riku just didn’t care about Naruto but wouldn’t mind helping him if the sun kissed blond would simply change his attitude for the better.

In the end Kakashi chose Sasuke. Some would argue that it was better that way because Kakashi would be able to teach him how to use his sharingan, the Uchiha’s kekkei genkai, yet there was no sharingan in sight. Not only that but not all Uchiha ever activated it and while Sasuke had both parents and his older brother who had unlocked it, it wasn’t a sure thing for him even if the odds were high.

“Very well, your choice is noted.” announced Hiruzen, taking a puff of his pipe.

Kakashi nodded and went to the side, to lean against a wall while reading his porn. The only reason he didn’t leave was because someone else may ask for one or more of the students he had selected and he would defend his position.

One by one, the Jonin came forward with their desire after agreeing between each other. Hiruzen held another sigh of disappointment when he saw some of the team and by which jonin they were made. He cursed himself that at that moment, the law forbade him to assign the team himself. To his side Iruka was frowning more than slightly.

“I’m surprised none of you are taking the Rookie of the Year. Since I know better, I won’t entertain the idea that it’s because of his mother’s doing. You’re all jonin, such a reason is beneath you. That leaves me clueless, I admit, as to why then.” said the Hokage.

His gaze swiped over the entirety of jonin present in the room. None dared to speak until Shiranui Gemna, senbon in mouth, spoke up.

“Out of the 28, only ten will make it to genin at best, Hokage-sama. Two third of them left would be sent back to the academy because they’re not good enough and the last third sent to the genin corps. While I will give my team a fair shot, like everyone here I believe…” he announced and the others jonin nodded in agreement. “I expect them to fail. The only ones who will probably make it are the nine those three chose.” he added pointing at Kakashi, Yuhi Kurenai and Sarutobi Asuma, the Sandaime's own son. “That leaves Warudo on his lonesome. Even if I switch him with a member of my team it wouldn’t change a thing and he would still end up in the corps. Taking him as an apprentice is just asking for trouble.”

Hiruzen sighed at that and dismissed his subordinate with a sign of the hand. “Not the three of you.”

Knowing perfectly well their military chief was addressing them, the three that had been singled out by Genma, stayed behind.

“What about you? What’s your reasons?” the Hokage asked.

“The Ino-Shika-Cho combo needs to continue. It’s too good to break it.” Asuma replied.

“He’s unsuited in the tracker team that I envision.” Kurenai answered for her part.

Both Hiruzen and Iruka knew it was bullshit but they waited for Kakashi’s answer.

“He’s probably never going to amount much of anything. His father was a civilian, his mother an average chunin. Statistics show that in cases like those more often than not it’s stagnation at chunin. I believe the students I chose will reach a higher rank than that and be more useful for the village.”

That was a well structured answer that couldn’t be denied. At least easily. Looking at Iruka, Hiruzen invited him to offer a counter argument.

“Permission to speak freely despite the rank, Hokage-sama?” requested the chunin.

“Granted.”

“Thank you. Yuhi-san, I will start with you. The only reason you’re making this team is because it’s the only combination that would allow you to have Hinata under your care without disrupting the two other teams that your colleagues want to make. That you want to make a tracking team when not being a tracking expert yourself is… Astonishing.”

He was about to say more when Asuma rudely interrupted him.

“Now, wait a damn minute! You’re just a chunin, what would you know about the intricacies of being a jonin sensei?”

“I will take care of you in a moment Sarutobi-san, no need to skip in line.” was the harsh answer delivered by the Academy instructor, not even bothering to look at his superior.

That answer nearly made Hiruzen choke on the puff of smoke he was drawing from his pipe. Even Kakashi lowered his book to look at Iruka in surprise and that was a big deal for the people who were familiar with the man. Iruka wasn’t done with Kurenai however.

“Added to that is the fact that you’re one with the most if not the most expertise in genjutsu in the whole village. An art that neither Hinata, Kiba or Shino will ever delve into or have an ounce of talent in. What you can teach them is fairly standard and limited, which is not the role of a jonin sensei at all. While I do not doubt your competence to teach them properly, and your dedication, unlike others…” he looked at Kakashi as he said the last part then at Asuma. “You are unfortunately not a best fit for them. A team composed of either Ino or Shikamaru or Sakura as support, Choji, Naruto or Riku as a front liner and either Naruto or Sasuke or Riku as a ninjutsu or genjutsu specialist would have suited you better. The team would have been balanced and two of your charges would have benefited from your mastery of the mind arts.”

He stopped there to take a big breath then turned to Asuma.

“First off, let’s get this out of the way and make things clear: I’m just a chunin because of a debilitating injury that forbids me to go further as a shinobi. You can ask Kakashi-san, we were on the same team during a mission when it happened.” at that, the silver-haired pervert nodded. “Furthermore, being a chunin or even a genin doesn’t mean that one is less knowledgeable than a jonin. You only need to look at Kosuke Moruboshi to verify what I’m saying is true.”

Hiruzen nodded in agreement when he heard the name, knowing the man very well. Kosuke was known by all veterans as the strongest genin that ever lived for a reason. Reason being, he refused all promotions after the death of his teammates. He had been leading the team and a grave error left him as the only survivor. The overwhelming guilt he felt was too strong for him to go past it and move up the rank, not trusting himself to make another mistake just as costly. Regarding Iruka’s take on himself, the Hokage agreed too. The man may have had too much compassion in his heart; he did have the potential to reach the rank of Jonin.

“Second, I would appreciate it if you didn’t try to demean me because of my rank. When it was clear that I became unable to fulfill the expectations the village had of me, I went to help prepare the next generations by becoming an instructor, making sure I would still be pulling my weight as per the Will of Fire dictates. When you couldn’t meet yours, you ran away to play bodyguard in the capital for years.”

Hiruzen’s pipe nearly dropped from his mouth, with how open it found itself, at the verbal explosive tag the size of the moon that Iruka had thrown at his son. It was all true in Hiruzen's opinion but he wasn’t about to say it openly when their relationship was more than strained. Next to Asuma both Kurenai and Kakashi shared the same expression. Incredulity. That was one hell of a tongue lashing delivered with the precision of a medic-nin using chakra scalpel. For his part Asuma’s expression was murderous. Unfortunately for the youngest Sarutobi in the room, it wasn’t over.

“The Ino-Shika-Cho combo is just a way for you to not take your job seriously. Their fathers will train them to be even better than they are and you will have very little to train them in. What would happen when one of them finds themself in another team without the two others? How will they learn teamwork with shinobi that are neither a Yamanaka, a Nara or an Akimichi? You’re just taking the easy way out. Again. If anything, you’d be more suited to teach Riku or Naruto as both have wind for an affinity. Sasuke is also an excellent candidate to which you could impart your knowledge of fire ninjutsu and bukijutsu. With your friendly attitude, Shino would be able to develop more socially and make bonds more easily. Your competence with wind chakra and his kikaichu could be deadly and very useful. Lastly, she may have been recently promoted but Yuhi-san is a full-fledged jonin, she’s perfectly capable of handling any criticism made toward herself without any one interjecting on her behalf. While well intentioned, that you did so could be interpreted wrongly in another setting by people who aren’t aware of her skills or doubt them. Be mindful of that.”

That last part almost made Kurenai nod in agreement. She appreciated Asuma coming to her rescue but she was a big girl and could handle anything going her way. That he unnecessarily defended her would reflect badly on her competence as a kunoichi and a jonin. Done with the man, Iruka turned to his final target, Kakashi.

“Kakashi-san. While your reason is good, do I really need to say what both you and Hokage-sama already know about it?”

“Mah… That won’t be necessary.” the man in question said, waving a hand negatively.

“Thank you, I would have hated to say it. Regarding your team… I’m not going to sugar coat it. It’s the most dysfunctional that I have ever seen. Sakura only passed because of the written exam. She has an impressive memory but no creativity at all. She’s just text book and nothing else. Her chakra control is nearly perfect only because her reserves are so small. The smallest I have ever seen in a student in fact. She does the bare minimum on everything physical, just enough to be passable. Her fan girl attitude and being hung-ho on Sasuke instead of training seriously…” He turned towards Hiruzen and voiced his verdict on the young graduate. “She, like most girls in her class, should never have graduated or at least not as kunoichi of the year.”

“Aren’t you a bit harsh on your student?” asked Kakashi.

“I am. For good reasons. Sakura, the way she is now, is going to be either raped, killed or get one of her teammate killed at the first mission gone wrong outside the village. She has talent, don’t misunderstand but she’s wasting it because she prefers to find a husband than be a proper kunoichi. Next is Sasuke. A superiority complex based on his family name combined, an inferiority complex because of his brother and a very, very fragile ego. I’ll be upfront, he’s nothing like you were in your youth. The only thing that interests him is power and believes that everyone else is beneath him, making him think that teammates will do nothing but hold him back. His condescending attitude, without much basis to stand on, will create more discord than anything with Naruto on the team. The only way he has to validate himself is to put down others. Speaking of Naruto, while he would prove, with time, to be a good rival to Sasuke pushing him further, he needs a lot of work to get there. And I mean. A.Lot. He has the most potential of his graduating class, his well thought pranks and learning the kage bunshin in an hour prove that. Unfortunately he’s wasting it because of his misplaced pride. He’s also a fan boy towards Sakura, not recognizing that his attitude is identical to hers. I’ll give him credit, he is a hard worker. Only second to Riku. It’s too bad that he only works hard on what he thinks he needs to become Hokage and not what he actually needs. Having Riku instead of Sasuke on your team would be better for the three of them. Many problems would be avoided. Riku would lighten your burden of getting both Sakura and Naruto to the proper standard of a genin as he is willing to help others if needed or asked. Something that Sasuke would not do, at least not with those teammates and if he does, it would be very very reluctantly. It’s up to you to find a way should you go with this team. Finally, Riku having a civilian father and an average chunin for a mother is still better than Sakura whose parents are both civilians. In my opinion he has more potential than she does. By far. Unfortunately, putting Riku, Naruto and Sasuke on the same team is an even worse recipe for disaster than the team’s current line-up.”

Looking at Hiruzen, Iruka signaled that he was done reprimanding the jonins and pointing out what was wrong with their team and subtly telling them why they should take Riku on their team.

“I won’t order you to take Riku in your team. You know I don’t have the power to do so but Iruka made valid arguments. Unlike you. I will however accept your decision if you do not wish to change it.”

And with that said, the fate of an ostracized orphan was sealed.