Compared to the tall Chunin, Kyosuke's physique was very short. However, his strength and speed far surpassed those of his peers, which greatly alarmed Saito Toshio.
In his heart, Saito Toshio already believed Kyosuke possessed the strength of a true Genin and had comfortably passed the assessment.
Unfortunately, what Kyosuke wanted wasn't merely to pass. He wanted to achieve an outstanding result.
"Whirlwind Palm!"
Kyosuke crouched low, dodging Saito Toshio's incoming strike.
Chakra gathered rapidly in his right hand, constantly rotating into a violent, chaotic air current. It swirled like a miniature, fierce storm, and he pressed it directly onto Saito Toshio's abdomen.
Over a year ago, Kyosuke and the other four had desperately wanted to develop the Rasengan, but they had never succeeded. Fortunately, they were highly adaptable.
Since cultivating the true Rasengan wasn't working, they lowered the difficulty. Instead of perfectly controlling the chakra into a dense sphere, they simply transformed it into a chaotic, violent wind. This crude method still packed considerable destructive power.
Boom!
Saito Toshio was sent flying, an intense pain blooming in his abdomen. Lying in the dirt, he looked up at Kyosuke in pure disbelief.
"What kind of ninjutsu is this?"
Kyosuke smiled brightly. "This is a new ninjutsu I developed. The Whirlwind Palm."
"Truly remarkable. This jutsu already has the power of a C-rank, perhaps even a B-rank technique," Takahara Naoyasu said, looking at Kyosuke in shock. He never expected a kid who had only been in the academy for a few months to invent a jutsu.
"Kyosuke, you are truly a genius. I will report your performance to the village. You can await your orders with ease."
After Saito Toshio stood up and dusted himself off, he left the field. The assessment was over.
The very next day, Kakashi and Kyosuke officially graduated from the academy, becoming registered Genin. To their surprise, they were assigned to Team 19, led by the legendary Minato Namikaze.
Upon receiving the news, Kyosuke immediately shared it with the others through their shared dreamscape. Everyone was thrilled.
After a recent period of strict training, Chisuke's skin had grown darker, and his overall demeanor had become much more steady.
"Minato Namikaze is not only a reliable leader but also a powerful ninja," Chisuke said seriously. "You can learn many ninjutsu from him."
Mishu brought up another crucial strategic point. "You are now Minato Namikaze's subordinate, which effectively makes you part of the Hokage's direct faction. Things will be much more convenient for you in the future. You even have the pedigree to compete for the position of Hokage now."
Ooka Shin was equally pleased. "Lately, I feel my rate of getting stronger has accelerated. It seems we are all about to enter a period of rapid growth."
Shin paused, a serious look crossing his face. "A few days ago, I found traces of the Akatsuki Organization. I believe it won't be long before I locate them."
Kiichiro thought for a moment before chiming in. "Kyosuke, Minato knows not only a vast array of ninjutsu, but also sealing jutsu, summoning jutsu, and senjutsu. He is a huge treasure trove. You need to plan carefully."
Kiichiro sighed. "Ah, if only Minato Namikaze didn't die so early, you could gain even greater benefits."
A sharp light flashed in Kyosuke's eyes.
"That's not necessarily true," Kyosuke said slowly. "The stronger we become, the greater our influence on the outside world, and the more the future of the ninja world will change. Perhaps Minato Namikaze won't have to die on the night of the Nine-Tails."
Mishu shrugged his shoulders. "I hope so. The longer Minato lives, the more beneficial it is for you as a member of the Hokage's direct line."
The next day, Team 19 officially assembled.
During the meeting, besides Kakashi, Kyosuke met his other teammate: Genin Hyuga Noriko. She was a girl around thirteen or fourteen years old with short hair tied back with a black hairband. She had a distinct dimple when she smiled and had also graduated this year.
"Haha, hello everyone. I am your Jonin instructor, Minato Namikaze."
Minato smiled brightly, radiating a 'boy-next-door' charm, his golden hair shining brilliantly in the sunlight. "From now on, we are comrades. Let's introduce ourselves."
Kyosuke thought teasingly that with such conspicuous bright yellow hair, Minato must have a much harder time hiding himself on stealth missions than ordinary ninja.
Kakashi introduced himself first. "Hatake Kakashi. I specialize in swordsmanship and some basic ninjutsu. My goal is a one hundred percent mission completion rate."
Hyuga Noriko smiled warmly. "I am Hyuga Noriko. I specialize in reconnaissance and the Gentle Fist. I am also currently learning medical ninjutsu. I heard two geniuses were joining the team today, so don't worry, I won't hold you back."
In the anime timeline, Minato's students did not include Hyuga Noriko. Perhaps she had originally existed but never appeared in the story, perhaps she had died early, or perhaps history had already changed because of the butterfly effect caused by Kyosuke's very existence.
Whatever the reason, Kyosuke didn't really care.
When it was his turn to speak, Kyosuke was straightforward. "My name is Uesugi Kyosuke. I specialize in taijutsu. I know very few ninjutsu and absolutely no genjutsu."
He paused, then declared, "My goal is to become Hokage. The first Hokage to ever come from a commoner background."
Hearing Kyosuke's grand aspiration, everyone looked at him in surprise—especially Kakashi, who truly hadn't known his classmate harbored such towering ambition.
Hyuga Noriko quickly encouraged him. "Then you'll have to work really hard!"
Minato reached out and ruffled Kyosuke's hair, smiling warmly. "Kyosuke, you are now just a Genin. To become Hokage, you must first become a Chunin, then a Jonin. The process is very long and difficult."
Kyosuke confidently raised his head. "Don't worry, sensei, I will definitely succeed."
He then shifted his expression, looking at Minato with a playful, longing gaze. "But, sensei... I come from a commoner background and don't know many ninjutsu. Could you teach me?"
Minato wasn't annoyed by the bold request. He just chuckled. "Don't worry, I know quite a few ninjutsu. You'll have plenty of opportunities to learn. Hahaha. But first, let's test your chakra nature."
Minato wasn't boasting. As Jiraiya's disciple, he had access to countless techniques. Even forbidden jutsu that were difficult for ordinary people to access could be procured by the Konoha higher-ups if he requested them.
This was the true benefit of being in the Hokage's direct lineage.
Under Minato's guidance, Kyosuke's training became far more scientific and efficient. He finally had the chance to expand his jutsu arsenal.
This became especially true after testing revealed that Kyosuke possessed an affinity for all five basic chakra natures: wind, lightning, water, fire, and earth.
Minato placed even greater importance on him after that discovery. He hoped Kyosuke would pivot from his pure taijutsu style and dedicate more time to ninjutsu cultivation, so as not to waste his heaven-defying talent.
Meanwhile, far away in the Land of Rain...
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
On a rare sunny day in the perpetually weeping country, Ooka Shin rapidly performed hand seals and spat out a massive sphere of rolling flames.
"Having a good teacher really makes a difference," Shin muttered to himself. "In just one month, I've been able to learn several actual ninjutsu."
After finishing his daily training, Shin returned to his village and entered a small courtyard. He saw Masao cooking by the hearth and little Kanae crawling around happily in a crib.
"I have to go away for a while," Shin announced. "I've prepared plenty of food at home. If anything happens, you can ask our neighbor, Aunt Eri. I've already asked her to look out for you."
He looked seriously at Masao. "Also, if you encounter any danger, hide in the secret room using the method I taught you."
Masao looked somewhat worried but nodded obediently. "Please rest assured. I will wait for your return."
After arranging things for Masao and his sister, Shin spent a full day traveling to a nearby town that was currently being pillaged.
"Damn Akatsuki Organization! They actually say we're not allowed to attack civilians, and they even killed several of our men!"
"I'm going to kill these civilians anyway just to spite them!"
"That's right! Kill them all! Let's see what the Akatsuki can do to us!"
"Stop talking nonsense. Hurry up and take the money."
"After this job, we can't stay in the Land of Rain anymore. Neither the Rain ninja nor the Akatsuki will let us live. Let's go to the Land of Fire. The environment is better there."
"That's Konoha's territory, you idiot. It's not safe. Better to go to the Land of Rivers or the Land of Birds. There are no powerful ninja villages there."
In the center of the town, over a dozen rogue ninjas were systematically slaughtering civilians and seizing large amounts of loot. Flames licked at the buildings, and wails echoed through the streets.
Just as the rogues were preparing to leave with their spoils, Ooka Shin happened to step into their path.
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