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With the team roster essentially settled, Roshi's focus shifted to something more practical: squad tactics.
This was no longer the straightforward formation of his previous team—one member specialized in ninja tools and genjutsu, another in taijutsu, while he himself served as the ninjutsu-type chūnin, responsible for firepower suppression in complex engagements.
This new team, however, had an unusual and volatile structure.
He spread paper across the desk, pen scratching steadily as ink bled into crisp points and notes.
Uchiha Itachi
Advantages: A prodigy far beyond his peers. His Ninjutsu mastery has already reached Chūnin level—his Fire Release, Genjutsu, and ninja tool precision especially stand out. Combat awareness is sharp, with analytical and observational skills bordering on frightening. He wields a two-tomoe Sharingan, proof of his overwhelming potential.
Limitations: Only eight years old. His body remains underdeveloped—stamina, explosive strength, and sustained combat power are a far cry from that of adult shinobi. While his chakra reserves outstrip those of his peers, they're still insufficient for long, drawn-out fights on the Chūnin level. Real battlefield experience remains thin, particularly against high-pressure, multi-layered combat scenarios.
Positioning: Cannot serve as the main attacker or centerpiece in extended battles. More suited as a tactical core and support unit—leveraging his Sharingan's insight, Genjutsu, precision tools, and decisive Fire Release strikes. His role should be to create openings and control the flow of combat from mid-range. Absolutely avoid prolonged close-quarters combat that demands relentless Taijutsu or extreme chakra consumption.
Mitarashi Anko
Advantages: A textbook elite Chūnin. Strong Taijutsu fundamentals; balanced in speed, strength, and agility. Wide-ranging Ninjutsu repertoire—particularly Fire Release, Earth Release, and the Hidden Shadow Snake Hands techniques. High poison resistance from long-term venom exposure. Endurance and willpower that had always bordered on unyielding. Considerable real-world combat experience.
Limitations (Current State): Orochimaru's defection left her mentally scarred. The trauma has plunged her into despondency, leaving her unstable and sluggish in battle. Her combat will is low, reflexes dulled—her overall effectiveness laced with uncertainty.
Positioning: By rights, she should be the frontline spearhead, a primary attacker tearing open enemy defenses with her Taijutsu-Ninjutsu combination. But her present psychological state complicates matters.
Temporary Strategy: Until her condition is confirmed, she should not shoulder the heaviest close-combat pressure. Better to deploy her on flanking maneuvers, second-wave assaults, or as mid-range disruption—using Ninjutsu and serpent techniques to inject chaos and spread damage without forcing her to carry the frontline immediately.
Roshi's pen lingered on Anko's name, leaving behind a heavy blot of ink. No matter how cleanly the analysis looked on paper, it remained a theory.
The lively, battle-tested kunoichi described in her file clashed violently with the dispirited woman he had seen firsthand. Did her Taijutsu still bite with the same ferocity? Could her snake-style Ninjutsu still flow freely? Would her instincts hold firm in the face of real danger?
These were unanswered questions.
It was, in truth, a non-standard team riddled with flaws.
Itachi's brilliance shackled by his youth.
Anko's blade dulled by trauma.
Tactics, trust, combat readiness—all of it had to be built not from paper theories, but from reality.
With a sharp stroke, Roshi wrote a single line beneath his notes:
Primary Action: Internal squad sparring assessment.
Only in live combat could he test the steel of the blade—and see whether the hand gripping it was steady.
Far away, the Hokage's office was steeped in quiet smoke.
Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned back in his chair, listening as the masked Anbu knelt before him.
The silver-haired shinobi removed his mask, revealing a tired, half-lidded eye. Despite his casual expression, Kakashi Hatake's tone was measured and precise.
"Target individual: Roshi. Special Jōnin (Ninjutsu Specialist) promotion assessment completed."
Hiruzen nodded for him to continue.
"In terms of combat performance," Kakashi reported evenly, each word crisp, "his battlefield literacy qualifies as high-level. And for his age… mastering five chakra nature transformations is nothing short of genius."
Hiruzen's reply was a soft, unreadable hum, the smoke of his pipe curling slowly toward the ceiling.
"Core assessment: chakra control and endurance."
Kakashi's voice was steady as he laid out the key point.
"During the trial, he executed no fewer than six different elemental techniques—including a Wind–Fire combination to counter Deep Forest Emergence. Despite fluctuations in his aura, there were no clear signs of depletion, and his concentration remained sharp throughout. His chakra reserves… far exceed that of an ordinary Jōnin."
He paused briefly, then added, almost reluctantly,
"He surpasses me."
Hiruzen Sarutobi closed his eyes, smoke curling from his pipe. Kakashi's chakra was considerable in its own right—even with the constant drain of the Sharingan, his strength still outstripped that of most Jōnin.
Roshi's background and years of records flashed through the Hokage's mind. In the past, he hadn't reached such a level. The issue wasn't the number of techniques—it was the sheer difficulty of transforming and molding different chakra natures in rapid succession. The strain was far greater than repeatedly shaping a single element.
Yet Hiruzen pressed no further. His tone was slow, thoughtful:
"Five nature transformations… how was his application?"
"Proficient." Kakashi's reply was crisp.
"Basic techniques—Water Wall, Great Breakthrough, Earth Flow—were deployed with precise timing and smooth transitions. His Wind–Fire combination displayed excellent control over both chakra nature and shape transformations, producing considerable explosive force. His choices emphasized practicality and battlefield adaptability, with no noticeable weaknesses."
"Taijutsu? Adaptability?"
"His foundation is solid. Movement and evasion are efficient, seamlessly coordinated with ninjutsu use or disengagement. His battlefield awareness is exceptional—under ambush or heavy suppression, his judgment stays calm, his decisions decisive, and he consistently finds optimal or fallback solutions under pressure." Kakashi's eye flickered with memory—the image of Roshi bursting through a corridor of flame.
"Overall: his ninjutsu mastery and practical application not only meet, but exceed, the standard for Special Jōnin. The qualification is deserved."
The office grew quiet, broken only by the faint crackle of burning tobacco. Hiruzen's gaze grew distant, clouded.
"How did he respond to Tenzo's Wood Release?"
Kakashi thought back.
"His first responses were conventional ninjutsu, executed swiftly. When confronted with Deep Forest Emergence, he chose a high-risk, high-reward Wind–Fire combination to break through. He didn't attempt to counter with any secret techniques. More importantly—throughout the entire engagement, he revealed no trace of Wood Release himself."
He hesitated, then added,
"His composure was excellent, but the instant Deep Forest Emergence activated, his chakra flow stagnated for a heartbeat. He recognized it. His decision to push through aggressively was tactically sound—but it may also suggest a deliberate choice to avoid exposure, or comparison."
Hiruzen's brows lowered slightly at that.
Kakashi's final words cut through the smoke:
"Even silence in the face of Wood Release is a statement in itself."
The Hokage grunted, gave no further comment, and dismissed him with a wave. Kakashi replaced his mask and slipped into the office's shadows, vanishing as if he had never been there.
Left alone, Hiruzen's gaze turned toward the deepening twilight beyond the window, the glow of the setting sun blurring through the drifting smoke.
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