Shota was called into the Kazekage office. He walked through the familiar halls and entered the room where Rasa waited behind his desk.
Shota already knew the purpose of why he was asked to be present here. The new academy class was graduating.
Since Shota was no longer part of the main ANBU and also a Jonin he had to take an apprentice to train the next generation. The village rules required every newly promoted Jonin to guide at least one young shinobi.
This duty helped the village grow stronger and passed important skills to the next group of fighters.
Yup, Shota was officially a Jonin after he had shown he had added principles into his ninjutsu. The promotion had come after the recent missions and the clear proof that his techniques had reached a higher level.
Shota was handed over a list of files by Rasa of the students graduating this year. Each one held the records of a young academy graduate ready for some training.
He flipped through several pages and then picked a file straightaway of Shizu and said, "I will take her as my apprentice."
The choice felt natural. Shizu lived in his home as an adopted sister and he already knew her strengths and weaknesses better than anyone else. He was also already training her.
The Kazekage answered at once. "As per village policy you are not allowed to apprentice a close one of yours."
Shota tried to argue the point. "She is just an adopted sister. Not a blood relative Kazekage sama." He spoke the words carefully and hoped the difference would matter. In his mind the lack of shared blood should have allowed the choice.
Rasa shook his head and explained the deeper reason. "She lives with you at your place and you have grown up together. This rule stands for a reason. If Jonin took only their relatives as apprentices this would mean those who would not have family members as a shinobi would be at a disadvantage. It is to make things fair as the reason Suna has so many civilian shinobi was because that it did not have many clans when ít was first formed."
The village needed to give every talented child the same chance no matter their family background. Allowing only relatives to train together would close doors for many civilian born graduates.
Shota sighed not willing to argue further knowing the rule himself but still wanting to test the limit of the rules. He set Shizu's file back on the desk and waited for the next part of the talk.
Rasa leaned forward slightly. "Do you want to hear my opinion?"
Shota nodded thinking, 'Might as well.' Any advice from the Kazekage was worth hearing even if the final choice still belonged to him.
The older man spoke with clear purpose. "I personally would like you to take a genin team." The suggestion went beyond a single apprentice. A full team of three would demand far more time and attention.
Shota answered with honest surprise. "Genin team? I did not think Suna does that." Most training in the village happened one on one. The idea of a fixed three person squad under one teacher felt closer to the Konoha style.
Rasa continued without pause. "The council was trying to recreate a genin team that would grow all into S rank shinobi like the Sannin of Konoha or even my own genin team. And you would be the perfect instructor for not only to help them grow but also protect them."
The goal was high. The village wanted a new generation of powerful fighters who could stand beside the strongest names in history.
Shota's skills and experience made him the best choice to guide such a group. 'Taking care of three kids? Yeah nope I am not doing it.'
Rasa added one more important detail. "In fact one of the genins for your team is recommended by Pakura. She really wants you to accept her brother in your genin team."
The name of the Scorch Release user changed everything. Shota took a u turn in his thoughts. 'Pakura sama wants me to do something for her? I will have to do it. No matter how troublesome it sounds... maybe I can use her brother to tell her good things about me.'
Rasa kept speaking. "Her brother is the only other Scorch Release user in the village. One of the other genins would be recommended by me and I need your confirmation of accepting a genin team before I reveal it. It is an S class secret of the village."
After a few seconds of thought he gave his answer. "I will take the genin team if Pakura sama wishes me so..." He paused and then added with a small smile, "And of course since you also wish it Kazekage sama."
Rasa nodded and handed over a single file that was not in the earlier pile. "He is not an academy student. I had secretly been taking care of his training."
As Shota opened the file he read the name. "Kajūra Satetsu." The surname caught his attention at once.
"That surname... Is he...?" Shota murmured shocked. The connection to the previous Kazekage was too clear to miss.
Rasa confirmed it directly. "Yes he is related to Lord Third. In fact he is his son."
Shota was shocked to know that a living child of the Third Kazekage still existed inside the village.
Shota could not hide his surprise. "Lord Third had a son? And no one in the village knows about it?!"
Rasa explained the reasons in a low voice. "He possesses the Magnet Release like his father. I was trying to build him into a successor for the village if something happened to me."
The bloodline ability made the boy valuable for the future of Suna. "It is an S class secret because if people knew that the strongest Kazekage had a son they would not let him live freely."
Shota asked the next question. "Does the kid know?" He wondered how much the boy understood about his own history.
Rasa shook his head. "The kid does not know about his surname. I had told him that I have given this surname in the memory of my teacher and him being a distant relative of Lord Third."
As Shota looked through the file he focused on the first name. 'Kajūra... where did I hear the name... Magnet Release...' The pieces connected in his mind.
Shota's eyes suddenly widened but he controlled his reaction in front of Rasa. 'That's it. I have read about him in Gaara Shinden. He had become a Jonin terrorist and a mercenary ninja of Ishigakure... Wonder what would have led to that.'
--------Author Notes---------
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