Cannon Fodder Teams
But… a Nara.
Jin's eyes narrowed slightly. The name alone stirred unease.
After the incident with Uchiha Yoshio, he had already begun to question Nara Shikaku's intentions. And now, during team placements, another Nara just happened to be grouped with him?
Coincidence?
Or something deliberate?
What exactly was the Nara clan planning?
His thoughts spun quickly, but with so little information, he could only shelve the question for later.
The second teammate was simpler: Ishikawa Itsuki.
A civilian. Nothing remarkable.
As far as Jin knew, Itsuki only had the basic Three Body Techniques and some self-trained taijutsu. No Eight Gates, no inherited style, no clan secrets. Just a body toughened by drills and fights.
In other words — a brawler with bigger muscles than brains.
Worse, he had a bad temper and a chip on his shoulder. Third in the class and proud of it, he looked down on almost everyone else.
Jin sighed inwardly.
"A Nara with questionable motives, and a hotheaded civilian muscle-head. Wonderful."
Still, he shrugged it off. Step by step. If they can't keep up… well, sacrifices happen on the battlefield.
---
Half an hour later, Nobita Sarutobi finished reading the team list and left the classroom without another word.
Almost immediately, nine Chūnin entered and began calling the names of Teams One through Nine.
The message was clear.
From Team Ten onward, there would be no instructors — only cannon fodder. Those Genin would be thrown onto the battlefield with nothing but their Three Body Techniques and a kunai.
If they survived, they might earn enough merit to exchange for a basic village jutsu.
If not, their names would end up carved onto a memorial stone.
Even the first nine teams weren't much better off. Their so-called "leaders" were Chūnin in name only — survivors of previous campaigns who had lived long enough to rank up. Most of them weren't particularly skilled; some probably knew less ninjutsu than clan-born children.
---
A small forest clearing.
Team Seven stood before their assigned instructor.
"My name is Kudo Nobu," the man said evenly. "Besides the Three Body Technique, I can also use an Earth Release — Earth Flow Wall. In battle, I'll focus on defense."
Uchiha Jin's eyes sharpened at once.
Earth Release…?
That was no small thing. For an ordinary ninja to possess even a single C-rank technique spoke volumes. It meant he'd not only survived the crucible of war but also contributed enough to earn the village's recognition.
This wasn't some nameless fodder. In a minor village, a shinobi with a C-rank ninjutsu could already serve as a mid-tier leader. In a great village like Konoha, he was still small, but far from useless.
---
Introductions began.
"Ishikawa Itsuki," the civilian boy said proudly. "I know the Three Body Techniques and taijutsu. I was top three in my class — one of the best. I believe I'll become the strongest shinobi one day. For now, I think I should be our team captain."
His chest puffed with pride.
Jin almost laughed. It was obvious Itsuki had no idea how the world worked. In Class B — the "cannon fodder" class — ranking meant nothing. The true geniuses had all been placed in Class A, under the eye of Minato Namikaze himself.
To claim captaincy here was like bragging about being the tallest weed in a field destined for the scythe.
But Jin didn't show his disdain. Instead, he smiled politely.
"My name is Uchiha Jin. Along with the basics, I know some of my clan's Fire Release." He shrugged. "As for the captain's role, I don't mind either way."
Nara Kazama yawned before adding his turn.
"Nara Kazama. Three Body Techniques, plus a few clan jutsu. I don't care about being captain."
Kudo Nobu's brows lifted in surprise. Two clan heirs, even from a "B-class," wasn't something he had expected. Unlike Itsuki, he understood the difference. Clan techniques — even basic ones — were worth more than any empty bragging.
He didn't bother responding to the argument about captaincy. Instead, his gaze slid toward Itsuki, faintly disdainful.
Hotheaded civilians with too much pride and too little experience… They were always the first to die on the battlefield.