Thursday arrived, the day of the Genius Class's theoretical exam.
After finishing breakfast, Kitazawa headed to Konoha Hospital.
He had left the written exam under Iruka's supervision, using the free time to perform a limb regeneration surgery on a Jonin who had lost his right arm.
As for the Medical Ninjutsu training class, there were no free classrooms today. The medics got a well-deserved day off, it was, after all, exam day for all six grades at the academy.
"Kitazawa-sama."
One after another, the medics at the hospital greeted him respectfully as he passed.
After attending his lectures, they had quickly come to understand just how vast his medical knowledge was.
In Konoha, only Tsunade stood above him.
With that kind of reputation, and his position, respect was natural.
"Nono-senpai," Kitazawa greeted as he entered her office.
"Kitazawa-sama," Haku stood up immediately, polite as always.
Kabuto was currently away on ANBU duty, often leaving Haku in Nono's care when missions called him elsewhere.
"How's your training coming along?" Kitazawa asked with a small smile.
"I… think it's going well," Haku said, a little unsure.
"Not think, it's going very well," Nono corrected warmly. "I'm already teaching him the Three Basic jutsu."
Kitazawa raised his brows, genuinely impressed.
For someone his age, that was fast progress, but then again, it wasn't surprising.
Haku was only about three years older than Naruto and Sasuke.
In the original timeline, he had died at fifteen, yet his Ice Release had already reached Chunin, or even near Jonin, level strength. And all of that he'd achieved on his own.
His natural talent was undeniable, perhaps not on the level of the "cheat-code duo" Naruto and Sasuke, but certainly on par with the best of Konoha's new generation.
"Haku, keep training," Nono said, standing up. "Kitazawa and I have a surgery to perform."
"Okay, Director," Haku replied, then added with a respectful bow, "See you next time, Kitazawa-sama."
Kitazawa nodded, following Nono toward the operating room.
The morning passed quickly.
By the time the operation concluded, it was already nearing eleven o'clock.
After lunch with Nono, Kitazawa made his way to the Hokage Office.
As usual, he exchanged a few light remarks with Tsunade before finding a quiet spot to practice his Wood Release.
Less than an hour later, he stopped.
Just then, Konan appeared.
"I've already arranged for the medicinal ingredients," Konan reported. "They'll be delivered next week."
"Any trouble along the way?" Kitazawa asked casually.
"None so far." She paused briefly. "Your human puppet will also arrive next week."
Kitazawa chuckled. "Seems the puppet master you found is quite the craftsman, to make a human puppet with Special Jonin-level strength in such a short time."
"His skill is… impressive," Konan admitted with her usual calm tone.
Kitazawa could guess whom she meant, Sasori.
At this point in time, Konan had recruited him after defeating him, though back then, he hadn't yet turned himself into a puppet.
Now, his strength might even surpass what it had once been.
"By the way," Konan continued, "Aoi Rokusho will be heading to the Land of Rivers on Sunday for a solo mission."
Kitazawa nodded with satisfaction. "Good work."
"It's what I should do," Konan replied softly.
Of course, her diligence wasn't without reason, she wanted him to take Nagato's treatment seriously.
Kitazawa understood perfectly.
His principle was simple: treat others the way they treat you.
And since the system mission also required him to help, there was no reason for him to hold back.
"You should head back to the ANBU base and rest," Kitazawa said, waving a hand dismissively. "From now on, when I visit the Hokage Building, you don't need to follow me."
There were too many eyes and ears in the Hokage's Tower, Konan could easily be noticed.
More importantly, Kitazawa didn't want anyone discovering that he was secretly training Wood Release.
"…Understood."
Konan bowed slightly and turned to leave.
By the time the sun began to set, Kitazawa had finished his afternoon training.
He returned to the Hokage Office.
To Kitazawa's surprise, Tsunade wasn't alone in the Hokage Office, Shikaku was there as well.
"You came back just in time," Tsunade said, tossing a document toward him.
Kitazawa caught it, flipped through the pages, and immediately understood what the discussion was about.
It was an application from the Uchiha Clan, requesting permission to relocate back to their original compound.
"What do you think, Kitazawa?" Tsunade asked after a pause.
"I think we should approve it," Kitazawa said, closing the file. "That compound originally belonged to the Uchiha. Returning it is only fair."
"That compound currently houses the two Hokage advisors and the Shimura Clan," Shikaku reminded him.
Ah, yes. The Uchiha's former district, once in the heart of Konoha, had been divided among Danzō, Homura, and Koharu after the clan's forced relocation.
"Then that's all the more reason to approve it," Kitazawa replied immediately, his tone brightening.
Part of him wanted to finish his system mission. The other part simply enjoyed annoying those two old geezers.
Tsunade's lips curved into a knowing smile. "I figured you'd say that."
Shikaku exhaled softly, glancing between the two of them. When Tsunade had asked for his opinion earlier, he'd suggested a gradual transition, to avoid ruffling any more feathers among the elders.
But from the looks of it, both Tsunade and Kitazawa were clearly in the "to hell with that" camp.
"Understood, Hokage-sama," Shikaku finally said, straightening. "I'll notify the Shimura Clan and the others to move out as soon as possible."
A wise man adapts to the times, he thought.
After all, Tsunade was the Hokage, and he, too, was now one of her advisors. In status, he was no less than the two elders. As for the Shimura Clan… ever since Danzō's death, they barely had the political strength to defend themselves, let alone resist.
"If they have any objections, tell them to come see me personally," Tsunade said, her voice cutting through the air with iron authority.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Shikaku bowed lightly and left.
As the door closed, Tsunade leaned back in her chair with a smirk. "How long do you think before those two come storming in?"
Kitazawa chuckled. "Less than an hour."
"What a waste of time," she muttered, stretching lazily.
"You only need to say one thing," Kitazawa said, amusement flickering in his eyes.
Her movement made the fabric of her clothes draw tighter, and Kitazawa politely looked away before continuing, "Just say, 'I am the Hokage.'"
Tsunade shot him a sidelong glance. "That line makes me sound unreasonable." Then her lips curved. "But with those two old relics, reason's overrated anyway."
She had always disliked Homura and Koharu. In the original timeline, she'd even grabbed them by their collars once after they pushed her too far.
"How's Naruto doing lately?" she asked, changing the topic.
"Quite well," Kitazawa replied. "Ever since it was revealed that he's the Fourth Hokage's son, the villagers' attitudes have changed drastically."
"That's a relief." Tsunade nodded. "I just hope he doesn't carry any lingering scars from how he was treated before."
"Knowing Naruto, he'll be just fine," Kitazawa said with a light smile. "If there's ever a problem, I'll let you know right away."
"With you watching over him, I'm not worried." Tsunade picked up another file from her desk and handed it to him. "This matter also involves you. Take a look."
Kitazawa skimmed through it. The document detailed plans to expand the Military Police Force. Interestingly, the Uchiha Clan had voluntarily ceded half their control, offering positions to other clans' shinobi.
"Impressive sincerity," Kitazawa said, setting the paper down.
"That's exactly why I agreed to their relocation," Tsunade said with a small smile. "The Uchiha Clan is showing real change."
"Most of their aggression in the past stemmed from Danzō's suppression," Kitazawa mused. "The Uchiha don't need to be controlled, they need to be guided. Their ambition is simple: they want to be Hokage. That's not treason; it's loyalty to power."
If they'd truly wanted to betray Konoha, they would've joined Madara centuries ago.
Now, with Tsunade as Hokage, himself as an intermediary, and Itachi acting from the shadows, the Uchiha still had reason to believe in the village's future.
"They can adapt," Tsunade said, nodding. "As long as they don't endanger Konoha, I'm willing to let them prove it."
"Tsunade!"
A furious voice echoed from the hallway.
Tsunade's smile widened. "Looks like you were wrong, it didn't even take half an hour."
Kitazawa raised his hands in mock surrender. "Guess my timing was too generous."
The office door slammed open.
Homura and Koharu stormed in, faces red with indignation.
"This is the Hokage's office!" Tsunade snapped before they could speak, her tone sharp enough to cut stone. "As advisors, is this how you intend to conduct yourselves? Have you forgotten basic decorum?"
Koharu's body trembled with rage, but Tsunade was the Hokage. And in this office, her word was law.
"Tsunade, why are you letting the Uchiha Clan move back?"
Homura's voice was sharp as he stepped forward.
"The Uchiha were forced out because of Danzō's baseless paranoia," Tsunade replied evenly. "To this day, we've found no concrete evidence linking them to the Nine-Tails' attack."
"But the Nine-Tails was clearly controlled by the Sharingan!" Koharu snapped coldly.
Tsunade shot her a cool glance. "The Uchiha aren't the only ones who possess a Sharingan, Koharu. Danzō had one too, remember?"
"..."
Koharu froze, her mouth tightening but no words coming out.
"That may be true," Homura said, his tone grave, "but the Uchiha still pose a potential risk. Moving them back to the center of Konoha will only make it easier for them to act if they ever decide to rebel."
"I trust Kitazawa," Tsunade said, shifting the topic. "He and the Anbu will keep a close watch on them."
"If the advisors don't trust me," Kitazawa added casually, "we can always settle it with a spar."
"Watch your tongue!" Koharu barked, instantly bristling. "Tsunade, control your student!"
"My student takes after me," Tsunade said with a chuckle. "And personally, I think he's right."
"Tsunade!" Koharu's voice trembled with indignation. "You're the Hokage, how can you be so unreasonable?"
"I've already reasoned with you," Tsunade's tone dropped, her patience thinning. "This decision is final. It won't be changed."
"You'll regret this!" Koharu spat, her face red with anger.
"I am the Hokage," Tsunade shot back firmly.
"Koharu, that's enough," Homura sighed, pulling at her sleeve. "Let's go."
When the door slammed behind them, Tsunade exhaled and leaned back in her chair. "I should've just said that last line from the start."
Kitazawa smirked. "They've been getting stonewalled too often lately. I'd wager they're starting to resent you."
"Let them," Tsunade said dismissively. "At least Danzō had some guts. Those two just whine."
"I'll assign the Anbu to keep an eye on them," Kitazawa said after a moment's thought.
"Do what you like," Tsunade replied indifferently.
Technically, ordering the Anbu to monitor the Hokage's advisors was against village protocol, but Tsunade didn't care. She'd long grown tired of their meddling. As long as they stayed clean, fine. But if they ever crossed the line, she wouldn't show the restraint the Third Hokage had.
"Now," Tsunade said suddenly, walking up to him and extending her hand, "let's go to the casino."
Kitazawa blinked and took her hand with a faint smile. "Tsunade-sensei, what's this about?"
"Don't play dumb!" she rolled her eyes and tried to pull her hand back, only to find she couldn't.
"Go home early today," Kitazawa said, pressing a thick stack of money into her palm. "Only five hundred thousand ryō."
"So stingy!" Tsunade snatched the bills, stomped like a kid, and strutted out.
Outside the Hokage Building, she glanced at her hand, a faint blush touching her cheeks.
That brat was getting bolder by the day.
Back inside, Kitazawa closed the office door and started down the street, deep in thought.
Tsunade's daily "donations" were bleeding him dry. He needed to increase his income, and fast.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Maybe it was time to "inspect" Konoha's casinos. If he could gain control of a few, his finances would stabilize. And if not... he'd just have to get creative.
But that could wait until after the Genius Class's Monthly Exam.
The next day
The students of the Genius Class gathered at the Ninja Academy's training grounds.
They were divided into two groups: one for the regular practical exam, and the other for the new field-mission-style exam.
The instructors were already there, Iruka, Kosuke, Kakashi, and their newest "teacher," the retired Third Hokage himself, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Kitazawa-senpai," Iruka approached and handed him a scroll. "This is the ranking from yesterday's theory exam."
"Good work, Iruka," Kitazawa said, scanning the results. The standings were about what he expected, no surprises.
"Alright, let's move on to the practical exam." He returned the scroll and walked toward Kakashi and Hiruzen.
For the instructors, today was mostly observation, evaluating and scoring.
"You and Tsunade stirred quite a storm yesterday," Hiruzen said with a teasing smile.
Kitazawa raised an eyebrow. "Judging by that tone, I take it the two advisors ran straight to you afterward?"
"You guessed right," Hiruzen said with a chuckle. "But I stayed out of it. I'm just a humble Academy teacher now."
Kitazawa sighed. "Why does that line sound so familiar…"
"Hahaha," Kosuke chuckled. "Hiruzen, you still have that sense of humor."
Kitazawa cleared his throat. "Ahem, let's focus on the exam."
Like Kitazawa, Iruka had chosen random pairings for the sparring rounds. With Sasuke and Naruto and others absent this time, the combat portion had been cut from three rounds to two, resulting in less spectacle, but still solid competition.
After a while, Hiruzen turned to Kitazawa. "You know, I think I'd like to join that new practical exam next time."
"You want to lead a team?" Kitazawa asked, surprised.
"Why not?" Hiruzen said, puffing up a bit. "I did train the Sannin once, remember?"
Kitazawa laughed. "Of course, of course. I wasn't doubting your skill, just didn't want to waste your time."
"I have plenty of time," Hiruzen said with a wave.
"In that case, I'll make the arrangements for next month's exam."
Kosuke chuckled. "So even the Third Hokage's feeling restless, huh?"
"I've been in Konoha too long," Hiruzen admitted with a smile. "A little mission might do me good."
Just then, glowing text appeared before Kitazawa's eyes:
[Mission Complete: Help the Uchiha Clan return to their original territory and earn their friendship.]
[Reward: Izanagi.]
So the Uchiha had already settled back into their old district, faster than he expected, but understandable given their eagerness.
Izanagi. A resurrection jutsu that could rewrite reality itself. Invaluable, but costly. One Sharingan lost forever in exchange for survival.
"Sandaime-sama," Kitazawa said suddenly, an idea forming. "Would you like to learn limb regeneration?"
Hiruzen blinked, then smiled. "Of course. It's a practical jutsu, I might need it someday."
Kitazawa grinned. Perfect.
Tsunade, Shizune, Nono, Kabuto, and now Hiruzen, five candidates in total.
Exactly what he needed to complete his system mission.
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