Jokichi's premonition was very accurate.
At the Ninja Academy, after the teachers responsible for this grade assessment finished compiling the students' grades, they came to the Hokage's office to report on their work.
The grades of the new generation concerned the future of Konoha, so besides Sarutobi Hiruzen as the Hokage, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura of the elder council also came.
In the past, Danzo would also arrive.
However, he was already dead and could not make it.
"The first place in this grade assessment is Sakakura Jokichi, the second place is Uchiha Sasuke, the third place..." After reading the top ten students, Iruka closed the grade sheet and smiled, "Although the other students' rankings are lower, they also performed outstandingly, it is just that the top ten performed better."
"Mhm! You have worked hard, Iruka." Hiruzen bit on his pipe and nodded slightly. His aged face held a smile, making him look much younger.
"Not at all, it is the result of everyone's hard work." Iruka did not dare to claim all the credit. "Moreover, the students themselves also worked very hard."
Koharu, leaning on her cane to the side, said, "No matter what is said, you brought up this new batch of students, so do not be modest."
"Yes."
"Then, is there anything else to report?" Hiruzen asked.
"No."
"Wait a moment."
Mizuki stood out from the back, and everyone turned their gazes to him.
Hiruzen stared at him, took a silent drag from his pipe, and asked, "It is Mizuki. Is there anything else?"
"It is regarding Jokichi and Sasuke."
Hmm?
Hearing Mizuki's words, Hiruzen's gaze towards Mizuki could not help but sharpen, and his expression became serious.
"What happened to those two?"
"Although they are still third-year students, both Jokichi and Sasuke possess the strength of official ninjas, and they have even learned ninjutsu like the Great Fireball and Shadow Clone. There is no point in them continuing to stay at the academy."
"Are they both geniuses?" Homura asked.
"That is correct."
Mizuki glanced at Homura, nodded, and then continued looking at Hiruzen, "Lord Third Hokage, them continuing to stay at the academy will only waste their talent. I would like to request that they graduate together with this year's graduates."
"Mizuki-sensei!"
Iruka looked at him in surprise, and immediately retorted, "Although they are very outstanding, they are still too young. Graduating now is too..."
"There are many people who graduated even earlier than them." Mizuki interrupted Iruka and spoke righteously, "Iruka-sensei, I am also a teacher, and I like those children just as much as you do. But you yourself are very clear about their strength. As for Jokichi, even a Chunin like me might not be his match. By pampering them like this, you are harming them."
"I..."
Iruka opened his mouth but could not refute it.
In this assessment, the strength shown by Jokichi and Sasuke was obvious to all. Spouting nonsense would be insulting the intelligence of the other teachers.
"In the past, there were indeed students who graduated very early." Hiruzen took a deep drag from his pipe, his cloudy eyes staring at the desk, flickering with complex emotions.
After a good while, he slowly exhaled the smoke, his gaze recovering its usual profoundness. "But the times are different now. There is no need for students to graduate so early anymore."
"However, even if the current Konoha is not in urgent need of combat power, for the sake of the two children's development, they should be allowed to graduate early!" Koharu suggested from the side.
Hiruzen fell silent.
Both Koharu and Mizuki were right.
By continuing to stay at the academy, the school could teach them nothing.
Letting them graduate and go on missions with a Jonin commander would allow them to accumulate experience and grow.
Although there would be risks in the process, the profession of a ninja always carried risks, no matter the time.
However, Hiruzen also had his own considerations.
First was Jokichi.
Others might not be clear, but he understood perfectly well.
Jokichi's potential was astonishingly vast. He possessed a monster-level amount of chakra and could learn many ninjutsu.
Even without mission experience, he could still grow for a long time.
The reason the Ninja Academy only taught the basics was that the students were young, and their knowledge and chakra volume were insufficient to learn high-level jutsu.
Although Jokichi's current strength was formidable, he was far from the point where he could no longer grow just by burying his head in studying. Naturally, Hiruzen wanted him to grow as much as possible before going out to accumulate experience.
Because this would minimize the risks to the lowest possible level.
As for Sasuke...
Hiruzen had long planned to make him and Naruto teammates.
Because Naruto was a Jinchuriki, situations of the Nine-Tails going out of control might occur on his future ninja path.
Having a teammate with the Sharingan present might suppress Naruto's rampage.
Moreover, his making Sasuke and Naruto teammates was also a gesture of goodwill to the Uchiha.
Although the matter of the Uchiha coup d'etat was over, and Itachi had used Kotoamatsukami to make the Uchiha put down their arrogance and prejudice, the other side had not pushed their luck to demand anything.
But something like a coup...
It had only been two or three years; they could not act as if nothing had happened.
The estrangement between the two sides still existed.
Although both sides wanted to work hard to eliminate it, it was not that easy.
Hiruzen hoped to make Sasuke and Naruto teammates to ease the atmosphere between the two sides. Even if they could not completely let it go, they could plant the seeds of reconciliation and pin their hopes on the next generation.
Becoming teammates, experiencing life and death together.
They would form a profound friendship, and this friendship would gradually spread, completely integrating the Uchiha into Konoha.
In fact, similar plans had been implemented since the Second Hokage.
That was Uchiha Kagami.
Hiruzen also inherited this plan from the Second Hokage, making Obito and Kakashi teammates.
Unfortunately, both Kagami and Obito died prematurely, and other Uchiha found it difficult to form good relationships with their teammates.
Even Uchiha Itachi was out of place with the others because of his overly mature and avant-garde thoughts.
Originally, Hiruzen had almost lost faith in this kind of plan.
But Naruto's appearance made him regain his confidence.
Because even the hatred and disgust of the villagers could not shake his kindness, that desire for acknowledgment, and the mood of hoping to make friends...
No matter how difficult Sasuke was to get along with, he would definitely be able to get along with Naruto.
Jokichi was the large tree Hiruzen valued to prop up Konoha's future, and Sasuke was Hiruzen's hope to achieve true unity in Konoha.
He would not allow any accidents to happen to either of these two.
But...
"For this kind of matter, we should still ask the opinions of the people involved and their parents!" Homura suggested, "If we forcefully keep them at the academy, it would be bad if it caused misunderstandings."
Hearing this, a sense of powerlessness rose in Hiruzen's heart.
Although he was the Hokage, Konoha was not a dictatorship, and he had to occupy the moral high ground on such matters as well.
Otherwise, over time, the Hokage would also lose the trust of the people below.
"...Fine, let us first explain the pros and cons to the people involved and let them make the decision!" Hiruzen hesitated for a long time, forced to make a decision.
Once the decision was made, someone immediately went to find Sasuke and Jokichi.
Hearing this, Sasuke was very excited, but found it difficult to make a decision at once, and could not help but look at his father and mother.
"Graduating from the academy at eight years old?"
Upon hearing this news, Fugaku and Mikoto were first stunned, and then revealed smiles. "Graduating so early is an honor. As expected of my son."
On the other side, at the 39th Training Ground.
After hearing the news, Jokichi carelessly picked his ear. "What? Early graduation? No no no, how can I be a ninja when I am so weak? You had better let me study at the Ninja Academy for a few more years!"