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"Alright, you've convinced me. From now on, the graduation exams for graduating students will continue to be held according to this tradition. You're right, we shouldn't refuse to change just because it seems unfair to this year's students. Times are progressing, and we need to improve and change as well. Besides, we've given this year's students a second chance at the exam. If they can't seize it, it just means they aren't suited to become ninja."
Compared to the era when Tsunade was a student, current students were simply living in bliss.
"By the way, have the team leaders been selected?"
"They're chosen. Take a look yourself."
Kazuki handed the documents to Tsunade. She glanced at them casually, but the next moment her eyes widened enormously. She jerked her head up, wearing an expression that said, "You've got to be kidding me."
"Just for leading new genin? Are you sure we need a lineup like this?"
Good heavens.
Tsunade felt her scalp tingling just looking at it.
All the clans of Konoha were represented. The weakest team leaders were elites among the chūnin. The majority of team leaders were jōnin and tokubetsu jōnin.
When she saw the team leaders selected from the Uchiha clan, Tsunade couldn't help but slap her forehead.
Is this even a team for leading new graduates? This is practically dropping a royal flush!
"Is there something wrong?" Kazuki shrugged, hinting at something. "Tsunade, we are not the Third Hokage. We can't assign work using excuses like 'Hokage faction' anymore. Each year's graduating class are the future pillars of the village. Even if they can't become central pillars, we should still reduce casualties among the new graduates. The village isn't so hard-pressed that we can't spare these people. Having stronger team leaders means the students can learn more experience and useful knowledge. The teachers can also do their utmost to protect the students' safety. Every student who graduates successfully is the result of the village's careful cultivation. Do you want to see them end up like past graduates, with heavy casualties and only a small fraction surviving?"
"Of course not!" Tsunade retorted loudly. She wasn't the Third Hokage, nor was she someone with a black heart like Danzō. She naturally didn't want too many of these new ninja to die. "I'm just shocked by this list. If this gets out, people will think Konoha has gone mad."
Other villages' elites are either in a state ready for deployment or carrying out important missions. But you, Konoha, go and assign a bunch of them to lead new genin? Do you have to be this extravagant?!
And Kazuki could loudly say, "Damn right, we're this extravagant!!!"
Could the village not spare these people? That wasn't the case. It's just that no one had done this before. Since no one did it, he, Uchiha Kazuki, would start this trend.
Many new ninja didn't lack potential; their team leaders were the problem. If the team leader's own strength wasn't up to par, how could you expect them to produce good students?
"Let them say whatever they want. Konoha's affairs are decided by us, the people of Konoha. It's not others' place to dictate. The list is pretty much set, with little chance of changes. Don't mess with it."
Mess with it, your ass! Tsunade rolled her eyes at him and threw the documents back on the table with displeasure. "Yes, yes, this is all your credit, Uchiha Kazuki. I won't interfere, alright?"
Thinking back to her own graduation days, which were filled with long periods without proper team leadership, Tsunade felt a sourness in her heart. While the Sannin's teacher was the Third Hokage, the actual instruction he provided was quite limited. He certainly didn't have time to lead them on missions. The Sannin were largely left to grow on their own during their childhood.
"Alright, stop pulling that long face. I know you lacked a teacher's attention when you were young. Come on, I'll treat you to barbecue. Turn your grief into appetite and eat more."
"I'm drinking five bottles!!"
"Fine by me"
Feeling unhappy, Tsunade decided to eat heartily and get thoroughly drunk. Kazuki didn't mind; go ahead, try to eat me poor if you can. Eating and drinking alone could never bankrupt Kazuki. The only way Kazuki would face bankruptcy was if he handed his private coffers over to Tsunade to manage.
However... Tsunade had no hope of that. Kazuki would never give his money to her. Any money that fell into Tsunade's hands was basically as good as gone.
Seeing that the time was about right, Kazuki and Tsunade didn't choose to stay and work overtime. Work was never finished. When it was time to rest, they should rest. There was no need to work themselves to death, so busy they didn't even have time to eat.
Skipping out!
Taking Shizune and Izumi, their two assistants, the four headed straight for the barbecue shop. Kazuki was responsible for ordering the food, Tsunade for ordering the alcohol.
"Lady Hokage, drink slower, slower!!!"
Watching Tsunade gulp down an entire bottle in one go, Shizune and Izumi grew anxious. Drinking like this was bad for her health!!! What was wrong with the Hokage? She seemed to be in a poor mood.
Unable to persuade her, they could only cast pleading looks at Kazuki. Unfortunately, Kazuki just waved them off. "Don't worry about it. Let her drink. Our Hokage remembered some unhappy things, so she's in a bad mood and needs some alcohol to calm her nerves."
"Go to hell." Tsunade, who had just opened the second bottle, was directly angered into laughter. Luckily, after Kazuki's interruption, she didn't continue drinking recklessly. From then on, she drank while eating barbecue. Although the final result was still her getting thoroughly drunk, Izumi and Shizune breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Tsunade wasn't downing bottle after bottle, it was fine. Let her drink. Being Hokage was stressful. It was no problem to relax occasionally, especially since it was the Hokage's Advisor, Kazuki, leading the outing. What was there to fear? If she got drunk, Kazuki would handle the official duties anyway.
This wasn't something Tsunade hadn't done before. Occasionally, when she didn't feel like working or was in a bad mood, she would play hooky, have Shizune move all the documents needing processing to Kazuki's office, and push all sorts of official business onto Kazuki. And this had happened more than once or twice. Screwing people over was also one of Tsunade's specialties. Shizune and Izumi were already used to it.
"I never thought the Ninja Academy graduation exam would be changed to a public format."
"Yeah, quite a few students were super nervous today, hahaha. These little brats can't even perform jutsu properly."
"It feels like the gap between kids from civilian families and those from ninja clans is a bit large."
"Right. Hopefully, this situation can be changed."
"Are you dreaming? Not awake yet? How many years have ninja clans been accumulating their foundations to reach their current level? Do you think it's possible for civilian families to catch up?"
The entire Konoha was discussing the topic of the Ninja Academy exams becoming public. Inevitably, children from civilian families and ninja clans were compared. This comparison made many people aware of the existing problem.
The gap was just too large.