March 30th, 60th Year of Konaha
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Inside the classroom of the academy, two Konaha Chunin's were seated with a file in their hands and a tray filled with different colors of Konaha forehead protectors in it.
Looking at the list, the Chunin sitting on the right side said "It's Gin. Why is he still in the Academy?"
Shrugging the Chunin to his left side said "I heard he made a deal with the Hokage."
The other Chunin looked her indecorously and said "Seriously, Kumina? You're his homeroom teacher."
Shooting an annoyed look at him, she said "What do you want me to do? I asked him to take the graduation exam in the second year first semester after seeing him effortlessly performing the three basic jutsus in second try! Not only that, his taijutsu is Genin level and his bukijutsu was even nearing the Jonin level! I begged him to graduate. Do you know what he told me, Ryu?"
Sweating bullets, Ryu asked "What did he say?"
"That he wants to graduate with his friends and if I don't know what to teach him, I should just ignore him." Kumina said with a clenched jaw.
Ryu tilted his head and asked "What did you do then?"
Breathing out, she calmed down and said "I sent him to the Hokage at the end of second year. I don't know what happened, but he said something and the Hokage told me to let Gin do as he pleases."
"Okay, that's sounds like a deal." Scrunching up his face for a few moments, he shrugged and said "Whatever, he's graduating now, so you can relax."
Kumina scowled and said "Easy for you to say, I had to tolerate a genius for four years and he actively help his classmates to understand what they don't at times." Then her scowling face was replaced by a genuine smile and said "But thanks to that, the graduates of this class have a strong foundation. If I'm right, my class will be the first class to have all students to graduate."
Ryu looked at her weirdly for complaining about a kid who helped the other children to have a solid foundation. Shaking his head, he called out "Ichimaru Gin!"
From outside, a boy with silver white hair, wearing a black hoodie and pants, and a lower face mask, with a height of five foot five came inside the class room and greeted the two Chunin's "Good morning, Kumina-sensei, Ryu-sensei."
Nodding at Gin in return, Kumina said with a sweet smile "Gin, you can do the clone jutsu and transformation jutsu."
"Sure." Gin replied with a smile, while thinking 'I heard everything you said, not that I mind. But, it's almost true, I stayed behind because of some friends and helping them to have good foundation, but I also didn't want to become a Genin at the age of eight, no way I'm going to start working before the age of twelve, by this world's standard anyway. As for the deal that I made with the Hokage? What a load of crap, I just bullshited my way out of it by mentioning Itachi.'
With a wicked smile, he created three illusionary clones with the proper hand signs. 'He asked me why I wasn't graduating and I told him that I didn't want to become like Itachi and kill my own family, after snapping out of reality because of work pressure. That man folded faster than any paper and allowed me stay in the academy.'
Next, he did the transformation jutsu by doing the necessary hand signs and turned into the Hokage. When the two Chunin's saw the perfect mastery over the two jutsu, they nodded their head and Kumina said "You have passed, congratulations on becoming a Genin, Gin Ichimaru. Take your forehead protector and come back tomorrow for the team assignment."
"Thanks sensei!" Chirping at her, Gin picked up a black forehead protector and tied it on his head and giving a bow to the two Chunin's, he went out of the class.
The first place he went was towards his home, to showoff to his family that he had become a Shinobi. Just when he turned the corner, where his home is supposed to be, he saw Kakashi leaning against a post reading Icha Icha Paradise. Seeing him, Gin stopped and said "Kakashi-nii! I became a Genin!"
With an unimpressed look, he said "Took you long enough."
Gin tilted his head and said "For what? Becoming a Genin or coming back home?"
"Both." Shrugging, Kakashi continued "Come with me, Lord Third wants to see you."
Gin raised an eyebrow and said "Sure."
With a nod, Kakashi disappeared from his spot moving towards the Hokage tower. Seeing that, Gin's eyes twitched a bit and he also disappeared from the spot, with a spark of lightning.
When they reached the entrance of the Hokage tower, Kakashi told Gin "Your Lightning Style Shunshin is getting faster."
"Thanks! If you didn't give that chakra paper on my tenth birthday, I wouldn't have known what my elements are. Lightning and Earth, a good combination." Gin said with a smile as he thought 'If I ever see someone with explosion releases, I can use my extrasensory perception to understand how to mould chakra for explosion release.'
Kakashi just nodded in reply, and navigated Gin towards the office of Hokage. Standing right outside the office, Kakashi told Gin "Whatever decision you make, know that your family will support you."
In reply, Gin only smiled and seeing this Kakashi knocked on the door and opened it after getting permission from inside. Inside the office, an old man was sitting behind a desk while working on the documents in front of him.
Looking up from the document, the old man said "Kakashi, Gin. Please be seated, I'll be with you in a minute."
"Hai, Hokage." Saying that, Kakashi moved Gin to sit on the sofa.
Sitting on the sofa, Gin observed the old man while thinking 'Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, the Professor of Ninjutsu, and the God of Shinobi. Since I haven't seen him in action at his prime, I will refrain from commenting on the last title.'
Tearing his eyes away from Hiruzen, Gin started to look at the photos of the past Hokage's. 'Hashirama, Tobirama, Hiruzen, Minato. The four Hokage's, technically it's three, since Tobirama ruled the village from the time of Hashirama.' Shaking his head he changed his thoughts. 'Why did Hiruzen call for me again? If it's to invite me to join the ANBU then I'll say refuse outright. I want to catch dog's and cat's, help the villagers and become the friendly neighborhood Shinobi. I don't want to become the Ghost in the shadow, uh-huh, no thank you.'
Standing up from his seat, Hiruzen came towards Kakashi and Gin and sat down opposite to them and asked Gin "Do you know why you are here?"
"Nope." Gin shrugged.
Chuckling at his response, Hiruzen said "I called you here to invite you into the ANBU as a trainee."
"I refuse." Without giving Hiruzen a chance to continue, Gin refused his proposal.
Intrigued by the immediate rejection, Hiruzen paused and asked "And why is that?"
"Hokage-sama. Do I have to repeat what I said when we first met?" Sighing, Gin continued "Kakashi-nii became an ANBU, and he's anti-social. Shisui Uchiha joined ANBU, he was killed by his best friend. Itachi Uchiha joined ANBU, he massacred his entire Clan. The burden on the shoulders of prodigies behind the shadows are heavier than than the one's in light and they snap. I don't want that to happen to me."
Hiruzen chuckled after hearing Gin's long winded explanation and said "I expected this from you. It's alright then, I want you to know that I have high expectations of your future." Lighting up his smoking pipe and taking a drag from it, Hiruzen continued "Since you're already here, I'll tell you this. Your team leader will be Genma Shiranui, and there will be a secondary test, in which if you fail, you will be send back to the Academy. If you join the ANBU, there won't be any more tests, you will become a bonafide Shinobi."
"Thanks for the information, Hokage-sama. I'll strive to be the best Shinobi out there." Gin said with a smile.
Hiruzen nodded at the two, and Kakashi taking it as a cue, stood up and exited the office with Gin trailing behind him.
Watching Gin leave the office, Hiruzen breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself 'That damn Danzo filling my head with nonsense. 'Hiruzen, that kid Gin will be the one to lead jinchūriki to be out of our control. So we should control Gin.' And I believed him for a moment too. But, Gin is someone who have been looking after Naruto, I should have known better, after all I know about their interactions best after Kakashi from my Telescope Jutsu and from Naruto himself.' Sighing, Hiruzen shook his head and went back to his paperwork.