Naruto Uzumaki sat on the swing, looking lonely and forlorn. But Izayoi didn't pity him at all—because only Izayoi knew that Naruto was about to unlock a major "cheat."
Naruto and Sasuke were destined rivals, their reincarnated chakras symbolizing the extremes of Yin and Yang—and just like that, their fates ran in opposite directions.
For the six years at the Academy, Sasuke was one of the school's stars. Without Izayoi there, he would have been number one. In the original storyline, those years were Sasuke's prime in terms of popularity. But after graduating, he kept running into setbacks.
Meanwhile, Naruto, who'd been at the bottom of the class, would start his underdog comeback. In just a few months, he'd surpass the "top student."
Right now, Naruto looked pitiful, but come nightfall, he'd officially activate his "cheat" and acquire one of the best techniques for someone with a Sage Body and the Nine-Tails sealed inside him.
That technique was the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, something even Izayoi envied—especially the more his chakra grew.
He was well aware of how useful it could be. In the original manga's Fourth Great Ninja War, Naruto could conjure an army of Shadow Clones, each armed with a Rasengan, strong enough to hold off Madara Uchiha's Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees.
Even the lowest-level elemental jutsu, multiplied a thousandfold via Shadow Clones, could unleash disaster-like devastation. If during the Chunin Exams Naruto had known a simple Wind Release: Great Breakthrough instead of having to rely on that fart trick to beat Kiba, he could have crushed most other contestants with a Multi-Shadow Clone + Wind Release combo.
Naruto was bound to be nerfed here and there, but Izayoi didn't need to worry about that. If he got his hands on Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, his strength would make a quantum leap. With that in mind, Izayoi paused for a second as he gently toyed with Hanabi's hair. He'd just gotten a bold idea: he might be able to get that forbidden technique for himself tonight.
Had his Byakugan not advanced to Gold-tier, he wouldn't even dare think about it. Because only he knew that this was the technique Hiruzen Sarutobi had practically put front and center for Naruto to steal.
Opening the Scroll of Seals and finding it right on the first page, placed in the most eye-catching spot—there was obviously something fishy about that. If Izayoi tried to stalk Naruto or appear in that same forest at night, he'd be stepping into Sarutobi's trap. Then the Yamanaka Clan's mind-reading would be his next stop.
But Izayoi didn't have to go anywhere near Naruto or that forest to get the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu.
His Byakugan range now extended up to 80 kilometers in every direction—covering all of Konoha. With the right prep, he could just transcribe the Multi-Shadow Clone's training details the moment Naruto opened the Scroll of Seals, all from a safe vantage.
That made Izayoi's decision right then and there.
"…Izayoi-kun, do you think we'll end up on the same team after the day-after-tomorrow's team assignments?"
Over half an hour had passed. Hanabi had dozed off in Izayoi's arms. Izayoi carried her to a bedroom to let her sleep on the bed, then returned to the sofa, where he slipped his arm around Hinata's shoulders. Hinata leaned into him, eyes full of hope as she posed her question.
"The odds are slim, but it's not impossible," Izayoi said, idly twirling a lock of Hinata's hair in his fingers. "They'll try to balance team strength, and we've both been in the top three for years, so the chance we'll end up together is low. But with how we're always together—everyone, even the teachers, must've noticed. If it's entirely up to the staff, maybe they'll factor in our teamwork and group us."
Hands clasped in a quiet prayer, Hinata murmured, "I hope I get put on the same team as you, Izayoi-kun."
Izayoi stifled a laugh, toying with Hinata's hair. He couldn't help pinching her chin, then giving her cheek a playful squeeze. He didn't want to discourage her, but he figured the actual likelihood of them ending up in the same squad was practically zero.
The one deciding squads was Hiruzen Sarutobi. In the original story, only Sakura—fancied by Naruto—luckily slipped into the "clan heirs" group. The other eight rookies formed teams by clan tradition: Naruto and Sasuke together, Ino–Shika–Cho together, and Kiba–Hinata–Shino together. None of these were random mixes of clan kids and civilians. And obviously, those clan-based teams got immediate acceptance from their Jonin instructors. The other squads, typically made up of civilians, had much higher washout rates.
Unless tradition was thrown out the window, Izayoi—who was first in the class—could theoretically replace Sakura in Team 7. But Sarutobi certainly wouldn't break tradition.
Plus, Izayoi and Sasuke were friends; they might end up isolating Naruto.
Two guys on a team can collide hard, leaving one girl to mediate.
Three guys all at odds is asking for chaos. Plus, the next generation's Ino–Shika–Cho team was definitely locked in; Team 7, for story reasons, wouldn't change from the original. That left only Team 8.
But bumping out Kiba Inuzuka or Shino Aburame—both clan heirs—would ruffle those clans' feathers, as they'd have to settle for a "standard" Jonin sensei, raising concerns over mission safety. Sarutobi might not want that kind of political hassle.
What Izayoi didn't know, however, was that not only did Hinata hope for them to be assigned together—Hiashi, her father, wished for the same. The "future father-in-law" was quietly pulling strings.
…
When dusk came, Hiruzen Sarutobi placed a special Scroll of Seals on his desk in the Hokage's office and then headed home. Not long after, a tall, long-haired man in white robes and Byakugan eyes—none other than Hiashi Hyuga—arrived for a personal visit. Meanwhile, Mizuki sought out Naruto Uzumaki.
Night fell, and a certain blond boy in an orange track suit and green goggles boldly slipped into the Hokage's office, stealing the scroll from right off the desk. In short order, a bunch of flak-jacketed shinobi were dashing across the rooftops of the central district.
~~~
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