Two months...and 15 days.

Two months and 15 days had come and gone.

Today was the day.

But Sasuke's information was never wrong. Not about this, many of the Uchiha Elders were calling for blood, but the younger generation or at least all those who'd gone and started families after the Third Shinobi World War, there were less inclined. Fugaku was embracing his role as Sasuke's Father, and they'd begun to see much more of his friends alongside him. And Fugaku had taken an active role in Naruto's well-being, and by extension most of Naruto's class.

The vast improvements in Sasuke's academic record were taken note of and seemingly spread to his younger cousins, who seemed on following Sasuke around like a plague.(At least that was how Sasuke described it.)And by proxy, his friends, they'd taken an instant liking to Naruto and Sakura. His boundless energy and the kind mothering that Sakura followed with made a lasting impression on them.(Besides her monstrous strength that could've flattened the whole Main House, but was controlled enough that only the Family Dojo was broken. Fugaku wasn't even mad, Sasuke made a very tactical choice in companions.)

The young Nara Heir's presence amongst Sasuke's group strengthened ties between the two Clans, and an older Nara physician often accompanied him, quite often but after a relapse in the prolonged use of Mangekyo, those visits from the physician became increasingly common. And spread amongst many of the other Shinobi Clans, for fear of something similar running along the Byakugan, or within the physiology of the Aburame or the Inuzuka.

But, the tension was building between the Council and the Clan, it had been for years, the younger generation taking control would do nothing to stop the coup or the massacre that followed...only minimize it.

They'd come to that realization quickly enough. Thankfully the story they cooked up filled with half-truths and lies with so much weight behind it, Kakashi and Itachi bought it. Shisui had already convinced the Clan to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, but Danzo was nothing if not relentless.

Having steeped himself so far and deep into his warped mindset if what it meant to be a Shinobi, and how Shinobi should behave. Konoha was weak in that it valued teamwork, but it was just as strong for those same reasons. But Danzo still...

He'd come for the Clan.

They just... didn't yet.

Sasuke focused he chakra as well as he could, producing the Chidori quickly enough, the air filled with the sound of chirping birds. He struck the practice dummy quickly, thrice in succession, and he could hear the hum of approval in Kakashi's Chakra rhythm from here. Which was new.

He'd only ever relied on Karin for this kind of in-depth Chakra Sensory. Naruto and Sakura had the ability too, but Naruto was more adept at sensing the negative emotion emanating from a body, and Sakura was very keen on elemental affinities. Shikamaru hadn't displayed any such abilities. Not yet at least. The Nara glanced up at him from his training with his Father.

They were all excelling quickly at the Academy and the council had suggested they be moved up, excluding Naruto. Thankfully, the Sandaime was a man who'd lived through three wars, soft but battle-hardened and beleaguered from seeing young children off to kill. At 5 for some, and 8 for others. And so he remained stalwart in his decision, there would be no early graduations.

(Though that would be subject to change in the coming days. And the Sandaime would pass all four of them.)

He was breathing heavily, tired from multiple Chidori uses, and after one more he could be done. Naruto was trying to build-up his Rasengan far enough he could attempt to imbue it with Nature Chakra, but it wasn't working out for him. Learning to control his Chakra to a fine point helped him get far enough to use it as an attack. But not far enough to use it.

"Rasengan!"*BOOM* And there went a tree, flying right into of Sakura.(Not that it would hit her.)

"NARUTO!" Sakura yelled punching the space in front of her, and in an instant, the tree was torn to bits, and Itachi and Kakashi's Chakra spiked in slight fear and...respect. Not that their faces would ever show it.

...

"Sasuke, use one arm this time," Itachi instructed, Sharingan active and observant of Sasuke strange...warped Chakra Coils activating,"I want to confirm something..." As instructed, Sasuke did just that, and he maintained it long enough before having to throw the ball lighting at the abused dummy. Sasuke panted from exertion and Itachi sent him to fall beside his other tired comrades.

Their prowess was amazing and justly so, having been through a time of war as they had, it was obvious now though, their actions and abilities belied their age, and he'd heard stranger things, though this took the cake. However, they were still hiding something, Kakashi and Itachi agreed on that much, perhaps it was just their paranoia as Veterans and ANBU, but their very survival as Shinobi depended on information and the conclusiveness of it or not.

Nara-sama was in on it too, and he'd confirmed the kid's story, and if a Nara believed you and suspected no foul play, well case-closed. He still couldn't shake off his uneasiness, even as Shisui loudly declared his presence and invitation for dinner at the Compound. Getting four dead tired children to get up and walk nearly a mile to rest their feet again was easier said than done.

With much whining, threats of ANBU stamina exercises, goading and bribery they finally got them moving. And they set a steady pace on their return to the Compound.

(There was something amiss and Itachi would not ignore it.)

"Why does Iryo-Jutsu have to be so dang hard!" Naruto whined, walking alongside the others towards the Compound. There was a knot in their guts, a feeling of dread that should have no place there because they'd stopped the massacre before it even reached its peak. (But he pushed it away, maybe it was just paranoia getting to him. The sickly feeling of dread creeping and coiling in his stomach wouldn't go away.)

"It just requires a lot of patience and time, Naruto," Sakura informed him not looking up from the pamphlet she'd gotten from Orochimaru regarding Iryonin training at the Hospital for Academy students interested in learning. Her eyes weren't focused on the words, though, she was more focused on the sounds of when they walked. She counted everyone including Kakashi and Shisui by their Chakra.( And that icky feeling of horror, that balled up knot of feelings, when Naruto laid dying in front of her. )

"Problem is you have none of the first and plenty of the other in spades, dobe." Sasuke elbowed Naruto good-naturedly, Shikamaru and Sakura sighed at their antics, but honestly, this was better than them fighting all the time.(But none of them were okay, this tension, and anger long forgotten wounds, left in the air clamping down on them.)

"At least you aren't hitting each other," Shikamaru mumbled, followed by a yawn. Stretching his limbs out, he never was one to be so active but these days, his activism had inspired the rest of the Class to step up, the Clan kids anyway, and take action in learning their Clan Techniques.(He fought the urge to spread his Kage no Surredo* out and assess their safety.)

"...They used to fight?" Itachi sounded to dejected and horrified, you wouldn't think Sasuke and Naruto hated each other by looking at them, but the reality was that they were. Hatred and fear of each other and what their ties meant to them. It was a bond that was eerily similar to Shikamaru's time, and Sakura patched up the holes in-between with her heart and fists.

"At least they're friends now, hmm," Shikaku spoke up from beside them, lazily keeping pace with the rest of them, back straight and alert, calling out behind him," How long do you plan on 'discreetly following us?"

"...Forever." Kakashi replied.

"Stalker," Sakura muttered.

"Moron." Sasuke followed.

"Perv." Naruto bit out.

Shikamaru sighed, Team Seven was really tiresome, but if there was any hope for this world it was Team Seven. And then he saw a patch of blond run in front of him, becoming nearly a speck before they decided to follow after him.

"Naruto! Why are you running?!" Sakura called after him. Naruto doesn't do anything without a reason, he always had some kind of meaning behind what he does. It was just a matter of looking 'beneath the underneath.' And that knot of dread began to untie itself, and she hoped she could ball it back up and keep it away because this would not happen. This could not happen again. (What good was she if he lost it all again!?)

"Dobe! Is something wrong?! Does it have to do with the Compound!" Sasuke yelled, Naruto quickly looked back and nodded. And Sasuke's words died in his throat, why did he have to be right, sending out a wash of Chakra he sensed fear and malice...in the middle of the Compound surrounding the familiar light of...his fathers Chakra Signature.

He picked up his pace, Sakura right behind him.

"We have to hurry, the furball says something really bad is happening there right now!" Shikamaru blanched and immediately broke off, "I'll go call for help as quickly as I can!" Shisui was right behind him, running him straight towards T&I. Bursting through the doors, looking frazzled and in need of help, not the lost child kind, he called for Ino's father.

The blond man came running, startled and immediately worried when he took in Shikamaru's appearance. He managed to practically throw the words he needed to get out or something along that vein because the Tokubetsu Jounin rushed out, Shisui hot on their heels, along with Shikamaru despite their protests. He'd seen worse.(He'd inflicted worse.)

He prayed to the Sage at least some of the Uchiha were alive.

...

His prayers were answered...partially, many of the elders were slain, lying bleeding and beside them their killers, ROOT Agents and no sign of Danzo. Ibiki was behind him and livid, shouting orders to the numerous Tokubetsu Jounin under him, and his father was talking to both the ANBU captain and some of the Shinobi Iryo-nin, about moving some of the bodies to the morgue and moving the others to the ICU. Inoichi surveyed the scene around him, whispering to his father about what would have to happen with any of the viable brains from the dead ROOT agents.

"Fugaku!Father!"

Fugaku had lost an arm and was missing an eye. The blood pooling around him didn't deter Mikoto from trying to staunch the bleeding, and it didn't deter Sakura's instincts either. The pinkette marched towards them, pulling out some of the gauze, some Chakra pills, and dampeners for Fugaku. Mikoto was startled by her, but Sasuke gave her a look, and then he nodded, waiting for her orders.

"Sakura what-!" Itachi shouted. And here all the Shinobi present would be stunned by her Medical Prowess.( Especially a certain Sage in the area.)

"You're going to need to lend me your Chakra Sasuke," and Sasuke obliged because he knew that she'd make it possible for Fugaku to make it out alive. And she single-handedly saved many of the mortally wounded Uchiha that night. And Shikamaru and Naruto decided to follow her lead, and they began working, Naruto storing any evidence needed for later and Shikamaru applied the basic Iryo-Jutsu Sakura had taught him on the few Uchiha with minor injuries that needed to be taken care of before they were transported to the Hospital.

And there, the Nara Clan was entrusted with something that would cement the relationship between both Clans for generations to come.

...(5 Days Later)...

"Fugaku, with all due respect, you're on pain medication," Shikaku said, pinching the bridge of his nose," I can't just accept this as if it's something to be accepted, there's an order to things!"

The man sitting before him in a room alongside his fellow Clan Members, because he would not stand for being pampered while his comrades suffered. The coppery smell of blood tinged the air, permeating despite the Hospital staff's best efforts to get rid of it. Fugaku was sitting with a stump of a right arm, a wrap of gauze over his left eye, it reminded him of Danzo, except Danzo always gave him chills up his spine. And this feeling of dread.

Not guilt, not this upset and harried man before him.

"And as of right now, we can't follow those orders because all the Uchiha Clan elders are dead, half the Military Police is here or serving under my wife and elder son, who shouldn't feel obligated to pick up after me, and I am here crippled and useless as my younger son, the son of my dead Team Mate and Hokage, and a Descendant of Uzushio, who saved my life might I add, and your son face an unjust trial to decide their sentencing," taking a breath and a sip of water he continued," so consider this the first step in an alliance to make sure those kids walk away free if not heroes for their service to the Clan...and to Konohagakure no Sato."

Shikaku stared at Fugaku who stared right back, and he looked away with a sigh," I'll see what I can do, those kids can't maintain the idea of being normal Academy students after this, not after what they saw...not after what happened...They may just end up being sent to ROOT, I'll try to fight for ANBU at least."

Fugaku's silence was met with a cool glance and slight tilt of his head in thanks. And with that Shikaku turned and left.

...

Fugaku looked out the window, observing the hustle and bustle of Konoha. But not fully aware of it, he'd come to terms with Sasuke achieving sub-par grades in comparison to Itachi, but amongst Uchiha standards, he was more than competent, and then he'd done a complete 180 of a personality, showing more of his wife's personality traits and he'd taken to acting a bit childish if not bold.

But that impetuous behavior was not lost on him and having Mikoto confide in him that it was nice that she actually got to experience having and raising a child this time, Fugaku held his tongue. Itachi had grown-up faster, stronger and smarter than Sasuke. And that was no one's fault but his own for exposing him to bloodshed and the Third War. So he let it be.

He let himself have a son. Itachi was his son, do not mistake him. But he'd made Itachi a soldier, a leader, and Heir. And then Sasuke was born, and he'd seen more smiles gracing Mikoto and Itachi's visage then he'd had when Itachi was younger. Itachi was born in the wake of a bloody war, Sasuke was born in a time of bloodshed, no violence, Sasuke did not have to grow up listening closely for the sirens and alarms that would notify the villagers to get to safety.

Perhaps that was why...he let it go. He let his expectations and ambitions for Sasuke go. He found himself being able to let go of the hate that his forefathers instilled in him, turning towards his fellow Clan Members and Clan Leaders he'd fought alongside during the War. He'd walk amongst them and discuss how to maintain this peace. For the future of their Clan.

But Sasuke's childhood, that was something he did not want to take from him. Itachi did not experience the childhood he was due at the very least Fugaku wanted to make sure that Sasuke had his time.

But now, the pieces fell the way they did and he could do nothing to stop that. And that foreign emotion he'd pushed away from him came bubbling from within him. Sasuke...was going to become a full-fledged Shinobi, probably and Anbu no less...he should be proud. Jumping for joy at the prospect of his son becoming an elite member of ANBU...but he didn't feel joy.

What joy was there to be had when by tomorrow he'd have lost both of his son's...and failed twice as a father.

"Fugaku," he heard Mikoto call, drawing the privacy curtain and seal, the latter a gift from the Uzumaki," what's wrong?" She grasped his remaining hand, tightly and he stared at her. His brain catching up with him, and silently the tears fell,"...Dear?"

"Mikoto...please find it in yourself to forgive me...I've robbed you of yet another son," Fugaku laid back and let the tears flow. Mikoto was too kind a woman, he'd robbed her of a child twice now. And she wouldn't bring herself to hate him.

"Sandaime-sama...please, you must consider at least giving them over to ANBU," Shikaku implored, he had at least 5 hours before the trial, and he knew it wasn't the Shinobi Council as a whole who wanted to get their hands on both the budding Uchiha, but also the civilian council.

Danzo had the most to gain from all of this. He could recommend that the Uchiha be kept an eye on, send the young Sakura away along with Naruto into the deepest bowels of ROOT. All so he could gain himself a new set of Danzo not fleeing from the village was another problem. He felt comfortable and secure enough he wouldn't leave, but still impudent enough, even though there was blatant evidence pointing back to him, to call for a hearing regarding the action of those kids...HIS KIDS DAMMIT!

The Sandaime, puffed his pipe, deep in thought, and nodded his head, and Shikaku narrowed his eyes because there was no way the Hokage agreed without asking for an explanation. The Sandaime must've become a mind-reader overnight as well because he was laughing a hearty laugh despite the heavy situation.

"You needn't worry Shikaku...Kakashi filled me in," well that was either very good or very bad," what's most upsetting though is that the children did not believe I could help enough to tell me anything. Kakashi and Itachi both brought the information to me, as they believed I needed to know. I was deliberating whether I should go forward to the council with this, and it seems it's a much more serious matter than I had thought..."

Shikaku nodded, "Sir...may I approach?" This was a tactic he often used when having to deliver integral information as discreetly as possible, without risking any leak to the ANBU within. The Sandaime beckoned him forward, and he approached, discreetly laying the silencing seal Naruto had gifted him with, refined with twenty years worth of unfound knowledge and skill only a Uzumaki could possibly wield.

The Sandaime raised his eyebrow at the action, Shikaku was a calculated individual cultivated by the mass of wealth the Nara Clan had to offer, every action they did held some meaning behind it. Shikaku leaned forward,"Danzo is the culprit. We must fight any proposal Danzo puts forth in this meeting."

Stepping back he said,"Sandaime-sama, this needs to be done. Their skills will rot within the Academy...please give this some consideration," he felt a paper slide into his palm,"By your leave." The Sandaime puffed his pipe, and dismissed him with a nod, returning to his paperwork.

...

Reading the slip of paper when he was alone(as a Shinobi you never were alone)he read the Cypher the Sandaime often used with him, making mental notations as he went through it. Burning it with his lighter, he made his way to the room the Clan Head's would be meeting in. It made him a bit ill to use their children against them, but they were out of options.

(The only people who'd suspect him would rather see Danzo burn then object to his proposal.)

Entering the room, he laid the privacy seal against the door, walking towards the grouped Shinobi Heads to the side, he had the floor and their attention, by now the news had spread amongst them that it his son was one of the children being tried. Standing in for Fugaku he saw Mikoto, who'd partially taken over some of Fugaku's duties in the Compound and in the Military Police, the Uchiha Matriarch was talking quietly with Sakumo. More than likely about the evidence gathered on the children and how they would get them out of it.

"Jounin," their eyes were focused on him before as Clan Heads and Acting Clan Heads, now they stood at full attention, Shinobi training could not be erased despite not being in the field since the war," I believe I have a solution that will benefit us all and rid us of our common enemy." He gave a pointed look at Shibi and Inoichi, and his meaning could not be made any plainer.

Danzo.

Tsume was fuming, they'd been in this meeting for practically two hours, arguing the same points, and Danzo would not let up, kept going on about 'potential threats'and neutralizing or better teaching their assets. And she wasn't the only one, the Nara had approached them earlier in the waiting room. Sharing his speculations on the fates of the children. And then he'd offered them a solution to some of their problems.

A united front of the Clans would not deter Danzo completely, but it mostly would. And that's what mattered. They weren't all friends but as children they were forced to interact with one another, to 'create alliances', as they were told by their parents. Shikaku wasn't a friend more like a close acquaintance, but he was her Jounin Commander and the quick agreement from Shibi moved her to agree as well.

ROOT took Torune, and for Inoichi, Fuu. Danzo had gotten bold in the wake of the Third Shinobi World War. That much was true. He'd especially grown bolder and more direct in his actions in the aftermath of the Kyuubi's 'Defeat', through isolating the Uchiha a rift had grown between them and the other Clans.( Easily remedied with Sasuke's interactions with the other children.)

And Tsume was even angrier then she was before. This whole trial reeked of bullshit, but she'd sit through it and hoped that her Hokage wouldn't punish the kids. But ROOT, she'd seen the agents and she knew for a fact that Shibi practically lost a son to the bastard. So he definitely rose some red flags, and even more when she smelled all the blood on him. It wasn't blood from wounds or the blood of enemies. She smelled Konoha blood on him, it couldn't matter less to her whether it was the blood of a Shinobi or a Civilian, he had Konoha blood on him!

Tsume shot Shikaku a look, she wouldn't sit quietly, this needed to be said, the Hokage had to know! The Nara in return gave her a look, tapping his fingers in the Jounin code for 'Yield'. And she growled again. The Hokage was giving her an odd yet thoughtful look, perhaps Shikaku had already informed him of Danzo's deception. She wanted very badly to rip his throat out, but she'd leave it be if he was handed over to the Nekonin of the Uchiha. They tended to play around and toy with their prey before devouring them, a more fitting punishment for the likes of Danzo.

(But it'd probably be bad for their digestion.)

The Hokage held his hand up in silence, deliberating upon the information he'd been given he had everyone give their suggestion for what should be done with the children. Some suggested putting Naruto down and having the others raised to be Shinobi,(bastards). Danzo and the other Council Advisors suggested ROOT training, and Shikaku and Mikoto suggested ANBU as an alternative.

When the circle had reached her, she easily spoke up on behalf of them, giving them the typical ANBU watch for Shinobi that returned from a mission gone wrong. That way they could monitor them and still step in if they became too dangerous.

"And if they become too dangerous?" Danzo asked eyebrow raised as if having caught her in a lie.

"ANBU it is then," she smirked, grin filled with the trademark sharp teeth of the Inuzuka.

And onwards to the Kurama, Hyuuga, and Aburame Clans, all agreeing with her, standard guard, and ANBU if they proved too dangerous. And then all eyes landed on Sakumo. The second smallest Shinobi Clan to the Senju and Uzumaki, with only two known members.

He would be the deciding vote no matter how many other's votes outweighed the ruling for ROOT.

...

It went unsaid that second to Nara's advice or even those the Hokage gave personal ear to himself, a Hatake could always sway the tide. And with Danzo's quirking lips as if he'd won already, and the room filled with worry that Sakumo would rule in favor of ROOT, he was a man who'd broken himself bringing honor to the village and leading his personal life in shame as he dealt with the scorn of his dead-students families.

He had nothing to lose, but his son. Kakashi was condemned to becoming a Shinobi at the tender age of 5. Somewhere between trying to raise Kakashi and his son's first day at the academy, Kakashi had grown up and slipped between his fingertips.

Something he'd laughed sardonically over juice(because the nurses wouldn't even begin to fathom having patients drink alcohol), with Fugaku when he went to visit Jiraiya's old student in the Toad Sage's place. They both sent their sons off to death and carnage too early, and technically, both were being forced this time to do the same thing again.

And he decided to let the Hokage know how he felt about the children being forced to swim within that carnage before they'd even thought about the multiple ways to slit an enemy nin's throat silently.

(No more son's or daughters walking in blood...not yet anyway.)

"I imagine that most of you are acquainted with my son Kakashi," he heard a small,'who hasn't', and he gave a half smile as he began his tale, unnecessary as it was, he needed to let them know why he'd come to such a polarizing decision.

"Kakashi was born right before the Third War broke out, and for the life of me I can not remember a single time he'd ever acted like the child he was supposed to be."

"It was war-"someone began.

"It was a war that I as a parent should have participated in, yet if a child seemed like they had potential, off to the academy they went, and if they showed quick aptitude there, quickly they were sent off to that Kakashi was five, five! He was no more than a little boy when he'd gone off to learn the parts of the body you need to cut as if you were an Oinin of Kiri. He was three years younger than the children you want to usher into that path full of blood!

"I'm not suggesting that they should not follow the path of a Shinobi, but rather, have them take an accelerated learning curriculum, allow them to continue alongside their classmates, and when they're ten years of age...that age I think is best for them to become established Genin. But we should keep that information to ourselves."

"How so?" The Hokage was always interested in the Elder Hatake's brain process, much like the young Kakashi's, but less pragmatic and more...flowery.

"They're young and we quickly learned our lesson with both my son, the late Nohara Rin, and Itachi, being so young made them into prime targets, and let us not forget Naruto's and that Haruno girls heritage. They'd all have bounties on their heads on pure bloodline alone, so I propose giving them apprenticeships while having them attend the academy."

Multiple outbursts and outrage broke through the room, but Sakumo had said his piece, what the Hokage decided was out of his control.

The Sandaime rose his hand again to silence the room, and the yelling had quickly quieted down. Waiting for everyone to retake their seats and for them to quiet themselves properly, he began to address the room.

"Perhaps it is hasty of us to force mere children into our ANBU program, or even to consider them threats that would require ANBU evaluation, but you all make fair points in regards to the children and their necessary displacement."

The room relaxed or at least those that wanted the children out of the Academy altogether.

"But Sakumo makes an equally fair point, we have a history of sending our children off to young and too quickly, we are in a time of peace, and that may be subject to change at any time, and when that time comes, then we may consider our early graduation protocols. For now, we will have the children participating in an afterschool apprenticeship, for all of the academy students that show promise.

"This means we will redistribute the children into classes based on this year's end of the year assessment in March, and then assign the top class single and group apprenticeships based on specialization and skill-set...this will not be influenced by the Clans. This will allow Konoha to be seen as taking steps to reaching militarization like Kumo, reaching out to other towns and cities within Hi no Kuni.

"The Bill has been a pipedream of mine, I'll admit, but this will allow us to strengthen ourselves from the loss of the both the Third War and the Kyuubi no Yoko, I have it ready to be put into full effect come December. Until then, let us adjourn this meeting."

With an air of finality, the Sandaime dismissed them, and Sakumo got up to leave, halfway through the lobby when Kakashi stopped him. Didn't matter if he was in ANBU gear or not, he couldn't mistake that spiky silver hair for anyone else. Kakashi stood in front of him, turning to go up the stairs, waiting for him to follow. And follow he did.

Normally he'd Shunshin, but after that mission that had lead to the outbreak of the War, he'd never been able to Shunshin without having a full mental breakdown, and Kakashi wouldn't risk that, ANBU or no. Looking up, he saw the Sandaime's office door, Kakashi ushered him in, bowing to the Sandaime and Shunshining away.

Leaving a pile of leaves and...chalk dust on the office floor. Sakumo chuckled at his son's antics. And so did the rest of the room's occupants. And then he remembered he wasn't the only one in here. Mikoto and Shikaku were here as well, and suddenly he felt older than he was. Despite being in a room with two accomplished Jounin, he still remembered their parent's faces, serving alongside Mikoto's father and helping her mother 'court him'. (Let it be said he avoided going to his Uchiha friends for dating advice, Mikoto's mother had left a glaring red spot in his memory that he would not look a despite his curiosity. It was taped in red for a reason; He recalled Shikaku's father Shiki, leading the Jounin before him, serving under the calculating man during his time as a Chunin.)

But that still begged the question, Mikoto and Shikaku were both accomplished, and healthy Jounin...why was he here. A Shinobi that couldn't perform a simple Jutsu or two without suffering from a slight panic attack.

"Ah, Sakumo, you've arrived," the Sandaime noted from behind his desk, the nin in question stared at him in surprise. And Hiruzen couldn't help but sigh, the latter half of Sakumo's life was filled with nothing but hard decisions and suffering, and today he might've just made the greatest contribution to the development of the Academy. Perhaps now, Tsunade might be convinced to return.

"I've called you here to discuss the matter of the Bill I proposed. I've already selected you three to head this project and all information regarding it. In other words, you three will be in charge of deciding who gets to be the ones apprenticing our four prodigies."