Ⅰ
Returning to the classroom, I spotted my teammates in the top right corner. Ino was in the front row, with a seat saved for me, while Shikamaru and Chouji were right behind her.
As I slid into place, Ino leaned in right away, her eyes sharp with curiosity. "Where have you been?" she whispered.
"Just had a quick chat with someone," I replied softly.
"With who?" she pressed, clearly eager to know more.
"Sakura," I replied.
"Sakura?" She raised her eyebrow in surprise. "What did you two talk about?"
"Oh well, weー"
Before I could answer, Iruka-sensei had just arrived, followed by several Jounins behind him. Seeing them have arrived, our attention shifted to them.
"Will tell you this later," I whispered, and Ino, though still curious, nodded with a slight frown.
As more Jounins entered the classroom, my attention was drawn to a familiar figure—a certain family member walking in among them.
It was Uncle Asuma! He was walking casually into the room with his hands in his pockets! His presence took me by surprise, leaving me curious about which team he would join.
"Hey, Darren. Isn't that your uncle?" Shikamaru asked from behind, his voice laced with curiosity.
"Umm… Yeah." I replied, still somewhat surprised.
"Why is he here?"
"I'm… not sure." I looked back. "I have no idea."
"Do you think maybe… he is our Jounin?" Shikamaru suggested.
"No way." I shook my head. "That can't be. There were no cases of a family member serving as a team's Jounin, Shikamaru."
"But isn't it a tradition for a Sarutobi to mentor the next generation of the Ino-Shika-Chou?" Chouji chimed in.
"Well, uh…" I hesitated, searching for the right words. It was true—ever since the founding of Konoha, a Sarutobi had always guided the Ino-Shika-Chou trio. But the tradition went back even further, to the Warring States era, long before the village system was established. The reason for a Sarutobi member overseeing the Ino-Shika-Chou trio began with my grandpa's ancestor, Koroku Sarutobi (猿飛小六).
Koroku Sarutobi, unlike the powerful Senju or Uchiha clans, wandered different territories, taking odd jobs to support his family. One day, he witnessed Shikanosuke Nara（奈良鹿之助）, the ancestor of Shikamaru, using his shadow jutsu to stop fleeing men. Impressed, Koroku suggested they share a drink, and during their conversation, he convinced Shikanosuke to use his skills on the battlefield.
Together, they took a job protecting a feudal lord's castle, where they met Chousuke Akimichi（秋道蝶介）, who used his clan's jutsu to hold off attackers until Koroku and Shikanosuke helped him. Grateful, Chousuke joined them. Later, they met Inomori Yamanaka（山中猪盛）, who provided crucial intelligence through his mind infiltration jutsu.
Koroku saw their potential and proposed a lasting alliance between the Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans, with the Sarutobi as mentors, thus laying the foundation for the Ino-Shika-Chou formation.
Given the history, it made sense for a Sarutobi to mentor the Ino-Shika-Chou. But I doubted my uncle could be our Jounin since I was already part of the team. Besides, it seemed strange to have two Sarutobi involved in one squad. And then, there was the question that had bothered me from the start—why was I, of all people, placed in Team 10? It didn't seem like the right time to dwell on it now, but I knew I'd have to figure that out later.
For now, all I could do was wait. "L-let's just wait and see how it goes, shall we?" I replied, glancing back at the Jounin lineup.
"Alright, everyone. It's time to meet your assigned Jounin," Iruka sensei announced, sparking a wave of excitement throughout the classroom. "These Jounin will be your mentors, guiding your progress as Genin," he explained. "Remember to listen to their advice, learn from their experiences, and treat them with respect." With his message delivered, Iruka-sensei began assigning each squad's Jounin in numerical order.
Ⅱ
"Team 8?" spoke a woman with striking raven-black hair and captivating red eyes. She was dressed in a unique ensemble—a mesh blouse with one sleeve, the other adorned with broad bandages featuring a thorn-like pattern. Additional bandages were wrapped around her upper thighs, and her arms were encased to the elbows.
It was Kurenai-sensei, Uncle Asuma's former teammate in his Genin days. I'd crossed paths with her a few times during her visits to the Sarutobi compound. Despite her bold appearance, she always exuded a warm and approachable aura.
"I'm your Jounin instructor, Yuhi Kurenai. Come with me." she announced. With that, the Genins of Team 8 rose from their seats and followed Kurenai out of the room.
"Umm, Iruka sensei." Sakura interjected, raising her hand. "You missed Team 7." The members of Team 7 turned their attention towards Iruka sensei, expecting an explanation for the oversight.
"Your Jounin will arrive late," Iruka sensei explained calmly. "So, you'll have to wait for him to arrive."
Sakura lowered her hand, settling back into her seat with a deep sigh.
"Hmm… I wonder who their Jounin would be." I mused softly.
"Well, a Jounin showing up late for this announcement definitely knows how to make an impression," Ino replied, shooting a mischievous glance back at Shikamaru. "Isn't that right, Shikamaru?"
"Very funny, Ino." Shikamaru replied, shaking his head with his signature lazy look. "But you do realize I got here before you did."
"Yeah, yeah. Just this once." Ino retorted with a grin, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Ah, cut me some slack..." Shikamaru replied, rolling his eyes.
Their playful banter brought a smile to my face, and I had to stifle a laugh. But before I could fully join in, Iruka sensei finally made the awaited announcement for Team 10, which left me deeply surprised.
Their playful banter brought a smile to my face, and I had to stifle a laugh. Just as I was about to fully join in, Iruka sensei's next words hit me like a punch to the gut.
"Team 10 - Asuma Sarutobi."
"WHAT?!" My voice erupted out of me before I could stop it. I shot to my feet, heart pounding in my chest. No way. Uncle Asuma? My mind raced to process the reality, the room suddenly feeling too small, the air too thick. The silence that followed was deafening, all eyes locking on me as I stood frozen, caught in my own outburst.
The shock of my own volume hit me like a wave, and I felt the heat creeping up my neck, spreading across my face. I cleared my throat awkwardly, lowering myself back into my seat, trying to shrink away from the stares. Why did I yell like that? Embarrassment clawed at me as I struggled to regain my composure.
I glanced over at Uncle Asuma, who was standing at the front of the room with his hands in his pockets, looking entirely unfazed. His lips curled into an amused smile, and he gave me a casual wave, as if I hadn't just made a complete fool of myself.
"Hey, Darren," he called out, leaning back slightly with an air of nonchalance. "Looks like I'll be training you even harder now that you're on my team, nephew."
His grin widened. "Team 10, follow me."
I groaned under my breath, covering my face with one hand. The stares from my classmates still burned into me. Great job, Darren. You really nailed your first impression.
Ⅲ
As I followed Uncle Asuma out of the room, my mind raced with questions. There was a flicker of excitement at finally meeting my Jounin, but it was quickly overshadowed by the shock of discovering that my uncle had been assigned to lead our team.
I couldn't help but wonder why Grandpa had made this decision. Was it a case of familial favoritism that gave me an edge in my shinobi training? I doubted it. Grandpa was fair and principled—he never played favorites. There had to be a deeper reason for making Uncle Asuma Team 10's Jounin, though I couldn't quite put my finger on it. The same thing can be said of being part of Team 10.
Lost in my thoughts, I almost didn't notice Ino's raised eyebrow or the curiosity dancing in her blue eyes. A quick tap on my shoulder snapped me back to reality, shifting my focus from my swirling thoughts to her.
"Seriously, Darren," she whispered, her voice low but brimming with curiosity. "Did you know about this?"
"Know about what?" I asked, still slightly distracted.
"Your uncle being our Jounin," she clarified.
"No," I replied firmly.
Both Shikamaru and Chouji glanced at me, sharing the same curiosity as Ino.
"Are you sure?" Shikamaru asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," I nodded, my tone steady.
"Hmm... if you say so," Shikamaru muttered, though his tone carried a hint of skepticism.
I sighed in frustration. "Look, guys, I really don't know anything about this."
"Well, okay, Darren," Chouji added, though his curiosity lingered. "We just—" He trailed off, about to ask something else, when Uncle Asuma suddenly glanced back at us, cutting the conversation short.
"He's telling the truth," he said with a reassuring smile. "So, go easy on him. I was just as surprised when I found out I'd be your Jounin." With that, the four of us became
quiet as we followed Uncle Asuma down the corridor.
After a few minutes of walking, we arrived at a small meeting room—a room used for discussions between teachers and parents. Once inside, Uncle Asuma motioned for us to take a seat. As we settled in, Uncle Asuma sat on the opposite side of the room and pulled out a box of cigarettes, lighting one up with his lighter.
"You do know that those things will kill you." Ino said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.
Uncle Asuma glanced at her comment, a smirk playing on his lips. "I was smoking these when I was your age, young lady." he replied casually, "And besides, compared to the danger I had faced, a little smoke won't do me any harm." With a leisurely drag, he inhaled from his cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke that filled the room with its pungent scent. As the smoke billowed around us, we couldn't help but cough, waving our hands to disperse it from our faces.
Shikamaru groaned, voicing his dislike for the smell. "I hate this stench..."
Uncle Asuma chuckled. "Oh, you'll never know. You might like it once you start smoking," he teased, taking another drag.
Shikamaru scoffed. "Yeah, right. Like that'll ever happen," he retorted, his confidence unwavering.
However, despite Shikamaru's firm determination, Uncle Asuma remained unfazed. "Anyway," he said, taking the cigarette from his mouth and dropping it into the ashtray with a casual flick of his wrist. "Let's get on with the introductions. I want to know what you like, what you hate, your hobbies, and your dreams. I'll start. My name is Asuma Sarutobi. Things I like… well, not much, but I like to do Shogi from time to time as a hobby. And my dream… nothing at the moment, so… that's much about it." He quickly ended.
"That's a bit short, "Ino commented. "We only got to know what your hobby is."
"Still, it is better than nothing." his reaction was nonchalant. "Now, it's your turn. Starting from you." he pointed at Ino.
Ino nodded, taking the cue. "Alright," she said with a smile. "I'm Ino Yamanaka. I love fashion and flowers. My hobby is shopping, and my dream is to be a powerful kunoichi of Konoha. As for what I hate…" She paused, trying to think. A few seconds later, she shrugged. "Nothing, I guess."
"Okay, then. Next is—"
"Oh, oh! I know!" She interrupted with a sudden spark of realization. "What I hate the most is losing to Sakura! Yeah, that's the one!" She confidently nodded.
Uncle Asuma chuckled softly, then turned his attention to Choji. "Your turn."
"My name is Chouji Akimichi." Choji began, his voice steady. "I love food, particularly yakiniku. The thing I hate most is when people call me fat. I'm just big, not fat." He clarified, almost as a warning. "Oh, and my dream is to protect my friends."
Uncle Asuma nodded, shifting his focus to Shikamaru.
"My name is Shikamaru Nara. My hobby is napping. I prefer doing nothing, so you can guess what I hate. And as for my dream..." He yawned mid-sentence. "I haven't got one because it's too troublesome to bother with."
Uncle Asuma raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Shikamaru's easygoing nature. I sensed he would face challenges in motivating Shikamaru to take action.
Finally, it was my turn. Uncle Asuma turned his attention to me. "My name is Darren Sarutobi. My hobby is parkour, and I have a passion for helping those in need. I hate cruelty, and my dream is…" I hesitated, glancing at my teammates before confessing, "...to become a hero."
Curiosity flickered in my teammates' eyes as I revealed my dream.
"A hero?" Chouji inquired, intrigued.
"Yes," I nodded firmly.
"Why a hero?" Ino pressed, her eyes wide with curiosity.
I took a deep breath, struggling to articulate my feelings. "It's because… I want to be strong enough to save as many people as possible. And…" My voice trailed off as vivid memories flooded back—the day I was found alone on the shore. "I don't want anyone else to go through the same pain I did…"
The gravity of my words hung in the air, leaving a palpable silence. I could feel my friends' eyes on me, their curiosity growing. They were about to ask more, and I could see the questions forming in their eyes. But before they could press it further, Uncle Asuma gracefully shifted the conversation with a warm smile.
"Well, we've got quite the team here, each with their own goals and dreams," he said, his tone lightening the mood. "Now that we've gotten to know each other, let's talk about our first task for tomorrow morning."
The mention of "task" immediately drew our attention to him.
"What kind of task are we having, Asuma-sensei?" Ino asked.
"It's a task for the four of you to test your capabilities," he replied.
"And what's that?" I pressed for more details.
A small smile tugged at the corner of Asuma's lips as he leaned in slightly.
"A Survival Exercise."
We all exchanged glances, confusion written across our faces. Ino, not one to hold back, asked again. "What kind of survival exercise?"
My uncle chuckled, something uncharacteristically playful in his tone. It was almost like he was teasing us.
"What's so funny?" Shikamaru's brow furrowed.
"Well, if I tell you right now, it wouldn't be much of a test, would it?" my uncle smirked, enjoying the suspense.
"Oh, come on, Asuma-sensei!" Ino protested, raising her voice in playful frustration. "You can't just leave us hanging like that!"
His chuckle deepened, clearly amused by our reactions. "Patience, Ino. You'll find out soon enough."
She was still frustrated, clearly not satisfied with the answer my uncle gave.
"But," my uncle paused, raising his finger. "I can tell you one thing about this exercise."
"And… that is?" Chouji leaned in.
My uncle glanced between us, letting the silence stretch for a moment before speaking slowly. "That the four of you will need to prepare, whatever it takes. Or else…"
He paused, letting his words hang in the air for dramatic effect. Then, with a serious look, he added. "…you will all go back to the academy."