Chapter 175: Application to enter the Anbu! A freeze frame of that night!
An open space somewhere in the Sarutobi Clan grounds!
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, was looking up at the bright moon in the sky, a pipe in his mouth!
He seemed lost in thought!
Slightly distracted!
"Hokage-sama!"
"Sakumo, you're here!"
"How are Tetsuya and the others doing now?"
"Those four brats! They're all drunk!"
"However! We've already sent them back!"
"Is that so!"
Hearing Sakumo Hatake's reply!
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused slightly, then quickly composed himself!
"Sakumo! In your opinion! Was my decision this time correct!"
"Was my decision! Too cruel for Tetsuya and the other three!"
"After all! That was a bond they had painstakingly built!"
"Hokage-sama! This matter, in the end, I am just an observer!"
"It's difficult to judge!"
"However! One thing I am clear about!"
"Following orders! Is a rule Ninja must obey!"
"Is that so! I understand!"
"Thank you, Sakumo!"
"You've worked hard during this time! The Anbu haven't had any overly important missions recently!"
"For now, don't go out on missions! Go home and spend time with Kakashi!"
...Fujiwara Tetsuya had no idea how he got back.
Similarly! Tanaka Jiro! Uzumaki Meika and the others!
Were also completely unaware!
However, one thing!
Fujiwara Tetsuya knew!
That is! After sobering up from his drunken state!
He just felt completely disoriented!
Even after downing several bowls of hangover soup!
That dizzying sensation that turned his world upside down! Didn't completely dissipate until noon!
Hokage Office!
In the afternoon!
Fujiwara Tetsuya and Uchiha Mikoto were brought to the Hokage Office by Anbu agents almost one after the other!
Clearly!
Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to announce new arrangements for the Thirteenth Squad!
"Hokage-sama!"
Exchanging glances!
Fujiwara Tetsuya! Uchiha Mikoto bowed together!
"Raise your heads! Tetsuya! Mikoto!"
"Chunin Ryoui! You are all aware of Chunin Mokujin's situation!"
"So there's no need for me to elaborate!"
"I called you here today! To announce new adjustments for the Thirteenth Squad!"
"Tetsuya, you will still serve as the Thirteenth Squad's Squad Leader!"
"But to fill the vacancies in the Thirteenth Squad! Two Genin will temporarily join the Thirteenth Squad!"
"Genin?"
"Please forgive me, but I refuse! Hokage-sama!"
Facing Hiruzen Sarutobi's inquiring gaze!
Fujiwara Tetsuya didn't hesitate for a moment! And directly refused!
After the incidents with Torune Ryoui and Aburame Mokujin!
Fujiwara Tetsuya had already lost the desire to continue in a regular squad like this!
If there was anything he couldn't bear to part with!
It was only Uchiha Mikoto!
Of course!
The current choice!
Was also to avoid dragging Uchiha Mikoto into unpredictable retaliation!
The simplest! Most direct method!
"Refuse?"
"Tetsuya! Do you have any ideas?"
"Or! Do you already have someone in mind?"
Fujiwara Tetsuya's answer!
Exceeded Hiruzen Sarutobi's expectations!
However! For the Squad Leaders of Konoha's various squads!
They do have the right to choose their team members!
Of course! The final decision! Still rests in the Hokage's hands!
"Yes! I refuse!"
"Hokage-sama! I wish to resign from my position as Squad Leader of the Thirteenth Squad!"
"Furthermore!"
"I have another request! I hope you can grant it!"
If Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't been there!
Uchiha Mikoto would probably have already been unable to resist! And asked Fujiwara Tetsuya why he was making such a decision!
"Resign from the position of Squad Leader of the Thirteenth Squad?"
"Tetsuya! This is no joke!"
"Have you really thought this through?"
Perhaps Fujiwara Tetsuya's reply!
Once again exceeded Hiruzen Sarutobi's expectations!
And also caused Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression to gradually darken!
"Yes! I have thought it through clearly!"
"Is that so!"
"Alright! I understand! I will consider it carefully!"
"You may state your request now!"
"If possible! I hope... to join the Anbu!"
"Anbu!"
At this moment! Not only Hiruzen Sarutobi! Even Uchiha Mikoto's body trembled involuntarily!
Staring at Fujiwara Tetsuya with wide eyes full of shock!
For most Ninja!
Although the treatment in Anbu was good!
It was still the darkness that countless Ninja tried to avoid!
No names! No emotions!
All that remained! Besides a string of cold numbers!
Was only endless slaughter! And darkness!
"Hokage-sama!"
"I also have something I'd like to ask you to agree to!"
"I want to join the Anbu with Tetsuya-kun!"
Women in love are always blind!
Although Uchiha Mikoto didn't know! Why Fujiwara Tetsuya chose this path!
Yet! She still, at the first moment! Chose to follow Fujiwara Tetsuya's footsteps!
However!
What Uchiha Mikoto didn't know was!
Anbu! For Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Uchiha Clan!
Was a forbidden zone!
Hiruzen Sarutobi would not easily allow members of the Uchiha Clan to join the Anbu!
And members of the Uchiha Clan! Would also not easily allow their clansmen to enter the Anbu!
To serve the Hokage lineage!
This was probably Hiruzen Sarutobi's most troublesome moment today!
Whether it was Fujiwara Tetsuya!
Or Uchiha Mikoto!
They were clearly not easy to handle!
"Alright! I understand! Your requests!"
"I will consider them carefully!"
"It's getting late! You two should go back and rest!"
"Also! Alcohol, for you two right now!"
"Is still too early! Don't touch it again before you come of age!"
Taking two deep puffs from his pipe! Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand helplessly!
He had no choice but to send Fujiwara Tetsuya and Uchiha Mikoto away first!
Leaving Uchiha Mikoto aside!
With the strength Fujiwara Tetsuya had displayed!
Joining the Anbu! Even becoming an Anbu Squad Leader was more than enough!
However! What made Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitate was!
His expectations for Fujiwara Tetsuya! Were not just for him to be an Anbu Squad Leader! Or a Squad Leader!
Given Fujiwara Tetsuya's current age!
Delving into the darkness of the Anbu!
Strictly speaking! Was not a good thing!
...Outside the Hokage Building!
When Fujiwara Tetsuya and Uchiha Mikoto left the Hokage Building!
Uchiha Mikoto snorted coldly!
And walked ahead of Fujiwara Tetsuya, her dark hair swaying!
Clearly waiting for Fujiwara Tetsuya to give her an explanation!
"Mikoto!"
"Let's go to the river!"
"I will tell you! Everything I'm concerned about!"
It was the same river!
As Konoha's population grew!
This kind of secluded place in previous years! Gradually saw more unfamiliar voices!
However! Fortunately!
Even the most emotionally insensitive person! Could feel Fujiwara Tetsuya and Uchiha Mikoto's emotions at that moment!
Even after recognizing the two of them!
They kept their distance!
That night!
No one knew what Fujiwara Tetsuya and Uchiha Mikoto actually talked about!
In short! The two talked very, very late!
Until the first light of dawn the next day!
Fujiwara Tetsuya and Uchiha Mikoto finally returned home separately!
And at this moment!
The Thirteenth Squad was permanently concluded!