"Kintsuchi Squad?"
Kyoshin looked toward Onoki, already having a rough idea in mind.
Onoki glanced around, then suddenly frowned. "Where did that brat Deidara run off to?!"
"Ahem..." Kyoshin coughed lightly. "He's probably still in his personal 'laboratory.'"
Calling it a laboratory was generous. In reality, it was just a stretch of undeveloped rock formations.
Onoki sighed, then stopped dwelling on it. "Kintsuchi, you're the leading figure among Iwagakure's younger generation."
"With your current strength, you're fully qualified to serve as a jonin instructor... honestly, it's almost beneath you."
"But I still want to place Kurotsuchi, Karin, and Deidara into one squad under your command. What do you think?"
Before Kyoshin could answer, Onoki added, "Don't worry. You'll only need to teach them the basics."
"Kurotsuchi and Deidara's advanced techniques will be guided by myself and Kitsuchi."
"Karin's training path is special. You'll be responsible for her sealing techniques, while Yoru will develop her sensory abilities."
"Hm..." Kyoshin thought it over.
"Kurotsuchi is strong in close combat. Deidara can make up for long-range attack weaknesses and provide flexible support."
"Karin's sensory abilities and sealing techniques will also keep the team from having any obvious weak points."
At that point, he nodded. "It's very workable."
Onoki looked deeply satisfied. "Then it's settled. Tomorrow, all of you co to my office and we'll discuss the details together."
To outsiders, Onoki's arrangent would seem completely unreasonable.
Kyoshin was eleven. Karin was eleven.
Kurotsuchi was twelve.
Deidara was thirteen.
The latter three would form a squad, yet the instructor jonin would be eleven-year-old Kyoshin, an age where most children hadn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy.
And strangely enough, none of the surrounding Iwa shinobi thought there was anything unreasonable about it.
Afterward, Onoki left.
Karin stared after him eagerly.
Kyoshin smiled. "To celebrate Karin's graduation, dinner's on ."
"Really?!" Karin jumped excitedly. "I want yakiniku!"
"Alright, yakiniku it is." Kyoshin smiled, then looked toward Chinatsu. "Auntie, you should co too."
Chinatsu wiped away the tears of excitent lingering at the corners of her eyes. "Alright, Lord Kintsuchi."
———
[The Next Day]
[Tsuchikage's Office]
Onoki sat behind his desk with a solemn expression.
Four people stood in the center of the office. Their ages differed noticeably, yet they were about to beco mbers of the sa shinobi squad.
Kyoshin stood at the front. The eleven-year-old boy carried himself with a straight posture. His black hair was neat and sharp, and his face held a calmness far beyond his age.
He wore Iwagakure's standard shinobi uniform. A ninja blade was slung diagonally across his back, and the ninja pouch at his waist bulged with supplies, clearly prepared for departure at any mont.
To his left stood Kurotsuchi. At twelve years old, the girl had already begun to grow into a graceful young woman, especially her long legs, which were impossible not to notice.
On the right was Deidara, thirteen years old, looking more than a little unconvinced.
Lastly, standing half a step behind Kyoshin, was Karin, who looked sowhat nervous.
"Everyone's here." Onoki slowly began, his voice echoing through the spacious office. "Then I officially announce the formation of Iwagakure's Seventh Special Operations Squad, codena: Kintsuchi Squad."
"Squad leader and instructor jonin, Kintsuchi."
"Squad mbers: Kurotsuchi, Deidara, Karin."
"The squad's primary duties will be carrying out C-rank and B-rank missions, gaining experience through real combat, and improving your strength."
Deidara imdiately spoke up. He pointed at Kyoshin's head.
"Tsuchikage-sama, I have a question."
"Speak."
"Why does he get to be captain? Hm!"
His doubt was completely reasonable and carried no malice. It was simply based on facts.
When in Iwagakure's history had there ever been an eleven-year-old instructor jonin?
Wasn't this a joke?
Especially when the other party was Kyoshin, the very person Deidara dread of defeating.
Onoki laughed. "That's a good question. Co ask again after you've defeated Kintsuchi!"
Deidara: "..."
"I'll beat Kintsuchi soon enough! Hm!"
"Last ti, I almost defeated him already! Hm!!!"
The mont Onoki recalled how Kyoshin had pretended to barely lose to Deidara, he nearly laughed. He forced himself to keep a straight face. "Then work hard."
Deidara truly was a genius boy.
Especially when it ca to explosions, his talent was unprecedented in Iwagakure's history.
But his opponent was... an eleven-year-old Mangekyo Sharingan user.
Soone whose chakra reserves rivaled a Kage.
The sole inheritor of Dust Release, the strongest destructive ninjutsu in the shinobi world.
A master of fire, earth, and wind chakra shape transformation, nature transformation, and ninjutsu.
A user of Scorch Release and Lava Release.
Soone capable of forming seals with one hand and instantly casting sealing techniques.
Soone who had once used the Eight Trigrams Seal to improve Han's tailed beast seal.
At least at the age of eleven, Onoki could not think of a single person in the history of the shinobi world who could compare to Kyoshin.
Onoki looked at these four young boys and girls, each different in age, personality, and talent.
Brought together for all kinds of reasons.
Complex emotions rose within him.
Kyoshin, the last survivor of the Uchiha, wielder of the Sharingan, practitioner of Dust Release.
Kurotsuchi, his granddaughter, Iwagakure's future, straightforward and strong.
Deidara, a genius of explosive art, rebellious yet pure-hearted.
Karin, a remnant of the Uzumaki clan, gifted in sensory abilities and sealing techniques.
If a squad like this could truly unite and fully draw out each mber's potential, just how far could they reach in the future?
He didn't dare imagine it.
Onoki felt overwheld by an enormous sense of happiness.
Just a few years ago, he had been worrying over Iwagakure's dwindling talent pool, to the point where he felt he wouldn't even be able to die peacefully.
And now...
"Alright." Onoki clapped his hands and took out a mission scroll. "The squad is officially established."
"Your first mission has already been assigned. A C-rank escort mission. You'll accompany a rchant caravan from Iwagakure to a border town in the Land of Earth."
"You leave tomorrow morning. Estimated mission duration: three days. Any questions?"
Kyoshin took the mission scroll. "None."
Onoki waved his hand. "Then dismissed. Go make your preparations. Kintsuchi, stay behind. I still have things to tell you."
After Kurotsuchi, Deidara, and Karin left, Onoki looked toward Kyoshin, his expression turning serious. "Kintsuchi, Dust Release is your trump card. Don't expose it unless absolutely necessary."
"You're already very strong now. Strong enough to face Kage-level opponents."
"But the dangers of the shinobi world go far beyond that. On the surface, there are only five Kage-level figures, but the elite jonin of every village can essentially be viewed as reserve Kage candidates."
"Most of them simply lack the seniority, contributions, or opportunities to fight true Kage-level opponents, so they aren't labeled as Kage-level."
That was completely true.
Elite jonin could step into the Kage tier at any ti.
Wasn't Kakashi the Sixth Hokage?
And there were monsters like Might Guy, capable of trading one-for-one against Six Paths-level beings.
"Kintsuchi, you still have room to grow. I know your potential goes far beyond this."
"So regarding revenge, wait until you've fully matured and can act with absolute certainty."
"When that ti cos, those people will be nothing more than enemies you can eliminate whenever you wish."
Kyoshin answered with complete calmness. "I understand."
Looking at how composed he was, Onoki sotis felt as though he were facing an old man decades older, soone weathered by life and steady in temperant.
"And one more thing. Lead this squad well." Onoki's voice grew lower. "Kurotsuchi is my granddaughter. Deidara is one of Iwagakure's most important geniuses. Karin is the hope of the Uzumaki clan."
"Each of them is important. But more importantly, they trust you."
"Trust is the most precious thing a shinobi can have, and also the heaviest responsibility. Don't betray it."
Kyoshin replied solemnly, "I won't disappoint you."
"I believe you." Onoki smiled. "Go on now. Prepare well. Starting tomorrow, you'll be a real captain."
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