Chapter 25: Team Assignment, The Active Father-in-Law

Chapter 25: Team Assignment, The Active Father-in-Law

Naruto Uzumaki sat alone on a swing, his solitary figure looking pitiful.

But Izayoi felt no sympathy for him.

Only Izayoi knew this guy was about to start cheating.

Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, these two destined rivals, were like the reincarnated chakra within them—representing ultimate yin and yang—whose fates were also opposite.

During the six years at the Ninja Academy, Sasuke Uchiha had been one of the star students. Without Izayoi's existence, he would’ve been the top graduate. In the original storyline, these years marked Sasuke’s peak glory. Yet after graduation, his fortunes declined.

Meanwhile, Naruto, the perennial dead-last, began his meteoric rise. Within months, he’d surpass the top graduate.

Naruto looked pitiful now, but once night fell, he’d unlock one of the ultimate techniques perfectly suited for both the Sage’s Body and the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique.

A forbidden jutsu that even Izayoi coveted, its power escalating with the user’s chakra reserves. During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Naruto’s Shadow Clones, each wielding a Rasengan, had blocked Uchiha Madara’s Wood Release. Even the most basic elemental release, when replicated by hundreds of Shadow Clones, could create apocalyptic effects. If Naruto had mastered a Wind Release during the Chunin Exams, he wouldn’t have needed to resort to humiliating tricks to defeat Kiba Inuzuka. A single combo of Multi-Shadow Clone and Wind Release would’ve eliminated most competitors.

Though Naruto’s strength was often curbed, Izayoi had no such restrictions. Acquiring this technique would transform his power completely.

As Izayoi’s fingers paused mid-stroke through Hanabi Hyuga’s hair, a bold idea formed in his mind.

Maybe he could obtain the forbidden technique tonight.

Without his Byakugan upgraded to Golden Rank, such a thought would’ve been reckless. After all, he knew the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique was secretly prepared by Hiruzen Sarutobi for Naruto himself.

The Forbidden Scroll itself was suspicious—placing this technique first, making it impossible for Naruto to miss. If Izayoi attempted to steal the scroll or appeared near the forest, Sarutobi’s mind-reading techniques from the Yamanaka clan would surely detect him.

Yet Izayoi needed neither proximity to Naruto nor presence in the forest. His Byakugan’s eighty-kilometer range let him observe the entire Konoha. With preparation, he could copy the technique’s instructions the moment Naruto opened the scroll.

Resolving his plan, Izayoi turned his attention back to the present.

“…Izayoi-kun, do you think we’ll be assigned to the same team during team placements the day after tomorrow?”

Over half an hour had passed. Hanabi had fallen asleep in his arms. After gently laying her on the bed, Izayoi returned to the sofa, pulling Hinata Hyuga close. Resting her head on his shoulder, she asked hopefully.

“The odds are slim, but not impossible,” Izayoi replied, twirling her hair. “Team placements balance strength—since we’ve both been top three students, the chances are low. But our constant companionship hasn’t gone unnoticed by teachers.”

“If the instructors decide, maybe they’ll consider our synergy.” Hinata clasped her hands in prayer. “I hope we’re on the same team.”

Izayoi’s lips quirked as he pinched her chin playfully. He avoided crushing her hope—the actual probability was near zero.

Hiruzen Sarutobi handled team placements. In the original timeline, only Sakura Haruno, lucky to be loved by Naruto, broke into the shinobi clan circle. The other Rookie Nine were split between Team 7 (Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura), the Ino-Shika-Cho Alliance, and Team 8 (Kiba, Shino, Hinata). No team combined clan heirs with commoners. Clan teams received elite Jōnin mentors, while commoner teams faced high casualty rates.

Even if Izayoi replaced Sakura as top graduate, Sarutobi wouldn’t disrupt tradition. What if Izayoi and Sasuke alienated Naruto—two boys with conflicts, plus a girl stuck mediating? Worse, three boys would be volatile. With the Ino-Shika-Cho Alliance staying intact, Team 7’s composition (Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura) remained fixed.

Izayoi’s only chance lay in Team 8. But replacing Kiba or Shino would offend their clans—powerful entities with summons and feared insect techniques. Could Sarutobi risk angering them by demoting heirs to ordinary teams? Unlikely.

What Izayoi didn’t know was that Hiashi Hyuga—the future father-in-law—had already taken action.

At dusk, Hiruzen Sarutobi placed a special Forbidden Scroll on his office desk and left for home. Shortly after, a long-haired man in white robes with Byakugan visited him. Meanwhile, Mizuki approached Naruto Uzumaki.

As night fell, a blond boy in an orange jumpsuit and green goggles boldly infiltrated the Hokage’s office, stealing the Forbidden Scroll. Soon, figures in green flak vests leaped across rooftops in pursuit.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end