Friday rolled around.
Jiraiya had already left Konoha.
After breakfast, Kitazawa strolled over to the Ninja Academy. With the sealing-jutsu assignment wrapped up, he could finally breathe a little. The Water Style and Earth Style tasks weren't due until next term anyway, so there was no rush.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
Aburame Shino, usually so composed, came over practically buzzing.
"Got a new breakthrough?" Kitazawa arched a brow.
"I just found a kikaichū that can endure open flame for five seconds!"
Shino opened his palm. A single kikaichū rested there. The earlier flame-resistant one that lasted three seconds was black with crimson streaks; this one was a vivid red—just looking at it made you think of fire.
"Sounds like your flame-resistance project is close to success," Kitazawa nodded. "Five seconds is enough to ignore most Fire Style ninjutsu."
Against something like Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu, five seconds of resistance would let the kikaichū sail straight through the blazing sphere. Of course, there were counters. One was a massive area attack like Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation. Another was a more controllable, targeted technique like Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Jutsu. And then there were ultra-high-temperature fire techniques—even Kitazawa's flames ran hot, and that would still be a problem.
"Judging by this one, five seconds is about the ceiling," Kitazawa said after a closer look. "Pushing it further will be very hard."
"Mm." Shino agreed. "Once this five-second variant breeds true, I'm planning to end the experiment."
"Did the three-second flame-resistant strain stabilize into a line yet?" Kitazawa asked.
"It did!" Shino brightened. He lifted his arm; a dozen black-and-crimson kikaichū spiraled out of his sleeve and circled in front of him.
"You should name them so we can tell them apart," Kitazawa suggested.
"Let's call them Fire-kikaichū," Shino decided after a beat. "Three-Second Fire-kikaichū and Five-Second Fire-kikaichū."
"Can't say it isn't… crystal clear," Kitazawa chuckled.
"Practical beats fancy." Shino didn't mind.
"True enough." Kitazawa patted his shoulder. "Keep at it."
"Right." Shino headed toward the artificial lake.
Kitazawa glanced over at Yakushi Kabuto, Aburame Torune, and Uchiha Izumi. All three were talented; most of the techniques he'd taught them were about seventy to eighty percent in hand now.
He rubbed his chin. It had been half a month since their squad's last Guardian Ninja assignment. After term started, he planned to swing by the Mission Hall and see if he could trigger a new system task. Great if it pinged; if not, he'd just grab a B-rank to keep everyone sharp.
His eyes settled on Uchiha Izumi. How was he going to help her awaken the second tomoe?
That thought led him to Uchiha Itachi. The best way for Izumi to open her two-tomoe Sharingan was with Itachi's help—no one could trigger a stronger emotional jolt than someone that close. The trick was how. Itachi would need to "have something happen" to him… but not for real. A staged crisis—half real, half acted.
Pulling himself back to the moment, Kitazawa found an open patch of ground and started drilling Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall. He wanted one Earth technique under his belt first, then a Water technique, to tick off the Water-Style assignment. The two remaining Water techniques were both A-rank and would take time. Earth-Style Wall was B-rank—he figured two weeks, tops.
Time slipped by.
Five in the afternoon.
Kitazawa called over Uzumaki Naruto, Hyūga Hinata, and Yamanaka Ino—plus Uchiha Sasuke and Hatake Kakashi.
"The day after tomorrow is Sunday—Enrollment Day," Kitazawa announced. "Which means our winter intensive ends here."
"What? It's over already?" Naruto blurted, then wilted. "Feels like I didn't learn anything this whole month…"
"I learned plenty," Sasuke said coolly. "I'll be taking your first place on the next monthly exam."
"As expected of my lifelong rival!" Naruto sprang back to life. "Don't worry, I'll train hard—we'll have a youthful showdown!"
"Don't forget me." Ino planted her fists on her hips, smiling. "First place might end up with yours truly."
"Impossible!" Sakura shot back on reflex. "First place is Sasuke-kun's!"
"First place next term won't be so easy," Kitazawa said with a mysterious smile. "Because on Enrollment Day, our first-year Class A will undergo a change you won't see coming."
"What change?" Ino blinked, curious.
"Will there be a transfer student as strong as Yakumo?" Naruto perked up.
"Yes and no," Kitazawa chuckled. "Alright, head home. You'll find out the day after tomorrow."
"See you, Kitazawa-sensei!" Curiosity tamped down for now, they filed out.
"Kakashi," Kitazawa added, "be at the Academy at nine a.m. the day after tomorrow. Don't be late."
"Mm." Kakashi nodded and vanished.
Instead of going straight home, Kitazawa went to the Kurama compound. He found Kurama Yakumo to discuss changing tomorrow's treatment—the content of the illusion would be different.
Night passed without incident.
Saturday morning.
Kitazawa and Yakumo arrived at Tsunade's place.
"What are you two doing here so early?" Tsunade rubbed her brow. Every treatment felt like torture; if she hadn't promised Kitazawa, she'd have run for it already.
"Alright, let's start," she sighed. Better to rip the bandage off—sooner started, sooner done.
Kitazawa sat down beside her and held out his hand. She met his eyes. Something gentle there sent a small ripple through waters she'd thought long still. She looked away and took his hand.
A heartbeat later, Kurama Yakumo activated her kekkei genkai—Dreamscape.
Kitazawa and Tsunade stood in a temporary Konoha encampment.
"Tsunade, you're finally here!" Orochimaru hurried over. "Nawaki's in critical condition. Only you can save him!"
"W-what…?" Tsunade froze.
Kitazawa watched her from the corner of his eye. A kunoichi of Tsunade's caliber could break a genjutsu—but if she refused the dream, it couldn't proceed. The good news: she didn't reject it. After two stunned seconds, she stepped fully into the role.
"Where is he? Take me to him—now!"
"In that tent," Orochimaru pointed. "Two medical jōnin are working on him."
Tsunade didn't waste another word. She rushed inside to the blood-soaked figure on the cot. "I'll take over!"
"Yes, Tsunade-sama!" The two medics yielded their spots.
Kitazawa's brows lifted. Even with all that blood, her hemophobia didn't trigger. Was the need to save Nawaki overriding her fear? Or was it because this was an illusion—Tsunade as she'd been twenty years ago?
The operation began, tense and exacting. To keep things seamless, Nawaki's wounds were still from explosive tags—but this time, a sliver of life remained.
Five hours later, the surgery ended. Tsunade staggered two steps, dizzy. Kitazawa caught her before she fell.
"Thanks," she murmured, then snapped her eyes to Nawaki.
"Tsunade-sama, he's out of danger," one medic reported after a check.
Relief bloomed across Tsunade's face. This time, she'd saved him.
"Good thing you arrived in time," Orochimaru exhaled.
"He'll need proper rest," Tsunade said softly, looking at Nawaki. "I'm taking him back to the village."
"Agreed," Orochimaru nodded. "The front's still too dangerous for him."
Three days later, Tsunade and Kitazawa brought Nawaki home. Sarutobi Hiruzen himself greeted them. After less than a week's rest, Konoha convened a jōnin council.
"Sensei," Tsunade rose. "I have a proposal about medical ninja."
"What is it?" Hiruzen asked.
"I want every three-man squad to include a dedicated medic-nin," she said. "It will raise team survival rates."
"I disagree," Shimura Danzō shook his head. "We don't have the time or resources to train that many medics during a war."
"Danzō has a point," Mitokado Homura added. Several jōnin voiced opposition.
"I support it," Kitazawa stood. "Medics are hard to train, but one medic can be the difference between life and death for an entire team."
Tsunade glanced his way, momentarily dazed.
"We'll revisit after the war," Hiruzen decided.
"Thank you, Kitazawa," Tsunade said afterward.
"It's nothing," he smiled. "I'm a medic-nin too, after all."
What followed was simple: Nawaki regained consciousness and returned to the front. Under Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade, Konoha brought the Second Shinobi War to a close. A baby boom followed. Hatake Kakashi, Sarutobi Asuma, Kurenai, and Might Guy were born and grew up.
In a blink, the Third Shinobi War arrived. Konoha was besieged on all sides—until Nawaki awakened Wood Release and, together with Namikaze Minato, turned the tide and saved the village. After the war, Hiruzen voluntarily stepped down. Nawaki and Minato vied for Fourth Hokage; backed by his Wood Release and the support of Tsunade and Orochimaru, Nawaki prevailed.
January 1. New Year's Day—and the Hokage handover.
"Nawaki," Hiruzen said with a smile, placing the Hokage hat in his hands, "from today, Konoha is yours. Do your best."
"I, Nawaki—Fourth Hokage!" He set the hat on his head, stood before the Hokage Tower, and declared it to the gathered villagers and shinobi. His eyes searched, quickly finding Tsunade and Kitazawa.
"Sis!" he waved, shouting, "My dream came true!"
Tsunade stared at his smile, stunned. A moment later, tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.
Crack.
The illusion shattered.
"What a long, long dream," Tsunade murmured, dazed.
Yakumo looked to Kitazawa, unsure whether the treatment had worked.
"Thank you," Tsunade said at last.
"Uh—" Yakumo was briefly at a loss.
"Let's stop here for today," Tsunade smiled. "No need to ruin such a good dream."
"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Yakumo stood and tactfully withdrew.
"Was that your idea?" Tsunade asked Kitazawa.
"Mm." He nodded. "I don't think endlessly reliving grief helps treat hemophobia."
"There's some truth to that," Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "But why did you alter… certain details?"
"I altered a lot of details," Kitazawa said evenly. "All to better treat the phobia." He did have his own motives, but the method wasn't wrong—blunting the pain of Dan Kato's death could help.
"You've got some nerve," Tsunade huffed. "For the sake of that beautiful dream, I'll let it slide—for now."
"Thank you, Tsunade-sama!"
"Death sentence waived, but punishment remains," she said, stepping on his foot. "You're coming with me to the casino."
…
Sunday. Enrollment Day.
Naruto was up early. He hadn't seen Inuzuka Kiba or Akimichi Chōji all winter, and he was itching to.
"I wonder what reform Kitazawa-sensei meant," he mused as he walked.
"Naruto!"
A familiar voice rang out.
"Kiba!" Naruto looked up to see Kiba perched on a wall.
"Honored?" Kiba hopped down with a grin. "I came to meet you myself. Big deal, you know!"
"Thanks!" Naruto flashed a thumbs-up. "I can feel the youthful blood boiling already!"
"Yeah, yeah—stow the 'youth,'" Kiba slapped his hand away. "So, what new jutsu did you learn over break? I picked up a secret technique!"
"None," Naruto said, shaking his head.
"For real?" Kiba brightened. "Then I might actually beat you!"
"Even if Naruto stood still, you wouldn't beat him," a lazy voice drifted closer.
"Who's that?" Kiba bristled. "I've gotten way stronger—!"
"Me." Shikamaru turned the corner, hands behind his head as usual.
"Want some?" Chōji held out a bag of chips.
"Thanks," Kiba said, grabbing a handful.
Chōji's eyes went wide with heartbreak. Thankfully, Naruto only took one chip.
"What did you mean, Shikamaru?" Kiba crunched as they walked.
"He means you can't even beat me," Yamanaka Ino said sweetly. "So forget beating Naruto."
"Impossible! Your clan's Mind Body Switch won't pin me down!"
"Kitazawa-sensei taught me a new jutsu," Ino blinked mischievously.
"…," Kiba faltered, confidence wobbling. His biggest trump card, Fang Over Fang, came from Kitazawa in the first place—and he'd spent the whole break practicing Double-Headed Wolf with his clan. He really didn't know what Ino had up her sleeve now.
"It's fine," Shikamaru yawned. "If I don't get first, tenth is fine."
"Kitazawa-sensei said our class is in for a major reform," Ino glanced at him. "You might not even make tenth."
"What reform?" Shikamaru groaned on instinct. Sounded like a drag.
"No idea," Ino shrugged. "We'll hear it from him in class."
Chatting, they entered the Academy, meeting Sasuke, Sakura, and Hinata along the way, the group growing as they went.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" Naruto jogged ahead the moment he saw him.
Hinata took a step, then pulled back—she could only watch as Naruto seized the moment.
"Morning," Kitazawa nodded. "Hold off on registering. Go sit down first."
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei." Sasuke, Naruto, and the others returned to their seats.
"Notice anything odd?" Shikamaru asked after a moment's observation. "Why did some students come in and then leave?"
"It is strange," Shino adjusted his glasses.
"Think it's got to do with the reform Kitazawa-sensei mentioned?" Ino wondered aloud.
"Most likely," Sakura said—then blinked. "Huh? Why are Neji and Tenten here?"
"What the—my sister too?" Kiba spotted Hana outside the door.
Everyone traded looks. Hyūga Neji, Inuzuka Hana, Tenten—the newcomers were just as confused.
"You all, come in," Kitazawa called to the group at the door.
Neji, Hana, and Tenten entered the classroom.
"Starting today, you're all joining First-Year Class A," Kitazawa said, dropping the bomb.
"What?" Shock rippled through both the original Class A kids and the transfers.
"This is the Academy's reform—putting the top thirty students in the entire school into one section," Kitazawa smiled. "Welcome to the Advanced Class."
~~~
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