March 13, Thursday.
The Genius Class's final exams officially began. Today was the theory exam, supervised by Iruka, so Kitazawa did not go to the Ninja Academy.
But he didn't train either. Instead, he headed straight for the Forest of Death.
After some consideration, Kitazawa decided to use part of the Forest of Death as the venue for the team-battle portion of the practical exam.
The forest was enormous—using the entire area was unnecessary. He planned to cordon off a suitable section as the arena.
On top of that, he intended to add artificial terrain.
"Konan." Kitazawa stopped and asked, "What do you think of this place?"
"The trees are much denser." Konan surveyed the surroundings carefully. "It's a perfect spot for an ambush."
"Then we'll use this as the center. A one-kilometer radius will be the arena." Kitazawa thought briefly before deciding.
Konan nodded.
"Fly along the perimeter I've marked and plant boundary flags." Kitazawa casually handed her a scroll. "One flag every hundred meters will do."
Konan took the scroll and turned to leave.
Kitazawa walked on for a short while until a stream appeared before him. He formed hand seals, widening the stream and splitting off several tributaries.
But the artificial terrain didn't stop there.
Half an hour later, Kitazawa reached the left side of the zone.
Earth Release: Earth Flow River!
The ground trembled, and under the molding of the Earth Release chakra, a vast swamp took shape.
After walking a bit farther, he formed seals again.
Earth Release: Clay Earth Drop!
A massive lump of earth chakra fell from the sky, piling up into a ten-meter-tall mini mountain.
Kitazawa felt like he was playing a game, stacking terrain elements without restraint. When he was nearly finished, he came to the right side of the zone.
Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!
Countless trees burst from the ground, merging seamlessly with the original Forest of Death and making it even denser.
"Kitazawa." Konan reappeared. "All the boundary flags are in place."
"Take me up into the sky." Kitazawa thought for a moment. "I want to draw a map from overhead."
At his words, Konan stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. Paper wings unfolded from her back, and with a light motion, she lifted them into the air.
Kitazawa looked down at Konan.
Because of their height difference, even though Konan had initiated the embrace, it ended with her resting in his arms.
"Thanks." Gazing at her cool, beautiful face, Kitazawa couldn't help leaning in and kissing her cheek.
The sudden kiss made Konan's heart flutter. But she said nothing, forcing herself to maintain a calm expression.
Kitazawa blinked. Her reaction only made him want to tease her more. She was simply too obedient.
Kitazawa let out a soft chuckle, enjoying the warmth of her body as he looked down at the Forest of Death.
In truth, with his Byakugan, he didn't need to come this high to take in the full terrain. But he chose the most comfortable option.
He reached out to stroke Konan's hair, then pulled out a summoning storage scroll. As a Ninja, they all possessed a certain level of drawing skill.
Sometimes, sealing formulas had to be drawn by hand. And then there was Super Beast Imitation Drawing, an extremely versatile ninjutsu.
Kitazawa took out a pen and began sketching. When he finished, the corner of his mouth twitched.
He really should have called Yakumo over.
How should he put it? The map was crude—understandable, but hardly worthy of his status and power.
"All right, let's go down." Kitazawa came back to himself and put away the scroll.
At his words, Konan slowly descended until they landed steadily on the ground. She released him, stepped back, and dispelled her paper wings.
Kitazawa glanced at the sky and headed toward the Ninja Academy.
Halfway there, he suddenly stopped. Looking at the distant Hokage Rock, a mischievous idea formed in his mind.
Terrain was crucial in team battles. Originally, he'd planned to let every student study the map beforehand.
But that would eliminate the element of the unknown. And frankly, his drawing wasn't particularly appealing.
Instead, he decided on a fun competition—one where the prize would be time to personally scout the terrain.
That way, they'd gain experience along with information.
As for the competition, A Hokage Rock graffiti contest.
Naruto's graffiti on Hokage Rock was one of the classic scenes from the original story.
But due to the butterfly effect, the current Naruto spent all his time training and had no time for pranks.
Recreating that iconic scene wouldn't hurt.
There was another reason as well. Paint was one of the items stocked in Kitazawa's grocery store.
He hadn't opened shop in a long time—this was the perfect chance to clear inventory.
[Current Mission: Graffiti the Hokage Rock together with Naruto.]
[Mission Reward: Super Beast Imitation Drawing.]
[Accept?]
A question mark appeared over Kitazawa's head. This could actually trigger a system mission?
Still, the reward—Super Beast Imitation Drawing—was arriving at exactly the right time.
By the time he reached the Ninja Academy, the Genius Class's theory exam was nearly over. Kitazawa waited outside the classroom for a few minutes, and then the bell rang.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" The first to rush out was Hinata.
Since Kitazawa hadn't hidden his presence, she spotted him the instant she reached the door.
"How did it go?" Kitazawa reached out and gently patted her head.
"Should be okay," Hinata answered modestly.
Her theory scores had always been steady—never once falling out of the top ten.
"Mm." Kitazawa nodded.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" Ino and the others crowded over as well.
"The eighteen students who ranked in the top eighteen of the last practical exam, stay. Everyone else may leave." Kitazawa looked at them as he spoke.
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei." The class immediately split into two, with the top eighteen returning to the classroom.
"Kitazawa-senpai." Iruka stepped forward and asked, "Should I stay?"
"No need." Kitazawa shook his head.
"Then I'll go grade the papers." Iruka left the classroom with the collected exams.
"Tomorrow will be the team battle." Standing at the podium, Kitazawa continued, "The venue is set—inside the Forest of Death."
"An arena that big?" Kiba exclaimed in surprise.
"Sounds complicated." Naruto scratched his head.
As a taijutsu ninja, he preferred straightforward, head-on fights.
With the Forest of Death as the battlefield, everyone would be hiding and maneuvering—combat wouldn't be direct at all.
"So what if it's the Forest of Death?" Rock Lee thrust out a thumbs-up and declared passionately, "Youth means embracing every challenge!"
Shino adjusted his glasses. With the Forest of Death as the venue, he might actually have a shot at first place this time.
The environment was practically tailor-made for him. Whether kikaichū or bees, inside a forest, they were like fish in water.
Neji's heart stirred as well; he felt his chances of taking first place had risen significantly.
Most of the trees in the Forest of Death were towering giants that blocked normal lines of sight.
But for someone with the Byakugan, that was an advantage. More importantly, he now possessed the Fate-Breaking Bow.
Fate-Breaking Bow plus Byakugan—so long as he had enough chakra, his effective range was limitless.
Sasuke's expression remained unchanged.
He wasn't bothered. To him, the forest was neither an advantage nor a disadvantage.
He was strong, and with the Sharingan, sneaking up on him from a distance was nearly impossible.
"Shikamaru, the forest suits you perfectly." Choji turned to Shikamaru.
The Nara Clan's secret techniques relied on shadows as a medium. Beneath the dense canopy of the Forest of Death, shadows were everywhere.
In contrast, for the Akimichi Clan, it was a negative modifier—their secret techniques couldn't be fully displayed.
"Definitely better than the Training Ground." Shikamaru nodded in agreement.
"Then I'm doomed!" Kiba put on an exaggerated expression of despair.
"Feels like my chance!" Tayuya said excitedly.
Her sound-based genjutsu in the Forest of Death would let her remain unseen while her voice carried freely.
Perfect for sneak attacks, with a high success rate.
Kimimaro frowned slightly. As a taijutsu specialist, the environment offered him no particular advantage.
"I like forests." A faint smile appeared on Jugo's face.
He could understand the language of animals, and the forest would surely be full of them.
"I'm keeping you here today to hold a fun little contest." Kitazawa cut off their chatter.
"A fun contest?" Naruto Uzumaki perked up instantly. "That sounds like youth incarnate!"
"Teacher Kitazawa, what kind of contest?"
Ino asked hurriedly. She was afraid Naruto would derail things again.
"A Hokage Rock graffiti contest," Kitazawa replied with a smile.
"Huh?" Ino exclaimed. "Graffiti on the Hokage Rock?"
If anyone else had suggested it, she would have thought they had a death wish. That was the Hokage Rock, after all.
To many ninja, it was a sacred and glorious place. The faces of every Hokage were carved there.
Most shinobi dreamed of seeing their own likeness up there one day. Anyone else would be arrested before they even started.
"I'll explain the details when we get there." Kitazawa shook his head. "Go grab lunch first, then meet me at the Hokage Rock. I'll bring the paint."
"Yes, Teacher Kitazawa." Suppressing their doubts, the students dispersed.
Kitazawa ate, fetched the paint, and finally arrived at the Hokage Rock.
As the name implied, the Hokage Rock was a massive cliff face carved directly into stone.
The rest of the Genius Class was already gathered at the base, craning their necks as they stared up at the five Hokage faces.
Incidentally, carving began the moment a new Hokage took office—not after their death.
"Teacher Kitazawa!" Naruto and the others called out as soon as they spotted him.
"For this graffiti match, we'll target the Third and Fifth Hokage's faces." Kitazawa got straight to the point.
Hashirama, Tobirama, and Minato had all passed away; out of respect, their likenesses were off-limits.
Hiruzen and Tsunade wouldn't mind even if they found out.
"Before we start, let's form teams." Kitazawa paused. "We'll use the same squads as for the team battles."
"Pick teammates now?" Ino immediately caught on.
"Mm." Kitazawa nodded. "Naruto, you pick first."
"Rock Lee!" Naruto answered without hesitation.
"Naruto!" Rock Lee burst into tears. "I feel our blazing youth!"
"This is youth!" Naruto shouted, rushing forward to hug him as both of them cried.
"…?" The corner of Kitazawa's mouth twitched.
Are you two swapping personas without paying the fee? How did you both start crying in the blink of an eye?
Sasuke and the others instinctively stepped back.
"Yakumo, who do you pick?" Kitazawa quickly interrupted, turning toward her.
"I'll take Ino," Yakumo answered gently.
She was a transfer student; while she knew everyone, she was closest to Ino.
"With Yakumo on our side, we're definitely taking first!" Ino exclaimed excitedly.
"This is a team battle." Sakura sniffed. "First place belongs to Sasuke-kun and me—we're perfectly in sync!"
"He has to pick you first, doesn't he?" Ino shot back immediately.
"Who else would Sasuke-kun pick if not me?" Sakura smiled confidently.
"I'll take Kimimaro," Sasuke said calmly.
"Huh?" Sakura instantly froze.
Sasuke met her gaze, silently apologizing. 'Sorry, I'm a strength player.'
Although he wanted to pick Sakura, Kimimaro's power gave him a better chance at first place. If Sakura was still available in the next round, he'd choose her then.
"Hinata?" Kitazawa asked with an amused smile.
He understood—Sasuke was obsessed with first place.
"Shikamaru," Hinata answered after a moment's thought.
She knew she couldn't match Naruto or Sasuke in raw strength, so she would rely on strategy.
"Tenten," Neji spoke, meeting Tenten's hopeful gaze.
"Yes!" Tenten cheered.
"I'll take Choji." Shino Aburame adjusted his glasses.
He needed a defensive teammate. As an Aburame, he excelled at reconnaissance and sensing. With the Kamizuru Clan's secret technique, he had also gained firepower.
"Round one is complete—round two starts now." Kitazawa nodded.
Tayuya froze. No one picked her in the first round?
Damn it. Did she really look that weak?
"Jugo!" Naruto called out without thinking. He'd learned taijutsu as well—an easy choice.
"Thanks." Jugo nodded.
Joining Naruto's squad might let him snag a team victory, though he'd actually hoped to be with Kimimaro.
"Karin," Yakumo murmured thoughtfully.
Karin knew sealing techniques—very useful in team battles—and the two were friends.
"Sakura," Sasuke answered instantly.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura rushed over. She hadn't lost after all—he'd picked her in the second round.
"I'll take Haku," Hinata spoke next.
"Tayuya." Neji made his decision.
Their team lacked control, and her sound-based genjutsu fit perfectly.
"I'm the last one picked?" Kiba gaped in disbelief.
"Alright, teams are set—let the graffiti contest begin!" Kitazawa clapped his hands to draw attention.
Kiba clenched his fist. He'd prove himself by taking first place.
Everyone turned to Kitazawa.
"Six teams, three rounds. Simple rules: paint the face, then wash it clean. Fastest team wins."
"Teacher Kitazawa." Tenten raised her hand. "What's the prize?"
"Scouting the terrain." Kitazawa smiled. "First place gets one full hour. Each subsequent place gets ten minutes less, down to six."
An uproar broke out instantly. Knowing the terrain meant planning ahead. An hour was enough to scout every corner.
Ten minutes barely covered a single zone. Of course, if you were strong enough, terrain didn't matter.
"It's not head-to-head—fastest total time among all six teams wins." Kitazawa reminded them.
"Naruto, Sasuke—you're up first. The rest line up."
"Team Youth, let's go!" Naruto flashed a thumbs-up.
"In the name of youth, victory is ours!" Lee echoed the gesture enthusiastically.
"…?" Under their intense stares, Jugo reluctantly raised his own thumb.
"Poor Jugo." Tayuya snickered.
"Ahem—it's called team spirit," Tenten said, struggling to keep a straight face.
Neji and the others shook their heads.
"One more rule," Kitazawa added calmly. "You may climb the rock using chakra, but no ninjutsu allowed."
"Aww…" Sakura's face fell—she'd planned to wash the rock with Water Release.
Naruto felt the same. If shadow clones were allowed, he'd have an overwhelming advantage.
"Begin!" Kitazawa placed identical buckets of paint on the ground.
Naruto leapt upward with his bucket, Sasuke and the others following closely behind.
A heated graffiti battle officially began.
Kitazawa watched from below, inwardly praising his own genius.
Half an hour later, the results were in.
"Ha-ha, we won!" Naruto crowed. "This is our youth!"
Sasuke's mouth twitched.
They'd missed first place by just one minute. At best, they could only secure second now.
"Next two teams," Kitazawa called out.
Yakumo and Neji stepped forward.
The remaining were Hinata's and Shino's squads.
"What are you doing here?" A familiar voice sounded.
Kitazawa turned and saw Tsunade, dressed in a tea-green haori, standing nearby.
She stopped not far away.
"Why are you here?" Kitazawa stepped forward and asked.
"Why do you think?" Tsunade shot him a glare. "This is the Hokage Rock."
"I just got word and thought some suicidal spy was causing trouble."
"I'm no spy." Kitazawa replied seriously.
"If a Wood Release ninja were a spy, would Konoha have any hope left?" Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"How did you end up graffitiing the Hokage Rock?"
"It's like this," Kitazawa explained the purpose of the graffiti contest.
"I mean, couldn't you pick another spot?" Tsunade glanced at her own defaced Hokage image.
"This cliff face is the biggest." Kitazawa gave a light cough.
"…" Tsunade was left speechless.
"Tsunade-sensei." Kitazawa smoothly changed the subject. "Tomorrow's the Genius Class team battle—will you come watch?"
"Since you're inviting, of course I'll be there." Tsunade paused, then asked, "Will it be over by noon?"
"Probably." Kitazawa thought for a moment. "But it's the first team battle, so I'm not sure when it'll finish."
"Then I'll take the whole day off," Tsunade said matter-of-factly.
"Planning to slack off again?" Kitazawa realized suddenly.
"Didn't you say it might not finish by noon?" Tsunade smirked. "Any problem with me taking a full day?"
"So this afternoon you'll want me at the casino with you?" Kitazawa saw through her at once.
"Absolutely!" Tsunade declared righteously. "You smeared my Hokage face—you owe me!"
The corner of Kitazawa's mouth twitched. He suspected Tsunade had come precisely for this reason.
After all, the ANBU would've already reported that he was behind the graffiti contest. She didn't need to come personally.
"Fine." Kitazawa could only agree.
If the Genius Class students weren't here, he'd already be lecturing her.
"I'm heading back to work. Remember to come find me early tomorrow." Having achieved her goal, Tsunade waved and turned to leave with a satisfied smile.
---
Time passed slowly.
Two hours later, the graffiti contest finally ended.
[Current Mission: Graffiti on the Hokage Rock together with Naruto.]
[Mission Reward: Super Beast Imitation Drawing.]
[Host has completed the mission; distributing reward.]
Kitazawa nodded. This was essentially a free reward.
In the original story, Super Beast Imitation Drawing belonged to Sai. Draw an animal, and it briefly comes to life, carrying out its function.
In that sense, it was similar to Yakumo's Genjutsu Creation. Though more limited—only animals—it was still extremely useful.
Attack, reconnaissance, intelligence delivery, even flight—it covered everything.
Though labeled a single jutsu, Super Beast Imitation Drawing was actually a whole system of techniques.
It could easily be classified as a Secret Technique. From the original work, it can be seen that it was notoriously difficult to learn. Even within Root, only Sai had mastered it.
"Everyone, follow me." Kitazawa came back to himself and headed toward the Forest of Death.
Moments later, a row of boundary flags appeared before them.
"Only the area inside these flags is the team-battle field." Kitazawa reminded them.
"Tomorrow, don't cross the line—or you'll lose points."
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei." Everyone answered in unison.
"Naruto, your squad goes in first." Kitazawa nodded. "One-hour limit. I'll call you when time's up."
Naruto, Rock Lee, and Jugo entered the field at once and began surveying.
The others weren't idle either; they stood at the perimeter, watching intently. Although the dense forest blocked much of the view, they could still make out some details.
"How come there are two hills in there?" Kiba asked, puzzled. "I've passed through the Forest of Death before and never saw them."
"Obviously, Kitazawa-sensei added them artificially." Shikamaru guessed at once, extrapolating further. "I bet there's plenty of other man-made complex terrain inside."
"Darn, I feel like half an hour won't be enough." Kiba slapped his palm in frustration.
"At least you get half an hour." Ino sighed. "We only get ten minutes."
"This zone isn't very big; ten minutes should do." Neji followed the boundary flags toward the far end.
Because of the prior warning, he didn't activate his Byakugan.
"It's fine, I'll draw," Yakumo said gently. "Ino, Karin—each of you memorize one area. I'll sketch everything out later."
"Yakumo, you're amazing!" Ino praised her immediately.
Karin couldn't help nodding in agreement.
"Good thing we have fifty minutes!" Sakura glanced at Ino and smiled. "This is Sasuke-kun's and my perfect teamwork!"
"Hmph, don't celebrate yet!" Ino planted her hands on her hips. "Tomorrow's the real team battle!"
"Tomorrow it'll still be—" Sakura was cut off mid-sentence.
"Sakura, you'll take the left zone in a moment," Sasuke spoke promptly.
"Yes, Sasuke-kun!" Without realizing it, Sakura's jinx was forcefully interrupted.
Everyone chatted as they waited for Naruto's squad to finish.
Kitazawa watched them quietly, pondering something else. Namely, which squad he should choose as the supervising teacher.
After all, he still had a system mission to lead a team to first place.
From a probability standpoint, the three squads led by Kurama Yakumo, Sasuke, and Naruto had the highest chance of taking the top spot.
Kitazawa rubbed his chin. For the moment, he genuinely couldn't tell who would place first.
Kurama Yakumo—no need to say more—possessed Mangekyō-level genjutsu.
Sasuke's Three-Tomoe Sharingan, combined with Fire and Lightning Release and the newly learned Hatake Swordsmanship, made him equally formidable.
Naruto, with Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, could massively amplify both his taijutsu and Wind Release.
And he had recently learned Konoha Dragon God, pushing his strength even higher.
Unable to decide among the captains, Kitazawa shifted his focus to the team members.
Among them, Kimimaro was unquestionably the strongest. The rest were roughly on the same level.
Suddenly struck by a thought, Kitazawa's gaze landed on Jugo. He remembered that Jugo could understand animals.
If animals were used to spy on other teams, no one would notice.
And Rock Lee had more or less mastered Konoha Dragon God as well.
In the end, Kitazawa chose Naruto's squad. Whether they could actually take first place, however, he couldn't guarantee.
As the Genius Class continued to grow stronger, the teachers' influence was steadily diminishing.
Kitazawa could no longer easily manipulate or rig outcomes behind the scenes like before.
But that was fine because his own power and status were increasing as well.
Nowadays, system missions tied to exams are actually becoming rare.
Time passed, and dusk arrived.
All six squads finished scouting the field and headed home to rest.
Tomorrow would be the real hard fight.
Once the Genius Class students had all left, Konan reappeared.
Kitazawa looked at her and suddenly thought of the Super Beast Imitation Drawing he had just obtained.
It drew animals—and humans were, technically, animals too.
Yet Sai had basically never drawn people. They were too weak, unable to inherit or use jutsu.
In fact, the same was true for most animals; they could only attack by instinct.
Kitazawa opened his summoning storage scroll and took out a blank scroll and a brush.
Super Beast Imitation Drawing was essentially similar to Water Release—chakra was infused into the ink itself.
In the original work, Sai once poured ink into rivers to mass-produce ninja beasts for combat. In that sense, it was also influenced by the environment, just like Water Release.
Kitazawa dipped the brush and began to draw. Learning Super Beast Imitation Drawing required decent artistic skill.
Kitazawa lacked that talent, but the system's reward conveniently granted him a certain level of drawing ability.
In an instant, an image appeared on the scroll.
"How is it?" Kitazawa handed the scroll to Konan.
Konan glanced down—and was startled.
The scroll depicted her. Though not finely detailed, it captured her likeness at a glance.
"Very alike." Konan nodded.
"The impressive part comes next." Kitazawa snapped his fingers.
The drawing on the scroll immediately stirred. Black ink lines flowed out of the picture, forming another Konan.
This Konan was rendered in an ink-wash style. The one on the scroll itself was hyper-realistic, true to life.
"What kind of ninjutsu is this?" Konan studied the figure before her, surprise flickering across her face.
"Super Beast Imitation Drawing."
Kitazawa smiled, a trace of regret in his tone. "Unfortunately, this is as far as it goes. I can't make them indistinguishable from the real thing."
"How strong is she?" Konan asked curiously.
"She has no real strength," Kitazawa replied. "At most, she can perform some taijutsu. She can't use your secret paper-manipulation techniques."
Konan hesitated, on the verge of speaking.
She wanted to say that such an effect seemed useless—but saying that to his face felt impolite.
"It can draw other animals—enough to deal with an ordinary ninja." Reading her thoughts, Kitazawa added, "But for me, it's mainly for sending messages and for flight."
"Flight?" Konan's heart tightened instinctively. Would he no longer need her to carry him through the sky?
"I can draw birds." Kitazawa reached out and gently stroked her cheek. "If you're ever away, I can ride a bird instead."
Konan pressed her lips together, her thoughts in turmoil, unsure how to respond. Sooner or later, she and Kitazawa would part ways.
After all, the Akatsuki Organization stood against the entire Ninja World—including Konoha Village.
With a casual wave, Kitazawa dissolved the ink-wash Konan back into a puddle of ink on the ground.
He gazed at the blank scroll for a moment, then lifted the brush and drew another Konan—this time without infusing chakra.
"A gift for you." Handing her the scroll, Kitazawa said softly, "It's late. Head back and get some rest."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Konan stared blankly at her own image on the scroll. After a long while, she rolled it up and returned to the ANBU Base.
The night passed in silence.
---
Morning arrived.
The team battles still began at nine sharp.
After breakfast, Kitazawa and Kurenai were the first to arrive at the Ninja Academy.
He relayed yesterday's team assignments to Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others, explaining that he had chosen Naruto's squad and left the remaining teams for them to distribute.
Once the briefing concluded, Kitazawa headed toward the Hokage Building.
As Hokage, Tsunade started earlier than most; she was already in the office.
Kitazawa knocked, received permission, and stepped inside. Besides Tsunade, Shizune was there as well.
"Kitazawa? Why are you here?" Shizune asked in confusion. "Isn't today the final exam?"
Tsunade shot him a knowing glance.
"The Genius Class final has introduced a new format—team battles," Kitazawa answered smoothly. "Since it's the first time, I'd like Tsunade-sensei to observe and offer guidance."
"In that case, Shizune, I'll leave today's work to you. I'm taking the day off." Tsunade said it with perfect seriousness.
Shizune looked back and forth between them, sensing something odd but unable to pinpoint it.
"Let's go." Tsunade stood and walked out.
"See you later, Shizune-nee." Kitazawa closed the door behind him and followed Tsunade.
He turned and saw her lovely face lit with a smile.
"That happy, huh?" Kitazawa asked.
"Skipping work is always bliss," Tsunade spoke like a seasoned veteran. "You'll understand once you start working."
"Sounds like I should delay that for a couple more years." Kitazawa chuckled.
"You dare?" Tsunade's expression darkened as she glared at him. "Two years means two years—no extensions!"
"Why so jumpy?" Kitazawa leaned in, lightly nipping her lower lip as he murmured, "Do I taste like a liar?"
Tsunade startled, immediately checking their surroundings before letting out a breath of relief.
She snapped, "Pull a stunt like that again and I'll punt you halfway across Konoha!"
Kitazawa merely blinked, unfazed by the threat.
"If being Hokage wears you out, just find a successor early," Tsunade suggested casually.
"All my students are too young." Kitazawa shook his head. "Finding an heir isn't as easy for me as it was for you."
The next-next generation had no shortage of candidates—Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and others. The only issue was age.
Gaara had become Kazekage at fifteen, but that had been an emergency. The Hidden Sand had lacked alternatives; no one else was suitable.
Konoha Village was different—overflowing with powerhouses. Even Naruto, the savior of the village, hadn't become Hokage until nearly thirty.
With Kitazawa now in the picture, the timeline was even more uncertain.
"True enough." Tsunade shrugged. "Then the capable one shoulders more work."
"You give up fast." Kitazawa couldn't help retorting.
"Your problem—your solution," Tsunade replied bluntly.
Chatting as they walked, they soon arrived at the Ninja Academy.
"Since you're here, why don't you draw the lots?" Kitazawa suddenly suggested.
Team battles didn't need rigging; raw strength decided everything. To place first, a squad had to win every match regardless of pairing.
"Fine by me." Tsunade nodded indifferently.
"Hokage-sama!" The Genius Class students shouted excitedly the moment they saw her.
They saw Sarutobi Hiruzen every day, but Tsunade was different—the current Hokage, rarely seen.
Hiruzen, Kakashi, Kosuke, and the others also stepped forward to greet her.
"Iruka," Kitazawa called out. "The roster."
Iruka promptly handed it over.
"Here are the six student squads participating in the team battles." Kitazawa passed the roster to Tsunade.
She opened it and read through the contents. In addition to squad compositions, the team-battle rules were listed in detail.
"Looks a lot like the second stage of the Chunin Exams," Tsunade commented after finishing.
"That's what I thought." Hiruzen chuckled. "In two years, once they graduate, we must hold a joint Chunin Exam."
"Leave the planning two years from now to Kitazawa," Tsunade said offhandedly.
Hiruzen and the others froze. Did that mean Kitazawa would be Hokage in two years?
Everyone knew he was next in line, but hearing it stated so casually still caught them off guard.
After all, Tsunade wasn't old. With the Yin Seal, she could maintain her youth indefinitely.
In theory, she could serve another twenty years without issue. That was the norm among the Five Great Villages.
Barring accidents, Kage served long terms—Sarutobi Hiruzen and Ōnoki being prime examples.
"All right, time to head to the Forest of Death." Kitazawa gave a light cough to draw everyone's attention.
With that, he took the lead. Before long, they arrived at the Genius Class team-battle venue—the Forest of Death.
"Tsunade-sensei." Kitazawa produced a lottery box. "Please draw the two squads for the first match."
Tsunade nodded and drew two slips. Opening them, she announced, "Squad Sasuke versus Hiruzen Shino."
"Both squads may enter the field. The battle begins in fifteen minutes." Kitazawa declared.
The fifteen minutes were allotted for positioning, planning, and adapting to the terrain.
The two squads exchanged glances, then split left and right, heading in opposite directions.
Besides them, Kosuke and Kurenai were stationed nearby. As instructors and safety officers, they would intervene the moment a life-threatening situation arose.
Students could also call for assistance on their own initiative. Either case would result in immediate disqualification.