It was the last class on Monday.

The sound of the bell echoed through the Ninja Academy as Iruka stopped lecturing.

He patted the podium and said with a smile, “Everyone, don’t leave yet. Wait a moment—your teacher Kitazawa has something to tell you.”

After making the announcement, Iruka packed up his things and left the classroom. His class was over, and he could finally go home.

Not long after, Kitazawa walked in. He had just come from a meeting with Maruboshi Kosuke and Kakashi.

“In two weeks,” Kitazawa began, standing before the podium, “it will be the second Monthly Exam of this semester. Therefore, starting next weekend, we’ll begin a new type of practical combat exam.”

“Teacher Kitazawa!” Naruto shot up his hand eagerly. “Does that mean we’ll be regrouping?”

“Mm.” Kitazawa nodded slightly.

“I hope I can be assigned to Sasuke-kun this time!” Sakura clasped her hands together, her face filled with anticipation.

“I want Teacher Kitazawa to be my team leader!” Ino exclaimed, clenching her small fists with determination.

Beside her, Hinata subconsciously clutched the corner of her jacket. She too wanted Kitazawa to lead her team, though she was far too shy to say it aloud.

“Please, not Teacher Kitazawa as our leader!” Shikamaru muttered under his breath, looking utterly drained.

Unlike the others, he dreaded being placed under Kitazawa’s command. Missions led by him were always terrifying—he made them fight actual Jonin!

Shikamaru knew he wasn’t on Naruto or Sasuke’s level; he’d definitely end up getting beaten half to death. Just thinking about it gave him a headache.

“I wonder if I can be on a team with Sasuke and Neji again,” Naruto said, scratching his head.

“Most likely not,” Neji replied calmly. “If we’re regrouping, it wouldn’t make sense to form the same team again.”

“Oi, Naruto, what’s wrong with you?” Kiba said, looking betrayed. “Did you forget about your good brother here?”

If he had to choose teammates, he’d pick Naruto without hesitation.

“Then I’ll team up with you this time!” Naruto replied, grinning sheepishly.

“Neji, I hope we can be on the same team again,” Tenten said, her eyes full of hope.

“Quiet,” Kitazawa interrupted, tapping the podium lightly. “I’m now announcing the new teams. Team 1: Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura.”

“That’s great!” Sakura shouted, jumping up in excitement.

“It’s Sasuke again?” Naruto blinked in surprise.

“Why is it still Naruto?” Sasuke asked, looking slightly puzzled. It wasn’t that he disliked Naruto—he just found it strange that they were paired again.

“This team only swapped Neji out,” Ino murmured, tilting her head. “It doesn’t seem much weaker. Are they going to fight Jonin again?”

“Sakura is a Medical Ninja, after all,” Shikamaru analyzed thoughtfully. “So they probably won’t encounter Jonin this time.”

“That depends on who their team leader is,” Shino said, adjusting his glasses. “If it’s Teacher Kitazawa, then encountering Jonin is very likely.”

“Lord Third will be leading the team,” Kitazawa said with a faint smile.

“What?!” Naruto’s eyes widened. “Grandpa Third’s leading our team?”

Sasuke and Sakura also looked astonished. Even though Sarutobi Hiruzen had retired, a retired Hokage was still a Hokage—and one of the strongest at that.

“Doesn’t that mean we’re getting the same treatment as the Sannin?” Sakura’s eyes sparkled with excitement. Their team composition even mirrored the legendary trio’s balance.

“Why don’t I ever get lucky like that?” Kiba groaned, his face full of envy.

“I also want Lord Third Hokage to witness my youth!” Rock Lee declared passionately, striking a pose.

“I still want Teacher Kitazawa to be my team leader,” Ino said firmly, brushing a golden strand of hair from her face. To her, looks mattered most. And no matter how great the Third Hokage was, he couldn’t compare to Kitazawa’s charm.

“Lord Third leading the team, huh?” Shikamaru muttered, his mouth twitching. “I take back what I said earlier. That team is definitely going to face Jonin.”

Shino nodded in agreement. With Sarutobi Hiruzen in charge, anything less than Jonin opponents would feel like bullying.

“Team 2: Yamanaka Ino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Tenten,” Kitazawa continued. “I’ll be leading the team.”

“Yay!” Ino cheered, practically glowing with happiness. Her wish had come true.

Hinata, however, couldn’t hide her disappointment. She had already guessed that her team wouldn’t be led by Kitazawa this time.

“Neji, it’s a pity we’re not on the same team,” Tenten said softly. She was happy Kitazawa was her leader, but sad that Neji wasn’t with her.

“There’s always next time,” Neji replied calmly.

“It looks like our team will have to rely on me, the great Kiba!” Kiba puffed out his chest confidently.

Tenten and Ino’s strength couldn’t compare to Sasuke’s—they were roughly on par with him—so he believed that if he performed well, he could stand out.

“Hmph! Don’t get too full of yourself,” Ino shot back, unwilling to be outdone. In front of Kitazawa, she was determined to perform at her best and leave a good impression.

“These will be the teams for the next Monthly Exam,” Kitazawa concluded after announcing the remaining four groups. “That’s all for today. Everyone, go home.”

“Goodbye, Teacher Kitazawa!”

The students of the Genius Class stood and bowed respectfully before leaving the classroom.

Kitazawa didn’t leave immediately. He stood quietly, watching them go one by one—until only Hinata remained.

“Hm? Hinata, do you have something else to say?” Kitazawa asked, walking over to her.

“I…” Hinata hesitated, her fingers tightening around the edge of her jacket as she instinctively lowered her head under his gaze.

“I’ll be your team leader again during the next regrouping,” Kitazawa said directly, having already guessed her thoughts.

Hinata immediately looked up, her eyes sparkling, regaining her spirit.

“You really are cute.” Kitazawa stroked her hair and said.

Hinata’s face flushed slightly, a trace of embarrassment showing on her gentle features.

“I’ll walk you home,” Kitazawa said calmly, withdrawing his hand and turning toward the door.

Hinata’s eyes brightened, and she quickly followed him, her steps light and cheerful.

When they arrived at the Hyuga residence, she turned to greet him politely before reluctantly entering through the courtyard gate.

Watching her retreating figure disappear beyond the door, Kitazawa’s thoughts drifted toward his system mission—to cultivate four confidants.

At present, he had completed two out of four. Kurenai and Kabuto met the criteria.

However, Aburame Torune, Uchiha Izumi, and Haku were still unrecognized by the system. Kitazawa suspected their overall strength was simply not high enough.

Even so, there was no need to rush. The system’s reward—a modified Caged Bird Curse Seal—wasn’t something that would immediately affect his combat power.

Kitazawa returned home.

Just as he opened the door, he suddenly remembered that he had something to discuss with Tsunade. With that thought, he turned around and walked next door.

“Teacher Kitazawa,” Karin greeted him as she opened the door.

Kitazawa smiled, gently patting her head before stepping into the living room.

Tsunade sat casually on the sofa, her bare feet resting atop the coffee table without a care in the world.

“The coffee table is for food,” Kitazawa remarked, walking over with a slight frown.

“This isn’t your house,” Tsunade shot back, glaring at him.

“Even so, anyone should manage behavior that doesn’t conform to proper etiquette,” Kitazawa replied seriously.

“Nagging again!” Tsunade huffed in irritation. “Don’t forget, I’m the teacher here!”

A mischievous thought crossed Kitazawa’s mind—You’ll regret this someday. But the timing wasn’t right, so he kept it to himself.

“At noon, Nara Shikaku came to see me,” Kitazawa said as he sat opposite her.

His gaze briefly flicked toward her fair, slender feet before he continued, “He mentioned that the contract with Hidden Mist Village can be signed tomorrow morning.”

“Finally finished negotiating,” Tsunade mused. “That new Mizukage is quite a character.”

Although she hadn’t attended the negotiations personally, she had heard plenty from Shikaku.

Mei Terumī had shown remarkable strength on the battlefield—and her sharpness at the negotiating table was equally impressive.

“The new Mizukage is indeed formidable,” Kitazawa agreed, shaking his head. “But the Hidden Mist Village itself is already rotten. It will take decades for them to truly recover.”

How to put it?

Mei Terumī was strong and capable, but she was no Senju Hashirama. She was an excellent Kage, certainly—but even excellence had its limits. The damage done by the Bloody Mist era, two Mizukage, and Uchiha Obito’s interference had left the village deeply scarred.

“There’s one more thing,” Kitazawa said, and went on to explain the Genin exchange meeting proposed between the two villages.

“Her idea isn’t bad,” Tsunade replied with an amused smile. “But her luck’s terrible—she happened to challenge Konoha at a time when we’ve produced an entire generation of geniuses.”

It wasn’t as though Konoha had never seen talented generations before.

For instance, the era of Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, Uchiha Obito—and Kitazawa himself—had been brilliant.

But the generation of Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Hyuga Neji was on an entirely different level.

Their talents were so extraordinary that several had already reached Chunin-level strength before even graduating. Some had even broken records by defeating a Jonin.

“Did they not investigate before proposing the exchange?” Shizune asked, stepping out and overhearing their conversation.

“Who would bother investigating Ninja Academy students?” Kitazawa replied with a wry smile. “Besides, they’re the ones visiting Konoha now. After their defeat, they won’t dare act recklessly.”

“Still,” Tsunade said with a faint grin, “since she made the request, we’ll give the Hidden Mist a proper look at our new generation of geniuses.”

There was no doubt in her mind—Konoha would win.

She was confident they could take at least four of the five matches.

“Kitazawa, which five students will you choose?” Shizune asked curiously.

“Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Hinata, Kurama Yakumo, and Hyuga Neji,” Kitazawa answered without hesitation.

Aburame Shino, Sakura Haruno, and Kiba Inuzuka were also good candidates—but they still couldn’t compare to Naruto and Sasuke.

“There shouldn’t be any problem with that,” Tsunade said, smiling. “With their current abilities, they could easily participate in the Chunin Exams.”

“They’re still young,” Kitazawa said. “And since there’s no war right now, it’s better for them to keep studying a bit longer.”

Tsunade nodded in agreement. “Hmm, I’ll go along with that.”

“Are you staying for dinner?” Shizune asked as their discussion wound down. “I’ll go call Kurenai over.”

“You stay,” Tsunade interjected, turning toward Kitazawa. “It’s a good time to talk about the Medical Forbidden Technique: Body Revival.”

She had already begun studying it, but even for her, it was a challenging technique. This was a good chance to seek Kitazawa’s guidance.

“Alright,” Kitazawa agreed.

After dinner, the two discussed medical theory and chakra manipulation for nearly two hours before Kitazawa finally returned home.

—

A new day dawned—Tuesday.

At nine in the morning, the Hokage Building’s conference room was filled with people.

On one side sat the delegation from Hidden Mist Village. On the other, the representatives of Konoha Village.

Led by their respective Kage, they faced one another across the long table.

“Hokage-sama,” Nara Shikaku said, handing two documents to Tsunade and Kitazawa. “This is the final version of the negotiation agreement.”

Kitazawa accepted one and began reading carefully. The document was lengthy, but five key articles stood out.

Article One: Ao’s Byakugan was to be returned to Konoha Village.

The return of the Byakugan was not merely about clan pride—it was about power.

The Byakugan’s 360-degree perception made it a significant battlefield threat.

Such a formidable ability rightfully belonged in Konoha’s hands.

Although Ao was reluctant, he had no choice but to comply.

Article Two concerned Hidden Mist Village’s reparations.

The amount of reparations was calculated based on Konoha Village’s total wartime losses.

This included compensation for fallen ninja, the consumption of ninja tools, medicinal supplies, and other resources.

In short, every loss Konoha had suffered during the conflict would be paid for by Hidden Mist Village.

Additionally, the reparations included the ransom money for the Hidden Mist ninja captured by Konoha.

The third article established a cooperative relationship between Hidden Mist Village and Konoha Village, with numerous clauses promoting mutual exchange and support.

In simpler terms, Hidden Mist would abandon its long-standing isolation policy and re-establish diplomatic and economic ties with other neighboring ninja villages.

This was, in fact, one of the first reforms Mei Terumī enacted after becoming Mizukage in the original timeline.

During the previous Bloody Mist era, the village had been locked in a cycle of internal strife, turning inward and tearing itself apart. Those who suffered most were the Bloodline Limit ninja—many of whom were slaughtered or driven into hiding.

The article also included provisions for the sharing of intelligence related to the mysterious masked man, Uchiha Obito.

The fourth article concerned the sea area Kitazawa had requested.

After much back-and-forth negotiation, it was agreed that the territory would be a section of sea between the Land of Waves and the Land of Water.

The Land of Waves lay southeast of the Land of Fire.

In the original story, Team 7’s very first C-rank mission had been to escort the bridge builder, Tazuna, from the Land of Waves.

At that time, however, the country was under the control of a corrupt shipping magnate named Gato, who had hired Zabuza Momochi and Haku to assassinate Tazuna.

That mission marked Team 7’s first encounter with Zabuza—one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

As Kitazawa read this section, his heart stirred.

Gato was a wealthy man and the owner of a powerful shipping company. But more importantly, he was far from a law-abiding citizen—his company engaged heavily in smuggling contraband and illegal goods.

Kitazawa immediately thought of the Aburame Clan’s underwater exploration team. If they were to discover any undersea resources, sea transport would be essential.

In that instant, Kitazawa decided—Gato would be his next target.

He would take Ino, Kiba, and Tenten to the Land of Waves and investigate the situation firsthand.

Moreover, for Gato to manage such a vast operation, it was highly likely he had backing—perhaps even from the Land of Water itself.

The fifth article also pertained directly to Kitazawa—it addressed the surgical fees for his Limb Regeneration technique.

The price varied depending on the patient’s rank: Genin, Chunin, or Jonin.

Among them, the fee for Jonin was the highest, ranging from five to ten million ryō depending on the severity of the case.

For example, if both hands were severed, the cost would reach ten million ryō.

After all, losing both hands meant the inability to form hand signs—and thus, the end of one’s career as a ninja.

Ten million ryō was an enormous sum.

To put it into perspective, Asuma’s bounty in the black market was only thirty-five million ryō—and much of that value came from his identity as the son of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

For an ordinary Jonin, not only would a bounty of thirty-five million ryō be unimaginable, but even earning ten million would be difficult.

And yet, the difference in risk was vast.

Performing a surgery only consumed Kitazawa’s chakra, while completing a bounty mission was a life-and-death gamble.

For Chunin, the price ranged between one and five million ryō—still a staggering amount, considering that the minimum reward for an S-rank mission was one million.

In other words, healing a single Chunin was equivalent to completing an S-rank mission.

As for Genin, the fee was below one million ryō, adjusted according to their condition.

It was no exaggeration to say that with the Limb Regeneration technique, Kitazawa had instantly become the most expensive medical ninja in the entire world.

Once, he had worried about lacking funds. Now, wealth flowed to him effortlessly.

After finishing the document, Kitazawa handed it back to Shikaku Nara without objection.

The contract was, without question, a tremendous victory for Konoha Village.

“That settles it,” Tsunade said, rising to her feet. “We can sign now.”

“There are four copies—each side will keep two,” Shikaku explained, passing the contracts to Tsunade.

After she signed, she handed them to Mei Terumī.

Without hesitation, the Mizukage added her signature.

“Pleasure working with you,” Tsunade said with a faint smile, extending her hand.

“Pleasure working with you,” Mei Terumī replied calmly, shaking it.

Although Hidden Mist Village had suffered heavy losses in this agreement, they had finally secured a foundation for stability.

With the end of the Bloody Mist era, Mei Terumī truly believed she could lead her village back to prosperity.

“As for the Genin exchange meeting,” she said, “I propose it be held the day after tomorrow afternoon. The participating Hidden Mist Genin are still on their way here.”

“No problem,” Tsunade replied casually. “I’ll be looking forward to seeing the brilliance of Hidden Mist’s young talents.”

“You will,” Mei Terumī said confidently.

With the documents signed, the negotiations were officially concluded—but in truth, this was only the beginning.

Both Hidden Mist Village and Konoha Village began implementing the terms of the new alliance agreement.

Kitazawa, too, got to work.

That afternoon, he visited the Hidden Mist delegation’s temporary residence to perform surgeries for their injured ninja—earning, in just one day, the equivalent of Asuma Sarutobi’s bounty.

After operating on four Jonin from Hidden Mist Village, he had made a total of thirty-five million ryō.

He didn’t return home until late evening.

It had taken only an afternoon, but such profit was more than worth the effort—and there were still plenty more surgeries lined up.

Time moved forward to the next morning.

Tomorrow would mark the Genin Exchange Meeting.

After breakfast, Kitazawa headed to the Genius Class classroom and called Sasuke and the others to his office.

—

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