Although the art of throwing ninja tools is something taught back in the Ninja Academy — it's considered a basic skill — most fresh graduates are far from being able to use it effectively in actual combat.
Only geniuses like Kakashi or Uchiha Itachi were capable of turning such techniques into true combat ability at the age of seven.
Just now, Kimoto Tōichi had thrown his kunai and shuriken with his full strength. For ordinary genin, or even many below chūnin level, that attack would have been nearly impossible to block.
Yet not only did Yoruha block it, he reacted to it — even able to clearly track the flight path of the kunai and shuriken.
That proved that Yoruha wasn't just physically strong; his coordination, perception, and eyesight were all far beyond that of an ordinary person.
At least, someone Kimoto Tōichi's age could never have done such a thing.
Yoruha didn't know what Kimoto Tōichi was thinking.
He was simply… dissatisfied with him.
But that dissatisfaction was all — Yoruha didn't intend to do anything about it.
With his current strength, there wasn't much he could do anyway.
Kimoto Tōichi walked up to the three of them and said,
"Today, I'll be taking you all to pick up your first mission."
Hearing that, the two who had been terrified earlier — Motonoya Toko and Yamada Jumoku — instantly lit up with excitement.
They had completely forgotten how frightened they'd been a moment ago.
"Really, sensei? We can already take missions?"
Kimoto Tōichi nodded expressionlessly.
"Of course. But for now, you'll only be allowed to take missions ranked C or lower. During those missions, I'll also be giving you additional training."
"You'd better be mentally prepared.
My training is… quite harsh."
His voice suddenly turned cold as he looked at Yoruha, a faint smile curling on his lips.
"But I imagine you're looking forward to it, aren't you?"
Yoruha frowned slightly.
"Tōichi–sensei, we're just fresh graduates from the Academy. Don't you think tests like the one earlier were a bit unnecessary?"
Kimoto Tōichi patted Yoruha's shoulder.
"You still care about that, huh? Maybe for those two, the coming days will be tough. But for you… it'll probably be a good thing."
Yoruha understood what he meant.
He was, in truth, looking forward to what Kimoto Tōichi might teach him.
Still, he couldn't help but feel uneasy for Jumoku and Toko — their talent was average, and if Tōichi were too strict with them, it would be difficult for them to keep up.
Seeing Yoruha remain silent, Kimoto Tōichi smiled faintly and said,
"Let's go. We're heading to the Hokage Building to pick up a mission."
Jumoku and Toko didn't notice the conversation between their teacher and Yoruha.
They were too excited about taking their first mission.
Meanwhile, after the four of them left, a figure stood atop a tree at the training grounds — it was Kakashi, who was supposed to be leading Team Seven to their own mission.
He held a small book in his hand, but his attention was no longer on the pages.
He had been watching Kimoto Tōichi's little test of Yoruha from beginning to end.
And Yoruha's performance… had surprised him.
Even after Yoruha and the others were gone, Kakashi murmured to himself,
"He's not only got an enormous chakra reserve… his reaction speed is far beyond that of an ordinary ninja. And his eyesight— it's already comparable to mine when using the Sharingan."
The kunai and shuriken Tōichi threw earlier — Kakashi believed that even an average chūnin wouldn't have been able to react in time.
Even if they sensed the attack coming, they wouldn't have been able to see the projectiles' trajectories clearly, much less block them.
Such perception and reaction weren't something an ordinary ninja could possess.
Kakashi even suspected that Yoruha's visual acuity just now might already rival his own when using the Sharingan.
"I wonder if this guy… could learn my 'Chidori'."
Thinking of Yoruha's keen vision and agility, Kakashi had to admit — he was an excellent fit for Chidori.
But Chidori was, after all, an A-rank forbidden technique.
Leaving aside the fact that Yoruha wasn't his student and had no special relationship with him — even if Kakashi wanted to teach him, he probably couldn't.
Forbidden jutsu weren't just powerful and deadly; above all, they were extremely dangerous to the user themselves.
Even for Kakashi, teaching such a technique wasn't something to take lightly.
The only reason he'd taught Sasuke was because Sasuke was his student — and, most importantly, because Sasuke possessed the Sharingan.
Even then, it had taken Sasuke a month of special training to master it.
Watching Yoruha's figure disappearing into the distance, Kakashi murmured,
"If you really mean no harm to the village… you're someone worth nurturing.
If trained well, you might even become the next Fourth Hokage."
Kakashi's wariness toward Yoruha had lessened considerably.
The change in attitude came from what he'd witnessed earlier — Yoruha's anger when he thought Kimoto Tōichi had hurt his teammates was genuine.
That emotion had been real.
Kakashi could tell Yoruha was someone who cherished his comrades — and that alone made him someone worth trusting.
Yoruha reminded him of his younger self.
No — perhaps Yoruha was even better than he had been back then.
After all, there was a time when Kakashi himself had been lost in darkness.
He let out a soft sigh.
"Guess I'm a little jealous of Tōichi… lucking out and finding such a promising student."
In Kakashi's eyes, as long as Yoruha didn't fall along the way, his future achievements would not be inferior to Kakashi's own.
Thinking of his own troublesome trio of students, Kakashi felt a headache coming on.
Sasuke and Naruto both had great potential — one an Uchiha who had awakened the Sharingan, the other a Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails with the Uzumaki bloodline.
But neither of them were easy to handle.
In fact, the Third Hokage had likely paired them together in hopes of using Sasuke's Sharingan to keep Naruto in check.
Yet both boys had such strange, conflicting personalities…
By comparison, Kakashi thought, Yoruha might actually be easier to guide.
At the very least, Yoruha seemed much more mature in thought.
Shaking his head, Kakashi vanished from the training ground.
Before long, Yoruha's team arrived at the Hokage Building.
The Third Hokage didn't seem to notice anything particularly special about Yoruha.
Neither Asuma, Kakashi, nor Kimoto Tōichi had mentioned his potential to him.
When they left the Hokage Building, the group happened to run into Team Seven, who were also there to receive a mission.
Seeing Yoruha, Naruto cheerfully waved.
"Hey, Yoruha! What mission did you guys get?"
Running up beside him, Naruto grinned widely.
"A D-rank mission," Yoruha replied simply.
It was their first mission, after all — there was no way it would be anything difficult.
Naruto, of course, didn't know that.
He laughed and said, "A D-rank, huh? We're totally getting a C-rank this time!"
Yoruha only smiled faintly.
"Then I wish you good luck."
Kakashi's gaze lingered on Yoruha.
He was more than satisfied with the boy's composure.
In truth, Yoruha was exactly the kind of student Kakashi wished he had — someone whose temperament matched his own.
Standing beside Kakashi, Sasuke looked at Yoruha with mild confusion.
He had almost no memory of him — didn't even remember they'd been classmates.
Sakura was the same.
But upon seeing Yoruha, she couldn't help but be struck by how handsome he was.
Outwardly calm, she thought to herself:
"He's not any less good-looking than Sasuke… Who is he? He seems to know Naruto well. But someone like that being close with Naruto? How strange…"
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