Senju Haruto could certainly understand Hiruzen Sarutobi's reasoning.
Haruno Sakura aside, both Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke were incredibly important figures for the Hidden Leaf Village.
Naruto was the orphaned son of the Fourth Hokage, as well as the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails—a living weapon the village could not afford to lose.
And Sasuke… Sasuke was the younger brother of Uchiha Itachi.
Especially after the disastrous battle at the Forest of the Fire Temple, where the Uchiha clan suffered heavy losses, Sasuke's importance had only grown. Itachi had shouldered the blame for everything, leaving the village as a missing-nin to secretly monitor the Akatsuki.
Among the Uchiha who remained, only Fugaku and Izumi still possessed the power to awaken the Sharingan.
Fugaku might have stabilized now, but after everything that had happened, Hiruzen naturally remained wary of him.
As for Izumi, although she had awakened the Sharingan, her talent was mediocre at best.
In this situation, it was only natural that Hiruzen placed high hopes on Sasuke.
And as for Haruto himself—
He not only wielded Wood Release capable of suppressing the Nine-Tails, but he had also awakened the Sharingan, an ability exclusive to the Uchiha clan.
If Haruto put himself in Hiruzen's position, perhaps he would have made the exact same decision.
But as for becoming a squad leader? That was another matter entirely.
"Still… I refuse."
Hiruzen was taken aback. He had assumed Haruto, of all people, would understand the logic behind this arrangement and simply nod in agreement. Haruto's sudden and flat rejection was something he hadn't anticipated.
"I actually think Kakashi is a far more suitable candidate to lead Team Seven than I am," Haruto continued, his tone shifting.
For one, Kakashi also possessed the Sharingan, making him the perfect mentor for Sasuke.
For another, Kakashi was already the Jōnin instructor originally slated for Team Seven—and he had done remarkably well in the past.
Thanks to Haruto's personal training, Kakashi had grown even stronger, mastering Lightning Release Chakra Mode and even unlocking its second state.
In Haruto's eyes, Kakashi was the flawless choice.
Besides, because of Haruto's interference in the clan's fate, the Uchiha were never slaughtered by Itachi.
Sasuke had never endured that dark, traumatic childhood. He no longer carried the single-minded obsession with revenge that once defined him.
With this in mind, Kakashi alone would be more than enough.
Hiruzen had originally intended to persuade Haruto further, to press him into taking responsibility for Team Seven himself.
But seeing Haruto's firm resolve—and his absolute confidence in Kakashi—Hiruzen could only sigh deeply and nod in reluctant agreement.
Once the two reached consensus, Hiruzen wasted no time in summoning Kakashi to the Hokage's office.
In truth, Kakashi had left the ANBU nearly two years ago, transitioning into the role of squad leader.
Part of the reason was Gai and others pleading on Kakashi's behalf, hoping he could finally leave the shadows of ANBU behind.
But the larger reason had been Haruto's influence.
Haruto still remembered vividly—when he had returned from Kusagakure with Kakashi and Karin, Gai had approached him personally, begging him to allow Kakashi to join the Root organization.
Before that, Gai had even gone so far as to petition both Hiruzen and Danzō, though both requests had been denied.
Though Haruto understood Gai's intentions—to free Kakashi from ANBU's darkness—he had refused immediately, without hesitation.
Otherwise, his Root division would have turned into a "Youth Organization" overnight.
That little episode aside, the real issue remained Kakashi himself.
Over the past two years, Hiruzen had allowed Kakashi to test his leadership by guiding several different squads. Yet the results were disappointing.
Kakashi valued his comrades above all else, and his method of testing candidates was highly unorthodox.
And in all that time, not a single group had ever passed his trials.
"I believe Naruto and the others will succeed," Haruto said with a quiet smile, the corners of his lips curving upward.
Hiruzen frowned deeply. He couldn't quite grasp why Haruto placed such faith in Kakashi and this new Team Seven.
But in the end, Hiruzen resolved to give them the chance. Team Seven would be entrusted to Kakashi, at least for now.
It was at that moment that a familiar voice suddenly echoed in Haruto's mind.
Host, when Team Seven undergoes its squad assessment, proceed to the training grounds and check in! Completing the check-in will grant a reward!
"Hm?" Haruto frowned slightly, pulling up the system's check-in assistant for confirmation.
This time, the requirements were different.
Unlike before, when simple arrival was enough, this check-in specified both location and timing.
"So far, I've had missions with specific objectives, timed check-ins, instant check-ins… and now this—a required location at a specific moment."
Haruto muttered inwardly, then quickly let it go.
Thinking about it more carefully, the training grounds test was one of the most iconic scenes in Naruto's story.
And only now did it feel like he was finally stepping into the real timeline of the series.
Which meant…
Even if he didn't serve as Team Seven's instructor, he would likely still have to visit all of those landmark moments—the training grounds, the Land of Waves, and beyond.
Honestly, if he had known that from the start, becoming Team Seven's leader might have been the more convenient choice.
Haruto grumbled to himself, but since he had already spoken his refusal aloud, he had no intention of going back on his word.
Besides, it was just a theory for now. He didn't have enough information yet to be sure.
"In any case, I should just focus on completing this check-in first."
With that decision made, Haruto set his thoughts aside.
As for Hiruzen, seeing Haruto's firm rejection of his original plan, he didn't push further. Instead, he sent someone to summon Kakashi.
"Lord Third, you wanted to see me?"
Not long after, Hatake Kakashi pushed open the door to the Hokage's office.
As he asked about the reason for being called, his lone visible eye caught sight of Haruto standing nearby.
"It's been a while, Haruto."
Since Kakashi had left ANBU, the two of them had met far less frequently. His training had gradually shifted toward independent practice.
Still, Kakashi remained deeply grateful for the guidance Haruto had once given him.
"Take a look at this," Hiruzen said, handing him a folder rather than explaining directly.
Kakashi received the file and carefully flipped through it.
The names inside were familiar.
Uzumaki Naruto—his sensei Minato Namikaze's orphaned son, whom he'd heard had been taken by Haruto to train at Mount Myōboku. The fact that Naruto's file was here meant he had returned.
"Ah… Itachi's younger brother," Kakashi murmured, pausing on Sasuke's profile. His heart grew heavy.
No matter how one looked at it, Uchiha Itachi had always been an exceptional shinobi.
And here was his younger brother, staring back at him from the page.
Together with Haruno Sakura, they formed a complete three-person squad.
The standard composition for a Genin team.
As Kakashi pieced it together, Hiruzen finally spoke his intention aloud:
"We want you to take charge of Team Seven."
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