Chapter Eleven: A Hokage's Burden

Out of all meetings, the bi-annual meeting with the academy teachers was the one Hiruzen almost looked forward to. Almost because it was still work, but otherwise it was one meeting where he didn't feel burdened with decision making or having to listen to people argue.

They mostly just talked about the status of the students. How they were learning and progressing. Mentions of the areas some students seemed to peak in. Important to know as they were the future shinobi force and also for consideration of genin team placements – though that mattered more for the older kids. The occasional student was noted for needing additional support or deemed 'high risk' of quitting. During this period of their lives, students were mostly learning skills if not already known, finessing them, bettering their hand-eye coordination, and building up their core strength.

Sato and Toshi had been sitting next to each other and had been relatively silent throughout the meeting. Sitting next to each other was odd because while they didn't hold open hostility for each other, they had never particularly been close. Now they seemed like there was camaraderie between them.

"What about the first years?" Hiruzen turned to address them. If there was a problem it would be better to sort it out now before it could grow into a bigger problem.

Sato and Toshi looked to each other and for a moment Hiruzen thought he was going to have to ask again.

Toshi broke the silence first. "I'm running out of things to teach Kakashi," he said in tired, exasperated vigor.

Hiruzen blinked.

"Can't you just give him additional work? Who cares if he learns it a little ahead of the others," said Hiro.

"You think I haven't already?!" Toshi stood slamming his palm down on the table as he abruptly stood. The chair scratched against the floor. "Gai has been rapidly improving his taijutsu, but at least there's still things I can teach him. Kakashi on the other hand… There's no way Kakashi isn't at least on par with your students, Yoriko!"

Yoriko, currently the only woman teacher outside Kunoichi studies, look appalled and believed this was some blatant sexism towards her and her abilities as a teacher.

"Speed, accuracy, strength – they are all fit to genin standard expectations. He can already preform the three standard jutsus. Not just the standard three, he has enough chakra and control to create Shadow Clones. As in multiple. He knows a lightning release jutsu, and I had to find someone to teach him another lightning jutsu so he would stop asking questions about using elements he doesn't naturally have an affinity for." As crazy at it sounded, it felt good to get it off his chest. Until now, it had just been him and Sato, after he found out his colleague was suffering similarly.

"He can count and his writing is sufficient, always follows the rules, and is quite practical. I'm grasping at straws here. Without giving more specialized attention, all I'm good for at this point is using genjutsu on Kakashi for him to better recognize when entrapped in one."

If accurate, that was high praise.

Hiruzen rattled his mind to think of Kakashi. He personally had to approve every student joining the academy. It was exhausting learning so many people, and thought he got the short end of the stick. His sensei never had to learn the names of this many people.

Though that was because of his death's cutting his leadership short.

As for Kakashi, he was Sakumo's kid right? He would have just turned five. Even with his skills, for Toshi's words to be true Kakashi would need to be a prodigy unseen since – maybe ever, as far as the current system existed that is.

But Sakumo had two kids. Twins. He had heard a few comments when the council wanted to encourage Sakumo to return to active-duty. Hiruzen eyed Sato and had a foreboding feeling as to what the other teacher would say.

"And you Sato?"

Sato looked to Toshi. It was venting he had heard endless times. They'd even gone to Yakiniku Q outside work hours to bear their souls with grilled meat and alcohol. He planned on being more composed when speaking to the Hokage, yet he wondered if he was going to walk on a landmine. Asuma was in his class too, even if the Hokage's son seemed to make a big deal of everything Yuina did. Though by that same logic, he wondered if it was wrong to assume the Hokage already knew through his son.

"I doubt Yuina is learning much from me. If I'm nitpicking, her accuracy can be sharpened a little more. We are heading into the eighth month, but with the progress so far, even that complaint might not hold in a few months from now. Maybe a year at most. I've had to spar with her to test her taijutsu. She finishes too swiftly that I couldn't gauge her fighting when her opponent retaliates. She seemed more comfortable fighting me than her classmates though."

Yuina tried to hide it, but she would occasionally slip. Sato had even seen her slightly hesitate before making contact with her sparring opponents, like she didn't want to hit them. Unlike someone like Mayumi, who took several weeks to become comfortable hitting her friends, Yuina recognized her hesitancy and immediately steeled herself. It was an area that needed improvement, but for the meanwhile he couldn't say it hindered her outcomes.

"She has a solid foundation, and I'm pretty sure she has a better grasp than me on chakra theory at this point. Probably where Kakashi's tendencies to push his chakra limitation comes from. If you were to ask what I think her future specialties could be, I would probably say assassination, espionage, infiltration, or R&D.

"Oh, and apparently she's already made her own code. I've seen it when she's come to me asking questions, and apparently Toshi has seen some through Kakashi. None of us understand it minus some equations that aren't coded but quite frankly above our paygrade." Someone would have to be highly specialized to want or need whatever formulas she was using.

His colleagues listened in disbelief.

"Hokage-sama, you don't believe this do you?" Apparently some of them really didn't believe them. Sato couldn't blame them. He would be skeptical too if a coworker told him half the stuff they were claiming, and wasn't there to witness it on the daily.

This was supposed to be a non-problematic meeting, but now Hiruzen had a new headache. He needed a smoke. It wasn't just a question of knowing the basics, but to surpass those expectation without a question of doubt.

He'd have to take a look for himself, but he had a feeling he would be burden regardless what he chooses to do with the information given to him.

Coming up next: Reconciliation