Chapter 34 – Team Assignment and Jōnin Instructors
The moment the rules of team assignments were announced, the classroom erupted into chatter. Everyone began speculating about who they might be grouped with. Some close friends boldly declared they wanted to form a team together, while others were already half a step away from breaking into a scuffle over potential teammates.
Teacher Miyamoto didn't interfere. He simply stood there, quietly watching them until the noise gradually died down.
"Alright, everyone, settle down. Teams aren't formed based on your personal wishes. They're determined by considering both your regular performance and your exam results."
Hearing that, the students fell silent, each one nervously staring at Miyamoto-sensei, hoping to be paired with their desired teammates.
"Then, let's begin the team assignments."
Miyamoto-sensei picked up the roster at his side and began to read aloud:
"Team One: Kunihiko Hori, Tetsuto Sakata, Ikuko Kishida.
Team Two: Yoriko Yokokawa, Tatsuya Kawasaki, Saburō Naitō…"
One name after another rolled off the teacher's tongue. Some students smiled, happy to be placed with companions they admired, while others looked disappointed to find themselves stuck with rivals they disliked. Still, everyone kept their composure and refrained from causing a scene.
Before long, Taichi Matsushita heard his name.
"Team Eight: Taichi Matsushita, Yōhei Uchiha, Saori Furukawa…"
The instant the names were called, Taichi glanced around and caught two pairs of eyes in the back of the classroom. A boy and a girl were looking at him. They exchanged nods—a silent greeting, their gazes full of curiosity as they wondered what kind of teammates they had just been given.
Soon, Miyamoto-sensei finished reading the entire list.
"Alright, that's all. Take some time to get acquainted with your new teams, but don't leave the classroom. Your supervising jōnin will arrive shortly, and you'll leave with them when they do."
With that final instruction, he turned and left the room.
The instant the teacher stepped out, the classroom exploded into noise like a bustling marketplace. Students leapt from their seats, rushing to find their squadmates.
Taichi rose as well, making his way toward the two who would be his teammates.
They met in the aisle. Taichi spoke first.
"Hello, I'm Matsushita Taichi."
"Uchiha Yōhei," the boy introduced himself, looking straightforward and bold.
"Furukawa Saori," the girl followed, her voice soft and timid, almost like the buzz of a mosquito.
"Let's sit over there and talk!" Uchiha Yōhei suggested with an easygoing wave, pointing at some empty seats nearby.
"Sure thing." Taichi glanced over and agreed readily.
"Mhm." Saori's response was barely audible, her shyness evident in every syllable.
Uchiha Yōhei led the way. As soon as the three of them sat down, he leaned forward with curiosity.
"You're the one who graduated early from the second-year class, right? That's pretty incredible. Did you have someone at home training you?"
Beside him, Saori watched Taichi with the same eager curiosity.
Seeing their expectant faces, Taichi didn't hesitate.
"I'm an orphan. My parents were killed in the war. But… I do have two teachers I can go to when I need guidance."
He didn't elaborate further—after all, this was their very first meeting.
"I'm sorry, Taichi." Yōhei's tone softened the moment he realized.
"It's fine. That was a long time ago. Honestly, I was too young back then to even remember them." Taichi replied with practiced indifference, as though brushing it off.
---
The three of them continued chatting. From the conversation, Taichi learned that Yōhei's parents both served in the Konoha Military Police Force, and Yōhei himself had graduated top of the class. Saori, meanwhile, was the daughter of a sealing jōnin and ranked in the top five of their year.
Both came from strong ninja lineages—the type of "model children" parents often used as comparisons.
Clearly, the village's team assignments weren't as random as the official story claimed. It wasn't really about balancing strong and weak students. No, Team Eight was clearly designed as an elite squad from the start.
---
An hour and a half passed. During that time, various instructors arrived to collect their new teams. But Taichi noticed something: most of them weren't full jōnin, but rather tokubetsu jōnin.
It made sense. After all, Konoha only had fewer than two thousand full jōnin at its peak strength, far more than the other four great villages, which was why Konoha could consistently outnumber and outlast them in wars. Those elite shinobi were busy—holding high offices or running A-rank and S-rank missions. They couldn't spare the time to babysit genin teams.
---
After a while, the classroom door creaked open. A rugged man stepped inside, his face shadowed by a thick beard. His entire presence radiated steadiness and reliability.
He scanned the classroom, his sharp gaze settling on Taichi's group. His deep, rumbling voice filled the room:
"Team Eight. With me."
Without waiting, he turned and strode out.
The three teammates exchanged a glance, then quickly followed.
By the time they reached the hallway, the bearded man had already turned the corner. They hurried after him. Once outside the academy, he suddenly leapt onto a rooftop and began bounding swiftly across the clustered houses.
The three genin didn't hesitate—they leapt up after him.
But soon, his pace increased. It was clear now—this was a test.
Taichi surged ahead, pushing his speed to the limit. Yōhei fell slightly behind, while Saori struggled, quickly trailing further back.
The chase lasted nearly thirty minutes, winding through the village until they arrived at Training Ground 10. The bearded man stopped, turning to watch as his students trickled in.
Taichi arrived first, barely ruffled—his clothes a bit disheveled, but his breathing steady.
The man gave a small nod of approval. For someone his age, that kind of stamina was remarkable.
Yōhei stumbled in next, chest heaving, while Saori finally collapsed onto the ground, completely drained.
The man didn't scold them. Instead, he let them rest, silently forming his first impressions of each student.
Ten minutes later, Yōhei and Saori had caught their breath. They couldn't help but cast strange looks at Taichi—realizing just how wide the gap was between them and the early graduate.
---
Once everyone had recovered, the man clapped his hands to get their attention.
"Alright, that's enough rest." For the first time, his stern face broke into a smile.
"I'm your supervising jōnin. Let's start with introductions. I'll go first."
"My name is Yamaguchi Masasuke. You can call me Captain Yamaguchi. I'm a jōnin of Konoha, specializing in Earth Release and taijutsu. I enjoy traveling, dislike tardiness, and my dream is peace across the shinobi world. That's all."
He gestured for them to continue.
Taichi, seeing both teammates look his way, went first.
"I'm Matsushita Taichi. I specialize in kenjutsu and medical ninjutsu. I also know a bit of Fire, Wind, and Water Release. I enjoy the feeling of getting stronger, dislike wasting time, and my dream is to protect my family. That's it."
Both Yōhei and Saori stared at him in shock. That's… way too versatile for a genin.
Next, Yōhei introduced himself.
"I'm Uchiha Yōhei. I specialize in Fire Release. I like dango, dislike cilantro, and my dream is to become Hokage."
Taichi blinked at him in surprise. Become Hokage? For an Uchiha… that's quite the dream.
Finally, all eyes turned to Saori.
"Um… I'm Furukawa Saori. I specialize in Lightning Release and know a bit of sealing. I like reading. As for dislikes… hmm, nothing in particular. My dream is to become a kunoichi as strong as Lady Tsunade."
With the introductions complete, Yamaguchi gave a firm nod.
"Good. Now that we know each other, it's time for your next assessment."
---