26. Timeskip
The Uchiha family had three more 12-year-old prodigies who had awakened their Sharingan, but Fugaku couldn't bring himself to smile. 'This is not what I wanted! How did this happen so fast? I know the Sharingan requires emotional stimulation to awaken, but to this extent?'
Fugaku pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling that his own Mangekyō Sharingan was on the verge of losing control. 'Is it too late to set things right now?'
While he was brooding, a pair of soft hands pressed against his temples, gently massaging them.
"Are you troubled by something?" Mikoto asked softly.
"Ah, it's about Gen, Daiki, and Jiro. These three children are very talented, but..."
Mikoto chuckled softly. "Isn't that a good thing? They're much more energetic than before."
'Is this just a matter of perspective?' Fugaku sighed and said, "Maybe it is a good thing."
---
"Of course, it's a good thing!" Minato beamed. Recently, Gai, Gen, Daiki, and Jiro had completed over a dozen D-rank missions, ranging from catching cats and dogs to weeding, farming, and even handling heavy lifting.
Clients couldn't praise them enough, especially for physical tasks. After each enthusiastic shout of "youth," they outperformed expectations, Hiring such diligent ninjas is worth every penny.
Moreover, these missions have indirectly helped many residents. Knowing that these three children are from the Uchiha clan has gradually improved the clan's reputation. People are no longer excessively fearful when they see the police force.
Under Fugaku's leadership, the police force's law enforcement attitude has also been changing.
Only a few old and stubborn members of the Uchiha still try to cause trouble, but they are manageable and can't stir up much trouble.
Minato enjoyed sharing Gen, Daiki, and Jiro's amusing stories at dinner, smiling as he did so. Naruto realized these green-clad Uchiha kids were a result of his father's cooperation with Sasuke's father. Naruto couldn't quite evaluate it, but he thought Sasuke's family might be saved.
That evening, Naruto lay on his bed, entered his sealed space, and finished a chapter of *Berserk* to the fox spirit.
The relationship between him and Kurama had improved significantly. Now Naruto could come in, sit in front of Kurama, talk, and even pat Kurama's paws when he was happy. Every time Naruto sang, Kurama would give a grudging compliment:
"Brat, stop!"
"Oh," Naruto hurriedly exited the space.
Kurama glared at him. The stories Naruto told were tolerable for killing boredom, but he often spoke in strange languages Kurama didn't understand, which frustrated the fox.
Naruto had grown accustomed to interacting with Kurama. When he told stories, it was like coaxing a child, when he sang, it was like annoying a pet cat.
"Big fox, are you still arguing with my mother every day?" Naruto knew Kurama could share memories and communicate with Kushina's fox spirit.
"So what? That detestable woman!"
"Don't speak ill of my mother! Just talk to her like you do with me. Is it so hard to communicate properly?"
"Hmph! Do you want to argue too?"
"I don't want to, but you can at least try to be more friendly."
Kurama lay down heavily, grumbling to himself.
Naruto didn't bother trying to persuade them. Maybe their arguments were just their way of communicating. It was understandable for a woman like his mother and Kurama to argue with each other.
---
Time flew by, in the blink of an eye, two years passed swiftly.
Back then, Kimimaro was a melancholy youth pondering the meaning of life. Five years later, he had become a warm-hearted young man despite his cold demeanor.
His popularity in the class was even more exaggerated than Sasuke's. When Kimimaro smiled, it was like a celebrity charming his fans.
Unfortunately, his smiles were mostly reserved for his "little brother" Naruto, possibly due to his brotherly protective instincts developed in Konoha.
Because of this, Naruto received numerous snacks and gifts meant for Kimimaro from his female classmates, often accompanied by love letters.
Naruto never refused them and shared the snacks with his always-hungry friend, Choji, who envied Naruto's luck.
However, these days were coming to an end, as Kimimaro had graduated.
In the 57th year of Konoha, Kimimaro, at 12 years old, graduated at the usual age. In terms of strength, Kimimaro could handle three to five Irukas, the only thing he lacked was experience.
Minato insisted Kimimaro graduate like a regular student, and it proved to be a wise decision. Over five years, Kimimaro transformed from a lost weapon of war into a beloved young man.
****
"Team assignment? I plan to place Kimimaro in Team 4."
At the dinner table, Minato answered Naruto's question with a smile.
"Team 4?" Naruto felt it sounded familiar.
"It's the current team of Gai, Gen, Daiki, and Jiro."
"Oh, on Gai's team," Naruto realized, then asked, "But aren't there already four members in that team?"
Kushina and Kimimaro looked at Minato, sharing the same question, while Kakashi continued eating nonchalantly.
Even though Kakashi was an adult, he often joined Naruto's family for dinner when he wasn't on a mission. Despite Kushina urging him to find a girlfriend, he hadn't made much progress.
Naruto often wondered if his mother should pair Kakashi with Kurenai Yuhi but learned Asuma had recently returned to the village and often spent time with Kurenai.
So Naruto brainstormed again. Uzuki Yugao seemed like a good match, although she had a childhood sweetheart, Hayate Gekkou, who might not survive his illness, so she was a candidate. Anko Mitarashi was another option, though she had a rumored difficult personality.
Alternatively, Kakashi could be paired with Terumi Mei from the Hidden Mist Village. Finally, as a last resort, Jiraiya could take Kakashi to a village renowned for its eligible women...
Back to the topic, Minato explained that in two years, he wanted Gai to lead a new team. Although Team 4 was good, it lacked a calm and wise leader, also Kimimaro could fill that role after training.
Naruto thought his dad's explanation was too polite. To put it bluntly, the four of them were all reckless, and they needed someone with brain.
The next day, Naruto went to school as usual and found a new student in the class.
---
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