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Chapter 23 - Team Selection! Part-2
🕑 Added 2023-07-13 10:27:23 +0000 UTC{Hokage's Office, Administrative building, Konohagakure}
{6:41 PM, 18th Jan 13 Yrs ANB}
{3rd Person POV}
"Ma Ma, asking for the Rookie of the Year in your first year, quite bold of you Kurenai-Chan" Kakashi teased, right now the situation was quite clear, both of them were fighting to have Ren join one of their teams.
Hiruzen looked at the teasing Kakashi and stoic Kurenai and asked Kurenai, "Can you explain your reasoning Jonin Kurenai," Hiruzen asked stopping the whispers that were going on.
"Certainly Hokage-Sama" Kurenai responded eagerly getting a soft chuckle from Kakashi, glaring at the pervert from her peripheral vision she continued, "Hinata with her Byakugan would serve as the scout searching forward for any traces of enemy sightings, Shino's Kinkaichu would cover the teams back against any attack and could serve as long-distance trackers and sentries, Ren's fast speed with taijutsu mastery would prove invaluable for invalidating any targets they might face..."
Hayate heard what Kurenai said and to be honest, he could see the team working out, Kakashi though had other plans as he asked, "Wouldn't Kiba Inazuka fit your team better as your team lacks long-range scouting options without him, plus he could provide fighting power too..."
Kurenai glared at the pervert once again, she was afraid that someone who wanted Ren would disrupt her plans. She didn't want someone as volatile as Kiba around Hinata making her more shy when she worked on building the girl's confidence.
"I like that plan," Tsume spoke up from the corner making Kurenai sigh, at least she achieved her primary objective of having Hinata on her team, she was grown quite fond of the shy and reserved girl after watching from the whole class from afar for the last week. Although Ren's naked talent shining was quite a temptation for any Jounin-Sensei.
Hayate smiled as he realized he has a chance, Hokage-sama surely won't allow Kakashi to have all three potential stocks so he has a chance to snatch Ren from him. Especially since Kakashi had already failed Ren once, there was no way that team could work. Since he was retired from the ANBU he at least had seniority over the rest of the tokubetsu jonin.
"If I may, Hokage-sama, ~cough cough~" Hayate stepped forwards and bowed slightly, "I would like to form the traditional team 7 with Ren, Ino Yamanaka, and Handa Kyoko. The Rookie of the Year, the Kunoichi of the Year, and the dead last."
Hayate's proposal instantly drew some eyes, he was a veteran shinobi and almost all the people knew about his service in the ANBU and his subsequent injury, so he was quite sure no one would simply ignore his words.
"Ma Ma Hayate-san I think Ren would fit quite well in my team" Kakashi argued.
"You already failed him once, there is no way your team would work out..." Hayate pointed out.
"But Ino Shika Cho is a tried and tested team, there is no reason to break up such a prestigious trio," Asuma reasoned too, he could feel the three clan heads surrounding him nod their head.
'This is bullshit and extortion' Asuma screamed in his thoughts but he still maintained a stoic visage.
"Hmmm..." Hokage-sama leaned back and then he looked at everyone else, one by one quite a lot of tokubetsu jonin started chiming up a team around Ren and other members of the class. After a while, he leaned back and spoke, "Kakashi, observe the class I know you are slacking... form a team around Sasuke."
He turned to Asuma and spoke, "Team Ino-Shika-Cho would be led by Asuma if they all managed to pass." He then turned to Kurenai and Hayate, this was possibly the most difficult pairing he could think of, "Hayate, Kurenai, form two teams with Ren, Hinata, Shino, and Kiba divided among yourself. Observe the class again as they go through their final graduation exams tomorrow and add two more members to form a team."
Hayate smiled, he knew that he had won the battle to be honest he just borrowed Ino's name to complete the team, if he couldn't find any suitable members he could directly apply to take Ren into an apprenticeship in a couple of days after the exam. As Hokage-sama addressed the rest of the tokubetsu jonin one by one, Hayate simply waited for the meeting to end.
This was just a probing meeting and other than the Ino-shika-cho none of the other teams were set. Everyone was instructed to watch the final graduation exams and then finalize their teams.
"Hayate-san, what do you think about letting me handle Hinata-chan and Ren-kun while you form a scouting team with Shino and Kiba." Kurenai offered as Hayate left the Hokage-sama's office.
"You know the Hokage-sama already approved your team don't you Kurenai-san," Hayate shot back, he already got what he wanted and had no interest in talking anymore.
"~...~" Kurenai sighed as she looked at the setting sun, a lot of it didn't go according to her plan and she knew that she could use her authority as a jonin to make things go in her favor but she refrained from offending one of her old classmates because of this matter.
"You want to go and watch the rookies train at the training ground," Hayate offered, and after sharing a brief nod both of them vanished from the rooftop and arrived at the academy training ground assigned to the rookies.
They both looked at Ren who was running along the perimeter as always, he had his eyes closed as he had his hands in front of him as he tried to complete the whole thing while only using his sense of hearing and smell. Hayate smiled as he thought about all the exercises he would have him do once they were finally a team.
'I can finally pass down my sword technique to the next generation.'
Pain flared in Hayate's lungs as he used chakra to suppress the inflammation, his wound was his sense of shame and also a reminder to teach his students well.
'Yugao learned a lot of stuff from me but halfway through she created her own style, hopefully, Ren would be able to master all the moves...' Hayate thought as he looked at Ren stumble.
Ren opened his eyes as his muscle thigh muscle started shaking an annoyed look appeared on his face which he quickly suppressed as he released the resistance seal holding him back.
'I need to find a way to increase the duration till which my resistance seal works after...' Ren thought as he limped into the ground and sat down.
'Status...'
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AN- What do you think, which team!
