Konoha.
On the high rooftop, three figures leaned against the railing.
"Won't anything happen to your two little ones if they go back?" Kakashi asked.
Satoru smiled upon hearing this: "Hmph, I am a Ninja who is Proficient in sensory abilities, so my children are naturally protected. Besides, they are very smart, just a bit annoying sometimes."
After two years of living together, he knew his children well. In front of him and Ayame, they were well-behaved and adorable.
But the moment he turned his head, they became incredibly mischievous.
Both children had excellent sensory talents, even better than his own back then.
However, the sensory abilities he had cultivated over the years were not something that could be matched by mere talent.
As long as he wanted, everything his children did was under his watchful eye.
He was just waiting, waiting for their bones, muscles, and skin to be able to withstand a good beating. They were two years old now, so it was almost time.
For the past two years, he had let his children experience what fatherly love was. Now, before they became Ninja, Satoru would let them experience what true fatherly love was.
"Hey, wasting a Ninja's Chakra like that isn't very good, is it?"
Kakashi was speechless. Wasn't it better to bring them along? Wasting Chakra.
Might Guy, on the other hand, grinned in support: "Children are the future of the Village! I support Satoru, even though I'm not a fan of his aesthetic."
"Don't talk about me. I heard you eliminated another batch of graduates this year, Kakashi, sending them back to square one?"
Satoru asked.
For the past two years, Kakashi had been in charge of one team of Ninja School graduates every year, but not a single team had passed his assessment and had been sent back to the school.
To be honest, Satoru's strength before he went to the battlefield was only at that level.
If he had encountered a Sensei like Kakashi back then, he probably would have been sent back to school too.
That's why he asked.
It was too much of a waste.
"Yes, it's so hard to be a Sensei and lead a team. Why is it like this?
I've asked the Third Hokage for a long time, and he keeps saying I'm still a bit short."
Might Guy's tears streamed down his face, filled with regret.
Even though his mission completion rate was comparable to Kakashi's among their generation, he was not chosen by the Third Hokage to be a team leader for Ninja School graduates.
"Those without ability should go back to school for further training.
If they can't even pass a team test, becoming a Ninja
will only drag down their companions."
Kakashi had his ideas.
In his opinion, those who couldn't cherish their companions wouldn't earn his approval.
"As expected of my lifelong rival, you're right.
However, in Ninja missions, cultivating a child's team awareness is also very important."
Might Guy agreed with his statement but disagreed slightly with his approach.
Satoru teased: "Could it be that you're not confident in being a Sensei, so you're just trying to brush off the Third Hokage?"
He knew that in the next few years, Kakashi wouldn't lead any teams from the school until the protagonist group appeared.
Kakashi, expressionless, pulled out make-out paradise: "So why was I chosen as a Sensei for the Ninja School, and you two... Hmph!"
He shook his head.
"..."
Might Guy and Satoru were both stuck.
Might Guy had never led a team, and Satoru hadn't led a team from the school in years.
"Damn it, I lost to Kakashi again! For the rest of the day, I'll do fifteen hundred front kicks, five hundred push-ups..."
Might Guy was full of fighting spirit.
"Hmm, when you've been on missions recently, have you encountered an organisation called Akatsuki among the underground mercenary organisations?"
Satoru spoke.
After such a long time, his intelligence network hadn't received much news about Akatsuki or the Hidden Rain Village.
It was as if the people he had fought back then had no temper at all.
He had been paying attention to Akatsuki's intelligence all these years, to prevent his butterfly effect from being too significant.
He had to be ready for other preparations at any time.
But there wasn't any.
Akatsuki was as if it didn't exist, no... it only existed within the underground mercenary organisations.
Because he had a head start on the plot, he knew that at this stage, Nagato's positioning for the Akatsuki Organisation was to make Akatsuki grow from surrounding small countries to surrounding large countries.
Thereby, they would gradually devour the Ninja mercenary resources of the large countries.
Therefore, his intelligence network would pay special attention to the situation in small countries.
Indeed, there was a group of super-strong underground organisations that always completed their missions.
They had attracted many nobles and feudal lords from small countries.
However, no further information had been received.
"Underground mercenary organisation?" Kakashi asked, puzzled.
"Never heard of it."
Might Guy replied as well.
"A Ninja organisation active in small countries. The Ninjas in this organisation are extremely powerful.
I heard that since their debut, they haven't failed a single mission.
Many nobles and armies in small countries seem to like using them to handle certain matters.
Orochimaru is just one of their members."
Satoru slowly said.
It seemed the Third Hokage had hidden all the information about the Rinnegan!
Was he worried the Rinnegan would cause chaos in the Ninja World?
"What?" Might Guy was startled.
"Orochimaru?"
Kakashi recalled that day, that man who made him tremble.
Just by passing by him, he involuntarily felt a chill, only able to watch him leave without moving.
"Yes, Orochimaru, like Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade, one of the Sannin."
Satoru emphasised.
This news made Might Guy and Kakashi solemn.
What kind of organisation could recruit Orochimaru into their ranks?
"This is truly explosive news."
"Only active in small countries?"
Compared to Might Guy, Kakashi focused his attention on the organisation's objective.
"Hmm, you can pay attention to them when you're on missions."
Satoru replied.
...
Inuzuka training ground.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
"Fang Over Fang."
Bang!
The huge rock was instantly blasted apart, sending gravel flying.
Crackle!
Kiba, who had transformed into a whirlwind, bounced back the moment he struck. A smile appeared on his face as he hovered in the air.
Woof woof ~
Akamaru praised him endlessly.
Landing on the ground, Kiba put his hands on his hips, looking at his stunned sister and mother.
"How is that possible?"
"Kiba, are you sick?"
Inuzuka Hana and Inuzuka Tsume said in unison.
They were about to enter the Ninja School, and they thought Kiba had been learning from Satoru for almost two years, so they wanted to test his abilities.
They didn't expect that in just a few days,
Kiba had learned Four Legs Technique, Beast Human Clone, and even Fang Over Fang...
Although Kiba's Chakra was limited due to his age at this time, he was exhausted after using it once or twice.
But what kind of learning speed was this?
"Hmph, you don't know how Sensei Satoru trained me at all.
I'll become even stronger in the future."
Kiba was full of confidence.
When he was younger, no matter what he said, his parents and sister wouldn't believe him, so he stopped reporting on Satoru.
Plus, Satoru's training was on track, and he felt that nothing could stop him now.
"Yes, yes, our Kiba is the best. But you're going to school in a few days,
Are you ready?" Inuzuka Tsume said with a smile.
Satoru's teaching ability was indeed impressive.
Only Inuzuka Hana felt uncomfortable. Why wasn't she that amazing?
That hateful Sensei Satoru kept secrets.