Naruto: Reborn with the Template System

"Winner: Uchiha Shisui."

As Yuhi Shinku's voice echoed across the arena, the match officially ended.

A murmur swept through the small crowd of spectators.

Asuma lost?

To a six-year-old kid?

Asuma had finally clawed his way up to Genin-level strength—about on par with Shizune.

Last year, he only lost to Obito, the notorious bottom-feeder of the class. And now? He just got flattened by a six-year-old.

Life really comes at you fast.

"Unbelievable…"

Obito muttered, watching Shisui return to the stands. His Sharingan, which had activated mid-fight, faded back to its usual black, and Obito couldn't hide his envy.

Damn it. I haven't even awakened my Sharingan yet!

On the field, Asuma knelt down in defeat. Physically, he wasn't too injured, but the emotional damage was significant.

Getting crushed by a six-year-old wasn't something you recovered from with a bandage and a nap.

Shisui glanced his way, wanting to offer some words of comfort—but just then, Guts called out from the stands.

"Hey, Shisui! Konoha's Yellow Flash wants to teach you some ninjutsu!"

The second Shisui heard that, he didn't even hesitate. He grabbed his bag and practically flew up into the stands with a wide grin.

Asuma's instructor went down to help him up, quietly leading the disheartened boy away.

Back in the stands, Tsunade leaned back and gave Guts a sideways glance.

"I don't know how you do it, but it seems like you actually know how to teach."

"Tch. Teach?" Anko rolled her eyes.

"He just beats us to death with training. We wanted to die every day."

Slap!

Guts flicked her forehead, then tugged on her cheek, stretching it like rubber.

"Less whining, more training. You want to get stronger, don't you?"

"Hey! It hurts, you bastard! Let go!"

An hour later, to everyone's surprise, the final match of the Chūnin Exams came down to Uchiha Shisui… vs. Mitarashi Anko.

Guts's own disciples facing off in the finals: a 12-year-old teacher with two students, aged 9 and 6.

Some of the older Jōnin couldn't help but feel a bit awkward. The combined age of those three wasn't even close to theirs—and yet they had stolen the show.

Of course, in the end, Shisui came out on top.

With him, a new Uchiha star had risen. Since the days of Uchiha Kagami, there hadn't been someone so promising from the clan.

Guts caught the subtle nods of admiration from Namikaze Minato and several other seasoned Jōnin.

Huh. So this is why Jiraiya loves showing off Minato all the time.

It's not bad.

Five days later

Guts stood in the Hokage's office as Hiruzen Sarutobi handed him a neatly folded Konoha vest—Jōnin class.

"You've done well,"

The Hokage said, smiling faintly.

"Especially with Uchiha Shisui passing this year."

Guts accepted the vest with a short nod.

"Unfortunately, Anko didn't pass this round," Hiruzen added.

"But I'm sure she'll make it through the next exam."

"Yeah, she will,"

Guts said casually. "She's got fire."

Just as he turned to leave, Hiruzen pulled out a mission scroll.

"By the way, I've got a C-rank mission. Interested?"

"Nope."

The Third Hokage looked at him speechlessly.

"Don't look at me like that. C-rank? Total waste of time."

"It's a special case," Hiruzen said, voice quieter this time.

"Maybe you'll change your mind."

He handed over the mission details.

The pay wasn't bad—several million ryo, which put it close to A-rank territory.

The mission?

Find: Sarutobi Asuma.

The client: Biwako Sarutobi—Hiruzen's wife.

"…What kind of family drama am I getting roped into now?"

Guts muttered, reading the scroll.

Hiruzen sighed.

"After the loss to Shisui, Asuma locked himself away for two days. He was in a slump, and I decided not to promote him this round."

"Thought it might toughen him up."

"And?"

"And the next morning, he slipped past the village gates after lying to the guards. Said he was going on a mission. Ran away."

"Wow."

Guts chuckled.

"Running away because you got beat by a six-year-old? Well, losing to Obito last year didn't trigger him, but this? Yeah, that's a rough look."

"Will you go after him?"

"Pass. You should get someone else to play babysitter."

"Even with the reward?"

"Especially with the reward. I like my sanity."

Guts dropped the scroll, grabbed Shisui's vest off the desk, and vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Hiruzen rubbed his temples and sighed again. Parenting wasn't supposed to be this hard—not when you were the Hokage.

But just as he began considering other shinobi for the job, an urgent message landed on his desk.

Later that day…

Guts gathered Shisui and Anko, handing over Shisui's Chūnin vest with a smirk.

Shisui was over the moon.

Anko, not so much.

"What the hell? I came in second!" she grumbled.

To cheer her up (and because he also had an urge to eat something sweet), Guts took them both to Konoha's most famous dessert shop.

As the three of them sat down to celebrate, Guts relaxed into the booth, licking syrup from his fingers.

He didn't even get to finish his first bite before—

Jingle!

A sharp bell rang across the village, echoing like a warning shot.

Guts straightened immediately.

"A general summons for all Jōnin?"

"That means something serious happened,"

Shisui added with a serious look on his face.

Anko, her cheeks stuffed with dango, could only give a muffled

"Mmmph!"

Guts sighed dramatically, tossing some cash onto the table.

"See? This is why I didn't wanna be a Jōnin."

He stood up, wiped his hands, and disappeared toward the Hokage Building.

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