The mission to protect Daigo had finally come to an end.
On the last day of their mission, the genin continued to diligently fulfill their duties. They were gradually getting used to their new identities.
As students, they were the ones being protected. But as ninjas, that was no longer the case.
Even if they each had powerful fathers.
Once the final day was over, Masashi led them in a formal farewell to Daigo, and then they set off on their journey back to the village.
The road out of the Land of Rivers was peaceful.
Along the way, they passed by villages that had been destroyed by the Hannya Black Ops. Some villages remained in ruins, their broken walls standing as silent witnesses to the events that had taken place there.
But sooner or later, new residents would come to settle in these lands.
The tragic scene of today would eventually be buried by time.
In the shinobi world, land was vast, and the population was sparse but there was never a shortage of people.
What was lacking were developed, arable lands ready for production.
And these lands were fertile. There would be no shortage of people willing to cultivate them.
After leaving the Land of Rivers, the group entered the Land of Fire, where the situation was noticeably different.
The people's lives weren't necessarily better, but at least they didn't have to constantly worry about their lives being taken from them.
Even within the Land of Fire, vast areas of untamed wilderness remained undeveloped—just like in the Land of Rivers. This abundance of unclaimed land was precisely what made this world a stage for ninjas to showcase their strength.
Masashi, after a long while, summoned Kuro, letting it carry them forward.
Having not been summoned in a long time, Kuro was quite excited. It relished the fresh air, stretched its body, and occasionally even performed some stylish drifts.
Sasuke stared in envy, practically drooling. He wished for the day when he, too, could summon a snake of such size.
No exaggeration. He had already formed deep friendships with some of the larger snakes in Ryūchi Cave. Unfortunately, his current chakra reserves weren't enough to summon them.
So, for now, all he could do was watch.
Meanwhile, Masashi was thinking about what Black Zetsu had told him.
Collecting the tailed beasts' chakra—this wasn't something that could be hidden forever.
The village likely had some knowledge of it already; they just hadn't said anything for now.
Besides, he was only collecting chakra—not actually capturing the tailed beasts. If that were the case, he wouldn't even be able to pretend ignorance.
The one drawback of being an Uchiha was the natural unease people felt when the Sharingan was linked to the tailed beasts.
But this was something that had to be done. And if one were to ask why…
The internal conflicts within Konoha had never truly disappeared. They were just dormant for now.
Once resources became scarce again, competition would flare up once more.
That was the way of ninjas—when times were tough, they struggled; and even at the top, they still fought.
As of now, the tailed beast chakra he had yet to collect belonged to: One-Tail, Three-Tails, Six-Tails, Four-Tails, and Five-Tails.
On the surface, most people likely believed he had only obtained the chakra of the Eight-Tails, Nine-Tails, and Two-Tails. But in reality, he had also managed to snatch some of Seven-Tails' chakra.
The difference in power between jinchūriki was truly staggering.
Both were jinchūriki, yet compared to Yagura, that kunoichi named Fū was far too lacking.
Just then, a soft voice reached his ears.
"Teacher..."
Sitting atop the snake's head, enjoying the wind, Masashi turned his head and saw Hinata tugging at his sleeve.
"What's wrong, Hinata?"
"Naruto and Sasuke are both so amazing... I feel like I haven't been of much help."
Hearing her words, Masashi turned to fully face her.
"Why do you think that? Did they bully you?"
"N-No! Not at all!" Hinata immediately waved her hands, forgetting about fidgeting with her fingers. "Naruto and Sasuke both take good care of me."
"That's good to hear. This year's joint Chunin Exams will be held in the village. I'll be recommending the three of you to participate."
Masashi had a strong feeling that this exam would definitely have some unexpected events. It was likely related to what Black Zetsu had mentioned.
However, he suspected that this time, the issue wouldn't be caused by the Kazekage.
After several interactions with Rasa, Masashi had realized that, aside from his questionable parenting skills, the man was quite capable in other areas.
Even with the Land of Wind being excluded from the association system, he had still managed to secure benefits for Suna by leveraging the overflow effects of the system.
If this ninja had chosen the wrong profession, it would've been a shame.
Regardless, in this timeline, Suna was in a much better state than it had been in the original timeline.
As a result, the desperate counterattack against Konoha that had happened in the original timeline was unlikely to repeat.
"Eh? M-Me too?" Hinata was a little stunned.
Of course, she knew what the joint Chunin Exams were—she wasn't slacking off in class.
The chunin promotion system in Konoha was considered a fundamental topic in the academy's curriculum.
Otherwise, how could a ninja not even know how to get promoted?
But she also understood what participating in the joint Chunin Exams meant.
There was a stark difference between chunin promoted through the Hokage's selection process and those promoted through the exams.
The former could climb up slowly through experience, connections, and seniority.
The latter represented the most elite among the genin in the village.
Because the joint Chunin Exams were an even better showcase of a village's strength than a ninja war.
In a ninja war, there were no high-profile clients sitting as spectators—only rumors and classified information floating around.
For the participating genin, taking the exam was practically equivalent to completing an A-rank mission.
"Why wouldn't you be?" Masashi countered. "I've been watching you. Your teamwork with Sasuke and Naruto is great. I'll also be recommending Neji, Haku, and Karin. The six of you are the ones I have the most confidence in. Of course, intense training will be necessary, so be prepared for that."
"Ah?"
"No need for 'ah.' With your father guiding you in the Byakugan and Gentle Fist, and me teaching you medical ninjutsu, you'll be well-prepared. I may not be as skilled as Tsunade, but given your potential, learning medical ninjutsu will be very beneficial for you."
"O-Okay."
"Good. Be more confident. Your biggest problem is your lack of self-assurance—or rather, your reluctance to harm others. If that's the case, you can choose the path of a medical ninja. As I understand, the Gentle Fist technique itself has medical applications."
Hinata seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, though a hint of melancholy remained.
Masashi, of course, knew what she was thinking.
"Don't underestimate medical ninjutsu, Hinata," he said with a smile. "If used well, it's an incredible technique. A ninja who can fight but not heal is at a disadvantage. I don't see Sasuke or Naruto having any talent for it, so they'll be counting on you."
Hearing this, Hinata's eyes brightened, and her spirits lifted.
---
When Team 7 once again saw the familiar vast forests of Konoha, they felt a deep warmth in their hearts.
This was their first time leaving the village for over a month on a mission. Seeing every tree and blade of grass in their homeland now felt completely different.
Masashi took note of their expressions.
"Feels different looking at the village now, doesn't it?" he asked with a smile.
The three of them nodded.
It really did feel different.
"That's normal. This is what we call a sense of belonging. The world is vast, but the place that truly accepts you is here."
Compared to ordinary villages, a ninja village provides its people with a sense of security.
Konoha was the first ninja village in the world. When it was first established, even someone as hot-tempered as Madara had been left in awe. He had once dedicated himself wholeheartedly to protecting the village.
For a brief time, this even helped ease the historical enmity between the Senju and Uchiha clans. After all, when people fight side by side, they naturally form bonds.
When Masashi and his students reached the village gates, the gatekeeper happened to be from the Hyūga clan. Seeing his clan leader's beloved daughter return, he registered her arrival while also praising Hinata.
Hinata, who had been allowed to take the "express lane," felt extremely embarrassed.
Nearby, a long line of people from outside the village waited to enter. "Why are so many people lined up?"
"In order to process returning ninja efficiently, they separate the lines," Masashi explained. "But usually, we don't get this many people entering the village at once. It's probably due to the upcoming joint Chunin Exams."
The joint Chunin Exams were a major annual event in the ninja world, held once or twice a year depending on scale. However, since the wars with Suna, Iwa, and Kumo had broken out, the event had been on hold. Now that Konoha was hosting it again, a backlog of participants had built up.
This meant the competition would be fiercer than ever.
"When does the exam start?" Naruto immediately asked, his eyes shining with excitement. Beside him, Sasuke also stared eagerly.
Their sentimental moment was over, and now they had entered the "when can I show off?" phase.
After this mission, their confidence in themselves had grown immensely.
"Not so soon. This is just the prelude. The exam preparations alone will take at least two or three months," Masashi said with a chuckle. "You're all rookies, and there are certain requirements to participate in the Chunin Exams. Right now, you haven't completed enough missions. Before the exam starts, you need to take on more tasks. This last mission was B-rank, but from now on, you'll need to complete more D-rank missions."
"Oh…"
Both of them looked visibly disappointed.
Even though they often slacked off in class, coming from ninja families, they understood exactly what D-rank missions involved.
During peacetime, D-rank missions mostly consisted of finding lost pets, retrieving lost items, or even helping villagers with chores.
This was far from their dream of being powerful ninjas.
Especially since they had just completed a B-rank mission, experiencing real combat firsthand.
"Don't underestimate D-rank missions. I won't be helping you with these—you'll have to complete them on your own," Masashi said. He actually felt that Team 7 needed more D-rank missions to keep them grounded.
Even though their last mission was B-rank, he had handled most of the work himself.
Their only real battle had taken place while he supervised from the sidelines.
In his view, Team 7 still wasn't capable of handling B-rank missions alone.
At best, they could manage C-rank missions.
For now, D-rank missions were actually the most suitable for them.
"You're underestimating us!" Naruto boasted proudly. "I'm the future Hokage! D-rank missions? I can handle them all by myself!"
"Alright then, I'll be watching your performance," Masashi said with a smile.
He was eager to see how this kid, who had never done a day's work in his life, would manage on his own.
Konoha had large agricultural areas, and most D-rank missions involving manual labor were issued by farmers.
So technically, it wasn't accurate to say ninjas didn't contribute to production. Many genin maintained close ties with the working class, and their efforts significantly boosted the village's food self-sufficiency.
"Idiot, stop bragging," Sasuke scoffed, sensing an opportunity to mock him. "As if you've ever done any work. You'll probably be worse at it than me."
"You two, stop arguing the moment we get back to the village," Masashi said, cutting them off. These two couldn't go a day without bickering.
Sasuke, for the past few weeks, had been persistently trying to impress him, subtly hinting that he wanted to learn the Flame Formation.
But how was he supposed to teach him that now?
Just then, the Hyūga gatekeeper finished processing their return. Masashi signed off on their paperwork and led the group into the village.
Their first stop was, of course, the Hokage's office, where they reported their mission.
After that, Masashi sent Naruto and Hinata home, reminding them to meet at their usual training spot the next day at noon. Then, he took Sasuke back to the Uchiha compound.
When they reached the entrance of Fugaku's house, the first thing they saw was Itachi Uchiha standing there like a statue.
"Nii-san!" Sasuke beamed and ran toward him.
Itachi caught him effortlessly, his face softening into a fond smile as he praised his younger brother.
"Sasuke, you've gotten stronger. That's great."
"Of course! Masashi-nii taught me a lot! Let me tell you, his Fire Release is amazing!"
Itachi nodded continuously, matching Sasuke's speech rhythm perfectly.
His auntie smile never wavered.
Finally, he noticed someone else standing there.
"Masashi-nii, you've really had your hands full. Sasuke hasn't been too much trouble, has he?"
"Not too bad. You were way more of a handful when you were his age," Masashi replied honestly.
Back then, he had even counted all the utility poles in the Uchiha district. After all, he wasn't entirely sure how effective it would be to use an Uchiha body to train in Senju techniques.
But after years of hard work, he had finally broken through and gained immense power—so much so that he no longer cared about counting poles.
"I was young and naive then. I really must have been a bother to you," Itachi said, his face flushing with embarrassment.
Looking back, he had once seriously discussed the future of the village and the clan with Masashi.
That was such a cringeworthy memory now.
He had always believed in the saying: Without proper investigation, one has no right to speak.
"Since you're here, I have something to discuss with you," Masashi said, deciding to take the opportunity. "I plan to recommend Sasuke for this year's joint Chunin Exams. You've taken part before—if there's anything he should be aware of, make sure to teach him over the next few weeks."
"Huh? This year already?" Itachi was surprised. "Isn't that a bit too soon?"
Because he had experienced it himself, Itachi knew how dangerous the joint Chunin Exams could be. Participating meant taking full responsibility for one's own life and death.
Only during the individual matches did examiners intervene; before that, the group battles were a free-for-all. If someone died, they simply died.
Itachi had taken the exam in Kiri, and the experience had been nothing short of brutal.
It had been so dangerous that he hadn't dared to hold back at all, even breaking several kunai in the process.
"You and Sasuke have both received sufficient training since childhood. You also understand the benefits of taking this path. Besides, it's being held in our own village—better here than somewhere unfamiliar in the future."
"I understand. I'll make sure to train Sasuke during this time."
"Good. And don't spoil him too much—he's getting more and more mischievous."
Although Sasuke liked to think of himself as well-behaved, Masashi didn't quite see it that way.
Hinata was the real well-behaved one.
"Sasuke, don't forget to show up tomorrow at noon. Same place as usual. Got it?" Masashi reminded him, just in case he got too relaxed after getting home.
"Don't worry. I won't be late!"
I'm not worried about you being late—I'm worried about you getting into a fight with Neji.
In the original timeline, Sasuke and Neji's first meeting had not been pleasant.
And from Masashi's observations, their personalities still didn't seem compatible in this timeline either.
Not to mention, even though the Uchiha and Hyūga clans had a good relationship now, the younger generation of ninja were just as competitive as ever.
Sasuke and Neji's age group was at the heart of that competition.
"Alright, just remember."
With that, Masashi left.
He then made a quick stop at the Police Force headquarters, where he found Hyūga and Haku. He informed them about the pre-exam training as well.
As for Karin, that was already taken care of—he had spoken to Kushina when he dropped Naruto off at home.
Now that all the kids had been notified, he could finally relax and head home.
When he arrived, Hikari was in the kitchen cooking, while Saeko was playing with Yosuke.
Pakura was out on a mission again. The busier the village became, the more work the jonin had to do.
After all, S-rank and A-rank missions could only be completed by jonin, and some jonin also had to take on B-rank tasks.
If not for his current responsibility of mentoring Team 7, Masashi would probably be delivering high-priority packages right now—or preparing to do so.
Ever since his mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique became known, most S-rank missions involving the transport of classified documents or valuable items had been assigned to him. Now, with Team 7 under his wing, some of that burden had been lifted. He only needed to handle the S-rank missions issued directly by the daimyō's office; the rest could be reassigned as needed.
"I'm home," he called out before stepping into the living room.
Then, with one arm each, he scooped up his cheering daughter and son.
Well, his daughter was cheering.
His son, on the other hand, walked over very deliberately, head held high, giving off a "Fine, I'll let you hug me just this once" kind of vibe.
Masashi absolutely loved seeing that serious little platypus expression on him.
He would protect this family with everything he had.
If anyone tried to mess with them, he would take them down—even if it cost him his life.