The Uzumaki Pair: A New Ninja Saga.

After we passed the exam, a few days went by before we finally attended class, during which the teams began to be divided.

"This year, we have one extra member in the class, so one of the teams will have four members."

The students didn't mind because they had already heard from their parents that a team with four or five ninjas wasn't uncommon, though teams of three were still the norm. Having more members could be both an advantage and a disadvantage—the upside was greater versatility and unique combo possibilities, while the downside was increased difficulty in escaping or carrying out stealth-related missions, such as infiltrations.

Regardless, Iruka-sensei clapped his hands and started the team division.

"…For Team 8, the members will be: Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame, with Kurenai-sensei."

"Team 10 consists of: Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Chouji Akimichi. Their sensei will be Asuma Sarutobi."

So far, all the teams had followed the usual structure, and only four students remained, making it obvious who would be in the next team.

"As for Team 7, it will consist of Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and—"

"No!!!"

I watched as Sakura groaned in disappointment, much like Ino had when she realized she wasn't in Sasuke's team. Though, to be honest, I didn't understand where she got her expectations from, considering the Ino-Shika-Chou formation was always repeated due to its well-known synchronization potential.

As for Naruto, he didn't seem to care. Thankfully, under my influence, he never developed a crush on Sakura. However, he also didn't form any feelings for Hinata or anyone else, even though he and Hinata were much closer than in the original story, which also made her a bit less shy.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

This time, different voices were heard while Sasuke had his own thoughts.

'A team with Naruto and that pink-haired girl… what was her name again? Something with an S… or maybe a G? But if I really end up on a team with Akane… I'd be happy.'

He blushed slightly at the thought of the girl, and his eyes automatically turned to her.

She had red hair, as beautiful as the most stunning river reflecting the sunset. Her presence exuded calmness and serenity, yet everyone knew she possessed a strong thirst for blood and violence when necessary.

His gaze lingered on her hair, which reminded him of his favorite childhood strawberries.

And just as he expected, the name was called.

"Uzumaki Akane. Your sensei will be Kakashi Hatake."

Upon hearing the name, many of the girls—and even more of the boys—felt a chill run down their spines. I had gained a reputation as someone who wouldn't hesitate to beat others up, especially if the provocation involved Naruto. As for the girls, there was another reason beyond that—due to my beauty, many boys had developed different kinds of crushes on me. Of course, I wasn't interested in dating anyone, at least for now.

Note: I understand that having an extra member on a team might not be ideal for some, but regardless of one's opinion on Sakura, if she weren't placed on a team, she would have been completely removed from the series. Personally, I don't find it interesting to exclude her entirely, even if her role becomes less prominent.

After the teams were announced, we all went to a classroom, and just like in the anime, Kakashi took forever to arrive.

Or rather, he pretended to be late.

When I sent out my spiritual sense (I'll call it that for simplicity), I felt his presence—he wasn't even trying to hide it.

I glanced at my brother, who looked ready to pull a prank, while Sakura was trying to talk to Sasuke, who didn't even spare her a glance. He seemed to be organizing some documents, which was expected.

A significant difference from the anime was that, for some reason, a few younger Uchiha clan children had survived. They were now housed within the Uchiha compound under heavy protection by other ninjas and ANBU members. As a result, Sasuke seemed to have a slightly weaker sense of vengeance and a greater sense of responsibility toward the remaining clan members. However, it was still possible that his hatred for his brother had grown even stronger.

I was still debating whether I could do something about this situation—especially regarding the Orochimaru incident. I had a few plans, but I wasn't sure how things would unfold.

"Naruto, don't pull the prank. I know you enjoy them, and we can do some later, but let's not ruin our image right now. If you really want to do it, we could set up traps with poisoned needles and explosive tags instead."

I finished my sentence with a malicious smile, making the three students shudder.

'She's terrifying…'

'No doubt, Akane is still as scary as ever.'

'Scary, but… for some reason, I find her beautiful and can't take my eyes off her.'

Meanwhile, the sensei outside the door flinched at the thought of dealing with such a dangerous student.

After a minute of waiting, with no sign of him entering, I rolled my eyes and spoke.

"Sensei, I don't know if it's intentional or not, but I've sensed you nearby for a while now. Please come in."

My words surprised everyone, and less than five seconds later, the door opened.

A man wearing a mask and a forehead protector covering one of his eyes walked in. His demeanor was laid-back and relaxed.

"Sensei! Why did you take so long?"

"Yes, Sensei! We've been waiting for what feels like forever!"

Naruto and Sakura complained, respectively, while Sasuke and I remained silent.

"Oh, my students are here. My apologies—I ran into a black cat on the way."

Everyone rolled their eyes at his excuse.

I felt his gaze land on me.

"You seem to have sensory ninja abilities… and good ones at that. That'll be useful in future missions."

I didn't comment, just gave him a slight nod.

"Alright, let's all head to the rooftop."

On the rooftop, the wind blew gently, sending leaves swirling around us and making our hair sway slightly.

"Alright, let's start with introductions. Talk about what you like, dislike, hobbies, life goals, and things like that. You first, Naruto—then we'll go to the right."

Hearing that, my brother spoke loudly and enthusiastically.

"I like eating Ichiraku ramen, eating my sister's cooking, and spending time with her. My hobbies are exploring new places with her and playing pranks. I also enjoy training in taijutsu. AND MY DREAM IS TO BECOME HOKAGE!!!"

I smiled at my brother's statement, and then it was Sakura's turn to speak.

Hokage POV

I was going through documents when I heard a knock on the door. Looking up, I saw that it was Iruka, the academy instructor.

"The teams have been announced."

"Yes. All according to plan. But was it really the best option to have four members in Team 7?"

Hearing his question, I looked up from the documents and gave him a warm smile filled with the Will of Fire.

"It's the best option. Jinchuuriki work better together—they already know each other. Plus, given Naruto's personality and Akane's abilities, it's better for her to be there to keep both of them safe and prevent him from being too reckless… though she can be impulsive at times," I murmured the last part, remembering the girl.

"As for Sasuke, his Sharingan could be useful in emergencies. And Sakura? She's a neutral element in the team—not particularly strong but intelligent. She also isn't from any clan, which prevents political interference from clans trying to influence the Jinchuuriki or the Uzumaki and Uchiha heir. Additionally, as a civilian, she helps maintain political balance with the village council."

Iruka looked relieved and seemed to understand my reasoning.

"And Kakashi… I heard he hasn't passed a single team before. They all ended up returning to the academy."

"Hahaha." I chuckled at his concern but provided an explanation.

"He's the best, despite not being at his peak. His emotional state and lack of training have weakened him, but he's still an elite Jounin, just below S-rank and Kage level. He also has strong adaptability… and he's connected to the two Uzumakis."

I didn't mention everything.

Another reason was his Sharingan—and a small hope that, by working with his sensei's children, he might recover and regain his strength. After all, he had the potential to become an S-rank ninja and was even considered for the position of Hokage once…

I dismissed Iruka and looked up at the clouds… I am too old to be the Kage, and my strength has been weakening… However, there are no candidates. The only ones I can think of are Kakashi or one of my students. The other possibility is Akane, but she is far too young… and from what I know about her, she wouldn't want to take on this position.

Note II: The final explanation is meant to clarify that this was a deliberate decision with valid reasons.