The Advanced Class gets a month off for summer break—about four weeks.
We're just past the halfway mark, and Kaguya Kimimaro, Tayuya, and Jūgo still can't enroll yet. For now, they'll stay at the Konoha Orphanage so Yakushi Kabuto can help them get used to the place.
Chances are they won't be going back to Otogakure. Given Orochimaru's situation, it's going to be hard for him to skip town again.
"Got it, Kitazawa-sensei."
Kabuto is sharp. From that one line, he already pieced together the backstory. Kimimaro and the others are probably like Haku—kidnapped or trafficked here. From here on, they'll either study in the Advanced Class or end up working for the Anbu.
"From now on, you three call me 'sensei,' same as he does."
Kitazawa seemed to remember something and added a reminder.
"I'm not calling you that!"
Tayuya refused flatly.
"Why not?"
Kitazawa flicked her on the forehead. "If you can't beat me, you have to."
Tayuya yelped, clutching her forehead and glaring at him.
"I can go find Orochimaru and have him kick you out of Sound."
Kitazawa smiled. "And what do you call me now?"
He raised his hand.
"Ki… Kitazawa-sensei."
Tayuya muttered, unwilling.
"Kitazawa-sensei," Kimimaro and Jūgo echoed more straightforwardly.
Kabuto pushed up his glasses. He could tell Tayuya wasn't exactly thrilled to be in Konoha. But it couldn't be helped—Kitazawa had already told him the lever to use on them.
Just bring up Orochimaru.
Once someone has a weakness, they're easy to manage.
"Kabuto, I'm leaving the rest to you. Show them around Konoha for the next few days."
Kitazawa patted Kabuto's shoulder.
"When can we see Orochimaru-sama?" Kimimaro asked.
"That's not hard," Kitazawa thought aloud. "When you're free, Kabuto can take you to Orochimaru's lab."
With that, he left the orphanage and headed for the Hokage's office.
Knock, knock.
"Come in."
Tsunade looked up at the door.
"Tsunade-sensei."
Kitazawa pushed it open and came in.
"Working with Orochimaru really does benefit Konoha," Tsunade said with a smile. "These are the results he's shared."
Kitazawa took the file she handed over.
It listed three items: gene-modification tech, cloning tech, and curse marks.
"Gene modification" meant transplanting Hashirama's cells.
The cloning tech was related to Uchiha Shin, though nowhere near as advanced as in the original timeline—back then they could mass-produce Sharingan and even produce a Mangekyō.
As for the curse marks: the Heaven and Earth Seals.
"Gene modification isn't useful for us right now," Kitazawa said after skimming it. "But cloning could really help my Limb Regeneration medical ninjutsu."
"That's a solid idea," Tsunade's eyes lit up. "With cloning, we can massively cut the side effects of regrowing limbs."
"I figured you'd ban cloning on ethical grounds," Kitazawa teased.
"Clone organs, not people," Tsunade said, firm.
"I'm with you."
The idea of another 'Kitazawa' walking around Konoha was… unsettling.
"I'll have Nonō strictly oversee this," Tsunade said, crisp and decisive. "If anyone crosses the line, there will be no mercy!"
"What do you think of the curse mark tech?" Kitazawa asked.
"It's a strong tool—basically a crippled version of Sage Mode—but the mortality rate is too high," Tsunade hesitated. "I'm inclined not to use it."
Judging from how Otogakure only produced five holders of the Earth Curse Mark in the original, the success rate was abysmal.
"The best approach is to refine it and bring the death rate down," Kitazawa set the file down. "Orochimaru's in Konoha now—why not have him improve it?"
"I actually forgot about that," Tsunade chuckled. "Good. We'll have Orochimaru work on it."
With his longevity and raw ability, making a safer curse mark was only a matter of time.
This was basically nuclear-powered… overkill. Ahem.
Kitazawa shook off the random thought and brought up adding Kimimaro, Tayuya, and Jūgo to the Advanced Class.
"You're their sensei—handle it as you see fit," Tsunade waved it off.
"Mm." Kitazawa paused. "Anything else?"
"No… actually, yes." Tsunade smiled. "Dinner tonight. You're coming with us."
"'Us'?"
"Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and the old man," she said. "Jiraiya rushed back this morning and went straight to see Orochimaru."
"Got it," Kitazawa nodded. "He's been chasing Orochimaru for years—guess he finally gets his wish."
"He talks big, but it's taken him this long just to 'catch' Orochimaru." Tsunade snorted, then added, "Unlike me… and you."
She paused to include Kitazawa. This time, he'd done the heavy lifting—tracking down Orochimaru and even beating him in his Yamata no Orochi form. Without Kitazawa, Tsunade doubted she could have brought him in.
"Teacher and student, united—we'll steamroll the shinobi world," Kitazawa joked with a wink.
"Alright, don't get cocky. We're still some distance from 'steamrolling' anything," Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Six o'clock. The izakaya near my place."
"I'll be there on time," Kitazawa said. With the three Sannin reunited, he wouldn't miss it.
After leaving the office, Kitazawa went home. That afternoon, he started learning his second Wood Release technique: Wood Release: Smothering Binding Technique—a jutsu that binds the target with branches and clamps the throat, immobilizing and silencing them.
The afternoon flew by. When he wrapped up, he headed to the izakaya. He was a little late; Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Sarutobi Hiruzen were already at the table.
Someone else was later still.
"Where's Tsunade?" Hiruzen asked Kitazawa. "Why's the host the last to arrive?"
"Old man, she's the Hokage now—busy is normal," Jiraiya immediately covered for her.
"Hah, I forgot. I'll punish myself with a drink in a minute," Hiruzen laughed. It was obvious he was in a great mood. After Orochimaru defected, he never thought the day would come when his student would return and share a meal with them again. As a sensei, he couldn't help feeling moved.
"If you're getting on in years, don't drink so much," Jiraiya shook his head.
"What's age got to do with drinking?" Hiruzen bristled. "Tonight I'll drink you under the table!"
"When it comes to drinking, Orochimaru's the real menace," Jiraiya pivoted. "Orochimaru, the old man's yours tonight."
"You caused it; leave me out of it," Orochimaru said blandly.
"Damn it!" Jiraiya stood. "Fine, let's spar outside. I'll go Sage Mode."
"Sage Mode?" Orochimaru snorted. "I've already researched my own version."
"For real?" Jiraiya stared, unsure. If Orochimaru could access something like Sage Mode, he wasn't confident.
"Orochimaru developed a curse mark that lets the user enter a state similar to Sage Mode," Hiruzen said with genuine admiration. "On the research front, you're no slouch compared to my sensei."
"A-hem, I'm going to check if Tsunade's here yet," Jiraiya bailed before he got thumped in front of everyone.
"So many fires to put out," Tsunade's voice came from the doorway. "Being Hokage is overrated!"
"I never thought you'd be the last of us three to take the hat," Orochimaru said, looking at her. He'd expected to be Hokage himself, then Minato appeared. After he fled and Minato died, he figured it would be Jiraiya—but it ended up being Tsunade. Wrong on all counts.
"Because a certain someone can't be bothered with Konoha," Tsunade said, not hiding her displeasure.
"I care a lot!" Jiraiya protested. "I'm just… not here often."
"Found your Child of Prophecy yet?" Orochimaru poured himself a cup.
"Pour me one too," Jiraiya pushed his cup over. Tsunade just set hers on the table without a word. Orochimaru twitched at the corner of his mouth and poured for both of them—and, while he was at it, for Hiruzen.
"I'll pour my own," Kitazawa took the flask. As the youngest, he didn't need to get in the middle.
"I thought I found the Child, but it wasn't," Jiraiya downed his cup and sighed. They all knew he meant Minato.
"If you're the Child's Teacher, you could just wait in Konoha for him to appear," Orochimaru said casually.
"If only it were that easy," Jiraiya shook his head. "He might not even be a Konoha shinobi. Sitting around is just wasting time."
"Hunting him down is wasting time too," Orochimaru shot back.
"Forget it—rare chance for the four of us to be together," Jiraiya lifted his cup. "Cheers!"
Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Tsunade raised their cups.
"You too," Tsunade glanced at Kitazawa.
"Kitazawa, you're the hero of this reunion—drink with us," Hiruzen grinned.
Kitazawa blinked, clinked cups, and drank.
"Speaking of Kitazawa, you two better step it up," Hiruzen said suddenly. "We're missing two members for the 'new Legendary Sannin' of Konoha."
"Students like Kitazawa don't come along often," Orochimaru shook his head. Getting trounced by Kitazawa didn't stop him from appreciating the kid. As for his own student, Mitarashi Anko—yeah, no, she wasn't Sannin material. And it was partly his fault; after he defected, she had no teacher.
"Obviously," Tsunade smiled. "Honestly, I doubt we'll ever fill out a new trio."
Kitazawa thought: maybe not impossible. There's Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke—the two literal protagonists—but they're my students. Wouldn't it be weird to form a Sannin trio with your own students? And the rest of the shinobi world wouldn't even see them as peers.
Still, it wasn't out of the question. Find one more peer for Naruto and Sasuke and you've got a set. At the moment, Haruno Sakura and Yakushi Kabuto both had a shot.
Kitazawa could steer Kabuto toward inheriting Shikkotsu Forest's legacy. But could Naruto and Sasuke still inherit Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave? The first would be easy with Jiraiya around. The second—trickier. With the current situation, Orochimaru wasn't about to mentor Sasuke anymore.
[Current Mission: Form the New Legendary Sannin of Konoha.]
[Reward: Sage Art: Wood Release—True Several Thousand Hands.]
[Accept?]
Kitazawa suddenly coughed. He hadn't expected that reward. Sage Art: Wood Release—True Several Thousand Hands was basically Hashirama's strongest Wood Release—summoning a thousand-armed Avalokiteśvara whose single hand could pin the Nine-Tails.
His first thought: this system quest is brutal. Do I really have to form a trio with my two students? Then he spotted the loophole—the quest says "form the new Sannin," not "be one of them." That would make things… somewhat easier. Somewhat. Recognition across the shinobi world takes both strength and fame, and Naruto and Sasuke weren't quite there yet. Still, a chance at True Several Thousand Hands? Worth taking.
"What's wrong?" Tsunade asked, concerned.
"Went down the wrong pipe, I'm fine," Kitazawa smiled.
"Don't overthink it," Jiraiya lifted his cup. "The next generation will find their own path. We don't need to force a new 'Sannin.'"
"Can't argue with that," Hiruzen said softly. He'd never imagined his three students would end up like this—Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade—he hadn't guessed right about any of them.
They drank and chatted. Kitazawa played the outsider, pouring drinks and chiming in now and then.
"This is the best meal I've had in ages," Hiruzen said, a little drunk, grinning ear to ear.
"Same here!" Jiraiya threw an arm around his shoulders, tipsy.
Tsunade was drunk too, cheeks crimson and steps unsteady. Kitazawa walked behind her in case she fell. Only Orochimaru stayed clear-headed. Watching the three of them drunk, the nostalgia hit him—though he knew nothing could truly go back. For all the warmth tonight, he was still a prisoner in the end.
"O-Orochimaru, where are you staying?" Jiraiya wobbled.
"At the Sarutobi compound," Orochimaru said evenly—purely so Hiruzen could keep an eye on him.
"Great," Jiraiya grinned. "I'm staying with you tonight!"
"I refuse," Orochimaru said without hesitation.
"Your refusal doesn't matter!" Jiraiya turned to Hiruzen. "Old man?"
"The more the merrier," Hiruzen beamed. "Let's all go."
"We're heading back first. See you tomorrow," Tsunade waved at the three of them. Her place—and Kitazawa's—were nearby. She staggered down a side street. Kitazawa moved up and steadied her by the waist. Tsunade looked back at him, paused for a beat, and stopped walking.
"Why'd you stop?" Kitazawa asked.
"T-Tired. Don't wanna walk. You—carry me!"
She slipped behind him, hopped up, arms around his neck, plush thighs braced at his waist. Kitazawa felt the soft, springy impact against his back, tugged a corner of his mouth up, and put his hands under her—well—peachy seat to support her.
"You really are lazy," he muttered as he walked. "It's like a minute or two away."
"Quit whining!" Tsunade pinched his cheek from behind. "I'm the teacher!"
"You'll regret that," Kitazawa shot back, giving her rear a playful swat.
"You got a death wish?" Tsunade kicked him twice. Like two kids squabbling, they bickered all the way home. Shizune came out and took Tsunade inside. Kitazawa didn't go in—he turned and went home.
"That Kitazawa needs a proper lesson!" Tsunade huffed, cheeks blazing.
"Tsunade-sama," Shizune couldn't help herself, "he walked you home—why scold him?"
"He… never mind. I'm going to bed."
Some things were hard to explain, so Tsunade dropped it.
A long night finally passed.
The next morning, Kitazawa and Kurenai had breakfast and headed to the Academy. He'd been away for three days, but Naruto and the others were doing fine. After a few pointers, he moved off to practice Ninjutsu: Creation Rebirth—Strength of a Hundred and Wood Release: Smothering Binding Technique.
Because Orochimaru had returned, Jiraiya stayed an extra two days—only two. Two weeks passed in a blink.
Summer vacation ended, and the new term began.
~~~
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