Chapter 60 – The Disciples
Several days later, early afternoon.
Training Ground One of Konoha.
Bright sunlight draped the green lawn and clear river in a veil of gold. A faint chill lingered in the breeze, rustling the leaves with a soft whisper.
Senju Morin leaned lazily against a thick tree stump.
Today, he was not wearing the white Hokage robes or the wide ceremonial hat. Instead, he had chosen a deep, elegant set of formal attire.
Only a Kage insecure in his position needed to constantly display the symbols of authority. For Morin, who had already solidified his place as the Third Hokage, such gestures were unnecessary.
Over his dark garments, he wore a black silk haori. The fabric shimmered faintly under the sunlight. It bore no elaborate designs—only, on the back, embroidered in blue silk thread, was the crest of the Senju clan.
After the war with Kumogakure, after securing his position through undeniable military achievement, Morin had finally found a moment of spare time.
He had just dispatched ANBU to summon, for the first time, the three disciples he had nominally taken under his wing—though he had never personally instructed them.
He was quite satisfied with his choices.
Even setting aside what each represented politically, all three possessed the potential to grow into Hokage-level figures in the future. They would undoubtedly become valuable pillars supporting him.
As a teacher, however, he could hardly be called responsible.
Since accepting them as students, he had only met the three children once—the day they welcomed Uzumaki Chizawa into the village.
But after succeeding to the Hokage's seat, he had been consumed with receiving the Uzumaki allies, mobilizing and directing the war against Kumogakure, negotiating peace terms, and handling postwar reconstruction and governance…
Now, it was time to fulfill his duty—not only as Hokage, but as their sensei and squad leader.
The wait was not long.
Soon, three small figures appeared at the edge of the training field.
"Uncle Morin~!"
Tsunade arrived first.
Seven years old, she was at the peak of carefree childhood energy, waving enthusiastically as she ran toward him.
She wore a light teal short kimono, with the Senju clan crest clearly displayed on the outer sides of both sleeves. The wide cuffs were rolled up, revealing healthy, fair forearms. A small ninja pouch hung discreetly at her waist, and she wore classic blue shinobi sandals.
Thud.
With a dull sound, Tsunade suddenly clutched her head and crouched down.
Only then did Morin's faintly amused voice follow.
"You should call me sensei."
At only twenty-two years old, being called "uncle" was hardly flattering. Now, at last, he had the perfect excuse to correct the awkward title.
"Okay, okay…"
Tsunade mumbled, rubbing her head.
Tsunade rubbed her forehead, puffing her cheeks as she muttered under her breath.
Soon, the other two arrived at the training ground one after another.
Orochimaru stood quietly to the side. His long black hair flowed down like a waterfall over his shoulders. His golden, slit-pupiled eyes and faint purple eye shadow made him particularly striking. Combined with his natural aura, he truly resembled a serpent in human form.
He wore a light gray kimono, tied with a purple sash at the waist. His hands were tucked within the wide sleeves, giving him an almost shy appearance.
Hatake Sakumo, on the other hand, dressed most simply. A black high-collared short shirt covered his upper body, paired with dark shinobi trousers. White bandages wrapped around his wrists and ankles. On his back rested the same delicate short blade he always carried.
Three children of six or seven years old—still full of childish innocence. There was nothing in their current appearance that hinted at the figures who would one day shake the ninja world.
Morin's gaze swept across his three very different disciples, and he smiled.
"Since everyone's here, introduce yourselves."
"You can say anything. What you like, what you dislike… your dreams for the future."
Tsunade immediately puffed out her chest, her voice clear and bright.
"My name is Tsunade! I love my clan and the village the most. There's nothing I hate. My dream is to become as strong as Grandfather and Sensei, and protect everyone in the village!"
Morin nodded slightly and turned his attention to the white-haired boy beside her.
"My name is Hatake Sakumo. I enjoy training and studying all kinds of sword techniques. I dislike meaningless fighting. My dream is to become a qualified ninja."
Sakumo stood perfectly straight, as if delivering a mission report.
Finally, all eyes fell on Orochimaru.
His voice was calm, almost pleasant, and a faint smile lingered on his lips.
"Orochimaru. I enjoy observing interesting things. I dislike boredom. My dream is…"
His golden pupils shifted slightly.
He did not finish the sentence, as though he had not yet found a precise answer.
Morin's brows lifted subtly at that response, but he merely nodded.
"Very good. I see great potential in all of you."
He paused, his tone turning firmer.
"But in this cruel shinobi world, no matter how beautiful your dreams are, they require sufficient strength to become reality."
From his sleeve, he took out two delicate bells. With a crisp chime, he tied them slowly to his waist. Then he placed a small alarm clock atop the wooden stump beside him.
"Before the timer runs out, use any method you can think of to take these two bells from me."
The moment his words fell, Sakumo instinctively lowered his stance. His short blade was already in his hand—no one had seen when he drew it.
He shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
Swish—
Facing the gleaming blade slicing toward him, Morin shifted slightly and avoided it with effortless grace.
In his eyes, Sakumo's movements were far from true swordsmanship—merely basic thrusts and cuts—but his form was correct, and his speed already surpassed that of most genin.
Clearly, beyond academy lessons, he had received special training at home from Hatake Shuichi.
Morin drew a kunai from his pouch. Steel clashed with steel—sharp, rhythmic strikes ringing out as he parried Sakumo's attacks with only one hand, easily neutralizing each attempt.
Suddenly—
A sharp whistling cut through the air from behind.
Orochimaru and Tsunade had not been idle. Taking advantage of Sakumo's frontal assault, they circled around and attacked simultaneously from the rear.
Morin flicked his wrist and scattered a large handful of shuriken. They flew like a sudden storm of iron rain.
As if guided by invisible eyes, two struck midair, precisely knocking away the incoming kunai. The rest shot toward the bodies of the two children.
Thud thud thud thud…
Dull impacts echoed.
Smoke burst outward.
When it cleared, two wooden logs stood impaled with shuriken.
Orochimaru and Tsunade were gone.
Substitution Technique.
The most basic of basic ninja arts—also one of the academy's graduation requirements.
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