Kizaru bit the last two dango off the wooden skewer and lazily twirled the stick between his fingers.
After listening to Hatake Sakumo's suggestion, a faint, amused smile appeared on his face.
"Ehh… isn't that a little cruel, Sakumo-san? Bullying children like that is pretty scary, you know~"
You mean it sounds fun, don't you?
After spending so much time around Kizaru, Sakumo already understood this guy's personality far too well.
He complained inwardly, but the gentle smile on his face did not change.
"I don't intend to simply bully them," Sakumo said calmly. "I want to guide them. Right now, they're still thinking about who among them is qualified to fight you. I want them to understand that the only way they can stand against you is by working together."
Kizaru tossed the wooden skewer onto the table, then touched his chin with a lazy smile.
"Hmm… that does sound interesting. Fine, I'll help."
Hearing Kizaru agree, Sakumo quietly let out a breath of relief.
At the same time, he could not help but look forward to tomorrow's exercise.
He hoped that through this test, his three students would finally understand the importance of teamwork.
The exercise Sakumo had in mind was not complicated.
In fact, it was almost simple and direct.
Under the name of an assessment, Kizaru would spar with his three students. Their goal would be to avoid defeat for a set period of time.
At the same time, Sakumo would tell them that if they failed, their genin qualifications would be revoked, and they would be sent back to the Ninja Academy.
And Sakumo was serious about that punishment.
In his eyes, if the three of them could not learn teamwork or consider their comrades, then they were not yet qualified to call themselves ninja.
"When are you free tomorrow?" Sakumo asked.
Since they had already decided, he wanted to confirm the time immediately.
"After three in the afternoon should be fine."
"Then tomorrow at three. Training Ground Ten."
"As expected of Sakumo-san. What a responsible teacher."
"Hahaha!"
Hearing Kizaru's compliment, Sakumo smiled and scratched the back of his head.
After agreeing to Sakumo's request and chatting with him for a while longer, Kizaru finished his afternoon tea, picked up his lunch box, said goodbye, and left.
When Kizaru returned home, he originally planned to spend some time chatting with Yahiko and Konan.
However, Keiko told him that the two had gone out to play with Nagato.
Yahiko and Konan had only come to know Nagato because of Kizaru.
Back then, when the two little ones had just arrived in Konoha with him, everything around them was unfamiliar, and they rarely went outside.
In order to help Yahiko and Konan adjust to life in Konoha faster, Kizaru had brought them to visit Nagato's family, who had moved into the village earlier.
All three of them had come from the Land of Rain.
Because of that shared experience, the three children quickly became friends after their first meeting.
Since then, they had been meeting often, playing together in the village with other children around their age.
So after hearing Keiko's words, Kizaru only smiled and nodded before returning to his room for a nap.
The next morning, Kizaru left home at nine o'clock as usual.
However, unlike yesterday, he was not carrying a lunch box today.
Instead, he held a ninja sword about one and a half meters long.
This was something he had prepared for the afternoon exercise.
Using his Devil Fruit ability against three classmates from the same year would be far too one-sided.
So Kizaru had taken a ninja sword from home and planned to "bully" his three former classmates using only basic swordsmanship.
After arriving at the Academy and entering his office, Kizaru, who had nothing to do that morning, was just about to boil water and make himself a cup of coffee.
Knock, knock, knock.
Just as he filled the electric kettle and plugged it in, someone knocked on the door.
"Come in."
After pressing the switch, Kizaru stood up and looked toward the entrance.
The office door opened.
A school staff member in charge of administration walked in with a young man from the Hyūga Clan.
It was Hyūga Hiashi, the heir of the main family.
"Principal Kizaru, this is Hyūga Hiashi. The Third Hokage has arranged for him to join the Academy staff. From now on, his duties will be assigned by you."
While the staff member spoke, Kizaru had already begun sizing up Hiashi.
The moment the young Hyūga entered the office, his pale Byakugan had calmly turned toward Kizaru.
The Hyūga Clan is making quite the move, huh?
They actually sent the heir of the main family directly to the Academy to work under me.
Returning to the seat behind his desk, Kizaru looked at the two people in front of him and smiled.
"I understand. You can leave first."
"Yes."
The staff member responded respectfully, then took the initiative to leave and closed the office door behind him.
Kizaru looked at Hiashi, who stood upright in front of him with a composed and expressionless face, and began thinking about how to arrange this new piece on the board.
"Principal Kizaru," Hiashi said, offering a proper formal bow. "My name is Hyūga Hiashi. I look forward to working under your guidance."
Kizaru nodded, touching his chin as he looked at the serious and traditional young Hyūga in front of him.
Soon, an idea came to him.
Finding the right person for the right position was an essential skill for any manager or leader.
And Kizaru happened to be fairly good at that.
In Kizaru's eyes, Hiashi, who possessed the Byakugan and carried himself with a calm, disciplined air, was perfectly suited for one position in the Academy.
A person responsible for enforcing school rules and supervising the conduct of both students and teachers.
Because the Academy had not had many teachers or students in the past, its management had always been simple. There had never been a need for such a position.
But once the new semester began, the Academy would enter its reform period.
There would be more teachers, and Kizaru was also preparing to slightly expand student enrollment.
After all, through the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha had obtained considerable benefits, and the village's finances had become much more stable.
Since the village now had more funding, naturally, more could be invested into education.
Not to mention, the current principal of the Ninja Academy was Kizaru.
For him, applying for additional funds was not difficult at all.
Because of that, in order to manage the Academy more smoothly in the future and spare himself unnecessary trouble, Kizaru had long planned to establish a disciplinary office and appoint someone to oversee it.
As for the candidate, he had not found anyone suitable before Hiashi arrived.
Originally, if no one within the Academy fit the role, Kizaru had planned to borrow someone with strong execution ability from the ANBU or even from his uncle's Root.
But today, Hiashi's arrival gave him a new choice.
A member of the strict Hyūga Clan, and one who possessed the Byakugan, which could supervise students at any time.
Hyūga Hiashi was practically made for this position.
"Ooh~" Kizaru looked at the high-quality talent in front of him and gave a lazy laugh. "You came at the perfect time, Hiashi-kun."
Hiashi-kun?
I am sixteen this year.
Kizaru's casual tone and lazy smile made Hiashi, who had grown up under the strict traditions of the Hyūga Clan, feel slightly uncomfortable.
"Is there something you need from me?" Hiashi asked, maintaining his polite expression with some effort. "If it is within my ability, I will do my best."
Kizaru smiled and shook his head.
Under Hiashi's puzzled gaze, he explained slowly.
"I was just preparing to create a new department and position within the Academy. Then you happened to arrive. Isn't that convenient?"
Hearing that there was a new department and a new position, Hiashi became somewhat curious.
He wanted to know exactly what kind of role Kizaru intended to give him.
Under Hiashi's calm but attentive gaze, Kizaru explained the responsibilities and authority of the disciplinary office and its head in detail.
After listening, Hiashi nodded thoughtfully.
This position would answer directly to the principal.
Its duties included maintaining school rules, supervising the discipline of students and teachers, and assisting with the management of daily teaching activities.
Judging by its authority, the position was not small.
Its status was also not low.
It was indeed suitable for him.
"I understand," Hiashi said.
"Then I'll leave the position of Head of Discipline to you, Hiashi-kun."
"No problem," Hiashi replied confidently.
After agreeing, Hiashi, who still felt slightly awkward being addressed so casually by Kizaru, spoke again.
"Principal Kizaru, you may simply call me Hiashi from now on."
"Alright, Hiashi-kun."
Kizaru accepted the suggestion instantly, though not quite in the way Hiashi had hoped.
Hiashi's expression stiffened slightly.
"I am sixteen years old this year. There is no need to use 'kun.' You can simply call me Hiashi."
Facing Kizaru's smiling face, Hiashi explained directly.
Kizaru showed a look of sudden realization.
"Ahh, sixteen? My apologies. I didn't notice just now."
Then he smiled lazily.
"Hiashi."
Looking at Kizaru, who was only ten years old this year yet somehow looked more mature and carried himself more freely than most adults, Hiashi suddenly had the urge to ask him one question.
Between the two of us…
Who exactly looks older here?
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