Chapter 89: Hiruzen Sarutobi’s Thoughts on the Team Assignments

Hokage’s Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the graduation list in his hands, his thoughts racing.

The students graduating this year were basically the heirs of the major clans and represented Konoha’s future.

How they should be grouped and which teachers should be assigned to them required extremely careful consideration.

With a wave of his right hand, Hiruzen immediately grouped the Ino-Shika-Cho trio together, since there was no need to consider them separately.

Then he began to feel another headache coming on.

Uchiha.

Hyuga.

Inuzuka.

Aburame.

Naruto.

Hiruzen silently went through the names of these important graduates.

With another wave of his hand, he placed Sasuke and Naruto together.

Looking at the two names, the Third Hokage nodded inwardly.

Back then, he had deliberately arranged for Sasuke to be near Naruto because he hoped the two would influence each other.

Uchiha Izumi had become the bridge between Sasuke and Naruto.

As an Uchiha, she naturally attracted Sasuke’s attention. As the two became more familiar with each other, Sasuke naturally became acquainted with Naruto as well.

The result had been perfect.

It had achieved exactly what Hiruzen had expected.

Naruto, who was relatively closed-off, had made his only male friend in Konoha.

Thinking of Uchiha Izumi, Hiruzen couldn’t help nodding inwardly with satisfaction.

Ever since he had entrusted Naruto to her care, there hadn’t been a single problem.

She had also served as the bridge between Sasuke and Naruto.

Extremely useful.

Putting those thoughts aside, Hiruzen had already grouped Sasuke and Naruto together.

There was still one spot left, but he hesitated to put down a name.

His eyes moved toward the list of female students.

Ino had a very good relationship with Naruto and could also exchange a few words with Sasuke.

The Yamanaka clan was also deeply trusted by Hiruzen.

Putting Ino with them would undoubtedly be the most suitable arrangement.

Unfortunately, the Akimichi and Nara clans both had heirs in this graduating class, so the Ino-Shika-Cho trio had to remain together.

There was also Hyuga Hinata, who had a good relationship with Naruto...

"Hyuga..."

Hiruzen felt another headache coming on.

The two best-performing boys in the entire class had already been grouped together.

If he also put the best-performing girl in the same team, the Inuzuka and Aburame clans would probably have complaints.

Hiruzen couldn’t help sighing inwardly.

This Naruto kid really was impressive!

The girls he had befriended all came from major clans.

Uchiha.

Hyuga.

Yamanaka.

Hiruzen shook his head.

After placing the Inuzuka and Aburame students together, he once again looked over the list of female graduates.

"Hmm?"

Hiruzen’s eyes suddenly lit up.

Haruno Sakura?

She actually had the best theoretical scores in the entire class?

What an unexpected surprise!

Hiruzen’s headache disappeared immediately.

He placed Haruno Sakura into the team with the Inuzuka and Aburame students.

Looking at the three names, Hiruzen nodded with satisfaction.

First in theoretical knowledge was still first place.

Who knew whether she might eventually turn that theoretical knowledge into actual strength?

This also gave him a reasonable explanation to the Inuzuka and Aburame clans.

Without thinking any further, Hiruzen wrote Hyuga Hinata’s name into Naruto and Sasuke’s team.

The Hyuga clan was relatively easygoing, so Hiruzen wasn’t particularly worried about them.

As for putting the best students in the same team...

Externally, he could simply announce that Konoha was beginning to experiment with an elite-team system starting with this graduating class.

If the same system was used for the next few graduating classes, he believed there wouldn’t be much opposition.

If someone’s descendant wasn’t strong enough to enter the elite team, who could they blame?

With the explanation already prepared in his mind, Hiruzen waved his hand and quickly divided the remaining graduates into teams of two boys and one girl.

He nodded with satisfaction.

"Team leaders..."

After pondering for a while, Hiruzen wrote Sarutobi Asuma’s name in front of the Ino-Shika-Cho team.

The Ino-Shika-Cho clans had always been loyal to the Sarutobi clan.

Assigning Asuma as their team leader would allow the connection between the Sarutobi clan and the Ino-Shika-Cho clans to continue into the next generation.

Moreover, the heads of all three clans held important positions within Konoha and would become a major source of support for Asuma.

Hiruzen’s gaze moved toward the other teams.

The Inuzuka and Aburame clans were both secret-technique clans of Konoha.

They were neutral and had no obvious political leanings.

After analyzing the two clans, Hiruzen looked over the list of available jonin.

His eyes suddenly lit up.

Yūhi Kurenai!

"If I remember correctly, Kurenai is Asuma’s girlfriend."

Hiruzen’s heart stirred.

He immediately wrote her name in front of the team consisting of Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Sakura Haruno.

Shino and Kiba were both heirs to their respective clans.

Assigning Asuma’s girlfriend, Kurenai, as their instructor would allow her to influence the next generation of the two clans and gradually bring them into the Sarutobi clan’s camp.

As for Sakura...

She could also help the Hokage faction build a reputation among the civilian population and demonstrate its approachable side.

Support from the five major clans, combined with popularity among civilians...

That was more or less enough.

Satisfied, Hiruzen shifted his gaze toward the team consisting of Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuga.

"Jinchuriki, Sharingan, Byakugan."

He pondered for a moment.

The Hyuga clan was easygoing and rarely expressed any opinions during various meetings.

They usually just followed along with whatever was decided.

The Uchiha clan had already been wiped out, but Konoha needed Sasuke to preserve the Uchiha bloodline.

Naruto’s identity hadn’t been exposed.

But once it was...

This team might not have much political influence at present, but their importance in the future would surpass that of the heirs of the other clans.

Their instructor had to be chosen carefully.

Hiruzen’s thoughts raced.

The Jinchuriki also needed the Sharingan to keep him under control.

Sasuke hadn’t grown enough yet, and his Sharingan hadn’t even awakened.

It would be best to assign someone who could guide Sasuke in awakening his Sharingan while also being capable of suppressing the Jinchuriki.

As for the Byakugan and the Gentle Fist inherited through the Hyuga clan, Hiruzen simply ignored that factor.

There were only two people in Konoha who possessed the Sharingan.

Uchiha Izumi and Hatake Kakashi.

Uchiha Izumi’s strength was insufficient, so she wasn’t suitable.

Nor could Hiruzen completely entrust the Jinchuriki to her.

Looking after Naruto as he grew and allowing him to form a familial bond with her was already enough.

With that in mind, Hiruzen wrote Hatake Kakashi’s name in front of Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata.

Kakashi was also part of the Hokage faction.

More importantly, he was Minato’s disciple.

Having him lead Naruto’s team would put Hiruzen at ease.

The important teams had now been arranged.

For the rest, Hiruzen rapidly moved his pen.

Before long, every graduating student had been assigned.

He then called out toward the empty office,

"ANBU!"

"Lord Hokage!"

An ANBU shinobi quickly appeared and respectfully knelt on one knee.

Hiruzen said, "Bring the shinobi listed here to me."

"Yes!"

The ANBU accepted the list of team leaders and quickly departed.

Meanwhile—

"Naruto, you, Sasuke, and Hinata have been assigned to the same team."

Minato Namikaze’s voice rang out.

Naruto, who had been cooking, froze.

Although he had already had a feeling that Hinata would be assigned to his team, he hadn’t expected Hiruzen to actually place the three students with the highest overall scores in the entire class together.

After a brief moment of surprise, Naruto stopped thinking about it and asked,

"What about the teacher? Kakashi?"

"Mm. It is indeed Kakashi."

Since Kakashi was his disciple, a trace of emotion entered Minato’s voice.

to read advance Chapters join my patreon Ph4nt0mTL