"Today is your first day reporting for duty. You haven't been assigned to any team yet," Kakashi said calmly. "Although Hokage-sama wanted to appoint you directly as the captain of the Anbu, based on the information I've reviewed, I don't believe your current experience and strength are sufficient."
As Kakashi finished speaking, Kazuki, hidden beneath his mask, rolled his eyes. If not for the mask covering his face, Kakashi would have clearly seen his disdain.
Seriously, Kakashi-san? he thought. If you hadn't overused your Sharingan back then, you might've actually finished off Zabuza in one go. Instead, you were bedridden for months. And that same Zabuza… yeah, I killed him myself a few days ago.
He had a feeling he knew why Kakashi underestimated him. When he had gone on missions with Might Guy before, he hadn't even worn a Konoha forehead protector, making him an unofficial ninja in the village's records. His contributions were likely recorded under Guy's name alone.
Kazuki had already glanced through his own portfolio. Most of the reports were written by Might Guy himself—who, unsurprisingly, exaggerated every little detail. Given Kakashi's attitude toward Guy, it was safe to assume he hadn't believed a single word.
Kazuki looked at Kakashi and asked, "What do I need to do to become the captain of the Anbu?"
Anbu teams operated in squads of four, each led by a captain—typically a Jōnin-level ninja. Ten squads formed a division, and currently, there were three divisions within Anbu:
The First Assassination UnitThe Second Assassination UnitThe Third Assassination Unit
The leaders of these units were at least elite Jōnin level, and some even possessed forbidden techniques. If the three of them worked together, even someone as powerful as the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, would find them to be a serious threat.
Above them all was the current Anbu Commander—Hatake Kakashi.
Anbu's operational structure was highly organized. The total number of active Anbu members was 121, all of whom were considered Konoha's elite. While Konoha had a large number of Chūnin and Jōnin, Anbu remained the village's most formidable and specialized force.
Their responsibilities ranged from guarding the Hokage, patrolling the village, and protecting Konoha's borders to executing high-risk assassination missions beyond the village walls. Anbu's sheer military strength surpassed even that of Konoha's most powerful clans, including the Uchiha and the Hyūga. This was one of the key reasons why the Third Hokage had been able to maintain control over the village for so long.
Of course, within Anbu, different ranks came with different privileges.
The lowest-ranking Anbu members handled routine patrols, message deliveries, and administrative work—tasks that were exhausting and tedious. In contrast, assassination unit captains had the privilege of selecting their own team members and leading high-priority missions outside the village. Their schedules were more flexible, and the compensation was significantly better.
Hearing Kazuki's question, Kakashi frowned slightly and said, "I can give you a chance to prove yourself. If you demonstrate sufficient strength, you'll be promoted to captain."
"How do I prove it? A fight with you?" Kazuki asked nonchalantly.
Kakashi chuckled coldly. This kid is way too naive.
"That won't be necessary," he said. Even if this boy was talented in ninjutsu, there was no way he could last more than three moves against him.
"You only need to defeat one of the current Anbu captains," Kakashi continued, handing Kazuki a list. "These are the captains who are currently available. Choose any one of them."
Kazuki scanned the list and, after a brief moment, said, "I'll choose him—Tenzo."
The ninja code-named "Tenzō" was, if nothing else, one of Orochimaru's childhood test subjects—the only known survivor among the children implanted with the First Hokage's cells. Later, he inherited the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai and assumed the alias "Yamato."
The reason Kazuki chose him was simple: one of the missions assigned by the system in his mind required him to collect chakra of the Wood Release nature. A battle with Yamato would provide a perfect opportunity to acquire this chakra firsthand.
However, when the higher-ups approved this selection, Kakashi was momentarily stunned. Then, he remarked,
"His current position isn't an Anbu squad captain. He leads the Second Assassination Division and is considered an elite. Are you sure you want to challenge him?"
"I'm sure."
"Well then," Kakashi said, "if you want to challenge Tenzō, just hold out against him for five minutes." With that, he ordered his subordinates to summon Yamato.
Kazuki smirked beneath his mask.
Five minutes?
That should be enough!
Before long, a tall man wearing a mask stepped into Kakashi's office. His voice was deep as he greeted,
"Lord Captain, you called for me?"
Kakashi nodded. "Tenzō, you're not currently assigned a mission, right? I need you to assess the strength of this new recruit."
"I don't have a mission at the moment," Yamato responded respectfully. His gaze shifted to Kazuki, and he scratched his head in slight confusion.
"Sir… you want me to test this kid's strength? You're joking, right? He looks like he hasn't even graduated from the Academy yet…"
Kazuki's expression darkened.
Do I really look that young?
He was already twelve years old and had grown to around 1.7 meters. Among his peers, he was already taller than most!
"He just joined Anbu today," Kakashi clarified. "He's only twelve, but Lord Hokage personally assigned him."
"Twelve?" Yamato's eyes widened. "Has Hokage-sama lost his mind? Anbu isn't a playground for children…"
Kakashi sighed but didn't argue. "Orders are orders. We need to determine his strength to assign him a suitable position."
Yamato let out a resigned sigh. "Alright, I understand."
He turned to Kazuki, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said in a serious tone,
"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you. Just do your best—I'll gauge your abilities without hurting you."
Kazuki's expression darkened further.
Heh. Completely underestimating me, huh?
Annoyed, he shrugged off Yamato's hand and coldly said, "That won't be necessary."
Yamato frowned slightly but didn't respond.
Soon, the three of them arrived at a private Anbu training ground. As Kakashi, the Anbu Commander, and Yamato, the Captain of the Second Assassination Unit, stepped onto the field together, their presence immediately attracted attention.
"The Captain and the Minister at the training ground? That's rare."
"I heard they're testing a new recruit. The kid's only twelve! Hokage-sama personally transferred him to Anbu."
"A twelve-year-old in Anbu? Genin are usually that age… Is he some kind of special case?"
The observing Anbu members whispered among themselves, some scrutinizing Kazuki with curiosity, others with open skepticism. Many dismissed him outright—unable to understand why Hokage-sama would assign someone so young to their ranks.
However, a few held a different perspective. They knew the Third Hokage wouldn't make such a decision lightly. This boy might possess hidden strength that would soon shock them all.
After all, history had shown that true geniuses often emerged at a young age.
Several senior Anbu members recalled an incident from four or five years ago—when a prodigy from the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Itachi, joined Anbu at the mere age of eleven. That same genius later became the infamous perpetrator behind the Uchiha clan's downfall.
And now, another young talent had entered their ranks.
Would he follow a similar path… or forge a new legend of his own?
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