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Chapter 149 - CHAPTER 149 – The Newborn Jade

Konoha

The emergence of ninja simulation games had a significant impact on Konoha's younger generation. However, one thing that troubled Namikaze Minato was that while enrollment at the Ninja Academy had increased, the students' perseverance seemed to be weakening. 

Many fourth- and fifth-year students had lost much of their drive for training. They seemed more interested in immersing themselves in the thrill of being a ninja through their computers, experiencing the excitement of roaming the ninja world virtually, rather than dedicating themselves to real-life practice. 

Fortunately, this trend only affected a portion of the students. The Academy's top performers remained diligent in their training. If every student had fallen into this mindset, Minato would have been facing a serious problem. 

The Ninja Academy was Konoha's primary source of new shinobi. If its effectiveness declined, the steady influx of trained ninjas would slow down, leading to a gap in Konoha's defenses—a severe risk to the security of the vast Land of Fire. 

"I'll consult with others on this matter and give you an answer soon," Minato assured the Academy instructor before dismissing him. 

Even after the teacher left, Minato still found the situation challenging. 

The Uzumaki Trade Association's ninja simulation games weren't just appealing to students—even Kushina was hooked. If someone like her found them fascinating, it was no wonder that Academy students were captivated. 

But what could he do? Even as Hokage, he couldn't dictate what people bought. Families had the right to decide how they spent their money. It was just a game—on what grounds could he justify banning it? Even if he wanted to, there was no real justification. 

"Fortunately, the younger generation of shinobi hasn't fallen into decline. In fact, they're developing remarkably well." 

Minato looked through the reports on Konoha's rising talents and couldn't help but feel satisfied. These individuals represented the future of the village. 

Kakashi Hatake's skills had already reached the level of a jōnin. He executed ANBU missions flawlessly, dedicating himself entirely to strengthening his abilities. However, the death of his teammate had caused him to shut himself off emotionally, throwing himself into mission after mission. If this continued, he risked being consumed by darkness. 

Perhaps it was time to pull Kakashi out of the ANBU and assign him to a team—one that could contribute to Konoha while keeping him from losing himself in the shadows. 

Minato pondered the idea but hesitated. Kakashi was still young. Giving him the responsibility of leading a team might be too much for him at this stage. 

"The next generation is truly impressive… They might even surpass my own." 

Minato picked up an application for jōnin promotion—submitted by Kiyo Hyuga. 

She had successfully completed three A-rank missions and passed all other evaluation criteria. Checking the ANBU's reports, Minato confirmed that she had completed her missions alone. Though Hyuga branch members had accompanied her for protection, they had never needed to step in. 

As the rightful heir to the Hyuga main family, Kiyo technically didn't even need to undergo a jōnin evaluation. Once she reached the required skill level, her promotion was practically guaranteed. Yet her determination had driven her to take the test anyway, choosing the most challenging version of it. 

The results were undeniable. Though she had successfully completed her missions, she had sustained serious injuries and was taken straight to Konoha Hospital afterward. 

"What a stubborn one…" Minato sighed before signing off on her promotion. His assistant immediately updated her records and sent word to notify her of her new status. 

Beyond Kiyo, other young shinobi were also making rapid progress. Kurenai Yuhi had submitted her jōnin promotion request as well. Though she had fallen slightly short in her overall performance, her exceptional genjutsu abilities had earned her the rank of tokubetsu jōnin. 

Might Guy, Genma Shiranui, and several others were also showing great promise. Each had the potential to become one of Konoha's strongest shinobi. 

"If only Hyuga Mirai hadn't defected… influenced by Orochimaru, of all people." 

Even now, Minato struggled to understand what had driven Mirai to abandon everything in Konoha without hesitation. What had Orochimaru offered him? Was it truly just the promise of breaking the Caged Bird Seal? 

"Maybe it's time to form an elite squad… one that specializes in high-risk missions." 

The idea struck Minato suddenly. This new generation of shinobi was exceptionally strong, but most lacked leadership experience. They might not be ready to lead a team yet, but they were perfect candidates for taking on difficult missions. 

A special unit—something like the one Konoha's White Fang once led. A team focused on high-difficulty assignments that regular shinobi couldn't handle or that were too delicate for the ANBU to take on. 

It was a solid plan, but choosing the right members would take careful consideration. 

--- 

Training Grounds

A new squad had been formed—Kaede Kaminarimon, elite chūnin Teru Kinoshita, and Kurenai Yuhi. They had been working together for two months now, and their teamwork was already well-established. 

With Kaede as the core, the three had completed three A-rank and four B-rank missions, totaling seven assignments. 

Kaede and Teru had previously fought alongside each other on the battlefield, while Kaede had also served as Kurenai's squad leader before. This prior experience made them a well-coordinated team. 

Their skill sets complemented each other well. Kaede specialized in ninjutsu, Teru was a master of Konoha-ryu sword techniques, and Kurenai's family's genjutsu was widely renowned. Recently, she had even applied for the jōnin exam, earning quite a reputation in Konoha. 

"Captain, what rank is our next mission?" 

Teru was slightly younger than Kaede but older than Kurenai. However, in a fight, he knew he wouldn't stand a chance against her. 

Despite being older, Teru never underestimated his younger teammate. He had seen firsthand how those who underestimated Kurenai's genjutsu rarely lived to regret it. 

"We're waiting for one more. The Hokage assigned us a new member. Once they arrive, we'll complete two A-rank missions as practice, then move on to S-rank assignments." 

Kaede spoke in his usual straightforward manner. Konoha had been flooded with mission requests after the war. There wasn't enough manpower to take it slow—training had to happen on the job. 

Teru raised an eyebrow. "A new teammate? I thought we were sticking with a three-man squad. Who is it?" 

"A chūnin—Asuma Sarutobi." 

"The Third Hokage's son?" Teru was momentarily stunned before glancing at Kurenai, who continued silently practicing her genjutsu hand seals, unfazed by the name. 

He knew about Asuma mainly because he had been on Kurenai's team before. They had often "coincidentally" run into Asuma during missions. He hadn't expected him to be their new squadmate. 

"With two jōnin and two chūnin, we meet the requirements for S-rank missions," Kaede continued. "Konoha has a backlog of assignments. Even the ANBU is overwhelmed. We don't have time for leisurely team-building exercises." 

A short while later, Asuma arrived at the training grounds. Seeing the three already waiting for him, he tensed up slightly before walking forward. 

"Sorry for being late," he said. 

"You're not late. We just arrived early," Teru reassured him with a polite wave. Though there was a hint of flattery in his tone, he wasn't lying—Asuma had arrived on time. 

After quick introductions and sharing their specialties, there was nothing else to discuss. 

As for sparring? 

Kaede had no intention of letting his subordinates turn him into their test opponent. Kurenai's genjutsu was especially troublesome—even as an elite jōnin, he had to stay on guard against her abilities. 

"Meet at Konoha's main gate at noon tomorrow. I've already accepted an A-rank mission. If there's nothing else, we're done here," Kaede stated before disappearing with Shunshin no Jutsu. 

Once he left, Kurenai also stood and departed without a word. 

Seeing her go, Asuma panicked and quickly tried to call out, "Kurenai, it's been a while, how about—" 

Before he could finish, Kurenai's figure dissolved into a cascade of cherry blossoms, vanishing before his eyes. 

"A genjutsu clone? When did she…?" 

Asuma froze. He hadn't even realized he'd been caught in an illusion. Had Kurenai grown even stronger since he last saw her?

"She's gotten even better," Teru marveled before turning to Asuma. "No point in looking for her. She's already left the training grounds. That's just how she is. In the two months I've been her teammate, she barely speaks outside of missions." 

With that, Teru left as well. He had an A-rank mission to prepare for, and that meant going over his gear. 

The son of the Third Hokage had joined their squad, which meant the bar was even higher now. If Teru didn't push himself harder, he might end up as the weakest link in the team. 

Other than his Konoha-ryu sword techniques, he had no notable skills. There was no way the Third Hokage's son lacked powerful jutsu. And with Kaede mentioning S-rank missions in the near future, Teru knew that if he couldn't keep up, he'd be replaced. 

It was exhausting, but being in this squad had its perks. They took on high-ranking missions, the pay was excellent, and he was surrounded by strong teammates—something most people could only dream of. He wasn't going to give that up. 

"Sigh… I failed again." 

Once everyone else had left, Asuma let out a frustrated sigh. 

He had trained relentlessly to qualify for this squad. In the end, he had even swallowed his pride and asked his father for help. 

And yet… he couldn't even see through Kurenai's illusion. 

He had worked so hard to catch up, but it felt like the gap between them was only growing wider.

(End of Chapter)

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