I am the top student of this class, Sarutobi Enjun is the runner-up, and Uzuki Ruri's talent is also top-tier, with her assessment scores ranking in the top five of this elite class. Based on her current performance, she is not inferior to Konoha elite Jonin like Aburame Shibi and Akimichi Choza, who will go on to shine in the future.
Such a lineup, paired with Orochimaru, can only be seen as a deliberate arrangement by the Third Hokage.
Indeed, as the son of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Enjun's teacher and teammates are factors the Third Hokage couldn't possibly ignore.
And I have also entered this team, becoming Sarutobi Enjun's teammate and Orochimaru's student.
This means I have not only entered the Third Hokage's field of vision but have also become a member of the Hokage Faction.
Are they grooming me to be someone like Uchiha Shisui? And directly handing me over to Orochimaru for training... perhaps this can be considered a good thing?
The manifestation of the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the Hokage Faction began in the era of Senju Tobirama.
During the First Hokage's era, no one dared to cause trouble except for Madara. Senju Hashirama's magnanimity was broad enough that he held no prejudice against the Uchiha Clan.
Senju Tobirama, however, held significant prejudice. He handed the highly powerful Police Force over to the Uchiha, turning it into a cage to trap them. While he took numerous precautions, he also had enough ability to suppress these conflicts and prevent them from expanding.
It wasn't until Senju Tobirama passed away, followed shortly by Uchiha Kagami—whom he had left as a bridge of communication between the Uchiha and Konoha's upper echelons—who also died young.
From then on, the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha began to deepen bit by bit.
Had Uchiha Kagami not died, and if the Uchiha Clan always had an elder serving in Konoha's high command, the conflict between the two sides wouldn't have been so deep twenty years later in the original timeline.
At the very least, when it eventually exploded, it wouldn't have led to a tragedy like the Night of the Extinction.
Perhaps in the original timeline, the Third Hokage assigned Obito to Minato Namikaze with the intention of grooming this talented but simple-minded and hot-blooded Uchiha into the next Uchiha Kagami. After Uchiha Obito, there were Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi.
However, in the end, due to Madara's existence, Danzo's meddling, and the mental instability of both Obito and Itachi, everything was ruined.
If even one of the aforementioned people had been a bit more normal, the tragedy wouldn't have occurred.
As for now... I seem to have become such a character. Although the conflict between the two sides has gradually begun to manifest in the years since Uchiha Kagami's death, it is still just a bud, at a stage where it is relatively easy to suppress and resolve, rather than being irreconcilable.
The image of meeting the Great Elder yesterday suddenly surfaced in Uchiha Gen's mind.
If the insightful people within the Uchiha Clan knew I had become Orochimaru's student and entered the Hokage Faction, what would they do?
Would they be as short-sighted as Uchiha Fugaku, treating me simply as a tool for gathering intelligence, or would they try to treat me as a presence to infiltrate the Hokage Faction's upper ranks and strive for power and status?
And what about the Third Hokage?
Since I have already fallen into his field of vision, he must want to see if he can control me using the so-called Will of Fire.
This is highly probable, given the examples of Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi.
If that's the case, since he wants to groom me into a usable pawn, he must also build me into a presence with a certain level of strength and influence within the Uchiha Clan.
In other words, before my growth makes the Third Hokage feel threatened, he might not mind using his authority as Hokage to grant me some resources to accelerate my growth.
However, as for how things actually turn out, I'll have to wait until I meet Orochimaru.
At least for now, this seems like a good thing.
While Uchiha Gen used the information he knew to analyze his situation and weigh the pros and cons, time quietly slipped away.
After the team assignment process was completed, a middle-aged female Jonin soon appeared at the door and took away this generation's Ino–Shika–Chō.
That was the Third Hokage's wife, Sarutobi Biwako. The Sarutobi Clan has deep ties with the Ino, Shika, and Cho clans, serving as witnesses to the Three-Clan Covenant. When the previous generation of Ino–Shika–Chō succeeded as heads, it was the famous Sarutobi Sasuke, father of the Third Hokage, who served as witness. This generation would surely be witnessed by Hiruzen Sarutobi himself, and if there were a next generation, it would be witnessed by Asuma in the original timeline.
However, during wartime, Hiruzen Sarutobi, as Hokage, didn't have time to be a squad leader Jonin, but the Sarutobi Clan would certainly send a Jonin of sufficient standing.
Sarutobi Biwako was also a Jonin of decent strength and, more importantly, the Third's wife; in the absence of the Third Hokage himself, her status was perfectly appropriate.
One by one, Konoha Jonin entered the classroom and took away their students. Soon, a pale-skinned, cold-faced young man with long hair, wearing a green Jonin flak jacket, appeared at the door.
"Sarutobi Enjun, Uchiha Gen, Uzuki Ruri, you three come with me."
A slightly raspy voice reached their ears, and Uchiha Gen and the other two immediately stood up and followed behind Orochimaru.
A few minutes later, near the gates of Konoha Village.
"Teacher Orochimaru, we are..."
Sarutobi Enjun looked at the approaching Konoha gates and spoke hesitantly.
"I haven't given you permission to call me teacher yet—at least not yet—because a squad leader Jonin has the authority to fail newly graduated Genin and send them back."
Orochimaru stopped not far from the gates, turned around, and examined the three newly graduated Genin with his golden eyes.
"Life is fragile. One moment it might be vibrant, and the next, it lies on the ground, devoid of breath. The weaker one is, the more so it is. Without enough talent, strength, caliber, and wisdom to protect yourselves, you are destined to die on the battlefield. I have no need to take on such students. As the son or grandson of a Hokage, there's absolutely no need to risk your lives as ninjas; staying home safely would mean no danger at all."
Orochimaru's tone was flat, his gaze calm, and his words seemed to carry a hidden meaning.
A realization dawned in Uchiha Gen's mind.
It seemed that the death of his beloved disciple, Nawaki, two or three years ago had a great impact on Orochimaru.
Even though Uncle Snake hadn't turned dark yet, he already had many insights regarding life, which made him unwilling to take on disciples for a long time.
Unless one gained his approval—recognizing that your life wasn't so fragile—only then would you be qualified to become his disciple.
"Lord Orochimaru, how do you know we don't have that kind of talent? We have the determination to do everything!"
Uzuki Ruri looked at Orochimaru with a determined gaze and said.