It was already late in the evening, yet Karin could barely contain her impatience to start school.
"Jōnin Roshi holds an important position in the village—he's extremely busy," her mother had told her more than once. Rina often worked at the Hokage Building and saw it firsthand.
"That guy really doesn't have much free time," even Hokage-sama had said on the rare occasions she visited.
So… if she became an outstanding ninja, she'd be able to see him often, right?
With that thought blazing in her mind, Karin nearly dragged Rina by the arm, half-running toward the entrance of the Ninja Academy.
"So many people…"
Though Karin had lived in Konoha for two years, this was the first time she'd seen so many children gathered in one place.
She didn't particularly like them. Some were especially annoying—always whispering, always pointing at her red hair.
"Then hit them back. Hit them boldly. There won't be a problem," Hokage-sama had said.
That woman was the most dazzling person Karin had ever met. If she said it, then it had to be right.
Her mother had disagreed—but her mother was wrong.
Karin had survived once already. She'd escaped her old life through sheer will. Because of that, she trusted her own courage.
So she lifted her chin high, standing straighter than the cautious Rina beside her, and faced the crowd of future classmates head-on.
Then she saw him.
Under the shade of a tree stood a figure who felt both unfamiliar and deeply familiar at the same time.
"Ro… Roshi… Captain…"
Karin tugged urgently at Rina's sleeve and pointed.
"Mom, Captain-sama is here too!"
"He's probably on duty," Rina whispered quickly. "Karin, you mustn't disturb Jōnin Roshi while he's working."
"M–Mm! Mm!"
Karin's face flushed bright red as she nodded furiously.
This is great! Just like she thought—so long as she walked the path of a ninja, she'd meet him again!
Even in the ninja world, red hair was rare. Roshi noticed the undisguised gaze fixed on him and gave a faint nod in Karin's direction—a simple greeting.
Then he murmured something to Itachi beside him, turned on his heel, and headed toward the academy building.
He'd already seen what he wanted to see. Now it was time to handle official matters.
The Ninja Academy had undergone an expansion.
The original structure left behind by Senju Tobirama was no longer sufficient. Back in the Second Hokage's era, Tobirama had trained only thirty-eight students in total. At the time, most ninja were educated within their own clans—a stark contrast to the present.
Now, even the great clans preferred sending their children to the Academy rather than relying solely on clan instruction.
The teachers assigned to oversee the entrance examination were already in position.
Roshi had little interest in the exam itself. Any child who had received a notice was age-qualified; elimination was practically impossible. If someone did manage to fail, that would be worth seeing.
"Jōnin Roshi."
A young ninja wearing sunglasses and a ninja cap approached briskly.
"I am Ebisu, an instructor at the Ninja Academy."
His posture was precise, almost rigid.
"By Hokage-sama's order, I've been assigned to brief you on the academy's structure and daily operations."
Ebisu had been promoted to chūnin at seventeen and was now around twenty-two. His teaching record was exemplary; with a few more years, he would be a strong candidate for Special Jōnin.
"The academy is currently divided into six grades, based on enrollment year," Ebisu continued. "Students who fail the graduation exam must repeat a year. Even those who pass may be required to remain in sixth grade if their assigned squad leader does not approve them."
"Class sizes typically range from eighteen to twenty-four students. Each class has a homeroom teacher responsible for most subjects. Lower grades focus on basic taijutsu, ninja tool throwing, chakra refinement and control. Higher grades begin studying ninjutsu theory, trap construction, and elementary squad tactics."
"Cultural courses run throughout all grades—reading and writing, mathematics, history, geography…"
It was a standard small-class model. From first to sixth grade, the core objective remained the same: combat capability.
Academic requirements were comparatively lenient; students only needed to pass.
The true dividing line was the Three Basic Jutsu—the key standard for graduation.
Samurai possessed chakra and formidable combat strength, yet they had been pushed aside by the ninja system largely because they lacked mastery of these three techniques.
Transformation Jutsu enabled infiltration and sabotage. Clone and Substitution Jutsu held enormous tactical value. A ninja who mastered the three basic jutsu could effectively suppress non-ninja combat systems.
Roshi had no strong objections to the academy's current training framework.
If anything, the "one homeroom teacher handles everything" model might benefit from greater specialization.
What truly caught his attention was the growth path after graduation—during the genin stage.
The three-genin-one-squad-leader system was crude. In most cases, squad leaders could only offer mission experience or a handful of advanced techniques—tree climbing, water walking, chakra control basics.
These skills could easily be introduced as advanced Academy coursework instead of being delayed until after graduation.
More often than not, mismatched combat styles meant only one genin truly benefited from a squad leader's guidance. The others depended entirely on luck—or connections.
If a Genin Training Program were added to the existing system—not free like the Academy, but as a paid, advanced service—then the village could issue public missions based on individual specialties. Skilled ninja could be contracted to provide targeted instruction, allowing genin to develop along clearer, more efficient paths…
As Roshi listened to Ebisu's explanation, his thoughts drifting deeper, the two of them rounded a corner in the corridor and nearly collided with a ninja carrying a thick stack of freshly printed enrollment forms.
"Ebisu-sensei."
Iruka Umino greeted his senior first out of habit. Then his gaze shifted—and he froze for a split second.
"Captain Roshi? You're…?"
"Jōnin Roshi has been dispatched by Hokage-sama," Ebisu explained smoothly, "and is currently conducting a comprehensive review of the academy."
With that, Ebisu prepared to excuse himself and move on.
"Iruka, you—"
Roshi raised a hand, cutting him off. "I've already grasped the overall situation. From here on, I'll look around on my own."
"…Understood."
This clearly wasn't part of Ebisu's original plan, but he chose not to press the matter. He bowed slightly and left.
Roshi's eyes dropped to the documents in Iruka's arms.
"Those are the preliminary class assignment forms?"
"Yes—yes, Captain Roshi," Iruka answered quickly, unconsciously straightening his posture.
"Is Karin in your class?"
"K-Karin?" Iruka blinked, then hurriedly flipped through the roster. "No… she isn't."
"Transfer her into your class."
To be honest, Roshi was simply curious.
He wanted to see what kind of sparks would fly if Karin ended up in the same classroom as Naruto and Sasuke.
And since he had both the authority and the opportunity—why not?
"Eh? B-but…" Iruka hesitated, clearly troubled. "The class assignments have already been preliminarily arranged. Making changes at this stage might—"
"If it hasn't been officially announced, then it isn't final," Roshi replied calmly. "There's no such thing as 'already arranged.'"
"…Yes."
Iruka gave a helpless smile.
After all, he was only a newly appointed chūnin instructor. Arguing with a jōnin promoted years ago—and a direct envoy of the Hokage—wasn't exactly an option.
After agreeing, Iruka lingered, his expression conflicted. He opened his mouth, closed it again, then finally gathered his courage.
"Captain Roshi… may I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"It's about Mizuki," Iruka said quietly. "He and I applied to become academy instructors together. His grades and mission records were better than mine, yet he didn't pass the selection."
He lowered his voice further.
"He's always looked out for me. He's an important friend. So I was hoping you might know… Was there some kind of mistake? Or… some internal reason?"
The question hung in the air, heavier than Iruka realized.
Mizuki was still able to remain in Konoha for one reason—and one reason alone: his potential connection to Orochimaru.
Otherwise, the fact that he had unilaterally executed an incapacitated comrade and then deliberately concealed the truth in his mission report would have been more than enough to strip him of his ninja status, if not earn him far harsher punishment.
Perhaps that gravely wounded ninja would have died anyway. Perhaps he would have been captured by the enemy.
But none of that gave Mizuki the right to decide a comrade's fate with his own hands.
Roshi had chosen not to move against him—not out of mercy, but calculation.
With Danzo gone and Root's intelligence network shattered, Roshi wanted to see whether Orochimaru would shift his attention toward Mizuki, a disposable pawn who might suddenly become useful again.
It was bait.
A measured gamble, laid carefully to see whether something lurking in the shadows would take the hook.
As for the second piece of bait—the so-called Village Hidden in Sound—it was a name that existed more on paper than in reality.
According to intelligence reports, the sign had been erected, the approval stamped, but the village itself had yet to truly function.
So the question remained.
Was Orochimaru still searching for new experimental subjects…or had he already aligned himself with Akatsuki?
—
The answer was both.
Orochimaru had joined Akatsuki—and he was still searching for new test subjects.
Although he had been paired with Kakuzu, the two were incompatible in every sense that mattered. Not in combat, but in purpose.
Kakuzu killed for money.
Orochimaru preferred to keep certain people alive.
After several unpleasant clashes, they reached an unspoken agreement: unless Pain personally issued a joint order, they would act independently. Kakuzu continued hunting bounties, while Orochimaru pursued research materials that caught his interest.
He had just finished processing a promising specimen, sealing it into a scroll, when a familiar black-and-white figure silently emerged from the bark of a nearby tree.
"Isn't that Zetsu?" Orochimaru said lazily. "I thought you were with Shinno now."
"You too, Orochimaru." Black Zetsu's voice was deep and flat. "Kakuzu isn't here. And you've caused trouble for the organization."
"Hehe…" Orochimaru chuckled softly. "That wasn't how you pitched things when you invited me, Zetsu. Has Jiraiya come knocking?"
"Not just Jiraiya," Black Zetsu replied. "Konoha has also dispatched Uchiha Shisui—and a member of the Hyūga clan. Their objective is clear. They're tracking you."
Jiraiya.
Uchiha Shisui.
A Hyūga.
Orochimaru considered the lineup for a heartbeat—then dismissed the thought.
If Konoha wanted him dead, this wouldn't be the team they sent. Not even back when Danzo's killing intent had been at its peak.
Orochimaru's smile didn't waver.
"All the more reason my presence in Akatsuki has value," he said smoothly.
"The organization has no intention of openly confronting Konoha yet," Black Zetsu replied.
Orochimaru tilted his head, the smile on his lips sharp and amused.
"Then tell me—what must I do to ensure Akatsuki still finds it worthwhile to protect me?"
"Pain isn't here," White Zetsu cut in cheerfully. "Which means the decision hasn't been made yet. That answer is yours to give, Orochimaru."
"After all, no one understands Konoha better than you."
"And let's be honest," Zetsu added, "Konoha is strong. Right now, it doesn't seem to have any real enemies."
"No enemies?" Orochimaru scoffed. "That's naïve. In this world, there are no eternal allies—only enemies waiting for the right opportunity."
He chuckled softly.
"At the very least, the Tsuchikage and the Kazekage must have their own thoughts about the current balance."
"And perhaps the Mizukage as well… wouldn't you agree, Zetsu?"
Black Zetsu ignored the probing tone.
"The organization needs a concrete, executable plan."
"Hehehe… very well."
Orochimaru's mind was already clear.
So that's how it is.
They're not hunting me—they're probing Akatsuki.
"The solution is simple," Orochimaru said calmly. "This fragile peace exists only because no one has yet provided a sufficient catalyst. Or rather—because certain people lack the confidence to strike first."
His golden eyes gleamed faintly.
"All Akatsuki needs to do… is give the world a little push."
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